Writing Craft Guide

How to Build an Author Media Kit That Gets Press Coverage

Press coverage sells books in ways advertising cannot: it lends third-party credibility and reaches readers who tune out ads. This guide explains what goes in a professional author media kit, how to build a press page on your website, and how to pitch the local angle and news hook that gets journalists to say yes.

3x response rate

Media kit vs. email pitch alone

Local press

Best ROI for debut author coverage

5-7 days

Wait before following up with a journalist

Everything you need to build your author media kit

What goes in an author media kit

A complete author media kit contains everything a journalist needs to write about you without asking for more: a professional headshot at print resolution, your book cover in high resolution, a 100-word bio and a longer 300-word bio, a book synopsis in two lengths (one paragraph and one page), a 1-2 page excerpt from the book, 10 suggested interview questions covering your book and its themes, any existing press quotes or early review excerpts, and a clear press contact email. The entire kit should be downloadable as a PDF from your author website's press page. Journalists are on deadline -- if they have to ask for any of these, they'll move on.

The digital press kit page on your website

Every author website should have a dedicated press page accessible from the main navigation. This page is your always-available media resource: headshots in multiple sizes, book cover art at both web and print resolution, bios in two lengths, links to previous press coverage, downloadable media kit PDF, and a press-specific contact email. Label it 'Press' in the navigation, not 'Media Kit' -- journalists and editors search for a press page by that name. Update it after every major review, award, or coverage placement. A well-maintained press page signals that you take media relations seriously and makes it easy for a journalist to greenlight a story in five minutes.

The local angle: the easiest press win for debut authors

Before you pitch national publications, pitch local ones. Your local newspaper, regional magazine, community radio station, and city news website are all looking for stories about people from the area doing interesting things. 'Local author publishes debut novel' reliably gets placed in regional media with almost no national platform required. The pitch is simple: a brief email to the features or books editor, a note about your local connection, and a link to your press page. Local press coverage is also a meaningful credential -- a feature in your city's newspaper of record looks good in future pitch emails to larger media outlets.

The news hook: connecting your book to current events

A news hook is what makes your book timely rather than just good. If a geopolitical event makes your thriller's setting suddenly relevant, if a cultural debate touches your memoir's subject, if a scientific development connects to your nonfiction premise -- that's a news hook. Pitch it fast: news cycles last days. Write a hook email in two paragraphs: the first explains the news angle and why your book speaks to it, the second introduces you and the book. Send to journalists who cover the specific topic, not just to book editors. A book page editor might pass on a standard book pitch; a news reporter covering the relevant beat might write a feature.

Following up with journalists

Journalists receive hundreds of pitches and most go unanswered. That doesn't mean you were ignored or rejected -- it often means you landed in an inbox on a deadline day. Wait five to seven business days before following up. One follow-up is appropriate. A second follow-up after another week is acceptable for time-sensitive topics. Beyond two emails, you've said what you have to say. Keep the follow-up short: one sentence restating the angle, one sentence asking if they have questions. Don't attach files again unless specifically requested. If you're not hearing back, it's not personal -- return to the same journalist in three to six months with a new angle or a new news hook.

Media kit vs. sell sheet: knowing which to send

Authors often conflate these two documents, but they serve entirely different audiences with different needs. A media kit is for press: journalists, bloggers, podcast hosts, and event organizers who want to write about you or feature you. It emphasizes story and voice. A sell sheet is for the book trade: bookshop buyers, library acquisitions departments, and distributors who want to know about sales potential, comparable titles, print specifications, and ordering information. Build both. Send the media kit to press contacts. Send the sell sheet to bookshops and libraries. Sending the wrong document signals that you don't understand who you're talking to, which makes the recipient less likely to take you seriously.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between an author media kit and a sell sheet?

A media kit is designed for journalists, bloggers, and podcast hosts -- people who write or talk about books and need content to produce a story. It includes your bio, high-resolution headshot, book cover image, synopsis, an excerpt, suggested interview questions, and contact information. A sell sheet is designed for booksellers and buyers -- it emphasizes sales data, comparable titles, market positioning, and ordering information. Both documents should exist. Sending a sell sheet to a journalist is a mismatch; sending a media kit to a bookshop buyer is equally off-target. Know your audience before you send.

What should a digital press kit page on your author website include?

Your website's press page should be a one-stop resource for any journalist who looks you up. Include: a downloadable high-resolution headshot (at least 300 dpi), downloadable book cover art (at both web and print resolution), a short bio (100 words) and a long bio (300 words), your book's synopsis in two lengths, a downloadable PDF of your full media kit, links to any previous press coverage, and a direct contact email for press inquiries. Label the page clearly -- 'Press' or 'Media' -- in your navigation. Journalists are on deadline and will not hunt for contact details that aren't obvious.

What is the local angle and why does it work for debut authors?

Local media -- newspapers, radio stations, community news sites, regional magazines -- are always looking for stories about local people doing interesting things. 'Local author publishes debut novel' is a story that local press will cover even without a national platform or major publisher behind it. The local angle works because it satisfies the audience-relevance criterion that local media operates by. It also costs you almost nothing in pitch effort: a short email to your local paper's books editor or features desk, with a brief bio and a note about your connection to the area, is often enough to get a feature story placed.

How do you pitch the news hook for a book that addresses a current topic?

A news hook connects your book to something already in the public conversation. If your novel is set during a historical event that is suddenly being discussed in the news, if your nonfiction book addresses a policy issue that's current, or if a cultural moment makes your book's theme suddenly relevant, that's your hook. Pitch it quickly -- news cycles move fast. The hook email should be short: one paragraph explaining the news angle, one sentence about the book, and a link to your press page. Send to journalists who cover the specific beat your hook touches, not just to book editors.

How long should you wait before following up with a journalist?

Wait five to seven business days after your initial pitch before following up. One follow-up is appropriate; a second follow-up after another week is acceptable if the topic is timely. Beyond that, you risk damaging the relationship. Keep your follow-up short: restate the key angle in one sentence and ask if they have any questions. If a journalist doesn't respond to two emails, they are not interested in this story at this time -- that is not a permanent no. A pitch that doesn't land during your launch window may land if you reach back out when a news event makes your book suddenly relevant again.