Q: I’ve finished my book, landed a contract and have a publication date. Should I hire a public relations specialist to spread the word? –Ozzie G.

A: While most of us don’t have loads of extra cash to drop on hiring a PR specialist, most of us don’t have a bestseller on our resume either. But if your book is purchased by a publisher and you want to see better sales results, it may be worth at least entertaining the idea.

Publishers tend to put few (if any) resources into marketing books, particularly books from first-time authors. Hell, you’re lucky if you get your own page on the publisher’s website. A good PR representative can open marketing avenues that you either don’t have access to or hadn’t crossed your mind. And a great PR rep will help increase your visibility in places where it counts.
 
Searching for a PR rep is kind of like searching for a babysitter—you need someone you can trust, someone who will do a good job and someone who will give your “baby” the attention it deserves. After all, you don’t want to waste your money on someone who will send out a few faxes and call it a day. It’s important to check references. Ask what results she has had with similar books and seek proof of those results. Also, check out the Public Relations Society of America’s local chapter or the communications program at your local university. Here you can find a list of publicists to choose from.
 
The cost of some PR reps can be high—from $500 to $4,000 per month or higher—but you have to think of this as an investment. Always expect a return on this investment. And even if you decide that a PR rep isn’t for you, just by doing some research you may be able to pick up on a few of their best practices.

Brian A. Klems is the online managing editor of Writer’s Digest magazine.

Have a question for me? Feel free to post it in the comments section below or e-mail me at WritersDig@fwpubs.com with “Q&Q” in the subject line. Come back each Friday as I try to give you more insight into the writing life.

Q: I would like to know what an author is to do if a publisher were to offer up a contract to him or her when there is no agent involved?— C. L. Freire

A: Negotiating a book contract is a lot like buying a car—there's some give and take, not everyone will get the same deal and sometimes you have to pass on the sunroof to get the deal done. It's helpful to have an agent, of course, but not everyone has that luxury. So how can you, a first-time author, make sure that you're getting a fair deal?

When a publisher wants your book, she'll make an offer. Most companies have a standard contract, or boilerplate that they use. Nearly all of these standard contracts have language that favors the publisher, so it's up to you to haggle out a better deal. Assume that everything is negotiable, though keep in mind that what's flexible in one publisher's contract may not be so flexible somewhere else. Topics most often open for negotiation are:

-  royalty v. flat fee
-  anticipated royalty %
-  anticipated advance
-  expenses to be built in
-  second use rights (including electronic)
-  free copies of book
-  cost to author to buy copies

If there are certain areas that are nonnegotiable, the publisher will tell the author that. Accept it and move on. Also, if you have questions about anything, ask. Contracts are complicated and often need explaining.

Before navigating the minefield of book negotiation, it's essential that you read up on publishing contracts. The Author's Guild offers several tips on how to negotiate a fair contract (http://www.authorsguild.org/?p=101). If you're a member of the National Writers Union, you can hop onto their site (http://www.nwu.org) and get extra advice. Plus, there are several good books on the topic—read as many as you can.

Should you involve a lawyer? I asked Writer's Digest Books acquisitions editor Jane Friedman and she says it's OK to ask a lawyer for advice, but often they can be a real headache if they're not familiar with publishing law. "They may ask for terms or stipulations that are unreasonable," Friedman says.

As long as you've done some homework, you'll be in good shape when hammering out your book deal. The more times you go through the process, the better you'll get. And one day, if you're lucky, you'll be able to get that sunroof.

Brian A. Klems is the associate editor of Writer’s Digest magazine.

Have a question for me? Feel free to post it in the comments section below or e-mail me at WritersDig@fwpubs.com with “Q&Q” in the subject line. Come back each Friday as I try to give you more insight into the writing life.