Olivia W. McCoy (they/them) works as marketing manager and author consultant at Smith Publicity and is the host of their All Things Book Marketing podcast. Olivia’s professional background is in book marketing and independent publishing. Their in-depth knowledge of the publishing industry allows them to educate and consult with authors from all genres including business, lifestyle, memoir, and fiction throughout their book launches. Consultation topics have included Amazon optimization and bestseller strategy, social media design and posting, author branding, book distribution, website creation and development, newsletter setup, advertising strategy, and building pre-publication buzz among others. Olivia’s publicity clients have received national media placements in outlets such as The New York Times, Fast Company, Built In, Newsweek, HuffPost, and HOLA!. 

Working with authors that feel passionately about their work is what gives Olivia joy. As a publishing professional, they always hope readers and the media will love their authors and books as much as they do. Meet Olivia:

Have you always wanted to work in the marketing field, and facilitating book and author publicity? I’ve always wanted to work with books, even since I can remember. I wanted to be a poet, then an author, then an editor, and I actually fell into book marketing and promotion by accident! I had applied and been accepted for an editorial internship, but they needed temporary support in PR and I fell in love and have been in love with book marketing ever since. I consider myself very lucky to have found my niche and passion!

What do you like best about your work? I find author education so rewarding. It’s one thing to execute a campaign and see success—that part is pretty cool—but it’s so exciting to teach an author how to do something themselves and see them actually enjoy the book marketing process. Everything we do in book marketing and promotion should be a team effort and the more involved the author is, the better the campaign will be.

What advice would you give to someone wanting to succeed in your professional industry? I actually had a whole discussion about this on Smith Publicity’s All Things Book Marketing Podcast but ultimately, push aside your imposter syndrome. You have this role for a reason. Authors come to you for your insights for a reason. Even if you don’t feel the most qualified all the time, it doesn’t mean that you aren’t. We’re our own harshest critic. It’s totally ok to say to a client, “Great question! Let me look into that and I’ll get back to you.” Nobody knows everything!

What is one (or more) fascinating insight you’ve gleaned from working in the publishing and publicity industry? Let me just get on my soapbox for a minute… Publicity alone will not sell books. Marketing alone will not sell books. Branding alone will not sell books. Authors need a combination of all three to see sales, which is frustrating, I know, but also incredibly fascinating! Publicity gives your brand credibility, branding gives you something to market, marketing increases your reach and visibility. It all comes full circle in the end.

As an expert in your field, what advice would you give to published authors? Someone once told me that publishing a book isn’t a race, but it’s not a marathon either. Thinking of publishing a book as a marathon implies that there is an end in sight, when the reality is that once you’re an author, you’re always an author. Continue promoting your book(s), your brand, and your writing to readers who may be interested—no matter how long it’s been since you last published (the exception to this is if your content is outdated or irrelevant).

What advice would you give to unpublished authors? Ask for help and seek out community. It’s really easy to feel entirely alone in the publishing process as you sit at your desk behind your keyboard or notepad, but you’re not! Other writers are asking the same questions and sharing great advice. Listen and learn and above all, take your time.

What do you think is the biggest reason someone doesn’t get their book published The reason a writer doesn’t publish is always going to be personal to that individual, but I do talk to an awful lot of writers with imposter syndrome. It’s scary to put yourself out there, and it’s even scarier that once you publish, your writing belongs to the reader and not to you. But it’s also exhilarating and exciting and your book could be the one book that changes someone’s life. You never know if you don’t try!

What do you like to see on an author’s platform? Consistency. I’m not looking at your follower count, but I am looking at how often you’re posting and consistency in your messaging, branding, and timing.

Do you speak at conferences or conduct trainings? If so, where can we learn more Smith Publicity speaks at and attends a number of events and conferences every year including the U.S. Book Show, NINC, IBPA Pub U, and more. We also offer educational resources for authors through our socials (@smithpublicity on Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Facebook), blog, All Things Book Marketing Podcast, and webinar series.

What book uplifts you? As a publishing professional, I always feel uplifted by memoir authors brave enough to share their personal stories and experiences with the world. I tear up just thinking about it. As a reader, I feel uplifted by nature memoirs and animal nonfiction. They’re light, breezy, and informational.

Anything else you’d like to share? There is a reader out there in the world looking for a book exactly like yours. Be brave and believe in yourself and your book!

Learn more about Olivia and their speaking, podcast, and publicity work via their website.