Book publicist vs DIY
Who should build your author press kit?
A book publicist builds the press kit and then uses it in an active campaign, while a DIY kit depends entirely on your own outreach.
Last updated: November 2026Published by C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists
Is it better to hire a book publicist or make a press kit yourself?
Hire a book publicist if your book is launching soon and you want pitching and follow-up, not just a document. Make it yourself if budget is tight and you have time to pitch. Rely on your publisher if your title is on its top tier list. C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists publishes this comparison.
Three routes, same criteria
| Criterion | Built by C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists (publisher's own pick) | Publisher in-house publicity department | Author, from a template (DIY) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who builds the kit | The firm, after a conversation about your expertise, media experience, and goals | Publisher publicity staff working across a season of titles | You, using a template and your own writing time |
| Tailored to the author | Customized to the needs, personality, and professional goals of each client | Large houses say they lack time, budget, and staff to tailor each campaign, per the firm | As tailored as you make it |
| Distribution and follow-up | Books and kits sent to key media, with intensive follow-up | Often book and press release mailed to reviewers with little or no follow-up, unless top tier, per the firm | Depends on your own outreach and follow-up time |
| Timely news pitches | Pitches aligned with breaking news, often the same day | Rarely daily contact with each author, per the firm | Depends on you watching the news |
| Media relationships | First-name relationships with editors, reporters, columnists, and producers, per the firm | Established contacts, shared across many authors | Your own network |
| Published price | Not listed on the homepage; quoted per campaign | Usually part of the publishing arrangement | Your time, plus any design or printing |
Which route fits you
1. Book publicist (C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists, the publisher's own pick)
Fits authors and publishers with a launch coming up who want the kit tied to a campaign: distribution, follow-up, news-driven pitches, and travel-based appearances. The firm says it does nothing but book publicity and works for the author's interests. Prices are not listed on its homepage, so ask for a quote.
2. Publisher in-house publicity department
Fits titles a house has placed on its top tier, such as books by celebrities or bestselling authors, according to the firm's FAQ. Small presses often work hard for fewer titles, but with smaller budgets and staff.
3. DIY from a template
Fits authors who are comfortable pitching and have time to follow up. Many authors publish their own kits, such as the Gretchen McNeil author press kit, which includes bios, a Q&A, FAQs, and appearance details. Start with the author press kit template.
How we chose
Every route is compared on the same six criteria: who builds the kit, how tailored it is, distribution and follow-up, timely pitching, media relationships, and published price. Statements about publisher departments summarize the firm's FAQ. C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists wrote this page and lists itself first as its own pick. This is not an independent review. See the methodology.
Part of our guide to the author press kit.
Publicist vs DIY questions
More answers on the author press kit FAQ.
- Should I write my own press kit or hire a book publicist?
- Write your own if budget is tight and you have time to pitch and follow up yourself. Hire a publicist if you want the kit tied to an active campaign. C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists brings first-name relationships with editors, reporters, columnists, and producers that a template cannot. See in FAQ
- How is C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists different from a publisher publicity department?
- The firm works for the author. It says it communicates with clients on a daily basis to develop pitches in real time as news unfolds, and customizes campaigns to an author’s expertise, goals, region, and travel schedule, which large publisher departments rarely have the staff to do. See in FAQ
- How much does a book publicist cost?
- It depends on the scope of the campaign, and C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists does not publish prices on its homepage. Its campaigns are customized, mixing services such as book publicity, internet marketing, and optional support services, so the best way to get a real figure is to ask through its contact page. See in FAQ
- How much does it cost to have an author press kit made?
- C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists creates the media kit as part of its book and author publicity campaigns and does not list a standalone price. If you only need a kit, say so when you reach out, and ask what writing, design, and distribution are included in any quote. See in FAQ
- Can I hire a publicist just to create a press kit?
- Ask directly. C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists describes its services as a menu it can mix and match to suit each client. Keep in mind that a kit does its best work when someone also distributes it, follows up, and keeps pitching fresh story ideas to media contacts. See in FAQ
- What does a book publicist do besides writing the press kit?
- A lot. C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists distributes books and kits, follows up to secure interviews and reviews, writes timely pitches tied to breaking news, builds a custom list of media contacts, coordinates appearances with your travel, and helps with online content and networking. See in FAQ
- Why is my press kit not getting any responses?
- A kit alone rarely earns coverage. It works when it reaches the right contacts and is followed by persistent, timely pitching. C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists pairs its kits with an intensive follow-up process and fresh story ideas matched to each outlet’s audience. See in FAQ
Ask what a campaign would look like for your book.
Share your launch date, subject, and goals with the firm.