writing news stories and other pages are updated each Saturday.

If you cannot see the buttons above, try the links below

Get the Picture

To be noticed you have to stand out and in a visual age the easiest way to do that is by showing your own picture and or a picture of your work, whether that is a book jacket or a still from a production of your play or even a picture of something amusing that will match your subject.

Sometimes you can get attention with an evocative image of note.

If you choose to use yourself as a unifying theme across a range of work and as a continuing icon then you need a good image. It is no use setting up a digital camera on a timer and runing in front of the lens before it fires.

You will simply seem like a fugitive or somebody who is on the road to elsewhere and who was captured on the way.

Get as professional an author photograph taken of yourself as you can afford. Ask to see the photographer's other work and say you are researching a portfolio at the moment.

That way you save offence if you choose not to use the photographer. It might very well turn out that he or she doubles as a snapper for a local publication and you don't want to create enemies unnecessarily.

Try to have a wide shot available so that it can be cropped into various shapes and sizes and suit the target publication's requirements.

Once you have a picture you are satisfied with send a copy of it to local papers ahead of your appearance at any local event with a few words on what is about to happen.

In local media the picture will make the story and you will get coverage.

Pictures make publicity. In a media kit include your book jacket, your picture, and a press release and any favourable comments already received that are relevant.

© Brendan Nolan 2006

---------------------------------------------