The Power of Community: Why ‘All Publishing Is Local’
The legendary U.S. Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill is widely credited with the lesson, “All politics is local,” a truth on which he relied in one election after another throughout his 34 years in the U.S. House.
In fact, the power of community is reflected in the “10 Principles of Publishing” we outlined when we were founded in 2007. No. 4 says, “It’s about connection, not competition. Our messages should call people together, not divide them.”
So what’s the connection between Tip O’Neill’s famous observation—and this power community?
It’s really the core of publishing: Book sales depend on individual decisions to buy and read books. Of course, we always hope that will amount to lots of individual choices. Still, it’s humbling to realize: We depend on one reader at a time choosing our book.
We have to keep asking authors we represent: Will readers want to connect with the story we are offering?
Then, that awareness opens huge opportunities when books include significant stories about the lives of men and women who are community leaders spread across this country. Suddenly, that new book becomes more than one more option floating around in national media. Instead, a book’s local connection can make it a more personal, close-to-home story for readers.
Front Edge Publishing’s Marketing Director Susan Stitt has been demonstrating this truth in early 2022 with the launch of Martin Davis’s 30 Days with America’s High School Coaches.
News media professionals in one community after another are responding to Martin’s book—this collection of individual stories—by sharing this inspiring news with their readers. We already are seeing the power of these connections in early sales of the book.
So, take a moment and hop around the country with Martin to see how the news is reflected in three different regions.
Please, Enjoy These Examples of Local Coverage of this Nationally Released Book
FROM The San Marcos Record in San Marcos, Texas, headlined: Nash profiled in new book about coaches
FROM Corridor News in San Marcos, Texas, headlined: San Marcos High School Coach Profiled in New Book
FROM NBC-TV-12 in Richmond, Virginia, headlined: New book profiles inspiring high school coaches
FROM Blue Ridge Now Times-News in Henderson, North Carolina, headlined: North Henderson’s Uy in new book inspired by national high school coaches