Media Outreach and Pitch Development: It’s All About Asking the Right Questions
Author Kimberly King writes children’s books about sexual abuse, physical well-being and more. Even though her genre is fiction, her books are based upon real-world issues and she writes from legitimate expertise. That expertise is valuable, and she makes a good source for journalists and others who may be looking for experts to discuss these topics for articles or segments on which they’re already working, as well as for those who might be interested in doing an article or segment if approached with the idea (also called a “pitch”). I sometimes help King with website advice and PR and media outreach. Here’s an excerpt from an email I sent her in May 2015. Notice that my questions don’t need to be perfect for publication; they’re just prompts that will be tweaked as necessary:
… Kim, keep me posted about the book. Also consider taking some time to answer the following Q&A-type questions and sending them back to me. They can then be posted nearly as-is on your own website, either as a Q&A-type article or as individual blog posts, etc. If you want me to develop a press release/pitch from it, much of the work will already be done and it’ll be less expensive to write up a release and submit it. Or you can do that yourself.
1. Are there any unique risks or “opportunities” for children to be sexually abused during the summer months? (Kim, I’m thinking of summer camp, extended stays with relatives, kids being home alone while parents are still working, etc.) If so, please explain (as briefly or elaborately as you wish):
2. If you haven’t already addressed this, what are some ways in which a predator gains trust, access and the ability to abuse a child?
3. For that matter, it’s not only youth whom we consider “children” who are vulnerable; many people are first abused as older teens. What about that?
4. What signs should children of different age groups be aware of that might signal potential danger or inappropriate or “compromising” situations?
5. How can a parent talk with their children about those signs, and what should parents advise their children do if they believe they recognize these signs, either with regard to their own safety or regarding someone else’s if they suspect this might be happening to another person?
6. Why do some children not act or tell if they are being abused or believe that someone is taking inappropriate physical liberties with them? (For instance, are some threatened by the abusers, are some in disbelief of what they’re experiencing, are some afraid they’ll get a trusted family friend or beloved relative in trouble, etc.)
7. What are some of the lasting effects of childhood sexual abuse, and is there hope for overcoming them? Please elaborate:
… Kim, keep me posted about the book. Also consider taking some time to answer the following Q&A-type questions and sending them back to me. They can then be posted nearly as-is on your own website, either as a Q&A-type article or as individual blog posts, etc. If you want me to develop a press release/pitch from it, much of the work will already be done and it’ll be less expensive to write up a release and submit it. Or you can do that yourself.
1. Are there any unique risks or “opportunities” for children to be sexually abused during the summer months? (Kim, I’m thinking of summer camp, extended stays with relatives, kids being home alone while parents are still working, etc.) If so, please explain (as briefly or elaborately as you wish):
2. If you haven’t already addressed this, what are some ways in which a predator gains trust, access and the ability to abuse a child?
3. For that matter, it’s not only youth whom we consider “children” who are vulnerable; many people are first abused as older teens. What about that?
4. What signs should children of different age groups be aware of that might signal potential danger or inappropriate or “compromising” situations?
5. How can a parent talk with their children about those signs, and what should parents advise their children do if they believe they recognize these signs, either with regard to their own safety or regarding someone else’s if they suspect this might be happening to another person?
6. Why do some children not act or tell if they are being abused or believe that someone is taking inappropriate physical liberties with them? (For instance, are some threatened by the abusers, are some in disbelief of what they’re experiencing, are some afraid they’ll get a trusted family friend or beloved relative in trouble, etc.)
7. What are some of the lasting effects of childhood sexual abuse, and is there hope for overcoming them? Please elaborate:
