Stephanie Barko

Stephanie Barko

Name: Stephanie Barko, Literary Publicist

Website URL: www.stephaniebarko.com, www.diybookplatform.com

Social Media Links:

www.facebook.com/stephaniebarko

www.facebook.com/diybookplatform

@steffercat

@diybookplatform

www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniebarko

https://www.linkedin.com/company/diy-book-platform

https://plus.google.com/u/0/104243740205572468293/posts

https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/324623-stephanie

www.pinterest.com/stephaniebarko

www.youtube.com/c/StephanieBarko

Can you describe what you do as a literary publicist?

I help adult nonfiction authors and historical novelists connect with their audiences. Book publicists work from six months pre-release to 60 days post-pub, and we see our overall objective as positioning the book to sell in the marketplace. 

Stephanie Barko, Literary Publicist logoWhat’s one thing aspiring authors should do right now to get on track for publicizing their upcoming book?

Create a book platform and start executing or delegating it. A good place to start your platform is www.diybookplatform.com

How did you come to do what you’re doing today?

By listening to feedback from a book editor who headed up a writing circle I was in ten years ago. Before promoting books, I had marketed semiconductors. If you look back before that, you’ll see that I was promoting ideas and products all along. 

What do you most enjoy about what you do?

Delivering to clients the recognition they dream of. Getting industry partners to do what I want them to do because they want to do it.

You’ve recently developed an app called DIY Book Platform. What does it do, and what led you to creating it?

DIY book platform

DIY book platform

DIY Book Platform is an interactive web-based app that documents a forum and following for your book in its first year of life. I created it to help writers who could not afford to hire a publicist. 

Are there any people and/or books that have inspired you along your journey?

Perhaps one of the most remarkable clients I’ve worked with was a West Coast journalist who learned later in life that he was descended from the largest slave-trading family in U.S. history. What he did with that information and how he chose to expose his ancestors’ story revealed a wise and inspiring soul.   

Can you share something that people may be surprised to learn about you?

I recently attended my 50th grade school reunion.

What’s next for you?

More speaking and sharing what I’ve learned with authors across the country. More travel and more tech.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Nonfiction is my favorite genre to read.