I've released them before when I released my first and second novel. I haven't paid for one so I have no idea if PRweb's $150 press release is worth it.
The thing about them, is that it has to be newsworthy. Releasing a book isn't newsworthy. Thousands of them are released every week. Even big names don't get much coverage for new releases. The last newsworthy article I saw was a few weeks ago about Stephen King going to write his first ever sequel to one of his most iconic books. That was fairly newsworthy.
What makes the release of your book special and newsworthy that will make someone pick it up and report on it? It's similar to asking people to advertise your book for you for free. Now if someone from PRWeb will work with you and do an interview and create a spectacular press release that they will fire off to their bajillion channels and gives you a copy that you can send to your local newspaper and tv affliates then it will probably be worth it. If they are going to just fill in some blanks into a form....
The thing about them, is that it has to be newsworthy. Releasing a book isn't newsworthy. Thousands of them are released every week. Even big names don't get much coverage for new releases. The last newsworthy article I saw was a few weeks ago about Stephen King going to write his first ever sequel to one of his most iconic books. That was fairly newsworthy.
What makes the release of your book special and newsworthy that will make someone pick it up and report on it? It's similar to asking people to advertise your book for you for free. Now if someone from PRWeb will work with you and do an interview and create a spectacular press release that they will fire off to their bajillion channels and gives you a copy that you can send to your local newspaper and tv affliates then it will probably be worth it. If they are going to just fill in some blanks into a form....
