Overview
Get the Word Out is a publicity incubator for early career authors. Under the mentorship of an accomplished book publicist, writers will develop and execute publicity strategies to maximize the exposure of their first or second book, reach readers, and create a platform to propel their literary careers.
Get the Word Out fellows will:
Participate in a six-session online publicity workshop led by an experienced book publicist.
Attend six online seminars with leading media, events, marketing, and sales professionals, and accomplished authors.
Devote time outside of scheduled sessions to implement book publicity strategies they are acquiring in workshops and seminars.
Contribute to a peer learning community by sharing what works and what does not, helping each member of the cohort to amplify their impact.
In addition, alumni of the program are eligible to apply for The Poets & Writers Fellowship at Vermont Studio Center, which provides a fully funded three-week residency to fiction writers and poets in alternate years.
There is no application fee and no cost to those who are invited to participate. Learn about past Get the Word Out fellows.
Meet the 2026 Fiction Publicity Mentor
Born and raised in Malaysia, May-Zhee Lim is a writer working on her first novel and a freelance publicist living in New York. During her time with Riverhead Books, she has worked on all kinds of book campaigns, helping launch the careers of debut authors and expand the readership of prize-winning authors including Hernan Diaz, Olga Tokarczuk, James McBride, Masha Gessen, Patricia Lockwood, C Pam Zhang, Claire Vaye Watkins, and Sigrid Nunez, just to name a few. In 2021, she made the Publishers Weekly Star Honoree list for her creative, out-of-the-box publicity ideas, including a partnership with a New York City bakery to print a short story by Etgar Keret in cake wrapping and an open air, pop-up reading room series around the city.
Meet the 2025 Poetry Fellows and Publicity Mentor
Congratulations to Adedayo Agarau, Genevieve DeGuzman, Isabella DeSendi, Alison Lubar, Nick Martino, Yamini Pathak, mick powell, Maya Salameh, Kelsey L. Smoot, and Bernardo Wade, our 2025 Get the Word Out poetry fellows!
Meet the 2025 Poetry Publicity Mentor
Morgan LaRocca is the publicist at Milkweed Editions. Prior to joining Milkweed in 2022 they worked as a freelance publicist, publicity associate at Graywolf Press and served as marketing and publicity intern at Tin House Books. They are a graduate of Towson University and a proud Baltimorean.
Selection Criteria
Fellows will be selected based on the strength of their statement of purpose, writing sample, and suitability for the program.
Get the Word Out is open to all eligible applicants. The program aims to support writers who might not otherwise have access to in-depth publicity support and to help develop strong literary voices nationwide. To that end, we encourage applications from writers who identify as Black, Indigenous, persons of color, immigrants, writers with disabilities, LGBTQ+ writers, writers residing outside of major cities, writers who do not have an MFA or equivalent degree, and writers whose books are slated to be published by independent presses.
The selection decisions of Poets & Writers will be final and not subject to review.
How to Apply
Authors can apply to the program via Poet & Writers’ online application. Applications must include:
A completed application form.
A double-spaced excerpt (10-15 pages in 12 pt. font) from your debut novel or short story collection.
An author bio (max: 250 words).
Applications for the 2026 Fiction Cohort are due June 30, 2025!
For more information, please email programs@pw.org.
Supporters
Get the Word Out was developed with funding from Leonard and Louise Riggio, with additional support from Macmillan Publishers.