Have you ever tried to explain public relations to a friend or relative? How about to a 10-year-old?

When my niece Sloan asked what I did for a living, I did what any uncle would do: I went looking for a book that could explain it better than I could. I couldn’t find one. There were books about astronauts, firefighters, doctors and even truck drivers, but nothing about public relations, even though our profession shapes the news, influences industries and stock markets and touches nearly every aspect of daily life.

That gap sparked an idea. For Bospar’s 10-year anniversary, why not write the first children’s book that explains PR fundamentals to ten-year-olds? And so, “Game Face: Becoming a PR Detective” was born, a gamer-friendly adventure featuring Sloan as the protagonist who solves a PR crisis when her favorite video game suffers from global glitches.

Writing the book turned out to be a crash course in publishing, patience and humility. Here are the biggest lessons I learned along the way.

Books are still magic (even in the age of TikTok)

Despite TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and streaming TV, books endure. Kids (and adults) still want that tangible connection you have when holding something physical. I was surprised by how meaningful the physicality of a book can be.

It’s also the reason to have a launch event. A book launch party gives your work a physical center of gravity. Not everyone writes a book. Celebrate it. We hosted a launch event at Ridge Ventures in San Francisco and flew staff in from around the country. That sent a message to the world that the book mattered.

Publishing a book takes a village

I used to think you could write a book alone in a coffee shop with a laptop and good intentions. That fantasy evaporated quickly.

Publishing a book is a team sport. You need:

• An editor who understands not just grammar but the nuances of publishing. A great editor saves you from yourself.
• A printer to transform your words into a book.
• A salesperson to help land you on Amazon and other platforms without losing your sanity.
• A copyright expert to make sure you don’t accidentally give your book away to the world.

 It takes time. A lot of time.

 Writing a children’s book isn’t for the faint of heart.

It took a full year to write “Game Face.” Then another year to rewrite, refine, restructure and reconsider every illustration, character choice and sentence. And here’s the part people don’t tell you: your closest companions during that period will be self-doubt, self-loathing and self-care. Sometimes all on the same day.

And after all that?

You wait.

Book reviews take months. Sometimes a year.

Traditional reviewers are inundated, and the pipeline moves at a glacial speed. If you want reviews timed to launch, you need to pitch your unpublished manuscript 6–12 months in advance.

A crash course in modern book PR

When the book was done, I leaned on what I know best: PR.

I approached the project the same way I would a client campaign. That meant going to unconventional targets who would care and write about the story. For “Game Face,” that included PR publications, local San Francisco outlets and LGBTQIA media that would appreciate the perspective. We also embraced the new kingmakers: BookTok, BookBub and emerging literary platforms where readers discover stories in real time.

It worked. “Game Face” became an Amazon best-seller in April 2025 and was added to The Museum of Public Relations. The Associated Press, PRWeek, PRovoke, and local news outlets covered the launch.

Our research showed the impact:

• 83% of Bay Area marketing executives were aware of the book
• 88% were excited to read it
• 87% believed children’s career books are valuable
• 62% said it significantly elevated Bospar’s industry presence

Prepare for pushback, including how people see themselves
One unexpected challenge: some early readers had strong reactions to how characters were illustrated, especially characters they identified with. When someone sees themselves represented (or misrepresented), their feedback can be intense. When you base characters on real people, it’s critical to ensure that those representations are authentic and respectful.

You probably won’t make money. So, know your “why”
Let’s be honest. Unless you’re J.K. Rowling, Rick Riordan or Dr. Seuss, you will likely not make serious money writing a children’s book. Not even close.

So, ask yourself: Why are you doing this?

For me, the answer was simple: I wanted to shine a light on PR as a career and celebrate Bospar’s 10-year anniversary with something meaningful, a book for 10-year-olds. I wanted to explain a “hidden profession” in a way that felt joyful and inviting.

PR shapes public understanding of the world, yet 68% of American adults say they don’t know anyone who works in PR. Kids are fascinated by storytelling and creativity, yet only 3.5% say they want to be journalists or publicists. Most parents have never discussed PR with their children. And over half of kids think their career choices are limited simply because they don’t know what else exists.

That’s a problem.

And it’s a PR problem.

If we want the next generation to consider careers that shape media, influence innovation and solve crises, we need to meet them earlier. Books can do that. Stories can do that.

What I hope “Game Face” achieved

For me, “Game Face” was more than a book; it was my love letter to storytelling, to the PR profession and to Bospar.

I wanted kids (and yes, adults, too) to see PR as something imaginative, collaborative and strategic, not the shallow stereotype you see on TV. In the book, Sloan helps discover that the “bug” causing chaos in a video game is actually the game’s best feature. That moment of discovery is one of the best parts of working in PR.

It’s also part of what PR people do every day: We find that golden nugget, clarify it and amplify it.

Sometimes the crisis is the opportunity. Sometimes the glitch is the story. And sometimes explaining your job to your 10-year-old niece leads you to write a book.