Publicity

Why are the people most in need of publicity the people the most difficult to get information or cooperation from?

There was a time when I did publicity for several theatre groups. I stopped doing it after several frustrating years when it seemed that I was in constant conflict with the people who needed those folks to sit in the seats in the theatre. Every great idea I came up with, someone didn't feel like doing it. It was so demoralizing that I just quit. There are still people in this town who have never heard of this 25 year old town institution.

Now I'm dealing with another group who desperately needs the publicity. On the whole, they have been quite helpful, but I am on a strict deadline and am missing a very key piece of information that I have been promised by several people for two days now. Very soon I'm going to have to say "screw it" and discard one of the best pieces of publicity.

These are people who work hard, who hold down jobs by day and rehearse by night and give their heart and soul to the works they want to present to the world.

Why can't they understand that without people like me who are willing to help publicize their event, they have a much less chance of getting the word out? (Or, more to the point, why do I tear my hair out over stuff like this. Why don't I just start out saying "screw it.")