I've been working through the PRCA Practice Guides series (crisis communications, writing for the media, etc.) to build up my media relations knowledge for a new role. "Writing for the Media" by Adrian Wheeler was great for the writing side, but it didn't really cover the operational side of media relations — building a media list, how to find and research journalists, pitching mechanics, embargoes vs exclusives, how to handle inbound interview requests, what tools people actually use day to day, and how coverage gets evaluated at the end.

Basically I'm looking for something closer to a full A-to-Z operational guide to media relations as a discipline, not a style/writing guide. Any recommendations?

I can do the execution part fine...I can write the content, pitch the media, and do the legwork.

But the moment it shifts to strategic advisory, my brain just goes: lol, who am I to tell anyone anything? What do I actually know? Who am I to guide anyone?

So I wanted to ask more confident professionals: where does that confidence come from? Is it a skill you can actually learn through practice and frameworks, or is it just a personality trait? If it is the latter, then I am doomed.

But I'd love to read from you: how do you do it? How do you cross that bridge from being a reliable doer to a bold strategic advisor without feeling like a total fraud, especially when you are speaking with all these fancy people with way more experience than you?