Writing and Publishing News

Do you have a book to promote? Have you found someone to review it, yet? Or are you still trying to figure out how to get a book review?

Some authors wait around for someone to offer to review their books. I know, because I have people say to me, “Wow, I saw your great book review in such and such magazine or at so and so’s site. How did they find you?”

Well, in most cases, they didn’t find me, at all. I went in search of them. I research magazines, newsletters, blogs and sites related to the topic of my newly published books. I contact those that post or publish reviews and offer to send them a review copy of my book. Nine times out of 10, my book gets reviewed.

Sometimes I have to send a follow-up email or make a follow-up phone call. But, sooner or later, the review generally comes through. When it does, I always heartily thank the reviewer and ask them if they would please post the review on my page at Amazon.com. This is a plus for me and added exposure for the reviewer. So reviewers rarely, if ever, say, “No.”

Where can you get your book reviewed? Aside from sites, newsletters and magazines related to your book’s topic or genre, there are dozens and dozens of general book review sites. GetBookReviews.com, for example, dannyreviews.com, bookreporter.com.

“The Directory of Audiobook and Book Reviews” lists dozens of book reviewers in many categories. I counted 58 for fiction and 42 for nonfiction titles. http://www.ebookcrossroads.com/book-reviewers.html

The host at “Slippery Book Review Blog” is interviewing book reviewers throughout the month of June. In the blog posted May 31, 2008, they list the 16 reviewers they will be interviewing. They include, James Cox at Midwest Book Review, Rachel Durfor at Rebecca’s Reads, Alex Moore at Foreword Magazine and Hilary Williamson at Book Loons. Visit this blog at http://slipperybookreview.wordpress.com

For more information and tips about landing book reviews, read pages 229-234 in my book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book. I include a list of a dozen magazine reviewers in several categories, including Christian, historicals, parenting, romance and more. Order your copy of this MUST-HAVE book for authors at http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html

What good is a book review? Think of it this way—you can scream your book’s virtues from the highest tower in the largest town until you’re blue in the face, but your praise won’t hold nearly as much value as will the tributes of others.

As soon as your book is a book start contacting reviewers. Your primary reviewers should be those who review books on your topic or in your genre. Once you’ve exhausted this category of reviewers, move on to more general reviewers.

Even if your book is a year or more old, it might not be too late to get reviews. Many reviewers welcome good books of any vintage. It doesn’t hurt to ask.

Don’t sit back and wait for reviewers to find your marvelous book. Be proactive. Locate appropriate book reviewers and contact them with your best pitch. Most of them will request a copy of your book and write an honest review.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 3rd, 2008 at 4:55 am and is filed under Book Promotion. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.