How to Get a Book Review in Usa Today

How to go major publications to review your book: 10 invaluable tips you'll wish y'all had yesterday

This is a invitee post by Shelli Johnson and Alice Wisler

So yous're an indie author and wanna get reviewed? We've got some helpful tips for y'all!

We're focusing hither on smaller venues for indie authors in detail. Bigger publications like Booklist and Publishers Weekly are fantastic, and you should absolutely try to become into them, merely be aware that they only review a fraction (less than ten% I read somewhere) of the submissions they go–and that's from all publishers. So you're competing against the big legacy publishers, too.

By and large, about review sites desire difficult copies of the volume at to the lowest degree 3 months prior to publication. Proceed that in mind when you're deciding when to launch and in what format to launch. Some will have ebooks, and some will review anytime, fifty-fifty after publication.

Outset, get-go at the Midwest Volume Review website; I used them every bit a source for nearly all the information that you're reading here.

1. Don't advertise information technology every bit a self-pubbed volume

For starters, don't advertise that it's a self-published book, especially if yous accept your own small press. If they come out and inquire, by all means be honest. And if they have a policy confronting reviewing self-published books, then yous must tread carefully and choose whether or not you want to submit your volume since that may be a policy coming from their legal department. But if your volume can pass the it-looks-similar-it-was-professionally-published examination, and so not mentioning information technology'due south self-published volition increment your chances of getting a review.

2. Characteristic stories are improve than reviews

Having been a journalist for a number of years, I can tell y'all that book-review editors are non the only ones at a publication to whom you can send your book. You can try columnists. There are characteristic editors. If your book has a section necktie-in (like sports or movies or fashion for instance), y'all tin attempt the editors of a detail section. Endeavour your hometown paper (both where you grew up and where you alive now) or the alumni magazine of your college. You may go a review out of it. You may get a feature story done about you in which they plug your volume. You're actually better served with a feature article than just a simple review. Yous're more than likely to connect with readers, who volition then go out and purchase your book if they get to know something about you as the author.

3. Bring together the Independent Book Publisher'southward Association

If you accept your own pocket-sized press, join the Independent Book Publisher'southward Clan (IBPA ~ find them here.) Non only will y'all join a network of other small publishers banding together to help each other just you'll besides give yourself an edge with some review sites (Midwest Book Review and Foreword Magazine for starters) who will automatically crash-land your volume closer to the elevation of the review pile.

4. Call / e-mail outset

If possible, call or email a reviewer first to encounter if they take an interest in your book. You'll save yourself time and money if they tell you no. Also, make sure once yous've been given an okay to send information technology that you accost it to the specific person you corresponded with and write Requested Material on the outside of the envelope.

5. Don't give reviewers a reason to disqualify you

There are a lot of books vying for attention and only and then much infinite/time in a reviewer's calendar. They are looking for ways to whittle downward their submissions; make certain you don't requite them a reason to disqualify yours right off the bat. Follow their directions carefully. If they desire a press release, make certain y'all send one. If they want finished books, don't send galleys. Make sure they review your genre of volume before yous submit. Follow their publication-date deadlines. And most importantly, make sure you include all your contact info: proper name, mailing address, website accost, telephone number, and e-mail address. Also include volume information: price, ISBN number, number of pages, and genre. And finally, send hard copies of your book in padded envelopes or in boxes. You lot don't want them damaged before they arrive and risk an editor passing on them because they no longer look professional.

half-dozen. Send a comprehend letter with your submission

Make sure yous address it to a specific person (the editor'south proper name, the book blogger's name) and non Dear Editor. If y'all've gotten a practiced review from them for a past book, past all ways brand sure you mention it in your cover letter; something to the result of how pleased you were with their review of your previous book, TITLE, and how you're excited to be submitting your new volume, TITLE, for their review.

seven. Exist aware of publishing cycles

All this information comes from James Cox, editor over at the Midwest Book Review.

Months:

Worst months to submit: October and November because y'all'll be competing with lots of releases from major publishers.

Best months to submit: January & February for spring and July & August for fall, because there'll be less contest from major publishers.

Days of the week: Do your best so your books arrive on a specific day.

Worst day: Monday–because there are more submissions on this day, your book will have much more competition for someone'due south attention.

Best days: Thursday or Friday–less competition.

8. Keep proficient records and follow up

Know to whom you lot sent a copy of your book and on what date. Give them at least ii weeks, then ship a letter or an email asking if they've received your submission, and tell them y'all expect forward to hearing from them.

If your book is reviewed in a timely mode and they notified you of the review, put them in your "use again" pile. If they took a long time to review or never notified y'all of the review, put them in your "maybe use again" pile. If you lot never heard from them again, put them in the "don't use again" pile.

9. Mail service a media kit on your website

At a minimum, your media kit should have your biography, loftier-resolution (300 dpi) pictures of both you and the book encompass(south), a synopsis of the volume, any press releases you may have, and contact information for you.

Brand sure everything in your media kit/printing release is professional, polished, and the very best y'all have to offer. Don't transport/post anything, ever, that you wouldn't want to see in impress later.

ten. Thank reviewers

Send a give thanks-you note/email to anyone who reviews your volume. They took a long time reading and reviewing your work and so you accept five minutes and write them a give thanks-you. This 1 is a must.

A side note on reviewers who want money

This i is your call. As a former announcer, I think there's an inherent lack of objectivity when money is involved. That said, I also know that the bigger volume review publications aren't open to indie authors. Be enlightened, though, if you're going to give them money to review your volume, yous most likely will NOT be in their main publication. In fact, y'all may only be listed on their website that may or may not have anyone at all looking at it. Yous will, nonetheless, be able to use that review in your own marketing, which may exist worth the cost you pay.

Some review sites to consider

Complimentary reviews:

ARMCHAIR INTERVIEWS

BOOK BLOGGER DIRECTORY (not a review site but a big list of volume bloggers you can arroyo for reviews)

BOOK FORUM

FOREWORD Mag

INDIE READER

LIBRARY JOURNAL

MIDWEST Volume REVIEW

NEW YORK TIMES

THE BEST REVIEWS

The states TODAY

Paid reviews:

KIRKUS

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

About this post's authors:

Shelli Johnson has been writing for equally long as she can remember. She worked equally a sports journalist and an editor for many years before finally post-obit her passion and pursuing her MFA in Artistic Writing. Her award-winning novel, Small every bit a Mustard Seed, is available now as an ebook.

Yous can detect Shelli on Amazon, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, BookBlogs, and her website.
Alice J. Wisler writes southern novels from her home in North Carolina. Her near recent is A Nuptials Invitation. She also teaches grief-writing courses both online and at conferences. You can find her on Amazon, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and at her blogs: Patchwork Quilt and Writing the Heartache

reedportalime.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.novelpublicity.com/2012/01/how-to-get-major-publications-to-review-your-book-10-invaluable-tips-youll-wish-you-had-yesterday/