Rabid Reader Ramblings: Review Requests

 

After blogging for a little while, the inevitable fact is that you may start getting requests to review books.  If you are ambitious, you may list yourself on reviewer lists.  You may include your contact information on your Amazon profile and your Netgalley and Edelweiss Profiles.  You may sign up with blog tour groups.  You may have your contact information up on your blog and have a well formulated review policy stating exactly what you will and will not review and even exactly how people should contact you for reviews. You may only get one or two requests a month, or dozens a day.   But the inevitable fact is, the requests will eventually start coming if you put yourself out there.

I have talked with a lot of bloggers and a lot of authors.  Anne R. Allen even has a post up about how to query bloggers for reviews.  Yet the growing trend among a lot of authors out there seems to fire off into the dark and hope for the best.  This might get you some results, but it really is not the best way to go, I can assure you of that.

Here’s an example of a horrible review request:

Blogger,

I was hoping you would review my book, Jacob’s Awakening.  I have attached it as a word docment.  Thank you for your time.

Lisa Pottgen

 

My favorite type of review request to date has looked something like this.

Hi Lisa,

 

These are some details about my book that I am hoping you might consider for review.

Title: Jacob’s Awakening
Author: Lisa Pottgen
Number of Pages: 27 (Approx xxx words)
Publication date  March 21, 2016
Category: Young Adult
Synopsis  of book: A young boy with an unusual childhood learns the startling secrets about his family’s mysterious past.  Though Jacob has never spoken a word in his life, a conversation with his grandfather in a strange visionary dream thrusts him onto the path of the adventure of a lifetime.


Link to book on Goodreads
Link to book on Amazon

In case the book looks interesting , I can send the book along in the format that you prefer.  Thank you for considering.

In the first example, there is no information at all about the book.  It doesn’t tell me anything at all. It contains a misspelled word, does not address me personally, and has an unsolicited book in a format that is clunky and difficult to read.

The second example, however, contains all of the information I need to know about whether or not the book is in a genre I read, whether or not it fits in with the schedule I currently have based on possible upcoming publication date and length of the book, whether or not the description sounds interesting.  It is short, to the point, and I can read through it quickly.  The information is organized and not haphazardly thrown together.  It is polite.  The author did not automatically just attach the book hoping that would guilt me into reading it.

Another thing, make sure you spellcheck your review requests!  Nothing bugs me more than a review request full of misspelled words.  If a review request is full of misspelled words and bad grammar, I am going to assume that your book is, too.  I am not likely to want to read it.

Bloggers, one of the things we need to do is make sure we have a clear review policy.  We need to make sure it is easy to find on our blogs.

How we respond to these review requests is another matter.  Above all, we have to maintain professionalism.  We can choose to not respond at all, but if we do respond, we cannot blast the author for the way they requested.  We have to be polite, even if they weren’t.  I usually say something like this.

 

Dear (Author),

Thank you for inquiring about a review for your book.  Unfortunately, I do not feel that it would be a good fit at this time.  I am going to have to decline your request, but I wish you all the best in your endeavors.

Sincerely,

Lisa Pottgen

Just Another Rabid Reader.

If it is a book that just doesn’t fit with my reading preferences, but I know someone who might enjoy it, I might suggest that they try that blogger.  Conversely, you might say that the book just wouldn’t fit into your schedule currently.  Just remember to make sure that your response is professional.  If we want to be viewed as professionals in the book world, we have to present and carry ourselves that way.

 

Do you have any review request horror stories?  Have you gotten any requests that set your short hairs on edge?  Have you gotten a review request that was done perfectly and you felt bad because you just didn’t have the time to review the book?  Comment below and tell me your story!  I would love to hear from you.  Authors, feel free to weigh in as well.  Let us know how us bloggers could improve the ways we interact back on review requests as well!