Launch Your Book with Great Reviews
Searching for rocket fuel to launch your book? Great reviews can shoot your masterpiece right up the Amazon lists.
Potential buyers demand an unbiased critique of a book’s merits to simplify the task of finding great reads. Most expect to find at least ten glowing reviews on a book’s Amazon product page before they’ll purchase. Naturally it’s best to approach reviewers before your launch date so they’ll have time to read and post as soon as your debut goes live. But if you’re late to the game, no worries: many sites will review months after the publication date.
As you begin the search, keep reviewers’ contact information in a Word doc or Excel file alphabetized by blog name, with room for updates. Record the blog address, reviewer’s name and email, and submission instructions. As you hear back from each blog, add notes about dates and responses.
Locate book reviewers on Amazon and GoodReads. Search your genre to find books similar to yours. Along with the review, a professional book reviewer will often list his or her full name and the name of the book blog. Use either one for a Google search. Once you’ve accessed the reviewer’s site, read the Review Policy carefully. If you’ve only published in electronic format, check that the site will accept eBooks.
Giveaway Gold. Running a giveaway on GoodReads or a blog? Ask each winner to post a review. Most readers will happily comply. This is the letter I enclose with paperbacks or transmit with an eBook to each winner:
Dear [NAME]: Many thanks for entering the giveaway. After your read, please consider posting a review on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and GoodReads. Indie novels would rarely reach the light of day without the dedication of readers willing to post a review. If time permits, please let me know directly what you think of the novel. I love hearing from readers.
Search Google for book blogs and reviewers. Many directories are available (a few are listed at the end of this post). Yes, it takes time to scroll through the Google search results, visit each site and read each Review Policy. And some blogs don’t name the contact person in an About Me section. Read several posts to find the name of the reviewer—don’t transmit a query to DEAR REVIEWER and never transmit a mass query. The dedicated bibliophiles who run book blogs deserve your respect and a thoughtful, individualized pitch letter.
Find blogs on Twitter. If you’re just starting out, read the tweets of successful authors in your genre to find reviews they’re re-tweeting. Go to the site and add the information to your growing Word doc or Excel list.
Prepare an effective query letter for reviewers I prepare an overall letter template then personalize each email query. Reviewers are increasingly buried in requests; make your pitch succinct.
Query letter example #1. Dear [REVIEWER NAME]: I hope you’ll be interested in reviewing my women’s fiction novel Treasure Me, which was a semi-finalist in the 2008 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards. Publishers Weekly reviewed the manuscript and said, “Birdie Kaminsky, a beautiful blond bombshell of a con artist, has met her match in investigative reporter Hugh Schaeffer, in this zesty novel rife with witty dialogue and well-drawn characters. Their catty romance and zany interactions filled with witty double entendres are gems.”
Example #2. Hi [REVIEWER NAME]: Last year I released my contemporary fiction debut, Treasure Me, which USA Today calls, “Light and refreshing: your old-fashioned feel-good novel.” Midwest Book Review says of my second release, “Poignant and powerful, The Tree of Everlasting Knowledge is as much a saga of learning how to survive, heal and forgive as it is a chilling crime story, unforgettable to the very end.” Both Treasure and Tree continue to earn 4- and 5-star reviews on GoodReads and Amazon.
NAME, I hope you’ll consider reviewing my latest release Second Chance Grill for [NAME OF BLOG.] The eBook is ready for transmission in MOBI, ePub and PDF formats. If you prefer paperback, I can mail a copy.
About Second Chance Grill [SHORT SYNOPSIS]
[CLOSING] Many thanks in advance. I look forward to hearing from you. Wishing you all the best, [NAME AND WEBSITE]
Build the Relationship. As you continue to publish, nurture your relationship with the reviewers who fall in love with your books. They’ll help build your career if you treat them with the professionalism they deserve. I’ve had reviewers hand my book off to another reviewer if they’re under the weather and can’t review, and share private lists of blog sites they admire. One reviewer recently scheduled Tree of Everlasting Knowledge promotions on five blogs in the U.S., Europe and Africa because we’d struck up a warm friendship.
Resources:
Book Blogger Directory bookbloggerdirectory.wordpress.com
BlogRank Top Blogs http://www.invesp.com/blog-rank/Books
101 Book Blogs You Need to Read http://tinyurl.com/ygjpyqc
The Indie Book Reviewers List http://www.theindiereview.com/indie-reviewers/
Photography: Dublin. Another gorgeous shot from my daughter Christian’s semester in Europe.
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You are soooooo right. With my first book, I didn't know to do this. With my second book, I'd learned and did some of what you suggested above. Wow, what a difference it made when I launched "Rings of Trust."
Kittie wrote: "You are soooooo right. With my first book, I didn't know to do this. With my second book, I'd learned and did some of what you suggested above. Wow, what a difference it made when I launched "Rings..."Kittie, it does get easier with each new release. Many of the incredibly dedicated bibliophiles managing book blogs understand the learning curve most authors encounter after publication. They'll offer a helping hand, and provide access to some of the most avid readers on the planet.
Thanks, Christine. Whom do you recommend?
Kittie wrote: "Thanks, Christine. Whom do you recommend?"It depends on your genre, of course!
Kittie wrote: "Oops, historical fiction."Begin by finding historical fiction authors here on GR. See who reviewed the author's books. Pop over to the book blog's site and read the review guidelines. A bit of work, but well worth it. Good luck!
Thanks! But I thought you were talking about professionals with CV's. I prefer to go that route.
Kittie wrote: "Thanks! But I thought you were talking about professionals with CV's. I prefer to go that route."Have you considered a Kirkus Review?
Kittie wrote: "Hmm, what's a Kirkus Review?"One of the premier review sites for traditional and independently published works: http://www.kirkusreviews.com
