Top 5 Tips for Getting Your Book Reviewed…
Hey,
It is a while since I have done a post on this blog that:
* 1. Is not a book review.
* 2. Is not a blatant promotional post for Freedom
Forgive me if I am a little rusty, and it is kind of linked, but here goes!
I am in the curious position at the moment of being a book reviewer that also desperately needs her own latest release reviewed and I have started the process that I am normally at the end of! While there are gazillions of sites offering reviews, the first port of call for any author looking for reviews, should be The Indie View. This site contains the most comprehensive list of reviewers that I have ever come across – and is by far the most widely respected.
Forgive me if I switch hats a couple of times during this post! As a book reviewer, I get anywhere between 5-10 requests for book reviews each and every day. It is also abundantly clear that the vast majority of people who submit their book for review, haven’t bothered to read my guidelines. (Which can be found here.) Sometimes this irritates me, sometimes it does not. To be honest, it depends on how busy and stressed I am. I am a nice reviewer though, and generally failure to follow my guidelines would not result in your email being deleted. Not all reviewers are as forgiving as me, and the question is, “Do you really want to risk pissing a book reviewer off?” * RULE NUMBER ONE - ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW THE GUIDELINES. Yes, it is time-consuming – Yes, it means trawling through multiple websites and multiple review policies – but hey, you want your book reviewed, don’t you?
There really is no such thing in life as a free lunch – At least not in the reviewing world. You wouldn’t go to your local MacDonalds and expect to get your Big Mac free…So okay, no reviewer worth their salt will charge for writing a review, but they sure as hell are not going to BUY your book as well. I DO get annoyed when authors get irked at the prospect of having to provide a free review copy. RULE NUMBER TWO - ALWAYS BE PREPARED TO PROVIDE YOUR BOOK IN MOBI, PDF, AND EPUB VERSIONS. Yes, all three – the person you are sending it to might have a team. Sending in multiple formats gives them maximum flexibility as to who they ask to review it for you. Increasing your chances of getting a review. Because, hey, you want your book reviewed, don’t you? There is no excuse not to do this. It doesn’t cost you a dime/penny. There are loads of FREE word to mobi – word to epub – word to pdf converters. Be prepared. Have it ready. Here is a link to one in case you are new to this. http://ebook.online-convert.com/convert-to-mobi Please don’t ask if you can send the document as a word file. It is simply not professional. (Plus, there is a greater risk of piracy.) You have to raise your game to succeed in this business. You owe it to YOURSELF to take the time to research what it is that you need to do…and then do it! If you don’t, then how can expect anyone else to give a toss?
Be polite. This should go without saying, but you would be amazed at the amount of emails that I receive that lack basic manners. Or presume, that it is a given that their amazing book must automatically be reviewed. RULE NUMBER THREE – SAY PLEASE, IT DOESN’T HURT. Because, yes, you get the drift…You want your book reviewed, don’t you.
A lot of authors seem to forget that book reviewers have lives of their own. Some are authors; some have full-time jobs, some have other family commitments. Our lives do NOT revolve around you! It really annoys me when I get a snarky follow-up email maybe a month or two after a book has been submitted – demanding to know either why it hasn’t been reviewed, or when it is going to be reviewed. Or, asking if we hated the book… Chances are it hasn’t even been sent to a reviewer by that point. Every reviewer has a different policy; a different take on what they will and won’t accept – which is why it is VITAL that you follow RULE NUMBER ONE. Personally, I will automatically accept any and all requests for reviews onto my list. Great, you might think! Well, yes and no…Just because it goes onto the list doesn’t mean that it will be reviewed in a timely manner, or even reviewed at all! I have some books that have been on the list for over 12 months. Others get reviewed a lot quicker. At present, there are just two of us. We both have our own books to write and promote. We both have other family commitments. So, RULE NUMBER FOUR – DON’T SEND FOLLOW-UP EMAILS – EVER – THERE IS REALLY NO NEED. Rather than make me want to read and review your book, it just pisses me off…come on everyone, shout out loud…hey, you want your book reviewed don’t you?
Finally…she says heaving a big sigh. I am an author. I love my books. I love my characters. I think they are the dog’s bollocks, and I want the whole world to know it. Unfortunately, I also live in the real world, and I know that just because I think my book is the best thing since sliced bread, not everyone else is going to think so. In requesting a review, you are giving the reviewer a license to say WHAT THEY THINK…TO TELL THE TRUTH…RULE NUMBER FIVE – DON’T ARGUE WITH A REVIEWER…OR EVEN WORSE, ASK THEM TO CHANGE THEIR 3 STAR REVIEW TO A 5… It simply isn’t polite. Read the comments, take what you can from it and move on…I know, I know, that I keep banging on about this…but follow RULE NUMBER ONE – By reading each and every reviewer’s personal guidelines you can avoid sending your beloved book to someone that is going to hate it (and by default maybe give you a negative review)
I was AMAZED at the amount of reviewers that won’t accept erotica. Maybe I shouldn’t have been LOL. BUT, by reading the guidelines, I was able to filter out those reviewers that simply wouldn’t appreciate my filth…
I hope this helps you get your book in front of the best possible reviewers. You are welcome to all continue sending books to me for review. Please read my guidelines. Please understand that although I will automatically accept your book onto our list there is absolutely not a cat in hell’s chance that we will get through the volume of requests that we receive this life-time…It is nothing personal; it is just the way it is!
Love Ingrid aka Luna
P.S If you haven’t checked out my ‘Bastard of Bilbao’ yet, you can do so here.
Please also show some love for the luscious Luna.
