Having a book published is a joyous thing for a writer. The first idea to finished product is a lot of work and
while you can breathe a sigh relief because it’s done, there is still much work
ahead of you. What about reviews and blog tours? Let's talk about reviews.
- What sort of groundwork have you laid, as an author, to get your books from the sale shelf to the hands of readers?
- Are you creating a buzz for your work (notice I said work and not just the current book)? Have you planned which reviewers to approach?
- If you’re with a small press or self published, will you have reader’s copies (electronic or print) available in enough time to allow reviewers to read it and publish the reviews before the book is released?
The reviews are generally released the month leading up to
the release date. That buzz builds anticipation in readers for getting their
hands on the book and reading it—because so and so said it was really good.
Good, but honest reviews can boost your sales.
How
does the book get to a reviewer?
Some traditional publishers are more involved than others
in getting author’s books to reviewers. Aside from the handful of reviewers
they might use (and most aren’t going to be People magazine or the New
York Times) they will also make copies available to review
sites.
Netgalley is a big one of
late. Reviewers (they’re touted as professional readers) can request books from
the publisher to review. NG has publishers big and small, which is good because
it’s equal opportunity. Reviewers have a profile on the site that publishers
can vet prior to releasing a book for them to review (it’s a
publisher/publicity team decision). The publisher may only release a few books
to a few reviewers or they can release a blanket amount available to many
approved reviewers (and because most of the books are electronic galleys or
uncorrected Advance Reader Copies {ARC}, it’s very cost effective).
Night Owl is another good-sized review site and they have a group of reviewers on hand to
review about any genre. There are also Book Blogs that review books.
What
about the author?
The author cannot simply rely on the publisher to do this work. Authors need to be proactive, not reactive. A smart author has done their research,
especially with book blogs and they know who reviews what. They’ve asked fellow
authors for reviewer recommendations, they’ve checked out the names of those
who do reviews, for example, on Goodreads, and know what genre those reviewers
read. Or at least they should have been doing that.
When
approaching people to review your books, here are a couple of things to keep in
mind.
- Look for those reviewers who read the genre you write. This is important because the best reviewers are going to be those who enjoy reading the type of story you write. They know what to expect from the story, they know the type of words used, plot settings, and characters. They are your target audience (the ones you’re writing for and who buy that genre) and those who read their reviews or follow their blogs, for most part, read your genre.
- Keep in mind reviewers (and book blogs) are booked in advance. We have been provided an ARC (advance readers copy) at least two to three months prior to release date (for example, I’m now receiving ARCs for November and December release). That gives us time to read and write the review. Don’t approach them a week before your book is out and expect to get a positive response. If you’re self-publishing, plan to have a reader’s copy ready at least four to six weeks before you release the book. Hint: electronic galley copy
Don’t forget your beta readers. Get them involved to write a review.
If I might offer a suggestion, don’t have them all release just the book cover and blurb (that’s not a review) on the same day on their blog. I may want to support the author, but oh my god, fifteen blogs with the exact same information is not fun. Have each add something different—tell me something unique about the author, about a character, or something fun about the setting, or something brief about what they enjoyed about the book.
It’s all about laying the proper groundwork. Planning the release
of your book with as much care as you did in writing the story.
- What sort of groundwork do you put into the release of your books?
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