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Joined: 3/12/2012
Posts: 8
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I think we all can agree that the more reviews anyone has, the more books are sale. But what are the best way to obtain them? Tell us what has worked and what has not worked for you.
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Joined: 3/16/2011
Posts: 279
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The best way to get reviews is to give them.
Pick writers who have titles in your genre since they may be more likely to read/review. On Book Country you're going to get what you put in. If you look at the people who have the highest amount of reviews on their titles, they are the ones who have given the most reviews.
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I offer to review for people. I post my reviews on my blog and anywhere on the net where the books are sold, and make sure the writer gets a copy. In turn, they often offer to review for me. It works out.
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Joined: 4/13/2012
Posts: 1
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You can give a free copy of your book to a friend and ask: If you enjoy the story would you post a review on Amazon and B&N?
There are also many review sites online where you can submit your book. Search on Google, find some sites that get a lot of hits, and contact them.
A few reviewers - Kirkus Indie Reviews comes to mind - do paid reviews. In the case of Kirkus, it may be well worth the cost.
Be inventive and good luck.
Kathleen Mix
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Joined: 4/26/2011
Posts: 54
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In my experience, make a list of reviewers whom you think will be interested in your genre and then write them a letter. Because it is expensive to send lots of hard copies of your book you, don't have to include that in the letter, but do let the reviewers know that if they are interested in reviewing your book then you will of course be more than happy to mail them a copy of your book.
Some reviewers will accept email too. I've used either the email or snail mail format, whichever the reviewer preferred. In the end some reviewers will be interested and get back to yo and some just won't. The hardest part is the waiting. Don't expect every reviewer to pick your book, but some will pick it and when that happens it feels great.
Good luck!
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Joined: 3/14/2011
Posts: 44
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While good reviews may help someone in making a decision to buy a book, they don't necessarily get the book in front of that prospective reader.
So if you're looking for a review that does more than add a tick mark next to a list of stars on a site listing thousands or millions of books, I recommend targeting review requests to review sites and book bloggers who have decent followships. What you consider "decent" will depend on the exposure you're looking for.
I follow a number of books bloggers, watching what they're reviewing on twitter and visiting the sites when they feature something that interests me. Over the last year or so, starting with sites that featured books in my genre, I've developed a list of about 40 active book bloggers who appear to have an interactive audience.
Two months prior to a release, I check their review policy guidelines (sometimes they change, or a reviewer opens or closes) and, if we still match, I send a request. Many of them accept electronic inquiries and/or e-books, which cuts down on the cost of requesting reviews.
I love reviews from people I haven't solicited, readers who've stumbled upon my books and like them. But when I'm putting energy into soliciting reviews, I want the most bang for my buck (buck = time/effort). So I follow guidelines, inquire professionally, and aim for bloggers who I believe attract an active audience and tend to like the types of books I write.
I've been pleasantly surprised by the response I've received, both from reviewers and readers.
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Joined: 10/14/2012
Posts: 229
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Can you get any of these reviews prior to the publishing (self or otherwise) of your book, or do bloggers feel this to be a waste of their time?
Please give some sage advice here!
I'm thinking of epublishing my book and also getting some hard copies of mine and the best other self published titles to sell locally to retail, but would rather get afew comprehensive reviews first, in case afew critical changes need be made first.
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Joined: 11/17/2011
Posts: 1016
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I love your enthusiasm, Michael, but you have to be patient.
I am going to read every word of your book and write a thoughtful review, but this will take a few weeks. I generally read and take notes, then think, then reread, then carefully compose my final thoughts. I give no slap-dash reviews. I learn a lot each time that I can plow into my own work and, believe me, I intend to shortchange neither you nor me.
As for your idea of forming a self-publishing cell, it's a wonderful idea, in theory. But between BC and the offerings on Bookkus.com, I begin to understand the problems of the traditional publishers. There's a lot here that isn't publishable and probably never will be, my own work included.
But, like most of these folks, I believe in my nonsense wholeheartedly, and will soldier on with it. Nobody is gonna convince me that I don't have something wonderful a-borning.
I applaud all of us, and endorse Steve Jobs' triumphant nod to the obsessive oddball, (I judge him to be one of the foremost of We Few, We Happy Few): Here's to the crazy ones!
Ha! We happy few, that's my view half of the time. The rest of the time, seeing the proliferation of would-be authors on the rapidly multiplying sites, my thinking echos the splendid English review on Broadway in the early sixties, Beyond The Fringe. There were a few nuts who memorized it line for line. I was one of them. In response to one seeking to join The Few (the RAF? I'm not sure), the rejoinder went: I'm sorry, there are far too many. Amen to that, brother.
But, God bless us, every one of us, we make life more interesting for the fuddie-duddie stick-in-the-muds, with little imagination, let alone one that soars.
Welcome to the club. Glad to have you with us.
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Joined: 10/14/2012
Posts: 229
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Thanks Mimi, I appreciate the time you're putting into my review, and your calming tones.
I can't help getting ahead of myself, but whether my work is good enough or not, I think that there's alot of talent and great books out there that won't see the light of day because they're not written, or 'fronted' by a celeb, or the second cousin of an old schoolmate of an editor. (Maybe my next book should be a conspiracy type thingy.)
I think if we can get around the 'swapping of star's, as on some other sites  and the, must review three, hey there's one that's only four pages long....... on certain others, we could sift through to find some wonderful, and wonderfully saleable books.
As for my idea:-
"Power to the people" or
"Never look at the trombones, it only encourages them!"
Depending on your POV..... but definately
"I don't suffer from insanity but enjoy every minute of it."
Thanks again
Michael
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Joined: 10/14/2012
Posts: 229
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Oh yes, and if I do end up going down the self-publishing avenue, can you guess what all my family and friends will get for Christmas that year? .......................................................................................................................................................No prizes!
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Joined: 11/17/2011
Posts: 1016
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*Sigh*
What'ja gonna do? You need luck, timing, persistence, and a submissions editor who has the vision to go rogue. How many times was Dr. Seuss turned down?
I count on nothing but the pleasure I give myself.
To self-publish is a real leap of faith, money thrown into the abyss. For me, it's not quite so dire. My husband and I have money to spare (not tons of it, but enough) and we're way over the hill, we could drop dead at any time (We're both in good health, but I'm being realistic).
I can shoot my thing into the blogosphere and die with a smile on my lips, confident that eventually I'll be hailed as a comedic genius.
Don't anyone burst my bubble, please.
Hell! Go ahead and try. It ain't gonna happen. I'm a tough old bird. If I haven't given up on Sly! by now, I never will.
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Joined: 10/14/2012
Posts: 229
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Well Mimi
In trying to replicate the exact pattern of success attained by Dr, Suess, I believe we're precisely halfway there!
No pins at the ready here,
Mike
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Joined: 12/1/2012
Posts: 1
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Here are some links to literally thousands of bloggers that purport to review books:
http://www.onlinecollege.org/2009/09/15/100-best-blogs-for-book-reviews/
http://hampton-networks.com/category/indie-review-blogs/
http://www.theindieview.com/indie-reviewers/
http://janefriedman.com/2011/11/22/best-literary-fiction-blogs-websites/
http://indielitawards.wordpress.com/2011-directors-voting-members/
http://web.blogads.com/buy-ads
http://litbreaker.com/
One caveat- I found that well over half of the blogs listed had warnings saying not to send them anything they are too backed up to consider any new books. In the end I sent email queries to 151 blogs that at least claimed that they were open to receiving new books. Out of those, I only received a response from a handful and only 1 blogger agreed to accept a copy of my novel for possible review.
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