How To Get Reviews For Your Book

The hardest part about writing your first novel isn't finishing it, or evening editing it. The hardest part is marketing it. No matter how good your book is, what good is it if no one ever reads it?

One of the first steps in marketing your book is getting reviews. Even established authors with dozens of books under their belt send out Advanced Reader Copies (ARCs) to bloggers and set up blog tours. But for a new author, this can be a daunting prospect. Where do you even start?

As an author you learn early on that bloggers can be one of the more effective ways to spread the word about your book. They can provide you with much needed reviews and generate hype about your story. So how do you find bloggers and what do you do once you have?

 A good place to start is the Book Blogger Directory. While this is in no means a complete list, it does give you a jumping off point. 

Another is a site called Book Blogs. Unlike the directory, this is a more interactive site where you can post and chat with bloggers, as well as, other authors. 

One of the most important pieces of advice I can give when soliciting bloggers to read and review your novel is to make sure you go to their individual site and read through their review policy. Some bloggers will only read a certain type of book. The last thing you want to do is send an erotica book to a blogger that only reads YA. It leaves a bad impression and bloggers, just like authors, talk. Plus, it is a waste of time for both the author and the blogger. 

Once you've compiled a list of bloggers you're interested in contacting about your book, put together a standard email introducing yourself and your book. It needs to contain basic information such as the genre of your book, the release date, and the summary of your book. Also, take note when going through the blogger's review policy if they require any additional information to be sent. 

Then, you send the request. Don't be expecting to get a response to every email you send. In fact, if you're a new author, don't be surprised if only 20% of those you contact show any interest. It's just the name of the game. Things will get easier once people begin learning who you are.

While this may seem like the end of the process, it's not. You need to keep a record of who you sent requests to, who responded, and who didn't. This will help you when you go to publish your next book and are looking for bloggers. 

Above all, remember that it's going to take time. Follow up on any emails you receive in a timely fashion and put out a quality book that you can be proud of. And above all, be nice. Everything else just takes time.

Do you have any tips or tricks to getting reviews?