We just got back from the fabulous Blurb Book Fest in Brooklyn this past weekend. A question that came up a lot from authors is how to request book reviews for their self-published book.
We’ve put together a little guide below to help you.
1) Find the initial reviewers
Reach out to colleagues, friends, family, and members who are subscribed to your mailing list (if you have one).
2) Identify bloggers for your reviews.
Kate Tilton has a great list here. Another place for finding book reviewers is on IndieView.com.
3) Request reviews from http://www.amazon.com/review/top-reviewers” target=”_blank”>Amazon top reviewers.
Getting a review from an Amazon top reviewer is a BIG deal. Don’t make the mistake of asking a book reviewer who doesn’t review your genre to review your book. Also, make sure to make sure the reviewer covers self-published book. Typically, if you reach out to 100 reviewers you will probably get around 10-30 reviews. If you reach out to 300 you might get 30-50 reviews.
4) Sample email to send to a potential reviewer
Dear Jane Doe:
I got your name from [where you found them] and thoroughly enjoyed your review of [name of book]. I recently wrote a book that appeals to a similar audience, “[Name of my book].” If you think you might be interested in reading it and perhaps reviewing it, I’ll gladly send you complimentary copy.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Best Regards,
[Author Name]
Remember, reading a book takes time. Expect your book reviewer to take up to 4-8 weeks to read your book.
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