Getting Book Reviews: The Book Review Plan

Getting your book reviewed in a popular forum can be exciting, but it can also be expensive shipping out all those review copies, and it can be disappointing when your book doesn’t get reviewed despite your persistence.

Here is a plan to help you better your chances at getting a quality review.

A Quality Product

You must have a quality book. By having a professionally edited and designed book, you’ll be far better positioned to receive positive feedback from readers. The self-publishing stigma can only stick to you if you have a sub par book. Make sure you have a professional book to send to professional people.

Start on Amazon

Your Amazon book page is going to be one of your sharpest tools in your marketing tool box. One of the first things a reviewer is likely to do before cracking open your book is to visit your Amazon page. Your Amazon page will be what helps them determine your level of professionalism. With a “Look Inside” feature, a well-written description, and several positive reviews under your belt, you’ll be in position for your book to be considered.

How do you get Amazon reviews? You have people you know read your book and post a review. Make sure they understand that if they don’t like your book to stay mum about it. You want more than just your friends and family, you also should approach people in your writing group, or even instructors at the local community college.

Branch out

Now that you have some reviews on Amazon, you can put together a professional publicity kit to send to reviewers at newspapers, magazines, and blogs. Your kit should include a letter of interest from you to the reviewer, a press release about your book, a sales sheet, publicity materials like business cards, and of course, a copy of your book.

You can also include a cover letter with a few winning blurbs from your Amazon reviews to help entice the reviewer to read your book instead of someone else’s.

By building a ground swell of momentum from Amazon up, you’ll create a steady base to build upon. No need to buy a review or be rejected because you are unheard of. With a base of reviews (you’ll want at least 10 to get started) you’ll be in good shape to submit to bigger review outlets.

For a list of potential online reviewers (and some really great information) check out this article on SelfPublishingReview.com