Reaching out to book bloggers is a great way to get objective, credible reviews. In addition to posting their reviews on their own websites, many bloggers are also active on social media, which can draw additional eyeballs to your work. (For example, here's a recent tweet by a blogger promoting her thoughts on my latest novel, Bridges, and here's a recent YouTube review of my novel Katwalk)
Like most people, reviewers often have particular genres they prefer to read. Below are some ways to find bloggers who might be a good fit for your book. These are not the only ways, but they will definitely help you find a lot of people to pitch:
Once you find a blog that looks perfect for you, look to see which blogs that blogger follows. (There is usually a list on either side of the home page.) Click on one, then go back and repeat the process. Soon you will have a big list of bloggers to contact.
NOTE: When you start pitching, track your correspondence. I use a spreadsheet for this, but any system that works for you will do. Just use a system, or your hard work will eventually become a confusing mess. (Scrolling through the sent folder of your email is not a "system.") Recording your outreach is tedious, but it's well worth the effort. Not only will it keep you organized now, it will keep you from having to start from scratch when your next book comes out.
-Maria
Maria Murnane writes bestselling novels about life, love and friendship. Have questions? You can find her at www.mariamurnane.com.
This blog post originally appeared on CreateSpace.com. Reprinted with permission. © 2017 CreateSpace, a DBA of On-Demand Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved.
@Lisa, some bloggers will read only paperbacks, but in my experience that is less than 10% of them. Btw sorry for the delayed reply to this-- I just saw it now! -Maria :)
Thanks for being so concrete. Makes the article very useful! Appreciate the sharing.
Thanks for the tips! Question; is there a general preference for paperbacks? I heard that many reviewers prefer paperback over e-book or pdf versions. What's your experience? Thanks again, Maria.
Thank you! This is very helpful, since you gave very specific ways to follow your advice.