Last week I received an email from Leta Gail Doeer, an indie author and loyal reader of my blog. Leta has also taken my webinar on book marketing, in which I discuss the strategy of contacting book bloggers for reviews - and how those reviews can lead to other opportunities. Leta said she'd been reaching out to bloggers who participate in virtual tours for self-published authors, but that they were so inundated with requests that she wasn't getting much of a response.
Undeterred, I did a little more research and found another great resource for Leta (and my blog readers!). Indie View lists hundreds of writers and bloggers who are looking to review self-published books at no charge. It also names the places where the reviews will be posted (e.g. their blogs, Facebook, Amazon, Goodreads).
I also suggested Leta check out this page of my website, which lists a bunch of bloggers who reviewed my first novel, which I self-published before it got picked by a traditional publisher. The success I had with my blogger outreach played a significant role in that turn of events.
I can't stress enough how important it is to secure objective book reviews, so take a page from Leta's book and start pitching yours!
-Maria
Maria Murnane is the best-selling author of the Waverly Bryson series, Cassidy Lane, Katwalk, and Wait for the Rain. She also provides consulting services to aspiring and published authors. Learn more at www.mariamurnane.com.
This blog post originally appeared on CreateSpace.com. Reprinted with permission. © 2015 CreateSpace, a DBA of On-Demand Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved.
Wonderful! Thank you so much, this has been very helpful. I myself have been struggling in getting bloggers to review my newly released book. Many of them are bogged with requests and those who do take my book into review have no definite date as to when that review will come.
Aww... that's too bad Indie View limits participation. I do not review electronic books, in part because I am affiliated with a publisher. And still, I've managed to not only build a quite impressive library, but have bumped up encouraging exposure for a number of authors.
Thanks for sharing the "Indie View". Think I'll add my blog, if it's not already been added;-)
Thanks for the resources! :)
Thank you for sharing. I've bookmarked your blog. :)
Terrific! Thank you so much for posting this information, Maria, it is wonderfully helpful.
Thank you so much for this post. I only recently discovered how important reviews were, especially for indie authors.
Nice resource - thanks for sharing!! (smile)
Thanks for this! I'm about to step into the brave new world of getting blurbs and reviews. Like some of the others have said--everything helps!
Thank you so much for this very helpful information. I am in the same boat as Leta Gail Doeer. It is frustrating to track down a blog and read all through the review policy only to learn they don't review indie authors.
*groan* I don't know what it takes to get more reviews. Thanks. I need all the help I can get *G*
My book is not published yet, currently I am looking for readers for the first 100 pages, if interested send me a message. Thank you Maria Murnane, for your article I posted it on: http:/ / www.hoyecomova.com/ 2015/ 04/ looking-for-reviews-for-your-self.html
Thank you for the resources! Helpful!
Thanks for your generosity with resources! Much appreciated!
Thank you Maria for this valuable information!
Thank you, Maria - these resources will be a huge help!!