Self publishing advice from writing to marketing and everything in-between.
Is your self-published book for children? If so, here is an opportunity you may want to look into to get your book reviewed:
Marilyn Courtot’s www.cookingupreading.com
A reviewer for this site posts reviews to Barnes and Noble and Amazon and has a special interest in books that kids can read then “cook up reading” with the help of the www.cookingupreading.com website.
Good luck and have fun!
Kelly Schuknecht
selfpublishingadvice.wordpress.com
If you are a self-published author and have a review for your book that you would like posted online, we can help! In the interest of helping self-published authors find success in publishing, we will post a weekly book review of a self-published book.
To submit your review, please send it to selfpublishingadvice@gmail.com with a .jpg image of your cover. Self Publishing Advice will post your review and cover image on our blog.
If you do not have reviews for your book yet, here are some blog posts that may help give you some ideas on how to obtain them:
Getting your Self-Published Book Reviewed
Soliciting Book Reviews for your Self-Published Book
More on Getting your Self-Published Book Reviewed
Book Review Leads for the Self-Published Author
Karl Schroeder and Kelly Schuknecht
https://selfpublishingadvice.wordpress.com
Getting your book reviewed is an important part of book promotion for the self-published author.
If you are seeking book reviews: BookPleasures.com is a website you may want to investigate. They’ve been known to write book reviews and even interview authors for additional exposure. There is more information on their site at www.bookpleasures.com
Another opportunity exists at www.reviewyourbook.com where you can submit your book for a possible free review and listing on their website. There’s no fee (that I could see) and every little bit helps.
If you’ve written a travel log, or a book that fits the description of “travel log” (a memoir involving a foreign locale, for example), you may also want to look into: sketchandtravel.com
Good luck and have fun!
Kelly Schuknecht
selfpublishingadvice.wordpress.com
It’s no secret that getting great book reviews posted on Amazon is something you want to accomplish. But how do you do that?
You need a network of people willing to read your book and write a positive review. This requires a mailing list.
Fortunately, self-publishing advocate Dan Poynter already has such a network, and you can take advantage of it completely free. It’s called his Marketplace Newsletter, and you can post a “Review Request” in his newsletter, which is sent out to thousands and thousands of people.
IF YOU WANT YOUR BOOK REVIEWED on Amazon.com, B&N.com, etc, you must be willing to send a book and promotional materials (review-book package) to readers of Publishing Poynters Marketplace who contact you.
Send your request and description to DanPoynter@ParaPublishing.com.
Draft your request so that Dan does not have to edit it. Make it SHORT (100 words max), no italics or bold type. Describe the book in a few words; do not send a lengthy review of it. Lengthy submissions will be returned for rewriting or ruthlessly cut. Put “Review Wanted” in the subject line.
Reviewers only need enough information to see if they have expertise and an interest in your category. Supply full contact information including your email address so interested readers can contact you for a free review copy. Be responsive to those indicating an interest in reviewing your book by sending them a copy and a sales sheet.
Good luck and have fun!
Kelly Schuknecht
https://selfpublishingadvice.wordpress.com
If your self-published book is available for sale at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble (BN.com), and other sites, you want to be sure your online listings have book reviews. You can always be sure your book has at least 1 review by asking one very close friend or relative to write a review for your book.
Once you have one review, your job is to solicit others. Obviously, if you’ve given some of your books away to friends or families, you should ask them to write a review in exchange for the book. As you continue to give them away, suggest to your customers that it would be helpful to you if they took the time to write an honest online review. People like to help people, but usually only do so if you ask.
BONUS: Once you have reviews, you can use them in quotes for further promotion. For example:
“Best Book Ever!” — Amazon.com review.
Your book detail page on Amazon and Barnes & Noble have links for writing reviews of your book. If you haven’t done that yet, do it right away.
Remember, in order to write a review for a book on Amazon, each reviewer must have an Amazon account with which they have purchased something. This is how Amazon verifies the identity of the reviewer. They don’t need to buy your book, per se, they just need to buy something, anything, from Amazon. But it is nice if they DO buy your book, so suggest that to your friends first.
Good luck and have fun!
Kelly Schuknecht
https://selfpublishingadvice.wordpress.com
Self Publishing Advisor 