Book reviews can be enormously helpful to an author. Those who decide what new titles to order for a bookstore or the library often consult reviews first. Readers, too, may be persuaded to pick up a book based on what they read in a review. And we’ve all heard the urban legend that you need to have 50 or some magic number of reviews on Amazon to trigger the algorithm in favor of your title. But not all book reviews are the same. There is an enormous difference between a customer satisfaction report on Amazon and a starred review from Kirkus. Below, I’ll return to reviews from your readers, but to begin, let’s focus on book reviews. A book review is a form of literary criticism, although criticism varies between description (summary review) and analysis of content, style, or literary merits. Editorial independence is key and your book will not be reviewed by someone with whom you have any personal connection. Book reviews are typically published 30 days before release to 90 days after publication. That means your Advance Review Copy (ARC) needs to be in the hands of the reviewer two to three months prior to your book’s launch. Publishers Weekly, Shelf Awareness, and Kirkus Reviews offer independent, unbiased, critical reviews of notable books being published weeks before they’re released. Their primary audience includes booksellers and industry professionals. Reviews are also published in Library Journal, a trade publication for librarians, and School Library Journal, targeted to media specialists and…
Agents and publishers in their submission guidelines often ask for a list of comparable titles. By identifying these books, they can estimate the size of the print run and a P&L (profit-and-loss statement). Identifying the current books on the market which serve the needs of your readers helps you with the business of being an author and your bottom-line, too. The comparative title analysis identifies the authors… [Read More]
Filed Under: Acknowledgements, blurbs, Comparative title analysis, Endorsements, Story Circle Book Reviews
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Book festivals are celebrations of reading and writing and they bring authors face to face with their audiences. Don’t overlook them in your marketing plan as you will find they are a wonderful way to meet your readers and market your books. Like rock concerts and music festivals to recording artists, book festivals are the performance highlights to any author’s book tour. Autumn and book… [Read More]
The Authors Guild is the nation’s professional organization for writers, aiding and protecting author’s interest in copyright, fair contracts, and free expression since 1912. It supports working writers, advocates for author rights, and provides a community for its members. Any author who has been published by an established U.S. book publisher or by periodicals of general circulation in the US qualifies for membership. You may… [Read More]
Whether you are reading, researching, taking notes, or writing, your neck and shoulders are likely to get stuck at an angle which will make you tight, stiff, and eventually sore. Your head weighs about ten lbs. When you tilt your head forward, it will cause your neck and muscles to have to work as hard as if your head weighed 30 lbs., according to Erik… [Read More]
Joyce Maynard found ads for James Patterson Master Class in her Facebook newsfeed and signed up to discover the secrets to writing a bestselling book. She wrote an article for The Observer about what Patterson had to teach her about writing – and selling – books. That she herself was a published author of a couple memoirs and a dozen novels did not prevent her… [Read More]