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5 mistakes to avoid when requesting a book review

March 20th, 2012 | 10 Comments

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5 mistakes to avoid when requesting a book review

As writers with a book freshly out on the market, we are all in dire need of reviews to promote the first steps of our baby in the cruel publishing scene. This means finding reviewers. Of course, writers almost always being readers, we already have a list of websites run by bloggers, whether writers or readers, who love the book genre of our book. So it is just a question of approaching those who seem to publish book reviews and requesting a review.

Yet, it is always a good idea to remember that writing a review is time-consuming and requires reading the book first, so it is actually requesting quite a big favor from a complete stranger.  Even if the book is the future Nobel Prize for Literature or the next publishing front page story, at this stage, it is an unknown quantity and the prospective reviewer has no incentive in investing time an effort in a review.

The least a writer can do is to show the prospective reviewer respect. So here are a few common mistake easily avoided.

  1. Send the very same template request to all prospective reviewers: A reviewer receiving a mail that even barely smacks of mass mailing has no incentive whatsoever in even glancing at the blurb of the book.
  2. Not checking the conditions for submitting a request for a review: Most sites publishing reviews have a procedure for receiving requests. It is not only common courtesy to abide by the blogger’s requirements, it is also showing respect for his or her time.
  3. Nor offering a free copy of the book: Though this should not need to be said, some writers seem to expect the review to fork out the money to buy the book in addition to investing time in reading and reviewing it.
  4. Having only one format for the book:  In the days of unstandardized ereaders, it is the writer’s responsibility to find a way to convert the book into the format most convenient for the reviewer.
  5. Demanding rights to edit the review prior to its publication: When the prospective reviewers agrees to actually review a book, it is self-understood that his or her opinion is required and that comes with taking the risk that her review will be scathing, if that is the reviewer’s opinion.

    Read here for a the review of great tool that automates  the search for Amazon Book Reviewers who provide their contact details or get it straight from here

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10 comments on “5 mistakes to avoid when requesting a book review”

  1. AKWdynamite on said:

    I usually always always ask for the book to be a pdf or ebook. It takes to long for the book to come in the mail.

  2. Elyse on said:

    This is a great article, but I have a question. Some folks will ask for a hard copy of the book, while it is so much more affordable to send it as a mobi or ebook version or even a PFD when possible. What do you think of authors asking if it’s possible to send an electronic version instead? I’ve submitted quite a few hard copies for review requests and folks have told me they simply haven’t even gotten to the book – been switching to ebook requests for that reason. Thoughts?

  3. Sharon Bayliss on said:

    Great advice! Fortunately, I haven’t made any of those mistakes yet.

  4. Steve Orme on said:

    As a journalist on the “other side” as it were – people getting in touch to ask for reviews, coverage of their event, whatever – I get really annoyed when people tell me which other outlets have already said they will cover the story. I don’t care whether other TV or radio stations, newspapers or magazines have said they will cover it -I can decide for myself what makes a good story. Similarly, I presume prospective reviewers also get annoyed when a writer tells them about other outlets which will be carrying a review.

  5. James Roy Daley on said:

    A great pile of advice. Early on, I made some of those mistakes.

  6. K. Lea Hudson on said:

    Thank you for posting this so that others can learn the do’s and don’ts. I have had problems with everything you listed. The worst faux pas that an author did when asking me to review his book, was by (emailing me through goodreads) starting out his message telling me I “was hot”. Now I appreciate the compliment, but that is NOT the beginning of a professional conversation…especially when he was asking me to review a children’s picture book (even though I have clearly labeled I review YA & NA).
    Thanks again for sharing this info!!!!!

  7. Tami Parrington on said:

    Great advice. I just recently downloaded a program to let me convert my books into any of the common ebook formats and have found that very useful for sending copies to reviewers in their chosen file type. Of course most of them can do it themselves, but it’s one less thing for them to have to do before reading my book–every little thing that puts them in a more pleasant frame of mind to settle in and read is a good thing.

    Tami

  8. Katja on said:

    As a book reviewer I can’t vouch enough for number 2. Currently I have this in red bold letters in my review policy: “CURRENTLY I’M NOT ACCEPTING MORE REVIEW REQUESTS!” Yet I receive new review requests daily. Kind tells they didn’t even bother to check the page.

  9. Sue Bursztynski on said:

    Very true, and as a reviewer I’ve had all of these mistakes made by people who wanted me to review their books. No matter how many times I say I won’t review an ebook-only format, I get emails saying, ” I know your guidelines say this, but…” Actually, every publisher asks you to send them a copy before publishing, but they don’t demand and are usually satisfied when I send them a link. Of course, I don’t ever say anything inflammatory. :-)

  10. Courtney Young on said:

    Great post! Thanks for sharing!

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