| So you've written your first novel, short story, comic | | | | When writting to these website owners make sure |
| book or other work and it's good. You have now also | | | | that you've spent a little time on the site so you are |
| got a publisher interested or you are going down one | | | | comfortable with what they do, how they present |
| of the many self-publishing roots (such as ebooks | | | | reviews and information and a little of the ethos of the |
| e-books or as examples). So it's time to sit back and | | | | site. You don't like receiving generic email's that could |
| enjoy the fruits of your hard labour to date, right? | | | | be sent to anyone do you? Well these website |
| Unfortunately, no. | | | | owners don't either, so you are much more likely to |
| Publishers of any kind are first and foremost in a | | | | get a quicker response (or a response at all) if you |
| business. This means they are driven by the desire to | | | | can personalise your email to some extent so it fits in |
| make profits and some will have shareholders to | | | | with the site you are trying to get reviewed on. |
| answer for. They also realise that most first-time | | | | In most cases you are likely to be sending an email (in |
| authors are unlikely to sell many books, so with the | | | | one form or another) to these people. If you have a |
| cost of printing there will be little money for promotion. | | | | website for your title (and I'd strongly recommend it) |
| This essentially means that you have to do most (if | | | | then you should include links to the site. This way |
| not all) of the work to ensure that people know your | | | | potential reviewers can quickly, easily and conveniently |
| work exists. Because if people don't know it's there, | | | | get a feel for your book (particularly if you include an |
| they definitely can not buy it. | | | | excerpt on the site). This can go a long way to bringing |
| But as an author the prospect of promotion can be | | | | the reviewer around to reading your book and then |
| daunting, and it will certainly be very hard work. I am | | | | reviewing it. |
| sad to say that there is no easy guaranteed formula. | | | | But most importantly make it easy for the reviewer to |
| However, there are ways and means of promoting | | | | get hold of a copy of the book! Either offer to send |
| your work that are not as expensive as others, and | | | | them a hard-copy (asking for their address in the |
| they can be very effective. For example, getting your | | | | email) or to email a PDF document. PDF is a good |
| book reviewed. | | | | format for this because it will open on most operating |
| Many people will choose to read reviews of books | | | | systems and will maintain all your formatting, ensuring |
| before they purchase and this typically means visiting | | | | you don't get odd line-breaks and punctuation when it's |
| the internet and trying to find out what people are | | | | opened at the other end! |
| saying. If your book is not reviewed no one will read | | | | You should also make it clear that you are available |
| about it, and sales will suffer for it. | | | | for interview by any convenient means, such as |
| There are many sites out there that carry book | | | | phone, email etc. Author interviews that accompany a |
| reviews in one form or another, however some are | | | | book review (see an example here: Moem The |
| more likely to increase sales than others, so it is these | | | | Beginning - Book 1) can be very powerful. Think about |
| you should focus most of your effort on, at least | | | | it, a potential buyer has just read a review which |
| initially. For starters you may have noticed that on | | | | suggests that the book could be good, and that they |
| portalmania there are links to and Amazon.co.uk with | | | | might enjoy it. They are then given an opportunity to |
| every review (see an example here: Harry Potter and | | | | get a closer look at the author, to read about their trials |
| the Order of the Phoenix). These links go directly to a | | | | and tribulations. All of a sudden you are no longer |
| page where a visitor can buy the book, so they've just | | | | another anonymous author trying to sell books, you |
| read a review saying your work is good and have a | | | | start to become a person. The reader then becomes |
| quick easy option to buy, through a reputable | | | | more involved with the book or story and is potentially |
| company. Such a direct link will help to increase sales | | | | more likely to buy. |
| because you are not relying on them to remember | | | | A word of caution. It might all sound very easy from |
| and then find the book next time they are at their local | | | | the above, you know get some reviews, do some |
| book store (who may not even be carrying it!). So | | | | interviews and bingo! I'm going to sell a million books. |
| start searching at Google, Yahoo!, or one of the other | | | | Well no, but the point is doing this after publishing work |
| engines and see what's on offer. | | | | can help you and your work gain more exposure |
| Now you've got a list of sites that review books and | | | | which will help sales, as long as it's good of course. |
| you need to approach them. As far as I know all (or at | | | | You will also need patience, which if you've gone |
| least 99.9999999...%) of sites will be more than happy | | | | through the processes of getting published I imagine |
| to be contacted by authors who wish to have their | | | | you've got now. Most website owners don't review |
| work reviewed. A fair few also have some form of | | | | full-time, they often have jobs and other demands on |
| mechanism for doing this, such as with | | | | their time so don't be disappointed if it takes time. |
| portalmania'scontribute and many others do as well. | | | | Good luck with your projects! |