It’s a question I hear frequently: where can I get reviews for my self-published book?
One way, of course, is to offer free ebooks through social media in exchange for an honest review. Unfortunately, free ebooks are a dime a thousand. Here’s a way to increase your chances of getting reviews for your self-published book:
- Offer to read and review the work of other independent authors in exchange for having them read yours.
- If you have a mailing list, you can offer a free ebook to your readers.
- Host a Goodreads giveaway. It’s free to host a Goodreads giveaway, and readers on the site actively search for giveaways, so you’ll reach a more receptive audience.
- List your book on Netgalley. If you’re willing to spend some money upfront, you can offer giveaways through Netgalley. This is a paid service that will set you back a few hundred dollars but will put your book in front of book bloggers. By the way, you can get significant discounts on your Netgalley listings if you’re a member of the Independent Book Publishers Association. (I’ve been a member for years and find IBPA membership extremely valuable.) You can see Netgalley pricing here.
- Submit your book to Kirkus Indie Reviews. Kirkus is an established book review publication, one of the few major trade publications devoted entirely to book reviews. Kirkus now has a separate section for indie books. With pricing starting at $425 for a “traditional review,” it’s not cheap, and there’s certainly no guarantee that it will be a review you can quote. If it is a good review, however, you can feel good about displaying it on your website or in your marketing materials.Only choose this option if you have diligently edited your book, and you’re certain that it’s a professional, quality publication.
Did you send your book out for reviews? Avoid this big mistake!
Once you’ve sent your book out for review through Netgalley, Goodreads, Kirkus Indie Reviews, or anywhere else, don’t make the mistake of having the book unavailable for pre-order!
Even if the book isn’t ready to publish yet, you should have a pre-order link on your website. You can easily set up a book for pre-order on Amazon, or you can use gumroad to allow people to pre-order your book. (I use gumroad to deliver my workbooks for writers, The Paperclip Method. I love how easy gumroad is to use and how seamless the process is for the customer).
One more thing: the etiquette of asking for book reviews from friends & acquaintances
When asking for reviews from friends, other writers, or members of your email list, it’s important to be aware of the fact that you are asking for a favor. Reviewing your book requires a significant investment of time from the reader. Never be impatient (obviously). Always let them know that you know you’re asking for their time.
Get more articles like this delivered to your inbox when you subscribe to The Caffeinated Writer newsletter.
image courtesy of James Sutton via unsplash