Paying it Forward

I began the Lupa Schwartz Mysteries Blog for two reasons; to promote my writing and to help promote yours. Generating reviews is critically important to independent writers and self pubbers like us.  For this reason, I encourage you to begin a blog of your own doing reviews for others. Whether you decide to blog or not, maybe you could post on writer message boards that you are willing to do reviews for a few fellow writers. Alternatively, you could simply enter giveaway contests on Goodreads or Librarything. Then post those reviews on sites like Goodreads and the book's page on Amazon and Kobo.

When I began my blog, I had my best results finding writers in need of reviews from the selfpublish sub-reddit and the message board on Lulu.com. Kboards.com also has a writer’s café which I found most helpful. If you take this advice, be sure to mention the genre you're looking to read and review in the subject line.

Since I began the blog, I have seen how several different people approach writing review queries. Here are a few helpful general hints I've come up with based on what I have found appeals most to me in a review request. 

·         Make sure you’ve read the blogger’s submissions guidelines if he/she has them.

·         Make your pitch brief and appealing. I suggest opening with a professional looking blurb (aka book description) describing the story. Don't bury the blurb after your bio. 

·        Do not include a complete synopsis unless the submission guidelines ask for one.

·         Unless otherwise stipulated, your pitch should be in the body of an email and not a separate attachment.
·         Toss in a suggestion that you are also interested in interviews or guest posting.*
·         Don't apologize for anything.
·         Do not offer to do a "review swap," even if the reviewer is also an author, such as myself. 

·         Let the blogger know how you learned about his/her blog.

·         Include a cover image and (optionally) a headshot if you have one. If they don’t need them, it doesn’t hurt, and it puts a face on your email in many email programs. If they do need it, it lets the reviewer know they don’t have to sweat it.

*If a blogger has a full plate reading list, he/she might still need blog content. You need exposure. It's win/win.

Best of luck,

Dave