Armchair BEA: Blogging about blogging, requesting books.
During the Twitter chat for Armchair BEA yesterday I noticed tons of questions about how to request books, when should you follow up, where to find publicity contacts and more, so I decided to do my blogging about books post on just that. Requesting books. I know book blogging has had an influx of fresh blood lately and there are plenty of new bloggers who want to start requesting, to get their names out there and grow their blogs. Book blogging has never been easy, even for those of us who have been around since before there was so much competition, as far as I can discern it takes about a year to get in a really comfortable position with your blog and readership. The advice below is for blogs that are six months old or older, before six months I don’t believe (unless there is some fluke of popularity) that requesting books is okay, mostly because what do you have to offer the publisher? Your audience can’t be too big yet (mine wasn’t) and reviews are meant to be seen so others will buy the book. I didn’t request books for my first entire year blogging.
The first thing to remember is that publicists are extremely busy. They don’t have a lot of time. So you want to send them an email that tells them about you and your blog in the shortest format possible. Impress them with your brevity. My usual email when I used to request looked something like this.
Dear (name if you have it) if not: Hi,
My name is Pam and I blog at Bookalicio.us. You can find everything you need to know about my blog on one page: http://bookalicio.us/about
Basically I review YA, I am a member of the NBCC and I have active social networks across the web including Twitter, and Goodreads. I am specifically interested in your book coming out in June titled The Seven Horseman and the Lion they Rode in on.
I would love to review more for your children’s department. Please feel free to let me know what titles you want me to have a look at.
Best,
Pam van Hylckama Vlieg
Address
The address is extremely important. Some publicists just like to send without writing you back and if they don’t have the address available they won’t send. If you have reviewed books recently (within 6 months) from the same publisher it’s okay to add a line about enjoying some of the publisher’s previous works and adding two to three links.
I don’t follow up, I know that was a big question on the twitter chat, but I just don’t remember too. If I were going to follow up about a request I made I would wait 6 weeks, if I were going to follow up about a book that is pitched to me I wait 4 weeks.
It’s also good to remember that you don’t have to take the first books pitched to you. Especially if they don’t sound good to you or even fit the genres you like to read. You can always reply with a “This doesn’t really seem to fit what I review, but if you have any genre you would like me to take a look at I would love to!” email back.
Recently some publisher’s have been putting initial contacts for review copies online and in lists. Here are two places to get started requesting:
Penguin added a spreadsheet with a list of imprints and contacts.
Harper keeps a list here and they update it frequently when the publicity department changes around.
If you have anymore questions just leave them in the comments and I will answer you there.
By: Michelle (@nggu_reviews)
Very valuable information. Thanks for sharing Pam! :)
By: Akshay Bakshi (@agentakki)
Great post!
As a recently started out blogger (new blood as you said), I have read and received a lot of good advice over the past few weeks. I agree that that unless we have something to offer the publisher in terms of following, stats, good exposure its not proper to ask for books from them. Until my blog grows popular enough, I plan to review the books I buy, borrow or win.
However, the biggest problem is being a book blogger outside the USA. I live in India, where book blogging is pretty much non-existent. From what I have seen in the community so far, other international bloggers (seasoned ones too) suffer from the same problem of book nonavailability and lack of publisher engagement. I wish there were more initiatives for us as well, maybe a similar database like the one you have listed or some international exclusive features.
I have rambled on a lot, but I hope I made my point.
Keep Reading
Akshay
By: Teresa (@teresasreading)
Such an insightful post. I think you are exactly right when you say that you don’t really hit your stride until after that first year. My blog is just over a year old and I finally have a bit of an idea of what I am doing. I’m still tweaking things and finding my voice, but I am feeling more and more sure of myself every day.
A special thanks to veterans like you that are willing to help out.
By: Pam
Akshay,
I understand that must be frustrating. Most of the blogging scene does seem to be UK and US based but I see it stretching out all over the world. My best advice for you is to find your publishers in India that have books you like to read and talk to them. Let them know what the US and UK bloggers are doing in and explain you want to do the same in India.
By: Ashley (@BookLabyrinth)
Thanks for the email template. I’ve been blogging for 9 months and I’ve never requested a book directly from a publisher like that… only through Netgalley and GalleyGrab. I don’t plan on doing it in the near future, either, but I’m always glad to see posts like this from experienced people, so at least I know the best way to conduct myself if I do contact publishers.
By: melissa @ 1lbr (@melissa1lbr)
Ah, Pam, this is concise and useful. Only wish I’d read it when I first started requesting books. Still, it’s useful stuff to remember. Thanks again!
By: Leeswammes (Judith) (@leeswammes)
Akshay, I’m in the Netherlands and I have the same problem as you, but still I’ve managed to get an amount of review copies over the last year. See my post form yesterday for some ideas on how to go about it: http://leeswammes.wordpress.com/2011/05/26/armchair-bea-day-4-nurturing-relationships/
In addition, I would suggest that if you hear of a great book (to be published soon) write the publisher an email and maybe you can refer to a review that you did of another book by the same publisher’s (with a link) so they can see what sort of reviews you write. Also mention the number of followers you have and the percentage that (you think) is American. Then they realise you’re writing for their target group and that may help.
By: Callista (@callista83)
Great advice for new bloggers. I agree with adding your address. You may end up getting more books you didn’t request too and it’s a lot quicker. PR agencies and publishers don’t like having to contact you back to get your address.
I started having companies contact me after 6+ months of regular blogging but I also had been writing book reviews for years before that (just not regularly) I didn’t cold request though till later.
By: Nise' (@nisethusfar)
Excellent information. I appreciate the contact lists.
By: Sarah (@SarahReads2Much)
This is incredibly helpful, and reassuring. I recently sent out my first request to a publisher (should have waited until after BEA, but hopefully that won’t be a problem) and it looks like I ended up following your guidelines. Also, those two lists of contacts is incredibly helpful! Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience!!
By: Cialina (@cialina)
Pam you are AMAZING! This is probably the most helpful article I’ve read about requesting galleys. I really don’t like to request since I know my reading pile is huge, but I would like to get more practice over the summer and I will send out a couple keeping your advice in mind!
By: Donna @ Bites (@donnaatbites)
I don’t think I’ve ever followed up with a request I’ve made unsolicited. But for books offered to me, I’ll wait about a month and then follow up for a status if I don’t see anything. Politely, of course. A lot of times they have schedules for when they send books out.
By: Akshay Bakshi (@agentakki)
Pam,
Thanks for the advice. I plan to contact publishers soon, but not before I have something to offer. Hopefully, I will be among the first (and best) of the book bloggers in India at the very least.
Judith,
Thanks for the link. It had some pretty nice pointers. Your advice about contacting American publishers is one I have had in mind, but I am doubtful they will spend that much postage. Still, there’s hope and the power of twitter on my side :)