Getting Free Publicity with Book Reviews



The strategy is laid out in all the popular self-publishing guides: several weeks before your publication date, mail review copies of your book and a press release to book reviewers nationwide.

But some self-publishing experts say it's8217;s no longer realistic for new authors to expect their books to be reviewed in traditional media, said Stephen Weber, publisher of Self-Publish in 90 Days.

First, most book review columns have a simple policy: no reviews of self-published works, Weber said. Second, there has been an explosion in the volume of self-published books in the past few years. More than 150,000 titles are being published annually. For authors without a track record, most of those press kits are going straight into the trash.

Sure, it's8217;s possible to get some publicity from local media who can work a home-town angle into their story, Weber said. In any case, it's8217;s going to take more than a press kit mailing to generate book reviews. It takes follow-up phone calls or e-mails from you to the book reviewer. It will take luck. And it goes without saying, your book must be noteworthy to warrant a review.

Online book reviews are a big opportunity for new authors. The customer reviews on Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com may influence sales more than traditional newspaper book reviews. Amazon maintains a list of its most popular and prolific book reviewers here.

Many of the Amazon reviewers post their e-mail address on their Amazon about me page, so it's8217;s possible to contact them. Some will review a book, particularly when a complimentary copy is sent before publication.

The site Review of Books collects and reprints reviews from all the online sales channels. Another site, Complete Review, has an exhausting listing of online book review sources.

After your book review publicity campaign is over, what next Try to stay in the news by becoming known as a quotable expert in your field. One way you can get the ball rolling is to participate in PR Leads, a service that puts authors, speakers and other solo entrepreneurs in touch with reporters looking for story leads. The service will cost you $99 monthly but can help you build your credibility and lead to numerous mentions of your book in the national media. The more you's8217;re quoted in the media, the more opportunities will arise. The service is run by PR Newswire, one of the leading distributors of press releases in North America.

For links to the Web sites mentioned in this story, see http://www.weberbooks.com/2005/10/getting-free-publicity-with-book.html





Getting Free Publicity with Book Reviews