Not everyone has a million-dollar publishing company behind them, and not everyone gets a chance to have their works published by the biggest publishing companies in the world. After all, you are probably a relatively unknown writer and no one might be willing to take a chance on you.
Here’s the deal! Self-publishing brings a lot of pride and accomplishment. If you wrote, published and promoted your work all by yourself and you become a household name, you can proudly say “I did it on my own with no help!” But can you really? No man is an Island and we all need partnerships. So, if you are a writer, who do you need to build partnerships with?
Book Bloggers are the first promoters of your work in a Self-publishing world because they are the first to read works from publishers like you and what they have to say about your work really counts as it shapes the perception of your readers. So, it is pertinent you have a positive relationship with as many book bloggers as possible.
We are going to be exploring ways in which you can build a relationship with reputable book bloggers.
Be Selective:
Don’t be pathetic. Don’t run to every blogger you find online! Be selective. Ask yourself, does he or she have a huge following on social media? Do their followers engage them a lot? It will be a waste of time and effort to build a relationship with a blogger that no one listens to.
Then you also need to understand the kind of books he or she likes. If you write sci-fi, it probably makes no sense to send your work to someone who eats and drinks pure romance. He or she will probably find your work less interesting and will not promote it as well as you expect. Finally, if you find one that suits you, recognize that they are busy people so make sure you are respectful and patient.
Don’t Submit Until You Are Ready:
The pressure to get an early buzz can push you to submit unfinished work. Do not fall for this temptation. Make sure your work is finished, edited and ready to be published. Note that the best bloggers are very busy and they do not have the time and patience to go through an unformatted work with lots of spelling errors. A work like that will find its abode in the trash. Offer to submit a work only when you are happy with it and you are sure it is complete.
Also, you need to read the blogger’s submission guidelines carefully. Flouting the submission rules is the fastest way to get your work thrown out the window, but following the guideline to the latter is a great way to get on his or her good side.
Be Clear, Concise and Friendly:
You should have it in mind that there are lots of authors like you sending them emails to have their works read and reviewed. Having that in mind will probably make you realize that no one cares about your life history, motivation, and all of that extra nonsense. Yes, you are a writer and the temptation to write an epistle is real but resist it with everything in you. Your mail should be straight to the point, let your work tell the blogger about you.
Make sure you do your research on the blogger and you can use your findings to craft an opening sentence or two and then go straight to why you think they should review your work.
Note that you might get a negative review, but that should not deter you from thanking them after the review. Let them know you appreciate their time and effort. This could make a positive impact on your relationship with the Book Blogger.
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