Five Quick Tips to Pitch your Book to Bloggers

Sometimes, it might seem like you have exhausted all of your promotional outlets. However, at Dorrance Publishing, we want to give you the boost that you might need and help you add more options to your book promotion idea list.

Sometimes all it takes is looking beyond your own efforts and considering working with someone else. That’s why today we want to show you the promotional potential of working with a book blogger!

Book bloggers review and discuss books in all different genres, spanning young adult, fiction, non-fiction, and everything in between, with their online readers. 

Garnering a review from a book blogger could bolster your promotional efforts, but you have to take the first step. First, Google “book bloggers” for a list of potential bloggers to contact. Once you have that list, here are some quick tips on how to pitch your book to a blogger!

Research – Before you talk to a blogger, do a little research to determine the types of books he or she typically reviews. For example, if the blogger you’re considering generally reviews mystery novels, odds are they wouldn’t review a book about a historical figure. In short, try to find a blogger that reviews books in your genre.  

Details – Usually a book blogger will include a review policy on their site. So, before you approach him or her, be sure to know exactly what the blogger will need prior to talking with them. For instance, the blogger's rules for review could include how they like to be contacted and what type of books they welcome. These are just some of the important pieces of information that you should keep in mind early in the process. 

It’s more than likely that, if the blogger agrees to review your book, you’ll have to provide a free copy (which they will disclose on their subsequent review post). So before you start reaching out, be sure to have some copies at the ready, in case your first requests all get a “yes!”

Preparation – Pitching your book to a blogger is much like preparing for an important meeting at work. For some bloggers, this online presence is their full-time job, so you should treat this as you would any business pitch. Before jumping on the phone, come prepared to promote yourself and your book. Be respectful and mindful of the blogger’s time. And, as always, remember to be personable and clear.

Creativity – They say first impressions leave lasting impressions, and this applies when reaching out to a blogger. Try to present your book in a way that is creative and memorable. During your first interaction, you want to entice the blogger – get him or her excited to read your book. Make your pitch as personal as possible to help you stand out among the crowd of other eager authors!

Positivity – If by chance your book gets declined by one blogger, shake it off and keep plugging away! There are myriad other bloggers out there who may be willing to read and review your book; you just have to be patient! Just because one blogger wasn’t interested doesn’t mean that others won’t be either.

Preparing, paying attention to the details, being creative and remaining positive in times of defeat are all important when trying to pitch your book to a blogger. With that being said, we hope to one day soon see your book reviewed by a blogger!

Copyright Dorrance Publishing 2014