Last week, I had the privilege of being a guest on the #BBlog chat on Twitter, focusing on Publisher/Blogger relationships. It was a wonderful and fun conversation that allowed book bloggers to ask questions and make comments about working with publicists. One thing that came up several times was:
"As a book blogger, how should I introduce myself to a publicist and ask for review copies?"
Understandably, this was difficult to answer in 140 characters, so the host of the chat, @BookaliciousPam, asked if I would mind writing a sample letter as an example of an ideal way to contact a publicist. As usual, Pam was right, so below I've written a sample letter for the book bloggers out there.
Dear ______, (You can write Publisher, Publicist, or use their name if you have it.)
My name is _______ and I write for _______ (include name and link to blog). I review ___________ (Children's Picture Books/Middle Reader/Young Adult Books etc.) and would love the opportunity to receive review copies for my blog from Publishers Name. I have reviewed _________ (include two or three links to your reviews of books from that publisher, or similar titles), which makes me think that my blog would be a good fit for ________ (list the book or books--only 2 or 3--you're interested in reviewing or simply say "upcoming titles from Publisher Name"). In general, I tend to focus on _______ (fiction/non-fiction/SF/Historical etc.), but I am (or am not) willing to look at books outside of those genres. I will review a title within ________ (2 weeks/one month/two months etc.) of receiving it, unless a specific date is set prior.
Along with posting reviews on my blog, I also:
- participate in blog tours
- do author interviews
- host giveaways
- post all reviews on Good Reads, Library Thing, and Amazon.com
For review copies, I am happy to receive:
- ARCs
- Galleys
- Finished Books
- E-Books
Thank you for your time. I look forward to working with you.
Best Wishes,
Name
E-mail
Twitter Name
Mailing Address
Hopefully this form letter helps to give you an idea of what information a publicist is looking for. I know that the subject of blog stats is a touchy one, but it really is very helpful for us to know the reach of a blog, just like we do with print media. Having a smaller readership will not keep you from receiving review copies. It is much more important to get the word out about a book to the right audience, as opposed to posting on a blog that gets tons of hits, but has an audience that wouldn't be interested in that particular subject.
If you have other questions, leave a comment and I will be sure to answer them for you!
Labels: A to Z of Publishing