If you have a book to promote and you’d like to hook up with some good book bloggers, finding the right ones can be challenging. So I started exploring the book review blogosphere to find some book blogs that should make a great place for any writer to start.
Here’s a list of 25 book blogs by genre:
Multi-Genre
Beatrice
Book a Week with Jen
Bookgasm
Bookslut
Conversational Reading
Maw Books Blog
The Book Lady’s Blog
The Old Hag
The Second Pass
The Book Smugglers
Mostly Literary
The Elegant Variation
LitKicks
The Millions
Thriller, Suspense and Crime Fiction
Confessions of an Idiosyncratic Mind
Romance
Dear Author
Romancing the Blog
Smart Bitches
Night Owl Romance
Coffee Time Romance
The Book Binge
Fantasy
Fantasy Book Critic
Pat’s Fantasy Hotlist
Science Fiction
SFSignal
Children’s, Middle-Grade and YA
Persnickety Snark
Reviewer X
Please note: There are quite a few book blogs I love to read (such as MaudNewton and LitPark) and recommend, but are not likely open to pitches.
5 Tips for Pitching a Book Blogger:
1. Research Spend some time researching and culling a list of 5-10 good blogs to focus on. Start with this list and follow these blogs for a week or more to get a good sense of their tastes and style.
2. Comment Start leaving thoughtful comments on their blogs. Leaving a comment is the highest form of flattery to a blogger and the very best way to reach out and get their attention.
3. Follow links When you find a book blogger you like, start clicking on their blogroll and links to their frequent commenters; you’re likely to find more like-minded book bloggers that follow the same genres.
4. Contact After you’ve followed a book blogger for a week or more, send them an email and introduce yourself. Tell them you’ve been enjoying their blog and offer to send your book for review. Ask if they host blog tours or offer to write a guest post.
5. Engage You’ll find that most book bloggers are open, friendly and always enthusiastic about discussing the books they’re passionate about. Engage them and be friendly, not overly promotional, and you’re likely to be welcomed.
I’d like to start building a comprehensive list of active book bloggers by genre so please leave suggestions for more great book blogs and I’ll start working on it.
-Maria Schneider
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Good tips, particularly numbers 2 & 3! And I’ll have to check your list for blogs that weren’t already on my radar. :) “Dear Author” and “Smart Bitches” are particularly good ones.
I’d like to say that Errant Dreams is open to review copies. Up until recently we’ve been too swamped to take just about anything more than the books we were automatically being sent by publishers, but now that I have another reviewer we can take a few more. We’re pretty eclectic, but we do a lot of genre reading. Rene particularly likes historicals, whether they’re romance or not, and I particularly like suspense (again, whether romance or not). We also enjoy paranormals.
Excellent advice! I review books on my blog and those are definitely great ways to get me interested in reading a book.
This is a Christian book blog. Generally gives away a free book with the review and author interview post.
http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com/
I write a blog for LIME.com called “Earth-Friendly Bookworm” and am always looking for books on “green” topics – organic foods, sustainable lifestyle, conservation, alternative health, etc. http://www.lime.com/blog/jgrough/
Great list, Maria! I’ll include a link to your blog in my resources for my workshop students. Please add my blog, Annette’s Paper Trail, to your book review list http://www.annettefix.com. I’ve started reviewing writing craft books. I’m currently reading to review Get Known by Christina Katz and I’m hosting a blog tour stop on Aug 10th for Sue William Silverman’s Fearless Confessions: A Writer’s Guide to Memoir.
Generally I don’t ask them to review my book. I offer to send a personalized, signed copy, period. If they like it, they’ll either review it or mention it–they understand that’s why you’re sending it. For me, this understated approach works best. And, yes, always read their blogs first. Mention something specific from the blog that you like. Comment on it, too (briefly), when you sign the book. Sometimes it’s difficult to find a blogger’s email address, but it’s usually there somewhere–if not on one site, on another. The process takes a little effort, but you’re panning for gold. I’ve found most book bloggers to be very kind and helpful. They’re terrific folks. Oh, yes. Offer to return the favor–and do.
Wonderful list of helpful advice. If more authors did these things, there were would be fewer poorly executed book pitches in my inbox. I really love when an author has read my blog and knows that their book fits in. Most of us book blog reviewers have book review policies on our Websites as well.
If you’d like to check out the other databases where book blogs are listed, check out my left sidebar at http://www.savvyverseandwit.com (BBAW director, Book Blogs Search, and Book Blog Directory).
Feel free to add my blog to your list. BTW, I love Maw Books Blog; Natasha is wonderful.
Also, looks link the Link for The Book Lady is the same as The Old Hag. It should be http://thebookladysblog.com/
For those interested, Sept. 14-18 will be Book Blogger Appreciation Week, check out the info here: http://bookbloggerappreciationweek.com/
@Serena, thanks for the feedback and especially for letting me know about the bad link! It’s fixed. :)
There is a fantasy/Sci fi book blog meme being carried out at Grasping for the Wind, may well be worth looking into for genre blogs.
http://otter.covblogs.com/
Maria: you are welcome
Thanks for including The Book Lady’s Blog on your list! And thanks to Serena for correcting the link :)
As an add-on to one of your suggestions, I think it’s important to include information (can be just a sentence or two) about why you think the book you’re pitching is a good fit for the blogger. Comparison to other authors or titles always helps me determine whether something is really up my alley or not.
Reading a book blog for a while before approaching the blogger is a very good idea. That way, you can get an idea of what they like and what they review.
I have a book blog, Genre Reviews, that focuses on “clean” reading of all genre for adults and YA. (“Clean” meaning no to minimal bad language, no graphic sex, and no gratuitous gore.)
I also have a non-fiction book blog, Different Time, Different Place, which mainly focuses on what life was like in other historical eras and in other cultures or religions.
Everyone is welcome to drop by and take a look around.
Just discovered your blog and I am delighted. You are posting such useful information. Thank you.
Thanks so much for this resource!
Rachel Baker posts reviews (multi-genre) over at Old Musty Books (her review of my work is here). Ann Wilkes has an extensive SF Review list here.
Thank you for these links and advice. I had never thought of doing something like this but I definitely will when I have my book ready for review.
Great idea to compile these sites as a blog post!
I don’t review books, but I will publish guest blog posts that are thoughtfully crafted according to the kind of material my readers look for at Fear of Writing. If you encountered any emotional dips while writing your book (but still found the courage to continue), this would be an example of the perfect topic.
Within the guest post I will publish your author photo plus an image of your book cover, as well as a 50-word bio with links to your Website and/or book’s sales page.
Here’s the direct link to my guest blogger guidelines:
http://millithornton.blogspot.com/2009/05/guest-bloggers-invitation.html
And here’s an example of a heartwarming guest post by an author promoting his memoir:
A Writer Kissed by Inspiration
http://millithornton.blogspot.com/2009/04/writer-kissed-by-inspiration.html
Best wishes for promoting your book! ~ Milli
P.S. If you’d like to write about your travels (or attractions in your local area) for my travel blog, I will also publish your photo, bio and book cover image at the bottom of any travel articles that meet my guidelines. Look for “Be a Guest Blogger” in the top nav bar: http://milliverstravels.com
I run the e-Fiction Book Club and we review digital fiction in all genres.
These are excellent tips for contacting bloggers. I’ve been reviewing books, and scheduling guest bloggers, for a couple years now. Although I will review a little of everything, the primary emphasis on my blog is crime fiction. My blog is at http://lesasbookcritiques.blogspot.com.
I would add Esme Raji Codell’s excellent blog. She knows more about children’s books than anyone I know. She’s an author, teacher and children’s librarian, and her personal collection includes thousands of titles. She also wrote How to Get Your Child to Love Reading, a guide for reluctant and ravenous readers.
I interview a number of authors each week at Mr. Media Radio: http://www.mrmedia.com . I’m selective, but look over the kinds of books that we’ve talked about in the past and if you feel yours fits the show (pop culture is the broadest definition), email me a pitch. No poetry, however, and very little fiction. I won’t request review copies unless I’m inclined to do an interview; I don’t like to waste anyone’s time or resources.
Thanks for this very clear and useful information!
I know this is late but just wanted to say thank you for the shout out. Much appreciated! Good advice and much needed.
Hi,
I would like to invite you to read my new fantasy novel, “Gateway to DreamWorld.” It has received rave reviews and has a shot at becoming a movie.
http://www.eloquentbooks.com/GatewayToDreamWorld.html
Brenda Estacio
Great post! I host author interviews and spotlight quality literature. Our focus is adult fiction (excluding Romance & General Fiction) and some nonfiction such as business books and memoirs.
Any links to a Word or PDF template for an ebook layout?
Thanks
Most book bloggers will not read self-pub works.
Most book bloggers will ignore your self pub inquiries.
Following for a week will not change a thing.
Most importantly, read their review policy… it will tell you what they accept and don’t.
hi, you got some deeply nice posts here
terribly practical and reassuring message
You certainly know your blogging community. I’d love to have you visit my two book blogs.
Between The Lines http://blog.lyndacoker.net
Between The Pages http://www.betweenthelinesandmore.blogspot.com/
We review many books across varied genres.
Thank You
Lynda
Hi,
This is a great post, thank you for the advice. I’ve just found http://www.wordandpiece.wordpress.com which I quite like. Am also trying to compile a good list of book blogs as I work for a publisher!
Thanks again
Lynsey
Hi there,
The Raving Readers (http://theravingreaders.blogspot.com) mainly reviews romance, with occasional forays into YA and fantasy. Do check us out!
Thanks!