Inspired by both the upcoming cons and this article from a publisher on how to request review copies this week I’m giving you all a crash course on reviewing: how to do it, how to get your books reviewed and what I think make a valuable review. Today’s topic is how to ask a publisher, agent, author, publicist, etc for a review copy.

Start at the beginning.

I really did just one day decide to become a reviewer. There were many reasons behind it like wanting to establish a web presence without having much content, being tired of little book talk in my life, wanting a stronger reason to make reading and reading more widely a priority, and mostly, wanting to share my passion for what books I’d read and loved. But you don’t just decide you want to become a reviewer and start asking publishers to send you books. They’re businesses too, and they can’t afford that. You have to make a good case for why they should send you the books and the best way to do that is to be useful to them. This means learn to write useful reviews, establish a blog or webpage presence and find a way to spread your reviews far and wide.

More murky is building a reputation for honest reviews. Some sites only give good reviews. Some authors and publishers are drawn to this, but many readers learn quickly to discount these reviews (and often only visit the sites for contests.) It’s a real weird feeling to have writers who you really admire nervous about your opinion of their books. But establishing a reputation for taste and good critiques, in my opinion, makes for a longer lasting and stronger presence in the literary world.

I began by setting up a review blog on Blogger (which was completely free) and reviewing the books I bought myself. Then once I felt I had the reviewing thing down I joined a handful of freelance review sites (Monster Librarian, The Fix, Tangent Online). These sites are ALWAYS heavy and books and low on readers, but because of that there’s  need for timely professionals. Now, we all get overloaded with books and distracted by life, but if you can’t cut a review a month or so then you might not do well here. But aligning yourself with an already established review site is a huge help in establishing yourself as a reviewer.

I eventually began linking all my reviews through my BookLove blog because I wanted to keep track of them, and my genre tastes were more expansive than those of most of the sites I work for. I still read and review a lot of urban fantasy and science fiction, etc. Not all of it is good for the sites I work for, but books do still need help reaching an audience.

So let’s say you have a database to prove you can review books. What do you do next?

Learn how to approach publishing pros for books.

1. Know what you’re asking for.

Know the title, know the publisher, know who you are contacting (most publisher websites have general request emails, and this is fine) and why. Getting a name wrong, a title wrong, etc. just looks unprofessional. It happens, but there’s no harm in being careful and double checking your information.

2. Make sure to link to your site so the people you’re querying can see your review style and your reliability.

Many people get into reviewing because they want the free books. Whatever. See the thing is you get free books, but very often they are books you wouldn’t have picked up on your own. For every book I get that I would have bought myself I get at least three that I wouldn’t have. For every really amazing fantastic book I get three pretty good or okay books. This isn’t the way to make a mint off collectables or ARCs or get all your favorite author’s books for free.

You HAVE to do some work too, because again publishers and authors are businesses. They can’t just give away books willy-nilly, so you have to show you can be a valuable part of their promo. Also being affiliated with long established sites instantly boosts your credibility.

3. Be polite.

My standard request always introduces myself, tells the person I’m addressing where I work, what I want and thanks them for their time. Being polite just makes for better interactions.

4. Take what you get.

This is the bit that I think some people find the hardest. You aren’t entitled to any book (which is why you need to make your case with a history of good reviews and.or affiliation with a trusted review site). You will, if you’re lucky, get half the books you ask for. You’ll be offered a lot of books you don’t want. And once you’ve been out there for a while you’ll end up getting queried like an agent, added to people’s promo lists against your wishes and get Facebook and Goodreads messages from everyone and anyone advertising their book.*

You have to be willing to try new books, and books you might not like. And you will find a whole lot more authors that you do like. But you can’t get upset if a publisher doesn’t send you a book you requested (Marvel, for example, has never sent me any books I’ve requested, and Tor is very hit and miss.)

5. Don’t be afraid to say no.

It’s hard at first, but know how many books you can handle. Don’t request things you don’t intend to review and don’t tell people to send things you know you won’t read.

*6. Don’t be that person.

It’s hard to get established, as an author or reviewer. Don’t be that person on GoodReads or Amazon or Facebook who spams everyone who says they like a book. Don’t take everything you’re offered. Don’t beg for books to review. And for gods sake DON’T sell ARCs or review copies. I know some other people are okay with this, but I think it’s wrong to sell something you were given. Especially something with the average-low quality as books. I know there’s a collector’s market out there for ARCs, but they are printed at the author or publisher’s expense and given to you for free. It’s wrong to turn around and sell them. I’ve seen places give away review copies, or allow their reviewers to keep them (the places I work for are like this) that’s fine. I give mine away to local charities. Now they might sell them (one is the Louisville Free Public Library) but that money doesn’t go into my pocket, it goes to the charity.

Besides, publishers and authors really dislike this. It makes them feel as if they’ve been taken advantage of, and it can cause bad blood between them and yourself. Best to just eliminate the issue by not reselling books you didn’t buy to begin with.

Tomorrow: How-Author Edition.