The review game.

[John M. H. Pratt]

Thanks for the input on my first discussion everyone. My next dilemma is the review game. Do I pay for reviews? Do I "pad" my amazon reviews by asking friends to write? My book is 29 pages, less than 850 words, and would only take a reviewer 20 minutes to read - should I pay someone $150 - $300 to review it? Please give me your thoughts.

Thanks,

John

[John M. H. Pratt]

Wow, thanks Ana! I hate to ask but from whom or where do I get a press release? I self published with createspace.com... I assume the sales sheet is important too? Thanks for your patience, you've been fantastic!

John

[Ana M Torres]

Hello John

 

I'm more than happy to help another starting author. You can write your own press release, but there are a few websites you can write them for free.  This is a copy of mine so you can use it as an example or you can google other examples.  I too self published but through Outskirts Press, and they provided me the sales sheet.  It doesn't hurt to have one of those (at the very least you can hand them out to people and mail them out as well), but you can also make it yourself.  Every publisher has different suggestions so I'm not sure all readers have a sales sheet but a press release and a copy of your book, along with the cover letter probably can work as well.  I have a list of those free websites.  I will send them today as well.  Hope all this can help.  :)

Ghetto Teen Must Protect His Sister: Love Child

Published by Outskirts Press

Outskirts Press announces the latest highly anticipated suspense fiction book from Staten

Island, NY, author A. M. Torres.

Denver, Apr 02, 2012 -- Outskirts Press, Inc. has published Love Child by A. M.

Torres. The author's most recent book to date is a 6 x 9 paperback in the suspense

fiction category and is available worldwide on book retailer websites such as

Amazon and Barnes & Noble. The webpage at www.outskirtspress.com/lovechild

was launched simultaneously with the book's publication.

Tommy Livan Hulette hates his ghetto neighborhood, but he's content to have his

family, content to have his friends, and content to have his stickball. Then comes the

day when his mother and father are suddenly fighting, and just like that his mother

sinks into depression leaving Tommy to care for his sister Greta, who is very afraid

of her mother's mood swings.

Things go from bad to worse when their mother suddenly kills herself, and Tommy's

life is changed forever. In the midst of this shocking and devastating development,

Tommy learns a horrible secret from his father, a secret that sends him to the home of

a new relative, a relative he never knew about. A relative who wants to punish him

just for being born. A relative who hates him for no reason at all...or so it seems.

Tommy realizes that his life was never as it seemed...nothing is at it seems. Can

Tommy keep Greta safe as he tries to overcome the violence and the lies that are

inflicted upon him almost on a daily basis?

446 pages in length, Love Child is being aggressively promoted to appropriate

markets with a focus on the suspense fiction category. With U.S. wholesale

distribution through Ingram and Baker & Taylor, and pervasive online availability

through Amazon, Barnes & Noble and elsewhere, Love Child meets consumer

demand through both retail and library markets with a suggested retail price of

$22.95.

Additionally, Love Child can be ordered by retailers or wholesalers for the maximum

trade discount price set by the author in quantities of ten or more from the Outskirts

Press Direct bookstore at www.outskirtspress.com/bookstore.

ISBN: 9781432764111 Format: 6 x 9 paperback cream SRP: $22.95

Page 1 of 2

[John M. H. Pratt]

Very nice, thanks again Ana!

[Laurie Carlson]

Friends and family are NOT objective enough! ALL you WILL get are positive reviews. Is that REALLY what you want? Don't you want to get REAL reviews??? The negative, too, so you can GROW as an author???

[Grace]

You should also make sure that your book has a page on Goodreads if you haven't already.

____________________

Books Without Any Pictures

[John M. H. Pratt]

Well, here's another "mini" dilemma, for me at least. I guess it ties into my first discussion as well, if I don't have any reviews for a couple of months (seems to be the average waiting period for free reviews) should I start a website, Estore, blog page or other promotional tool? Again, being new to writing, I kind of feel like I might be wasting my time until I get enough feedback to feel comfortable investing more time and money (a website, not buying "sleazy" reviews ;-) ). My book isn't ever going to be a bestseller but I really think I've got something unique thanks to being in the right place at the right time (or dumb luck)...Maybe that's why I'm somewhat insecure about the whole "author" thing? I took some once in a lifetime photos (again, dumb luck) and wrote a little story around it, I've always had a little writing talent but an "author"? I'd love to do this for a living, I like working for myself, but I feel out of my element right now... Thanks again everyone for the input, I'm getting good advice and can't thank you all enough for helping this neophyte.

John

[ManOfLaBook.com]

A way to interact with your audience (Facebook, website, twitter, etc.) is conventional wisdom these days.

Time consuming though.

http://www.ManOfLaBook.com

[Grace]

There are a lot of cheap or free websites and blogging platforms available.  Reaching out to your audience doesn't have to be a monetary investment, although it will take time.

[John M. H. Pratt]

Thanks Grace!

[Laurie Carlson]

Now you're thinking! Yes! Almost EVERY author HAS a website! Or, a blog! You SHOULD have one, too. They are FREE! Get one! Start posting. Like someone else said, get an Author Facebook page, get on Twitter, get on Klout. They ARE time consuming BUT you NEED them! The MORE you get your presence out there, the MORE success you'll have.

I think you know MORE than what you are giving yourself credit for.

Also, get involved with Independent Authors organizations.

[Michelle Patterson]

I'd love to review books on my blog, mainly about what I already have there if anyone's interested.

But I'm always open to new suggestions. I also do reviews on Amazon.

By the way, I would never charge anyone.

Thanks

Michelle

xx

http://bookloverscouch.blogspot.com.au/

[L.M. Young]

I have been looking for people to review my books too. I wouldn't pay people to do it. But maybe offer an ebook for someone to review. I would be glad to review yours. Also if you know of anyone who might be interested in reviewing any inspirational writing just send them my way. I have 4 books and 3 are poetry. I am listed on Amazon. I wish you the best of luck John