Perfecting Your Pitch: How to Query Book Bloggers

You’ve written and published a book, now you want to query book bloggers for reviews, interviews, giveaways, and promotional posts. But bloggers are a strange breed of people. We’re like baby deer. If you come on too strong, we’ll startle and run away to hide in the bushes.

So before you start spamming every blogger in existence with your amazing new book, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Use the blogger’s preferred method to pitch your book, whether it’s email, social media, or a form on their website.
• Don’t ask the blogger to buy your book. If you want free publicity, you have to provide a copy.
• Don’t harass anyone.
• Only query book bloggers in your genre.
• Be prepared for a low response rate. Book bloggers get slammed with requests.

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I get oodles of book queries every week. While most of the queries I receive are great, a surprising number are awful. Here’s an example of a terrible (but common) book query:

Dear sir/madam,

I just came across your blog and I’m a huge fan! I want to have you review my new book The Super Amazing Book. It’s Harry Potter meets Twilight and you’re going to love it. I’ve attached a FREE copy to this email. The publication date is in three days, so if you could have a review up by then, that would be great.

Magically yours,

Awesome Author

I get a lot of book pitches just like this. Between the imposed deadline and the outrageous comparison to Harry Potter, this book query doesn’t stand a chance.

Now that you know what a bad book pitch looks like, I’m going to show you how to query book bloggers without offending anyone or getting yourself blacklisted.

How to Query Book Bloggers for Reviews and Promotions

1. Understand the Blogger

I know I say this a lot, but it really is important to understand who bloggers are before you pitch your book to them.

Book blogging isn’t a job. There’s absolutely no money in it. Book bloggers are just slightly crazy people who love to read and talk about books. Book blogging is strictly in the hobby zone.

When you query book bloggers, don’t get frustrated if it takes some time for them to get back to you (if at all). Book bloggers have jobs, families, and responsibilities. They use their spare time to blog, and they often take extended breaks from blogging when life gets in the way.

2. Use Their (Correct) Name

For the love of all that is chocolate, use a book blogger’s name when you query them. Most bloggers (myself included) will delete a mass email, so take the time to address it to them specifically.

Don’t address it to “dear blogger” or “dear reviewer”. Impersonal greetings reduce the blogger to a nameless, faceless marketing machine, and no one likes that. Plus, you’ll probably end up in the SPAM folder.

And whatever you do, address it to the correct person and double-check the spelling. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve received an email addressed to Mark or William. (By the way, if your name is Mark or William, I have a lot of emails for you.)

3. Lay it All Out There

When you query book bloggers, give them everything they need to make an informed decision. Here are some things to include in your query:

• Synopsis.
• Publisher and publication date.
• Book cover.
• Link to your book on Amazon, Goodreads, or the publisher’s website.
• What you’re asking for.

That last point is important. Make sure the blogger knows what you want. Are you asking for a review? A guest post? An interview? A giveaway or spotlight? A combination of the above?

Some bloggers assume everyone wants a review and might turn you down if they don’t have time to read your book. So if you’re looking for a promotional post instead of a review, make sure you say so. That could make all the difference.

4. Don’t Attach Your Book

Never include your book in a query email. This sounds like an obvious rule of thumb, but it happens a lot.

Why shouldn’t you attach your book to a query email?

• Increased risk of piracy.
• Bloggers view it as pushy.
• And like you’re trying to take advantage of them.

The same rules apply for gifting a book via Amazon. Wait until a blogger says yes before you gift them a copy. It will save the blogger from an awkward situation and save you from spending money unnecessarily.

*Bonus Tip: If you have the funds, use the “Buy for Others” feature on Amazon to send your book to bloggers (but only after they’ve agreed to read your book). It counts as a sale on Amazon, which boosts your BSR (best seller rank), which boosts your search results. Plus, when the blogger leaves a review, it counts as a Verified Purchase.

5. Watch Your Wording

This part is especially tricky. Say the wrong thing and you’ll get deleted. Say the right thing the wrong way and you’ll get blacklisted. Here are some commonly used phrases to avoid when you query book bloggers.

• I just stumbled across your blog. (At least get to know me a little bit before asking a huge favor.)
• I’m a big fan of your blog. (This is almost always a lie and I can smell it a mile away.)
• I’d love to have you review my book. (Sounds deceptively bossy.)
• My book is the next Harry Potter/Hunger Games/Other Ridiculously Popular Title. (You’re overselling it.)
• I need your help getting the word out! (This goes back to understanding bloggers. Nobody wants to be seen as a nameless, faceless marketing machine. We love reading, not working for free.)
• What is the best address to send a review copy to? (This question is appropriate after the blogger says yes, but not before.)
• Thanks for all you do for authors. (Thank me for my time and consideration instead.)

The most important thing to remember is to keep it simple and straightforward. Skip the small talk, but be polite and professional.

6. Spelling and Grammar

This is another point that seems obvious, but I get a lot of book pitches with terrible spelling and grammar. I highly recommend you download Grammarly (affiliate link). It’s completely free and is hands-down the best spell-checker and grammar-checker you can find.

If you want their extra features, you can pay for their pro package, but the free version is a great place to start.

7. Leave Out the Lies, Guilt Trips, and Begging

I’m dealing with [insert malady here] and the success of this book is my last hope.

I have no money to market my book, but I need your help.

Won’t you please help a struggling author out?

This book can’t succeed without you!

Standing anxiously by with fingers crossed that you’ll say yes!

I’ve heard it all before.

Lies, guilt trips, and begging won’t get you anywhere. They might buy you a couple of pity reviews, but it’s not the best approach.

Instead, keep it simple and straightforward. Be honest and ditch the awkward guilt trips.

Bonus Tip: If your book is self-published, don’t try to pass it off as traditionally published. Bloggers know their publishers and can tell if you’re trying to pull the wool over their eyes. Besides, self-publishing is nothing to hide! You’ve written and published a book, and that’s something to be proud of.

8. It All Comes Down to This:

• Keep it simple.
• Be friendly but professional.
• Ditch the small talk and jump right to the point.
• Treat bloggers like people.
• Be nice.

Keep these things in mind and you’ll do just fine.

Free Email Templates!

It helps to have a template to work from when you query book bloggers. If you sign up for my author newsletter, I’ll send you free email templates to query and pitch your book to book bloggers. Use them to request reviews, interviews, promotional posts, and giveaways. Just download and customize!