Blogging Book Reviews: Benefits and Tips

If you read books, it’s a natural progression to talk about them on your blog. Here are six benefits, plus some tips to get you started.

1. New Content

Bloggers have an ongoing need of material. You’re reading anyway; why not get some extra mileage from it?

2. Attract Visitors

Some visitors who find my blog for reviews stay as subscribers, and some write blogs that I’ve added to my own reading list.

3. Promote Your Blog

Join a readers’ group on Facebook and post your review link. Tweet the link with an eye-catching phrase and the hashtag #review.

4. Value Added

If you review books with content related to your other posts, you’re providing resources for your community of readers.

5. Help Others

Your reviews can help readers discover books they’ll love, and they raise awareness of authors you like.

6. Free Books

Publishers and authors provide free books to reviewers, and you only choose the ones you want. (I review for Graf-Martin and BookSneeze®, and I’ve just set up with NetGalley. An Internet search will turn up more options.)

Blogging Book Reviews 101

Be yourself; use your regular blogging voice. Start with a book you think your readers might appreciate.

Keep it short, 300-400 words. Write a brief description (no spoilers!), tell what works (or anything key that doesn’t) and share your personal reaction. Include cover art if possible and a link to the author’s website.

If you didn’t like the book, think twice about reviewing it. Don’t turn it into a personal attack on the author. Be  professional.

If you decide to make this a regular feature, don’t schedule it so tightly that you turn reading into work.

If you were given the book for review purposes, or if you’re using Amazon (or other) affiliate links, include a disclosure to that effect.

[This post originally appeared in Carolyn Wilker‘s monthly newsletter, FineTuned, October 2012 edition.]

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