The Story is About   +  publisher blogger interaction

Dear Story Siren: Special Dear Publisher Edition (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

If you've visited The Story, you might be familiar with a feature I do occasionally called "Dear Story Siren." If you not familiar with the feature, basically readers submit questions... personal questions, questions about blogging, author interview, publisher interaction, reviews, etc. It's my way of sharing some of the things I've learned during my blogging adventure. That being said, I am in no way a blogging expert, but I'd like to think I've picked a few things up along the way.

A lot of the questions I get have to do with publisher interaction. This is something that I think is very important for a blogger that is actively receiving review copies from publishers. I know that at a blogger myself, I want to continue to improve those relationships and be as beneficial to the publishers and authors as I can. The majority of the time I don't know the answers to these questions. I have my assumptions, but who knows if those are correct.

In turn, I was inspired to do something a little different with "Dear Story Siren." I'll be doing a special edition of "Dear Story Siren" geared specifically toward blogger/publisher interactions. I've contacted several publishing houses with a set number of questions to be answered, and I'll be featuring a different publisher each post.

Past Dear Publisher Posts:

Penguin


Today's blogger/publisher interaction questions are from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. (Imprints: Clarion Books, Harcourt Children's Books, Sandpiper & Graphia) Again, I do want to note, that this may not be the 'official policy' of Houghton and Mifflin Harcourt, it is the day-to-day preferences of a person that works in their publicity department.

What should I include in my review copy request?

Your blog’s name, your area(s) of interest and expertise, the number of followers/readers, and any other ways you spread the word about your reviews (Facebook, Twitter, etc). Please also INCLUDE A MAILING ADDRESS – this saves back-and-forth on both ends.

When is the best time to post my review?

Nothing is set in stone. Some books benefit from early buzz created by bloggers but we also like to see reviews around pub date so readers can go buy the book. A few bloggers will review a book early and then post a note on publication date, linking to their review and letting their readers know it is now available.

Do publishers want to be sent reviews of titles I've bought?

Yes.

Do publishers want to be sent reviews of titles that have been on the shelves for a while?

Sure, it’s always nice to see coverage of our backlist titles.

Is it okay to have a contest for an arc that I've gotten from a publicists?

Yes, we are fine with that. We’d love to hear about it if you are going to hold a contest, sometimes we can provide an additional ARC or bookmarks for those who didn’t win.

How many months do you like to see someone blogging before they can request an advance readers copy?

There is no specific time-frame attached, but if you are new we do like to hear how you plan to gain readers.

What criteria does a publisher look for before they will send you an advance readers copy?

We look for thoughtful, well-written reviews, not just To Read lists. Not all reviews need to be positive but they do need to be fair. I also look to see who is on your blogroll, what other books you have reviewed, and any professional affiliations you might have (practicing librarian, reviewer, etc.)

When you send a copy for review, do you like us to let you know it arrived?

That is not necessary.

Do you want us to send you links of our reviews that are negative?

Yes.

What if I can't get into a book that you sent me for review, do you want us to let you know that we won't be reviewing it?

That isn’t necessary; we’ll follow up if we are wondering about coverage.

When is the best time to request an arc, 3-4 months before the publication date?

Yes, we always have ARCs by then, sometimes earlier.

Do you like sites that promote sharing advance readers copies?

Yes. In addition to being more cost-effective for us, it can create a sense of community and lead to a great shared discussion.

Is it better to contact an author for swag (bookmarks, postcards, etc.) or should we ask the publicist?

If you are already in direct contact with an author, it’s fine to ask them, or you can ask the publicist. if it is a book where we don’t have any materials but know the author has created some, we’ll pass the request along.