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
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
HarperCollins
Bloomsbury & Walker
Egmont USA
Flux
Today's blogger/publisher interaction questions are from
Random House.
Imprints: Random House Children's Books, Alfred A. Knopf, Delacorte, & The Dial Press.
What should I include in my review copy request?
For the first request you should include: The name of your blog, mailing address, how many unique visitors you have each month, how many followers you have, how long your blog has been around and any other pertinent information. After the first request, all you need to send is your mailing address and the book you would like to receive.
When is the best time to post my review?
We would prefer to be around the on sale date, directly on or shortly after is ideal.
Do you want to be sent reviews of titles I've bought?
YES
Do you want to be sent reviews of titles that have been on the shelves for a while?
YES
Is it okay to have a contest for an arc that I've gotten from a publicists?
Yes, but please let the publicist know.
How many months do you like to see someone blogging before they can request an advance readers copy?
Depends, usually 4-6 months. But if a blog takes off sooner, then we are happy to help. Anyone can start a book blog, but we want to know that our investment in you as a reviewer is worthwhile.
What criteria does a publisher look for before they will send you an advance readers copy?
An established readership is key. This is demonstrated by the number of unique visitors, followers and/or comments you have on each post.
When you send a copy for review, do you like us to let you know it arrived?
It’s nice but not necessary.
Do you want us to send you links to our reviews that are negative?
Yes, please.
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?
Yes. We always want to know what you think about a book.
When is the best time to request an arc, 3-4 months before the publication date?
4-6 weeks before on sale.
Do you like sites that promote sharing advance readers copies? (Example: ARC Tours)
We encourage sharing as long as it is for review purposes.
Is it better to contact an author for swag (bookmarks, postcards, etc.) or should we ask the publicist?
The publicist