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Topic: Writing Book Reviews
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| Author | Message |
| Yam | Posted – 11/29/2005 7:37:10 PM | show profile Perhaps this is a silly question, but I was wondering how one begins writing book reviews as a freelancer. I searched a few websites and every publisher seems to require that a request for an advance copy of a book be written on company letterhead. As a freelancer I don't really have convincing letterhead and was wondering if anyone knows a way around this. Thanks! |
| Village Gal | Posted – 11/30/2005 8:35:37 AM | show profile I used to review books, never sent any letters. Try to get an assignment first. Then you call up the publicity department of the company and ask for a copy. If you don't have an assignment, just call up and tell them you want to pitch a review of that book and have written for XYZ. ------ Metaphors be with you. |
| Village Gal | Posted – 11/30/2005 8:37:02 AM | show profile Sorry about that last sentence. It keeps popping up whenever I post- something is wrong here. ------ Metaphors be with you. |
| tws111 | Posted – 11/30/2005 9:35:16 AM | show profile | email poster Finding leads on new books This is probably a really basic question too, but it's something that I've always wondered about book reviewing: How do you find out about new books with enough notice to pitch, read, and review? Is there a central clearinghouse for publishing PR that I don't know about? |
| newbiegrrl | Posted – 11/30/2005 12:29:50 PM | show profile re: finding leads Publishing industry mags review books so far ahead of time that you'd be able to see a book in there and then pitch it to a mainstream publication with plenty of time, I'm sure. Check out Publishers Weekly or Kirkus Reviews. They have reviews published MONTHS ahead of time. Additionally, there's a newsletter called Publisher's Lunch that has the latest publishing news, including a weekly 'deal' list of what books just got sold, in the event that you want a LOT of lead time..... You can subscribe (and it's free) through PublishersMarketplace.com. |
| Yam | Posted – 11/30/2005 2:48:00 PM | show profile Thanks Village Gal and newbiegrrl, your responses were really helpful! |
| tws111 | Posted – 11/30/2005 5:03:27 PM | show profile | email poster Cool - thanks newbiegrrl |
| zinny | Posted – 11/30/2005 7:48:28 PM | show profile Above suggestions are good ones, and you can request the catalogs directly from the publishing houses to see what's coming up. You can also search forthcoming by subject on some of the online booksellers (ie, enter 2006 for publication date). FWIW, I have found it to be a major pita to do reviews as a freelancer. The big mags already get a ton of galleys and so you are pitching a review to them of a book that they already have, and a lot of pubs handle the stuff in-house. I have placed a few reviews, but normally either because it is a poorly-paying gig, or I knocked myself out trying to place it. And in the end, I have never been paid more than a few hundred dollars for a review, making the hourly rate (when you include the reading of a 400 page book) paltry. Sorry to be discouraging, but it is something you should do for love rather than to pay your bills! |
| zookeeper | Posted – 12/1/2005 8:02:49 AM | show profile Try to develop a relationship with the inhouse publicists-- or even the assistants, who may be more receptive-- email, introduce yourself--- be upfront about being new at this and ask for a few catalogs. Ask only for books that you're really interested in so they don't think you're greedy. Then, let them know where you're pitching and what the results were. |
| Village Gal | Posted – 12/1/2005 9:07:34 AM | show profile I agree w/Zinny. Reviewing in general is labor of love. Critiquing is hard, a real specific skill, and the pay is usually low. I have reviewed books, concerts, albums, etc. It takes time to read a book, more than to listen to an album a few times. ------ Metaphors be with you. |
| pob | Posted – 12/2/2005 1:46:16 AM | show profile Village Gal: On a note unrelated to this thread, I'm wondering if when the Mediabistro site was acting all goofy late last week/early this week if maybe that text at the bottom of your posts somehow got put into your Mediabistro signature file. You could try going to Your Account : Options : Bulletin Board and see if it's showing up there. I don't know if that's what happened, but I thought I'd suggest you try that in case it's the problem. |
| brideshead | Posted – 12/5/2005 9:56:52 AM | show profile | email poster Pitching book reviews? My question is how to pitch book reviews. I've written a lot of them, but most of the editors I work with I got to know through ''regular'' articles. It seems difficult to pitch a book review, since you're not pitching an ''idea'' that they may or may not be interested. Chances are good they will be reviewing the book. But how do I convince them that I'm the one to do it? |
| clairezulkey | Posted – 12/5/2005 4:30:12 PM | show profile | email poster http://www.mediabistro.com/mbtoolbox/advice/bookish_808.asp ------ Editor of MBToolBox |
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