When I first started writing for publication, I wanted to write op-eds and book reviews. Just a few short years ago, it was difficult to get a review copy from a publisher. They wanted only real reviewers, and you had to send a request on company letterhead (from a magazine or newspaper), the name of the publication where you were sending the review (if not the one on the letterhead), and clips of previous reviews.
One day I took a chance, as I often do. I wrote letters to a few publishing houses and said I was a freelance writer with a few op-ed clips requesting a review copy of so-and-so book, and that I planned to send the review to so-and-so publication, which probably wouldn’t publish it anyway. I never expected to receive a book. Despite my pessimism, at least three publishers added me to their reviewers mailing list, and I was getting books every week! Ironically, I asked to be removed from the lists so I could request one book at a time (read my favorite review).
It’s so much easier now to get free books to review. In fact, publishers send unsolicited review copies to bloggers all the time.
That was a long-winded prologue to the real subject of this post. Recently, a local publication picked up a Mind and Media book review. If you already review books or would like to, think about becoming a Mind and Media reviewer. Promotion guru Stacy Harp is gaining quite a reputation in the Christian market, and I predict her company is headed for bigger and better things.
{ 5 comments }
Hey, that’s a great idea, La Shawn. I’m going to give that a try too, if you don’t mind. You said you sent some clips to the publishers. Those were reviews that you just wrote on your own so that you could use them as a writing sample, right?
The clips were published op-eds. But you don’t have to go to all that trouble. If you have a blog, e-mail one or two publishers (like Harper Collins or Regnery) and tell them you want to review their books on your blog.
If you want to review Christian books, I suggest you go through Stacy at Mind and Media. She has loads of free Christian books, good ones. If I had the time, I’d review a few.
Stacy at Mind and Media is awesome! She works very hard to get the very best books for her reviewers (myself included) and she also builds a community spirit within the reviewers. I recently finished reviewing my first book for Mind and Media and it was a fun experience. Anyone who enjoys reading and writing should check out Mind and Media. (By the way I have no affiliation with M&M other reviewing books for them; I just really like Stacy and want to see her succeed.)
Thanks, La Shawn
Only bloggers with an audience get unsolicited stuff, LaShawn
Comments on this entry are closed.