Jes Dory’s thoughts on capturing and holding a Book Blogger’s attention.

Hello my bookish friends! Here’s what I’ve recently learned when it comes to capturing and holding a Book Blogger’s attention. Believe it or not these days capturing the attention of a Book Blogger can be just as challenging as capturing the attention of a Literary Agent! FOR REAL? Yes, I kid you not. When was the last time you looked at the “review policy & requests” on a book blogger’s website? The guidelines aren’t far from the guidelines for a Literary Agency! SO MAKE SURE YOU FOLLOW THE GUIDELINES! Best foot forward, mate.

So let’s fast forward and say that your book query blew their socks off; it fits the genre they are seeking, synopsis is surreal and lastly, but SO IMPORTANT the COVER is what they want to Instagram about! (because yes, Instagram is a super popular platform where book bloggers-tubers-vloggers can generate followers, cross promote, show off their amazing, well edited photos of the million books they’ve read or hauled and have #tag everything under the sun, moon and stars!) Think of this as not just a review but also a way to ‘up’ your followers and readers. Boom, the Book Blogger has now accepted your novel to be subjected to their-oh-so-honest review. Congrats!

So, then they say (like an agent would say “send me your manuscript”) send me your novel. Right away you want to RUN to the post office, stuff that overnight-delivery-first class-priority envelope with your novel, slap a stamp on it and send it off. STOP RIGHT THERE, MY FRIEND! Here’s an industry secret, even the big 5 publishing houses do this to their book packages before shipping them off to bloggers. (drum roll please) They sweeten up their book package!

Remember, yes they will put your review on their website, GoodReads and Amazon or whatever the policy is that you at this point had agreed to, but they also, (and you want this,) might put your book on all their social media platforms. SO, sweeten it up like you’re sending them a love package from their favorite bookish bae. Make your book’s first impression jaw dropping- just enough to show the blogger you put some thought and love into it.

How do you sweeten up your book bloggers package?

Think outside the box when it comes to this. Even if you’re just wrapping it in tissue paper, do it. If your book involves a unicorn that leaves trails of sprinkles everywhere it goes, send them a little jar of sprinkles! My friend wrote a novel on witches and she sent her bloggers a little voodoo doll and handmade tarot cards. ISLE, my novel, is set on the islands off the cost of Maine so I included elements that were mentioned in my book; feathers wrapped in blue thread, black stones, driftwood and a key. All I’m saying is, get creative and make it AWESOME. Think Legally Blonde when Elle Woods sprayed her pink resume with perfume, “Smells good,” doesn’t it?

*Please note that their review will be honest, so a good book is a good book, but a good book they might want to share photos of is worth a couple thousand words, right? 😉 *

If big publishers are doing this to entice bloggers for their best possible review so should you!

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Jes Dory is an East Coast native who now resides with her husband, NBC’s American Ninja Warrior Ian Dory, their son Pax, and English Black Labrador Kona in Fort Collins, Colorado. Dory has a passion for character development and imagining the possibilities in the impossibilities. She has been documenting, creating short stories, and illustrating since 1996.

ISLE is Dory’s first novel. You can learn more about Jess at her website. She can also be found on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.