Lloyd Russel has been a book lover since early childhood, but he didn't start his literary career until 2011 when he first posted on his blog--BOOKSAGE. Later, he started a book club at a local bookstore called Recycle Bookstore, where authors were invited to meet readers and share their books. That membership is now at 181 avid readers and authors who--thanks to Covid and Zoom--are from around the U.S. and other countries.
I asked Lloyd some specific questions about his approach to reviewing books:
Me: What is the best way to ask you for a review? Email, Instagram, FB etc.
Lloyd: Email is the best way to ask for a review.
Me: What criteria do you use to choose a book for review?
Lloyd: My biggest criterion for choosing a book to review is time! Between my professional reviewing and my proofreading, time can be tight.
Me: Do you give feedback to writers as a reviewer? e.g. helpful criticism or suggestions?
Lloyd: I tend not to give writing feedback to authors. I prefer to write my review and emphasize the positive aspects of the book. Since editing is not my strength, I want my review to reflect how it comes across to the readers.
Me: Do you ever choose to not review a book after reading it? If so, why?
Lloyd: The only time I won't write a review is if it's a book that I am not able to finish. If it's good enough to finish, I will definitely write a review, again emphasizing the positive aspects of the book.
So, getting a specific reviewer to take on your book can be challenging. Time is always a factor for them. If you're a veteran at this business, you know about these two following tips, so skip to the last part of this post. However, if you're new, read on!
The tried-and-true method for garnering reviews is the old "FREE ARC" strategy.
- Send out a request (FB, Instagram, Mailing List, Bloggers you follow...whatever) "I have a new book coming out. Would you like a free copy?"
- If you get a YES, send that ARC, then a couple of weeks later, follow up with, "I hope you received your free copy of X, and if you enjoyed the story, I hope you can find time to give me a review."
And while it's more labor-intensive, contacting Amazon or Goodreads reviewers who review books similar to yours is an effective approach.
Lloyd Russel is not only an avid reader/reviewer. His other enterprises include:
- LitWithLloyd, a podcast (now heading into its third year) at a local TV and radio station
- Interviews on a local TV station a few times each week
- A monthly literary article for a local newspaper
- Professional book reviews for a publicist in Detroit.
- Proofreading for authors.
Most recently, he has become a certified proofreader, which he's loving!
For more information about the Recycle Bookclub or Lloyd's professional proofreading, contact him directly HERE.
1 comment:
I feel the same way - if I don't finish, I won't review it.
Post a Comment