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17 Places to Find Book Reviewers | IBR Book Marketing Series (Part 8)

17 Places to Find Book Reviewers is an author and publicist resource to helping indies get book reviews. The eighth installment of the IBR Book Marketing series, this post includes both free options and paid options.

17 Places to Find Book Reviewers

by Joe Walters

Book reviewers play an important role in the book-buying process.

As an author, you’re told early and often that you should try to get more book reviews . It’s great for marketing, they say. But is it really?

I’ve been a book marketer for three different indie presses now, having marketed and promoted hundreds of books, and I can say pretty confidently that the answer is yes .

Book reviews are incredibly important. Readers want to buy books that have been vouched by real-life people (like Amazon’s consumer reviews) and experts (like with blurbs & media). Nothing ever guarantees book sales , but getting reviews can at least help. Book marketing is all about about doing the things that can help.

So where you do you find book reviewers?

Let’s explore some options.

Book review publications

Professional book reviewers are a good way to start this list. There are people out there who focus on books across a number of genres; their audience is readers, booksellers, and librarians. The content they publish is about books, and they are experts in the book field. This is different from someone who runs a niche publication, like one about ducks who could review your book about ducks.

If you want to get book reviews, you should definitely try to get reviews from review publications. Here’s a list of 30+ book review sites to get you started.

But there are way more than that. Just type keywords into Google like “[Your Genre] book reviews,” and you’ll find a number of them that are not on our list. Review publications will usually offer the chance of being reviewed for free or to guarantee a review by paying for it. More on that in the paid section!

Amazon is one of the most influential places to get your book reviewed. Not only is it the place that most people buy books, but it’s also the place with the most book & product reviewers.

You can find Amazon reviewers by searching for books similar to yours and reading those reviews. When the reviewer has a picture, click on their name. This means that they created a reviewer profile, and it’s possible they shared information on how to get in contact with them to request reviews in exchange for a free book.

Amazon used to share a list of their top reviewers, but they’ve recently gotten rid of that. This is probably because they were being bombarded by tons of review requests. Take it from me, a guy who gets tons of review requests.

It’s not easy to get book reviews from Amazon consumers, but it is possible. You can increase the amount of reviews you have on there in different ways (like building a launch team), but since that includes people you know, I’ll get to that in #8.

Goodreads is a social networking platform for readers, run by Amazon. Similar to Amazon, reviewers can create profiles and write reviews on book pages. You can find those reviewers by searching similar books to yours on Goodreads and reaching out to them if they share contact information and express interest in free books for review.

But the book pages aren’t the only places to find them! They also have groups and forums on Goodreads. It’s not easy to get reviews by requesting reviews on forums and groups, but it is possible. (Sensing a pattern here?)

Social Networking Sites

Social media has made it easier than ever to connect with likeminded people. Search functions and hashtags enable you to find real people talking about your book’s topic in real time. That means you could find reviewers on Instagram, Facebook (including Facebook Groups), Twitter, the hundreds of Twitter alternatives popping up, TikTok, YouTube, and more.

Want to know the best way to get book reviews from social media?

If you decide that a certain platform is your platform–the one where you will invest the most time and where you will build your following–then you will want to post often, be likable as a human (easy, I know! 😂), and when your book is coming out and/or when it’s out, you can mention a few times how helpful reviews are and that you’d love their support in that regard. Let people know how they can get a free copy in exchange for review. (I like Google Forms !) And again, super important, don’t be pushy!

If you find a book reviewer who doesn’t follow you , follow them. Be real as a follower. Engage with their posts and support them long before you request help from them. Reviewers on social media are sent review requests in their DMs and emails all the time, and they don’t have time for most of them. Build a real relationship with these people—which definitely requires time!—and your chances of converting them into a reviewer for your book will increase.

Book Review Directories & Lists

You can also find book reviewers in long lists and directories online. You have our list of review sites , IndiesToday , Bookbloggerlist , Book Reviewer Yellow Pages , Kindlepreneur, and more. There are a whole lot of reviewers in the world, and a whole lot of reviewers want to appear on those lists. It helps them get more and better books as well as drive more traffic to their websites.

You should definitely check out these lists and directories, but don’t get lost inside them. Some are so long that you could spend all your marketing time combing through them, and you might not even get that many reviews out of it. Since they appear on those lists, other authors have access to them too, meaning they get a ton of pitches. Find some that you like, send some pitches, test if it works, and if it doesn’t, get out of there.

Book & Niche Blogs

Researching & pitching blogs could very well be my favorite way to get more book reviews . Some of the bigger book blogs will get boatloads of review requests per day, but the nice thing here is that NOT ALL BLOGS ARE BIG.

Some have small, dedicated audiences, and some have little to no audiences. I like them both! The nice thing about small blogs is that they’re not inundated with hundreds of review requests, and they often are willing to post their reviews on Amazon and/or Goodreads.

You’re dealing with one person a lot of the time, so you can cultivate a relationship by being kind, supportive, generous (like sending a physical book & a custom bookmark, playlist, etc.), and you can increase your chances of being reviewed for this book AND the next one. You can find blogs by using keywords on Google, social media, and on hosting platforms like WordPress.

There are also a ton of niche blogs out there. If you wrote a travel memoir, you could reach out to travel bloggers who want to read more . Wrote a business book? Business bloggers could be interested in that, especially since they’re not receiving hundreds of book review requests.

Local publications & platforms

Don’t sleep on local platforms! In addition to national publications and review publications, you should definitely look close to home for book reviewers. I’m not saying you’re definitely going to get a review if you pitch a magazine with a local angle, but I am saying that your chances increase with smaller outlets. They may not leave their review on Amazon and their readership might not be in the tens of thousands, but if all it takes is a pitch and sending a book, then I’d say reaching out to local publications is worth it.

Your personal connections

You may get the most traction out of this one. Other authors, friends, colleagues, former teachers, acquaintances, and non-household-sharing family members can be great book reviewers for you.

Here are a few ways you can turn the people you know into book reviewers:

Ask fellow authors to blurb your book. They may want to write a blurb for you because they know you’ll use the blurb for your marketing material like on the back cover, in the opening pages of the book, and graphics. One great way to increase blurbs for your books is by offering to blurb their book first, at the same time, or afterwards.
You can also get writer friends to write a review and submit a review for publication at various review, literary, and local platforms. Instead of asking that team’s staff to do it, you can increase your odds to have that writer offer something already written to them.
Are you publishing with an indie press? Ask your fellow indie authors to write a blurb for you or simply to review it on Amazon and/or Goodreads!
Build a launch team before the book is published. Add a bunch of people who you know will want to support you—like your best friend Jon and Aunt Kate—and ask if they’d join your launch team. Basically, a launch team member is asked to read a book before it is published and then share a review on the day of or a couple days after the book is finally available on Amazon. It is totally fine to get friends and family members to leave reviews, but do note that Amazon can flag family members with the same last name and/or the same address as you and remove the review from the site.
If you run into someone who has read your book in person, it’s totally okay to ask for them to leave a review on Amazon and/or Goodreads. Don’t be pushy and probably don’t follow-up with them if they don’t—your relationship is more important!—but sometimes the first request can result in actual reviews.
Your newsletter

Having (and actually using!) a newsletter is one of my favorite ways to market books. Social media is cool and all, but what happens when the platform you’ve chosen to focus on (like Twitter for example) up and changes everything about it?

Email is as close to direct person-to-person marketing that you can get online. It’s an excellent way to speak with your fans, keep them, and watch your fanbase grow. If you are operating a newsletter (particularly if you have multiple books), you should definitely ask them a few times to leave reviews for your books. Your biggest fans are probably in that email; make sure they know what could help you.

The back of your book

In the back of books, authors and publishers share acknowledgement pages, author bios, and “More books from the author/publisher” pages. You can add a page at the back that requests readers to leave a review on Amazon and/or Goodreads! You can even make it a clickable link for the eBook after you’ve published.

If your reader has already finished reading your book, they are the best possible candidates for leaving book reviews. This means that every time you run a book promotion , you are asking that reader to review your book.

Here’s our guide to selling more books on Amazon .

Sponsored & editorial book reviews

As you’ll see, you won’t get reviews from every single review platform. Sometimes you might not get any. There are not enough review platforms on the planet to cover all the books published on it.

Some review publications offer the chance to guarantee a review by paying for it. It is a chance for authors to appear on reader-focused websites; increase their validity & searchability; add blurbs to their book; get starred reviews and the recognition that comes with it; post something new and exciting to their existing fan-base; appear on book lists; and get real honest engagement with a piece of art they care deeply about.

Here are 5 reader-focused review platforms that offer sponsored or editorial book reviews:

Clarion/Foreword
City Book Review

Have you heard of Pubby? It’s relatively new, but it’s a rapidly growing community where authors review other authors’ books on Amazon. You can do a 10-day free trial, retaining the reviews you get during that time, but then you pay per month to stay on the platform. You’re not allowed to pay for Amazon reviews directly, but this site is a clever little workaround that offers incentives to those who participate.

Reedsy Discovery

I love Reedsy! It may initially be a site where writers can get freelance editors, designers, and marketers, but when you look a little further, you can see that they host a ton of consumer reviewers too. Reviewers can create a profile on there to get access to free books before they publish and earn tips for writing great reviews.

Netgalley is a place where readers & book reviewers go to get free copies of books in exchange for review. There’s a big pool of readers here, and it’s got a safe distribution process that a lot of publishers and review platforms like. It’s pretty expensive for solo indie authors, but publishers could find the expense worth it. Reviews are that hard to come by sometimes. Some authors team up with other authors by joining a co-op where they split the cost to join. Check those out too!

BookSirens is a clean, user-friendly site where authors upload books that are available for review, and reviewers browse available books for review. They also have a large list of book bloggers by genre. You do have to pay for the service, and it won’t always increase your reviews on Amazon, but it can work for the right books. I used it with some (varying) success during my time at Paper Raven Books.

Online Book Club

Online Book Club is a review and social networking site somewhat similar in concept to Goodreads. There are a lot of readers on this platform, and you can advertise on them in hopes of getting reviewed. You can get some free reviews on Online Book Club too, by reaching out to different readers and being active in the groups. Keep that in mind too!

Hidden Gems

Hidden Gems sends out an email every day with new books available to review on it. They do a great job of curating their options, and they even send out review reminders to those who have agreed to review the books. They also share ebook deals—a nice addition to their ARC program. It is a much cheaper option than Netgalley.

Best of luck in finding great book reviewers! If you have any feedback on any of these platforms, please share them in the comments.

About the Author

Joe Walters is the founder and editor-in-chief of Independent Book Review, and he has been a book marketer for Sunbury Press, Inkwater Press, and Paper Raven Books. When he’s not doing editorial, promoting, or reviewing work, he’s working on his novel and trusting the process. Find him @joewalters13 on Twitter.

Thank you for reading Joe Walters’s blog post “17 Places to Find Book Reviewers!” If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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Amazon Top Reviewers: Who They Are, Where to Find Them, and Other Things You Must Know

Review Automator

Get more product reviews while ensuring your account stays 100% compliant.

When you browse for a certain product, what ultimately convinces you to make a purchase? Is it the pictures? The description? The price? Or the ratings and reviews?

While the answer to this may vary from person to person, ratings and reviews are typically the last powerful barrier that people look to and consider before hitting that checkout button.

In fact, a research conducted by Heinz Marketing found that an undeniable 92.4% of customers are likely to purchase a product or service if they read a trusted review about the product/service.

So how can you ensure your review is "trusted"? That’s where an Amazon Top Reviewer comes in.

Today, we want to focus on what an Amazon Top Reviewer is and how to find them, why these reviews stand out above all others, and, finally, how you can get these revered reviews for your products.

Who is an Amazon Top Reviewer?

An Amazon top reviewer is a person who has a high reviewer rank on Amazon’s Top Reviewer Rankings, which you can find here .

To get a high rank, a reviewer must not only post plenty of reviews, but he or she must also receive a good number of “helpful” votes. In addition, the rankings also note whether the reviewer’s reviews are recent or old. This helps the reviewer ranking system up to date and not be stagnant with old reviews made by reviewers years ago.

There are no heavy restrictions when it comes to being an Amazon reviewer. Generally, almost everyone can leave a review on Amazon product listings. The only requirement to be able to submit a review is that the reviewer’s Amazon account must have spent at least $50 on the site using a valid credit or debit card.

Why Should You Bother Finding Them?

Anyone can be an Amazon reviewer, but not everyone can be an Amazon Top Reviewer. To rise to the top of the reviewer rankings, the Amazon reviewer must not only be very active in leaving reviews, but they must also garner enough votes to the point that they start to build a healthy following and, consequently, goodwill.

People’s attention is easily drawn to simple numbers and symbols on the internet, especially if it involves products. Whether it’s a video game or a service, the total number of stars, user reviews, and positive votes always work to get a site visitor’s attention. This, in turn, has a high probability of leading to a purchase.

An Amazon Top Reviewer, though, is someone whose reviews and opinions are arguably weightier than most. Because of the time they had devoted to their contributions, there is an element of trust inherently built unto every site visitor’s subconscious. It works the same way you associate some names or brands with quality or how you have a certain liking to them without you thinking too much about it.

It goes without saying that finding them is important in the sense that, first, you would want to know who they are and, second, you would want to know if you can reach them so that you can ask them for a short review.

We’ll go over the importance of reviews for your business later. Right now, here are the ways you can find them.

5 Ways to Find Amazon Top Reviewers

1. look up amazon’s top customer reviewers.

Yeah, this is clearly a no-brainer. If you go through the Amazon Top Reviewer Ranking list, you’ll find a list of Amazon users who have gathered the greatest number of helpful votes and made the greatest number of recent reviews.

These Amazon top reviewers are Amazon users, themselves, so you can click their names to find their account profile. You also have the option to follow them or contact them through e-mail or through their various social media (should they have it displayed).

This is, by far, the simplest and easiest way to find Amazon Top Reviewers. The fact that it's free and just a quick Google search away is just cherry on top of a non-fat, non-dairy eco-friendly, farm to table yogurt.

2. Use an Amazon tool

There’s a tool for everything on the internet and Amazon reviews are not an exception. But we’re not here to talk about tools to deliver fake reviews (yes, those things exist and not just with Amazon). We’re here to talk about Amazon Review Request tools.

See, one of the great features of Amazon is that there is an option to request for a review. And, yes, this process can be automated using an Amazon Review Request tool.

Zonguru’s Review Automator is a state-of-the-art Amazon Review Request tool that allows you to automate the review request process in a way that is compliant with Amazon’s terms of service. This tool also has a built-in filter that separates 5-star reviews from those that are less. The tool also comes with a graph, among other data integration features.

Of course, Amazon Review Request tools are optional. You can do this manually, after all. But if you must use one, make sure to use Zonguru’s Review Automator. Go ahead and give it a try here .

3. Join a Facebook group

Almost everyone can agree that there’s probably a Facebook group for anything. Such is also true for Amazon and Amazon reviews.

Try to do a simple search on Facebook and see which groups pop up. We won’t be recommending specific Facebook groups for you to follow. These groups have mods that impose their own rules and members that dictate a certain culture. It’s up to you to decide which ones fit your own needs and values.

The thing that is certain here, though, is that these Amazon Review Facebook groups will contain members who are either active Amazon Reviewers or Amazon Top Reviewers, themselves. So, if you’re active on that social media platform, then you already have a good foundation built.

4. Become part of an Amazon forum or community

Outside of Facebook, there are Amazon forums or communities that have dedicated threads or posts about Amazon Reviewers. Like Facebook groups, these forums will have a culture of their own. However, this culture will be much different from Facebook in that it will be devoid of some of the aspects that social media platforms provide or possess.

We previously talked about the importance of Amazon forums and communities here. Be sure to check it out to learn more about Amazon forums and what they can do for you besides helping you find Amazon Top Reviewers.

5. Try to obtain a top reviewer email list

Going through every Amazon Top Reviewer account from Amazon’s Top Reviewer Rankings list can be tiresome. It could even be more tiresome if you plan on going through hundreds of them.

Thankfully, there’s an easier way to go about this route. An Amazon top reviewer email list is a list of e-mail addresses of Amazon reviewers that are currently ranking on Amazon’s Top Reviewer Rankings list.

How you find this email list would depend on how resourceful you are or how wide your network is. Some groups may have a tool that can help you collect and compile this list. Some groups may already have the list, too.

Whichever the case, remember that finding them is just the start. You must convince them to write you a review, too. Often, this convincing part comes with a price, usually in the form of a free sample of your product.

Obviously, this puts you in a risky position because you may end up not getting that coveted review even after sending the freebie.

Which begs the question.

Do Reviews Matter?

Dwight Schrute from the classic American sitcom, The Office, once said that “TripAdvisor is the lifeblood of the agri-tourism industry. A couple of bad reviews there, you may as well close up shop.”

Can we also say that Amazon reviews are the lifeblood of Amazon sellers?

Straight to the point and ignoring that Jim Halpert expression, yes, reviews do matter. It’s one of the first things people look at when browsing a product online. It’s also likely one of the biggest motivators for customers making a purchase.

This is so because when people browse products or services online, they have little to no reference for gauging it other than its presentation or by reading about it. In the real world, people have means to ascertain products physically. Other than your senses, you can test a product to see if it’s working properly or you can talk to the owner or seller personally to assess their demeanor when asking questions about a specific product.

On the web, your best reference are reviews. These reviews are direct, firsthand testimonies of people who have bought and owned the product. Naturally, people almost immediately trust these products' testimonials, more so when presented in numbers (say, 1,000 reviews versus 5 reviews).

We could go on and drone about how important reviews are, not just on Amazon but in almost everything else in our lives, but to cut it short, reviews matter and you should consider them seriously.

Now, we’ve just covered how to help you find Amazon Top Reviewers. What we’ll be doing now is to teach you some ways on how to get them.

But before that.

Regular Customer Reviews Versus Amazon Top Reviewers

What’s the difference? We brushed on this briefly earlier, but basically, Amazon Top Reviewers hold a higher weight than regular customer reviews.

If you think of Amazon reviews as movie critiques, then who would you trust more? Roger Ebert or your officemate Stacy from accounting?

Okay, maybe that’s an unfair comparison. Stacy from accounting is cool and she does have a good eye for film. Plus, she’s funny and dances to Billy Joel when drunk. But, yeah, you get the point.

We’re not, however, taking away the importance of regular customer reviews. Having them is still equally important. What we’re merely trying to point out is that, if given a choice, try to pursue Amazon Top Reviewers over regular ones. But if that’s not possible, then getting regular customer reviews—and lots of them—will do.

With that out of the way, here are 9 ways you could get reviews for your Amazon store.

9 Ways To Get Reviews For Your Amazon Store

To be clear, there are a ton of different ways to get Amazon reviews. But what we’ll be focusing on are the legal and compliant ones. Zonguru prides itself for being a company of values and principles and we dare not impart to our family such dangerous methods.

Instead, here are 9 good methods that you can follow to get more reviews.

1. Reach out to the top Amazon Reviewers

We covered this earlier, but we’ll try to expound more about this here.

Reaching out to top Amazon Reviewers requires a special kind of consideration than simply requesting for a review from friends or family or even your average customer reviewer.

Remember: these are people that occupy a mightier pedestal than others. That pedestal is the Amazon Top Reviewer Rankings. Getting there is not easy. It requires dedication, time, and a certain flair that works well enough to motivate people to take the time to vote yes to that helpful button.

When reaching out to them, one advice we can give is to be as personable as possible. A top Amazon Reviewer can be regarded as a seasoned veteran and, as such, will most definitely know if an email request is a template, an automated one, or was sent en masse. And depending on their goals or whims, you may either end up being ignored or going home with a less than stellar review.

If you want some ideas about this, don’t hesitate to reach us here at Zonguru. We’d be more than happy to teach you some neat, insider tips and tricks.

2. Request for a review

Similarly, we covered this earlier, too, but let’s talk about this more.

The request for a review button is a button that is available to you for when a customer makes a purchase. This email request is sent to the customer via an automated response and, as such, follows a specific template that Amazon, itself, provides. The e-mail is also automatically translated into the language settings set by the customer.

Generally, this email request cannot be personalized in any way, unless you use specific Amazon tools for it. Customers cannot also reply to you directly when they receive this email request and are only given the choice of giving a rating and feedback.

Finally, it is worth noting that Amazon may also send this e-mail request automatically from time to time. But do not rely on this too much as this automated process by Amazon runs in spurts. What this means is that this automation process only sends to one customer at a time and the time between customers can be days.

Clearly, this is an unreliable strategy to lean on. Business strategies should be more proactive and, in this case, doing it yourself can mean more and get more for you.

That can be time consuming, of course. Which is why someone decided to just build a tool that can automate that process.

3. Use a Review Automator Tool

An Amazon Review Automator is not just a tool that you can employ to find Amazon Top Reviewers; it is also a way to gather reviews.

As we explained previously, what it does is that it simply clicks the request for review for you. Now, some of these tools can have additional features, like a graph chart or the ability to make personalized requests. Some can also be included and bundled with other Amazon tools.

Likely your only reason for not adding this tool to your business process would be that you either have serious financial considerations or that you’re Dwight Schrute and you’re confident that you can send out more requests for review than some computer program.

4. Use a product insert

A product insert is when you add a little something to your package that sort of calls out to your customers to either take action, learn an important message, or both.

Some companies employ this strategy to let people know that they use recyclable materials. Others use this to simply garner goodwill in the form of a simple “thank you” note.

As an Amazon seller, what you can do is simply ask your customers to leave you a review. But be careful when you craft your product insert. Some customers may find this a bit cheeky, if not imposing.

How you craft a well-meaning and effective product insert can translate into a lot of positive things for you as an Amazon seller. So, make sure to do your research first before you start designing one.

5. Give your customers good service

This is more of an indirect approach. Giving your customers good service can inspire them to leave a good review voluntarily. No asking, no begging, no tools, or tricks. Just old-fashioned good service.

Try your best to answer customer queries promptly and completely. Be patient and understanding. Remember that customer experience begins the moment they enter your store and only ends until you can safely say that they’re satisfied with the product (or until their warranty expires).

In this case, it’s when they go to Amazon and browse your products. From thereon, your goal is to give them exceptional customer service as they would in a physical store. This includes making sure that your items are properly categorized, appropriately described, and represented by beautiful imagery.

Ultimately, good service on Amazon is a different topic in and of itself that is rightfully deserving of a more dedicated discussion for another day.

6. Ask customers for feedback

There are two ways you can ask your customers for feedback.

The first way is to ask them directly through Amazon’s Buyer-Seller Messaging Service. This is simple and direct and affords your customer a more personal touch than other forms of requests.

The second way is to ask them via email. There are a few ways you can get a customer’s email. One way is when they send you an e-mail containing inquiries about your product. Another is when they avail the extended warranty.

Regardless, sending them an email request this way is a good way to draw out reviews. Just don’t forget the basic rules about sending emails else your messages may end up being filtered and marked as spam.

7. Package your products well

Like providing good customer service, this strategy is also an indirect approach to sourcing out reviews. This strategy involves making your products look so beautiful that the customer just becomes constrained to write a review.

A better way to describe this from a customer’s point-of-view is like seeing a well-dressed woman (or man) in a sexy, but respectable and tasteful, clothing brimming with confidence, but with a dash of humility. That kind of beauty needs no words. You will want to write them poems, letters, or songs and you don’t even know why.

In the same way, a well-packaged, well-designed product with a polished feel can also work to give your customers that same level of awe and inspiration, so much so that they would voluntarily want to give you a review. Maybe not a poem or a song, but, hey, a review is a review.

8. Sign up for the Amazon Vine Program

The Amazon Vine Program is a relatively new program that was introduced by Amazon by the end of 2019. Unlike Amazon’s Early Reviewer Program, the Vine Program targets new or pre-release products. Once you sign those products up with the Vine Program, Amazon then invites a carefully selected group of trusted reviewers to critically review the said products.

This exclusive group is special because you need a special invite from Amazon, itself, to become a part of it. How Amazon selects its invitees is vague, at best. They say it is based on the Reviewer Rankings coupled with the value and trust reposed by customers to them. This makes them a powerful group that you would want to receive good reviews from.

Be wary of signing up with them, however. With their exclusivity comes their brutality. Vine Program reviews are known to regularly give out 2 or 3 stars. Unless you are confident with your products, we suggest that you carefully consider this route, as it may make or break your products.

9. Be honest and sincere

Another indirect method of getting reviews, but an important one, nonetheless. Honesty and sincerity as a seller can go a long way for you beyond getting good reviews. If you treat your customers right, you’re not only inspiring them to leave you some good words, but you’re also making their lives a little bit better. In a way, it’s as if you’re making the world a better place, one sale at a time.

But speaking of reviews, testimonials obtained this way are as real as it gets. There are no tricks involved. You’re not forcing them. They’re happy, satisfied, and confident with your products and you as a seller.

I guess that’s what we should all be striving for in our daily lives, don’t you think?

Closing Thoughts

One aspect of this subject that we dare not mention are the unethical ways of getting reviews. Outside of what we have just provided you, there are other, less-savory methods that you can employ to get those sweet, sweet, top reviews. As part of our Zonguru values, we will not be mentioning in detail nor will we provide tips on how to do them.

But let us ask you this question: is it worth it, though? Is getting a fake review or paid review, among others, worth the superficial results that they bring in? Would sowing distrust and skepticism help the market and the people, both in the long and short runs?

Now, we’re not going to go on some spiel about how it pays to be good and how being ethical does this or that, no. What we will say, though, is that being sincere and honest goes a long way, so much so, that it reaches customers before they even become your customers. That, perhaps, is the best and purest way to get reviews for your store.

It’s also worth remembering that getting reviews and then using them to your advantage is just one of the many aspects of a successful Amazon selling business. You need more than just reviews and Zonguru is here to give you that help!

Zonguru offers weekly live training sessions that covers topics such as this one, including the other ones we mentioned here in this blog, as well, and then some more. Sign up now for a free 7-day trial !

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James tabalingcos.

Entrepreneur, Legal Consultant

James is an entrepreneur and a legal consultant who loves to write. Having studied MBA and law, he dreams of making the world a better place. He hopes that he can inspire people to move a step closer to becoming the best version of themselves and, achieve business success in the world of Amazon FBA.

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In this review, we perform a side-by-side comparison of each software. We promise to try our best to use only informed, data-driven talking points with clear objectives.

ZonGuru vs Sellics: Head-To-Head Software Comparison

Which platform takes the title of BEST all-in-on Amazon seller software? Which FBA seller toolset delivers the most value? To answer these questions once and for all, we decided to take a no-nonsense look at the strengths and weaknesses of ZonGuru and Sellics in a head-to-head comparison. Before you part with your hard-earned cash be sure to educate yourself on which software delivers the goods!

Accurate Data

Training Authors with CJ and Shelley Hitz

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How to Find and Contact Amazon Book Reviewers

November 14, 2013 By Shelley Hitz 42 Comments Click here for FREE training for Christian writers

Most authors know that reviews help sell books. But, getting reviews is sometimes difficult. There are many options for getting book reviews but in this post, I am going to focus on how to find and contact Amazon book reviewers. I have done this manually in the past and have had some success. Not every reviewer will e-mail you back or post a review about your book, but this is an option you can try. But, whatever you do, please do not spam these reviewers or add them to an e-mail list without their permission.

How to Find and Contact Amazon Reviewers

#1: Search Amazon Top Reviewers

Go to: http://www.amazon.com/review/top-reviewers

You can then search the top reviewers on Amazon. You will then need to check their profile and see if they review books similar to yours. This process takes time and is tedious but can yield results for you.

#2: Check Similar Books to Find Amazon Book Reviewers

Another option is to find a popular book with a lot of reviews that is similar to yours. Then manually check the profiles for that left reviews for this book to see if they have an e-mail address or a website link listed in their public profile on Amazon. To find their public profile, simply click on their name listed for the review. See an example of my public profile below.

If they do have a website URL, you can often find a contact form on their site in order to get in touch with them.

This process is also time consuming and something you might consider outsourcing to a VA or someone on Fiverr.com .

#3: Use the Review Grabber Tool from Author Marketing Club

I had a free membership with Author Marketing Club (AMC) for over a year and recently decided to try their premium membership . My favorite tool in their premium membership is the Review Grabber Tool. You enter a keyword and then it brings up books on Amazon. You can then click a few buttons and it will bring back the reviewers that have either an e-mail address or a website in their profile.

I love this tool!

It is such a time saver and allows me to contact Amazon reviewers without investing much of my time. Time, I could spend on writing more books! 😉 They even give you a copy and paste sample e-mail template that you can then use and customize with your information.

You can see this tool in action in the video below as well as a tour of all of the premium membership benefits.

[leadplayer_vid id=”528544AD4F7D0″]

What Methods Have You Used to Get Reviews?

You can learn even more about how to get book reviews in our book, “How to Get Honest Reviews.

Find out more here: https://www.trainingauthors.com/books/honest-reviews/

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Together, CJ and Shelley Hitz are passionate about equipping and empowering Christian writers of all genres to share their unique gifts with the world. This website is filled with spiritual encouragement as well as prayers to help you overcome the resistance you face as a writer. Your story matters! Our online community, Christian Book Academy , is where we help you write, self-publish and market your books. We invite you to join our community of Kingdom Writers!

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November 14, 2013 at 3:47 pm

This is a great article. I love the part about ‘Not every reviewer will e-mail you back or post a review about your book, but this is an option you can try. But, whatever you do, please do not spam these reviewers or add them to an e-mail list without their permission.’

I had someone do just that–spam, bug, or stalk, whatever you want to call it. It was for her first book and she wanted me to write a review since her book was JUST like someone’s book that I’d reviewed (which it wasn’t). I told her no in a very nice way (something like ‘I’ll think about it, but I don’t have a lot of time), but she kept bugging me. She finally decided she’d email me to tell me she was sending me her book. I told her NO, and she wouldn’t back off. I finally had to contact her publisher who apologized and promised she’d stop harassing me. Only then did she stop bugging me.

Turns out, the review that I posted for the book ‘just like hers’ was with an author who BOUGHT some of his reviews. It looked like I was paid for a review, when I wasn’t. So she probably thinks I was just out for the money, but I wasn’t.

November 14, 2013 at 4:11 pm

Andie, WOW! The author who contacted you definitely does not know how to win friends and influence reviewers. 🙂 That is an example of what NOT to do. Thank you for sharing as I do think it is so important to approach reviewers in the correct way.

November 14, 2013 at 4:52 pm

Wow, Andie – That’s horrible. I’ve had a few authors contact me about reviewing books, saying I had reviewed something similar, when I hadn’t. Their books were actually very irrelevant for me and slightly offensive. So that’s another thing to watch out for.

All in all though, when done correctly, contacting reviewers can really pay off. Just make sure you wouldn’t say something to someone else that you wouldn’t want them to say to you or repeat to others.

August 20, 2015 at 6:58 pm

Yuck! I’ve also recently been approached to write a review for a book that was supposedly similar to another I reviewed… but I totally didn’t recognize the title this author was suggesting, and in fact it’s in a subgenre that I loathe. So, needless to say, I wasn’t impressed by this person’s lack of research regarding my reviewer preferences. Plus, she couldn’t even take the time to address me by name — her greeting was “Dear [Name of My Website]”!

November 15, 2013 at 10:46 am

Really solid tips for authors, Shelley. As a professional Author/writer Mentor and Coach, I’d like to add:

I’d strongly advise against fake reviews, reviews from friends who have not read the book, one-line reviews, and paid reviews. Worthless and transparent as heck. But, as a reviewer, I’ll say hearing from an author who is excited about their own book is a compelling reason to consider reviewing the book.

I’d also advise ALL authors to work on their blogs and websites to be sure they offer readers outstanding content and solid author/publisher authority so the book can be found and appreciated.

—mkp http://www.ontext.com

November 17, 2013 at 6:02 pm

Maryan, I totally agree with you on avoiding fake reviews, etc. Good points!

November 15, 2013 at 1:13 pm

Excellent advice and article 🙂

November 19, 2013 at 12:46 pm

Thank you! So glad you found it helpful!

November 16, 2013 at 3:20 am

Readersfavorite.com will do a free book review. I also do reviews and can be contacted via my website marydekokblowers.wordpress.com. I prefer nonfiction health related or Christian books.

November 17, 2013 at 6:03 pm

I use and recommend Reader’s Favorite as well! Thanks for sharing!

November 16, 2013 at 6:25 pm

Well said and excellent points. I just have a little something to add. I am an author and a top rated reviewer at Amazon so I have a request (consider it a plea) to anyone considering contacting reviewers directly. Most reviewers have genre preferences so you’re more likely to peak their interest if you do your homework to see the kinds of books they review before contacting them. Also, please a-s-k rather than tell. I regularly receive requests to review books through my blogs and I can tell you that when someone says to me “I’d like you to review my book” like it’s my job – there’s a 100% chance I will decline. The worst request I ever received was from a writer who said because he knew how busy I was he took the liberty of writing a (5*) review of his book for me – so I could just post it under my name. This one didn’t even get a response.

November 17, 2013 at 6:44 pm

Yes! I agree 🙂 Although this seems like basic information, it is so important to approach reviewers in the correct way. Thank you for sharing!

November 18, 2013 at 10:51 am

Thank you for the wonderful review of our program . We are glad to have you as a member and hope you continue to enjoy it. We work hard to make a real value for our members. We’ll be adding new tools and training all the time. Again, thanks for the great review!

November 19, 2013 at 12:47 pm

You’re welcome, Jim! I’ve been a free member for over a year (I think!) but had no idea all the value you have in your premium membership until I tried it for myself! Thank you for offering an affordable way for authors to market their books.

November 19, 2013 at 1:52 am

Hi Shelley and Heather, A month ago I started contacting Amazon reviewers by using the Review Grabber Tool from Author Marketing Club and I strongly recommend it.

I live in Greece and I was impressed to find out that in USA people review just because of their love for books and not only because it is their ‘job’. I was very pleased by the dialogue that started about my book through their e-mails.

Reviewers respond even to say no for various reasons. In two cases that they wanted to read the book but could not review it for important reasons, I replied because I felt grateful for the time they spent to send me an e-mail. Also I attached the book to thank them in my way (underlying of course to forget about reviewing it).

The article synopsize how to find and contact Amazon book reviewers and it really helped me.

November 19, 2013 at 10:09 am

That’s so great to hear Elina! You’re doing it right. If you’re nice, and not pushy, with reviewers you can have a very pleasant experience and get great results! Glad to see you having success with it!

November 19, 2013 at 12:50 pm

Elina, This is great to know that you’ve had success using this process and AMC’s tools. Awesome! Keep up the great work 🙂

December 6, 2013 at 12:12 pm

I totally understand the need to be polite and respectful and to do your research prior to approaching a reviewer.

Yet, at the same time, I often find myself annoyed by this culture that seems to function under the notion that the reviewer/blogger is doing an author a huge favor by reviewing their book.

In modern internet culture, where content is king, the most difficult thing writers and bloggers need to do is come up with fresh new content.

By drawing an reviewer or blogger’s attention to your book, you are, in fact, doing them a favor by providing them content for their blog that they don’t have to go out and seek themselves.

I guess my point is just that it is a reciprocal relationship in which the reviewer and the author both benefit, so I find it frustrating when it is the author who is consistently expect to beg and grovel to get their work read.

December 10, 2013 at 9:59 am

Kevin, I understand your frustration. However, what I have found is that reviewers tend to get bombarded with requests. And so it is important how we approach them. I don’t consider it begging and groveling but simply asking nicely and personalizing my requests when I can. 🙂

June 26, 2014 at 9:46 pm

Kevin; I am sure you do understand the importance of being polite with reviewers, but I seriously question your attitude. You are not doing a reviewer a favor by requesting a review. To provide an honest review they have to read the book – could take 10 to 30 hours or more and then they have to write and post a review to all the requested sites. You are asking for a good chunk of time, they could use doing other things. As for supplying fresh content for their writing – most writers have lots of inspiration and bloggers who do reviews have more book offers than they could ever use in a lifetime. You need to appreciate these people – they are doing you the favor.

December 10, 2013 at 9:50 am

Please accept this in the spirit intended, as a resource for writers struggling to get reviews.

We’re launching a review network that should help solve this problem for a lot of writers. It’s called Kindred Readers, and we’re currently accepting names for our early invite list.

Kindred Readers works very much like an academic peer review process. Books are assigned to readers based on their interest profiles, and all reviews are posted using a confidential code that is unique to the reviewer. This means all reviews are objective and reviewers can give their honest opinion without fear of reprisal. Our community guidelines ensure that reviews adhere to professional standards.

There’s much, much more … please join our list and we’ll fill you in as we head toward launch. http://www.kindredreaders.com

December 10, 2013 at 9:55 am

Thanks for sharing! I have a couple questions…

Will there be a cost for your service when it’s up and running?

Also, will the reviews be placed only on your site and not on places like Amazon?

December 10, 2013 at 11:21 am

Great questions! The purpose of the site is to help writers, so although there will be a small subscription fee, it’ll be just enough to pay for the admin of the site – certainly less than the cost of a weekly trip to Starbucks.

RE: Cross-posting reviews. We offer members meaningful incentives to cross-post their reviews *anonymously* to book vendor websites. If the reviewer gives the book a 1 or 2-star overall rating, the reviewer can request they receive the incentive without cross-posting (so they don’t have to choose between publicizing a negative review and losing their chance at the incentive.

At Kindred Readers, we’re trying to achieve a balance. We strongly support writers still developing their skills, but we acknowledge that not all self-published writers have fully mastered those skills at a professional level. We want to support writers by helping them become better, more successful authors.

Two key aspects of our site point reflect this philosophy: 1. Our reviews are structured to provide succinct yet detailed feedback. Books are rated on Character Development, Plot and Pacing, Style and Technical Elements as well as the overall gestalt score (i.e., the typical 1-5 stars). The commentary portion is brief (50-250 words), heavily focused on the readers’ experience of the book — no summaries. We want our reviews to tell the author what works – and doesn’t work – in their writing while still offering guidance to potential readers.

2. First, let us be clear. We LOVE indie writers. We ARE indie writers. But a constellation of skill sets goes into a publishing a book, and sometimes an indie writer needs a little help.

Our site will have a service provider directory (editors, proofreaders, cover designers, publicists, videographers, etc) that provides information on the services provided, areas of specialty, fees, process and delivery timeframes, etc. It will also offer two things that are exceptionally hard to find: a. Reviews – KR members will provide feedback on their experience of working with that service provider. b. A discount on the services offered.

Service providers do not pay to be listed in our directory. Instead, they have to agree to these things: 1. provide a discount exclusively available to our members – 20% minimum 2. keep their listing up to date 3. agree to allow our members to review their experience of working with them.

This directory and the services rendered by the providers listed in it are COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT of Kindred Readers. We do not charge the service provider a fee to be listed and we receive no fees if our members engage them. This is a feature we want to offer our members because as authors, it is time consuming to find and vet service providers, and even so, you’re tossing the dice. We want to decrease the angst, cost and risk involved in seeking support when its needed.

Pardon the long response – I said there was lots more! 😉 Thanks for your patience, and for asking. Happy to answer any other questions in this forum or via email (info [at] kindredreaders.com) or on twitter, @kindredreaders.

December 10, 2013 at 11:31 am

Should have proofed better! My response had a couple of errors. My apologies.

January 3, 2014 at 2:53 pm

Shelley, great stuff! I cover information on how to get professional reviews by going through the back door in my Frugal Book Promoter ( http://budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo ) . One thing I’ve been curious about is how to contact Amazon to partiipate in their Vine review process (and the cost for doing so). I haven’t had time to do the research. Do you know? Hugs, Carolyn

February 22, 2014 at 9:40 pm

Thanks, I need more reviews for my new tennis book and will try this.

March 25, 2014 at 12:14 pm

Haven’t gotten my first book published yet, so this will be something to file for later, except… I love reviewing books in my genre and had no idea I could add my website to my Amazon profile. That’s fixed now! Maybe I’ll get a free book through this, Thanks. 🙂

April 14, 2014 at 7:10 am

Hi there There is a gig on Fiverr.com where for only $5 you get 50 reviewers emails/website contact details for any book niche you ask for. She has really good reviews. The link is: http://www.fiverr.com/sophybear/give-you-a-minimum-of-30-email-andor-website-addresses-of-book-reviewers-in-your-niche

April 14, 2014 at 9:28 am

Bernice, Thanks! Although I never recommend paying for reviews, paying someone to do the research for you to get top Amazon reviewers info would be acceptable. I still prefer to use the AMC review grabber tool. 🙂

June 13, 2014 at 9:11 am

the blog is so amazing ; you are givin many usufull and good infoes here , thanks a lot and i wish you succed in the soon time . wITHE LOVE and RESPECTE Yusuf <3

June 22, 2014 at 11:04 am

I had their website saved as a bookmark and planned on reading/going through it latter, but you just summed it up for me. I’m so excited and can’t wait to use their program, thank you so much, this is a great post and as always keep up the great work.

June 22, 2014 at 12:33 pm

You’re welcome, James! Glad you found it helpful 🙂

September 20, 2014 at 10:11 pm

Very Informative article, thank you. It reminds us to be conscientious about posting a review ourselves, when we purchase a book, something I’m sure we all forget to do.

April 3, 2015 at 8:15 am

Many authors are also reviewers. I have looked for books that I like on Amazon. Then, I use Kindle Unlimited to see if the book is worthy of a good, positive review. I contact the author to see if the book is coming up for a promo in the near future because I’m interesting in writing a verified review. They usually have one planned and let me know when. Sometimes, they say “no” but would still appreciate an unverified review. If so, I do one for them. It isn’t hard to quickly write a review on a book that is in a topic you are studying or that interests you. I can knock one out, check with for grammar and spelling, and post within ten to fifteen minutes. I keep a listing of authors and books that I’ve reviewed.

Later, when I have a book needing reviews, I use Facebook to contact these authors and ask if they would consider reading and doing a review of my book. Sometimes, I send them a review copy in advance of posting on Amazon. Often, these same authors will actually buy my book while it is in the introductory promo period. That gives me a verified review! At other times, they simply say that they do not do solicited reviews. Oh, well, I just scratch them off my list. I have accumulated quite a few authors who write excellent reviews that are very helpful to readers. That’s the ones I want, not just the ones who give a five-star review but say little about the book’s value. This may seem like the lazy way to get reviews, but I almost feel like I’ve earned their reviews by my willingness to help them. My own reviews are honest because I very seldom finish reading a book that isn’t worth a good 4 or 5-star review. Why bother? BTW, this is another reason why authors should consider KDP Select. It lets people like me see whether the book is any good before I offer to do a review!

June 27, 2015 at 7:11 pm

I hate when people do that to me. At first I was nice and accepted the book but after the fourth or fifth time I just started to ignore them. I’m sure like most Amazon reviewers I already have enough books on my pile to read that offering me a free book I didn’t ask for isn’t much of a prize.

July 8, 2015 at 7:56 pm

Hi: I have been following you for a while now and with all your marketing advice I would really like to know how some one like JK Rowling and EL James got the publicity that made them so big. Who was the contact that made these books notable tot he world?

August 6, 2015 at 2:39 pm

Great article and i really enjoyed reading through all the commenter’s opinions! 🙂

August 26, 2015 at 10:30 am

Ok as part of my research I read the remarks. This was helpful. As an author I read over and over how other authors have been pushy, entitled and outright relentless. This doesn’t bode well for us who are trying to dip our toe into the pool. So, here is my policy as a new author. I will not ask anyone on this site for a review based upon them being on this site. Now if I find them another way, then and only then will I respectfully ask for a review.

Next I only ask once. Once should be enough. If I don’t get an answer then that is my answer.

If I do get a review I will keep my feelings for or against the honor of being reviewed to myself.

I will accept the review as what it is, the personal opinion of someone whose opinion I requested. That is always welcome and I will never try to change it.

I will send emails, one on one, never mass.

No reviewer will ever be put on any list I have.

Let me apologize now, I will not send a follow up message or a thank you. I do thank you, but I am sure you don’t need to hear from me again. Remember, once is enough.

I try to research the likes and dislikes of the reviewers. I will try harder. I am always open for suggestions as I am still and always will be learning.

I will not contact a reviewer who has no interest in the topic of my book.

I will try to keep my website up to date and my blog current.

If I forgot anything, let me know. I still won’t ask for my book to be reviewed from this site. My reason, reviewers get inundated enough with requests. When you provide insight as you have here you deserve the “space.”

Thank You for the information.

August 26, 2015 at 10:36 am

You’re welcome! I’m glad you found it helpful.

October 12, 2015 at 1:41 pm

hello Shelley,

Thanks for the wonderful pieces of information you have shared with us. I have written two books on amazon.com; lulu.com and the kindle store. The books are accessible on Lulubookstore: at http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/fabdallah2016 .

It makes me sad that i have not made a single sale and require a review to know what i am doing wrong.

Kindly assist please. I also have three upcoming books which i intend to publish.

I can send you copies of my e-books if okay by you.

October 19, 2015 at 9:52 am

I offer coaching in my private forums of AuthorAudienceAcademy.com if you’re interested. Book marketing takes time so don’t give up!

July 26, 2016 at 11:48 am

STOP! Don’t go emailing reviewers anymore!!! I have gotten slammed by so many email requests for reviews (two a day at least) that I’m starting to give bad reviews now some of these requests. Why? BECAUSE MOST OF YOU SUCK! Really! Spamming the hell of out reviewers with crappy books has become the NORM now. AND I get so many of them that I really can’t be bothered anymore.

So DO NOT do this! Do not email reviewers en masse because you think you’ll get enough reviews to get a best seller, even though you can be bothered to hire an editor and you couldn’t be bothered to listen to all those people who say you can’t write worth a damn.

This is no longer a worthwhile practice as scammers and bad writers are spamming the hell out of it.

Fantasy Author

Writing Articles

Respect the Reviewer: How to Find, Contact, and Stay on the Good Side of Book Reviewers

Here’s the second Respect the Reviewer article I’ve written. This is for all authors out there. While some tips might be obvious others you may not have thought of, either way I hope some of these tips will help you find a reviewer and go about contacting them the right way.

All authors know the importance of getting book reviews. Not only can a good book review encourage others to buy your book but if you get enough of them your book will be listed higher on amazon (or so the rumour goes). But how can authors go about contacting reviewers? And what’s the right or wrong thing to say and do when asking and waiting for a review?

I’ve been reviewing books for some time now and take this ‘job’ very seriously. I recognise the need to give an informative and honest review to potential buyers and I also understand and respect the authors for giving me their work and trusting me to deliver that review. However in my time as a book reviewer I’ve had a few problems with several authors. So I’ve created the following article. What you’re going to read are some of my tips and ideas on how to go about asking for reviews. Tips on how to respect the reviewer and at the same time I’ll also add some tips I’ve learned since becoming an amazon UK top reviewer.

If you enjoy reading the following and wish to share it then please feel free to reblog or share on various social media, but please credit this post as being written by me. And please feel free to comment at the end.

BEFORE CONTACTING A REVIEWER

1. Finding reviewers – Apart from the obvious amazon’s top reviewer list there are plenty of places to find a book reviewer. Plenty of sites will list book bloggers like the directory I’m in or you may just happen to come across and follow a blogger and enjoy their reviews.

You can ask other reviewers if they know of anyone who could review your book but if you do this and someone does give you some contact details YOU must contact those reviewers yourself, don’t expect a book reviewer/blogger to do that work for you. – I’ve been asked by some authors whether I know of other reviewers for their book. I’ve sometimes been able to refer them to some people but one author wanted me to seek out these people and recommend the book to them myself. Not only time consuming for me but something an author should be doing.

Finding via a review – A clever way to find reviewers can be if you spot a review they’ve written on a similar book to yours. You can then contact them adding ‘I saw you reviewed and enjoyed xxx, I have a similar book you might be interested in…’. BUT make sure your book IS similar before you contact them. – I’ve had an author ask me to review their fantasy novel and compared it to a child friendly fantasy I had reviewed. The author’s book was very different, had very adult themes, violence, etc. The only thing similar was the fact it was a fantasy book. This showed the author had clearly not bothered to read either the book’s description or even my review of it.

2. Check out their website/blog if they have one – So we’ll assume you’ve found a reviewer be it via amazon or other means. The first thing you should do is check out their blog or website if they have one. This is particularly important if you target an amazon reviewer as many will have additional information about book reviews available only on their website – Amazon doesn’t like people’s profile information to contain anything that could be seen as promoting a reviewing service so if they have a website visible on their profile, check it out!

3. Read their submissions guidelines – Many book reviewers with a blog/website who accept new books to review WILL have some form of submissions page for book reviews. Make sure to read a bloggers ‘About’ page for details of this or their guidelines for review. DO NOT just read their email address and send a message you must read all their submissions information. – I ask for specific information to be included in any book review request as well as list things I won’t accept for review.

Despite being clear on my submissions page I still get emails sent to the wrong address (I have a separate one for book reviews) as well as missing information. This results in me having to contact the author back for additional info which wastes both my and the author’s time and makes the author seem as though they can’t be bothered to spend two or three minutes reading my page, not a good start.

4. Have your book in multiple formats – BEFORE you contact an author you should have read their submissions policy. Many will have stated what formats they prefer to read the book in, pdf, mobi, epub, physical book, etc. Make sure you have whatever format the reviewer stated available. Even if you’re a new writer it’s a good idea to make sure you can send out your book in a variety of formats as different reviewers will have different devices for reading. If you don’t have the available format then you could still contact a reviewer but add a statement saying this and asking if they’d be willing to still review in the format you have available. – I state clearly which formats I can read but still I’ve had authors send docx. files which my ereader just won’t open and it again wastes both our time as I have to contact them back to sort this out.

[Need help editing your book? We can help. ]

MAKING CONTACT

5. Get the name right! – This might sound ridiculously obvious but make sure if you’re going to send a request for review that you get their name right. – A personal request to me is always appreciated and I love it when people call me by name rather than my username or website name, it shows they’ve taken the time to read both my about page and review submissions page, however make sure if you are going to address someone specific that you get their name right. I’ve had authors call me different names, mix me up with others they’ve seen. It shows that once again they can’t be bothered to take the time to read my about and submissions pages which doesn’t take long. If in doubt as to what to call someone it’s better to say ‘Hi’ and nothing more than give the wrong name.

6. Include all relevant information – When writing your request email to a reviewer make sure to include any important details such as what genre the book is, details of what it’s about, date of release if it’s an ARC, website link, etc. Use a submissions form if a website has one, it’s more convenient and you’ll be able to include all relevant information without forgetting what to put.- Every reviewer is different in what information they want but plenty will appreciate some details about the book and a website link to it on amazon can help especially if you ask an amazon top reviewer. It’s all about convenience and the more information we have in your initial email the less time we have to go looking for it and the faster we can respond. – Some reviewers will ask for a book excerpt and I certainly appreciate a link to amazon or goodreads if the book is there so I can use the ‘Look inside’ feature to see the author’s style of writing.

7. Don’t expect a reply – This is particularly important to remember when sending out requests to amazon top reviewers. It’s always nice to get a reply from a reviewer but many people uninterested in reviewing your book will simply ignore your email. – As a top reviewer in the UK around the 200s these days it’s very common for me to get 30+emails a day flooding my inbox from various sellers. While I try to reply to all emails sometimes I just miss some and I know that most top reviewers have taken to simply ignoring emails or worse, some have email filters so your message may never reach their inbox.

8. Got a reply? Reply back! – This might sound strange but some authors don’t stay in contact once a reviewer has replied to their email. You may have changed your mind about wanting a review (nervous new authors might worry about receiving a bad one) or may not have some information requested, whatever the reason though still reply back. You don’t want to burn the bridge with that reviewer if you want them to review your book at a later date. – While I’m quite easy going about this other reviewers might not be so check your emails and spam folders. There’s sometimes a genuine reason why an email doesn’t reach someone but if you just don’t want to have contact with a reviewer just kindly let them know that you’re not ready, it’s better than being seen as rude.

WAITING FOR REVIEW

9. Be patient with review times – Book reviewers will have long waiting times for reviews, some can have as much as a year. Be patient! It takes a long time to read a book and then write a review. Reviewers have their own lives and work and have to fit in their reading and reviewing around that and the more books they are asked to review the longer their times will be. Book reviewers usually make longer and more detailed reviews though, so it’s worth waiting for them.

However frustrating it can be to wait to have your book reviewed, respect the timescale offered and leave the reviewer alone. – Some reviewers will give a clear timescale and some won’t. There’s nothing wrong with asking someone how long they feel they need to review but do this kindly and never demand a review to be on time.

If it’s an ARC ask for it to be ready at around the time of release but don’t get upset if someone isn’t able to review it by that time. The longer time you give an ARC copy before it’s release the more likely someone will be able to stick to the review time, You should allow at least one month ahead.

10. Don’t bug the reviewer – While waiting for your book to be reviewed, don’t periodically emails or message someone asking when they’ll review your book. – One author kept asking when I had the time and wasn’t satisfied when I had told them they’d have to wait a while.

Even if you are friends with the reviewer don’t talk to them about the review just give them a copy of your book and wait patiently. And make sure to GIVE them a copy of the book and not promise to hand it over when they come to review it. – Strangely an author wouldn’t hand me a copy of their book until I was ready to read it.

Not only does this add annoyance and inconvenience as I have to again contact the author for the book but this shows very little trust and respect on the author’s side for the person reviewing their book. A reviewer treated in this way would still give an honest and possibly positive review (if they are an honest reviewer) but is unlikely to pass on other reviewers details to an author like that.

11. Be prepared for an honest NOT a positive review – This is a tough one for authors but you must be prepared to receive a review no matter what the star rating. Always request an honest review from someone and be prepared for any rating. It’s possible to ask kindly in your initial email whether a reviewer could contact you back if they didn’t like your book and wouldn’t rate it highly.

But NEVER ask them not to leave a review if it’s negative! – This is very important with amazon reviewers. Asking someone to not publish a negative review is like asking only for positive ones. Luckily most reviewers are nice people and will contact you back and some may not wish to post a negative review but you must be prepared for any rating.

If you are worried about how your book will be received by a reviewer take a look at the sort of reviews they write, especially negative ones (even product reviews if looking on amazon). Many reviewers like myself list both the positives and negatives in reviews and you can tell a reviewer who will give a decent review from one who is likely to ‘rant’ if they dislike something.

12. Don’t complain to a reviewer – This is an obvious one but some authors will complain or argue with reviewers over a less than 5 star review. – One author I’ve dealt with felt terrible about the 4 star review I gave them. They were less than pleasant in the way they dealt with me and have subsequently burnt any bridges to me reviewing for them again.

No matter how wrong you feel the review rating is you mustn’t argue back with a reviewer, they could warn other reviewers away from you and it does nothing for your reputation as an author. Whatever problems you have with a reviewer, keep the conversation civil.

13. Don’t expect a reviewer to buy or part-buy your book – This one may seem silly but some authors contact reviewers and expect them to buy their books. – I’ve been asked to review a book but was just directed to a buying page on amazon. A fellow reviewer was also asked to review a book and find others to buy that book to review it. You must always be prepared to give away a free copy of your book whether it’s in print or digital version.

14. Late review? Be nice! – If a reviewer has promised to review your book in a couple of months but they’ve failed to do so don’t go asking them on the first day of the third month. Reviewers have lives and there can be many reasons why they might be late with a review, it doesn’t mean they won’t still review it. However if it’s been a very long time, many weeks later you could contact them but remember to be nice.

Don’t complain and simply ask if they’ve had a chance to review it yet. if you complain that they are late the reviewer won’t bother anymore and chances are that either that person was busy and hadn’t gotten around to it or they may have even lost your email address and copy of your book. Make sure you keep on good terms no matter what the problem is.

AMAZON EXTRAS

Here are a few extra tips about contacting the top reviewers on amazon. (My knowledge is based mostly on UK amazon etiquette)

Finding reviewers – There’s a list of the top 10,000 reviewers on amazon. There are two main ways to find a reviewer on amazon. Either look on that list or find them via a review they’ve written. Whatever you do, don’t visit the top reviewer forums asking for a review. On the UK site this is a big no no and will gain you some nasty comments (as well as helpful ones) and some possible trolling behaviour in the future.

Using the top 10,000 list is time consuming but don’t be tempted to buy a book or online list of top reviewer email addresses. The top reviewer list changes very often and some people who may have previously been on that list may have removed their email addresses from their profile. Contacting them will only upset them and do nothing for your image as an author.

Don’t just pick from the top – As nice as it is to have a review from the #1 or someone in the top #100, you’re better off checking the entire list. In fact I’d advise you to check through the entire list even to those reviewers who have no ‘top reviewer’ badge next to their name. The higher a reviewer is on that list the more emails they are sent and the less time they have to review your book. While some may be perfect to send your email/book to, don’t ignore those near the bottom of the list.

Check their profile info – Apart from the obvious thing of checking if they have a blog have a look at a reviewer’s interests. Some clearly state whether they review books or don’t so make sure you don’t send your request to someone who won’t be interested. If their information doesn’t state whether they review books you can always try to contact them.

Check out their reviews (if they haven’t made them private) – Taking a look at the reviews they write is a good way of spotting someone’s review style. Some amazon reviewers will leave little more than a sentence while others like me will create a longer review with clear paragraphs. If the quality of the review matters to you make sure you don’t send your request to someone who won’t put more than a sentence. It’s also good to scroll down their review list to see if they have ever reviewed a book if they have other items there.

Be personal in your email – Some authors choose to mass email reviewers using a service like mailchimp or simply sending out the same email and copying lots of names into the recipient box of their email. There’s nothing actually wrong in doing this and indeed I have still reviewed a couple of books when I’ve been contacted in this way, however it’s very impersonal and the more I see emails from mailchimp the less interested I am in the offer as it feels I’m just any reviewer and the author doesn’t care much who reviews their books.

If you are going to mass email make sure you don’t make a mistake some amazon sellers make of adding email addresses using the CC button into the recipient box, use BCC instead. The first allows other reviewers to see all the addresses you’ve sent an email to and some reviewers don’t like the fact their emails are visible to everyone in this way. It will also show that you mass emailed everyone.

Don’t ignore international sites and check your profile – Most authors want to target amazon US and forget about the international sites. Worse still authors won’t update their profiles on other amazon sites. – An author I once reviewed for told me their historical novels sold better in the UK than in the US. Some books may sell better in a country if they are set in the same part of the world or have a certain sense of humour, etc.

As an author, you shouldn’t ignore your international sites and if you see a potential for your book to sell well in another country make sure you check your own profile there. Amazon doesn’t automatically update all author profiles internationally, especially not in the UK, and I’ve often come across a book who’s author is a little grey box!

Thehappymeerkat is an experienced book reviewer, who has been on Amazon UK’s top 500 reviewer list.