Book reviews tell people that your book is worth buying and has value; they also give your book credibility and that is very important. People who are not familiar with your works will often base their decision on whether to buy your book or not on book reviews, even if they are negative. Book reviews also increase awareness of an author’s book.

All in all, book reviews directly affect book sales and that is why it is perfectly acceptable for authors to ask for reviews as long as they ask in a professional and polite manner. Aside from boosting your sales, the feedback you will get from reviews is also important since it can help you when you are writing your next book.

When asking for book reviews, you should always remember you are asking people, mostly strangers, to do you a favor. That is why you should avoid making mistakes that might annoy them, resulting in your book not getting reviewed or your book getting a critical review that might do more harm than good. So before you send a review request, take note of the following guidelines that will help you send a request properly.

First of all, before sending a review request, visit the reviewer’s website and take the time to explore it. Read the information contained on the site to determine if the reviewer reviews books that fall into the genre of your book. Also make sure that the reviewer writes professional and objective reviews. After ensuring that the reviewer is a good fit for you and your books, read his/her review policy and make sure you comply exactly. Their policy will most likely tell you how to contact him/her and the information you need to include in your request.

Most reviewers write a lot of book reviews and receive hundreds of requests every day, so you have to make sure that your request stands out from the rest and that it does not get ignored. Create a pitch or describe your book in the most interesting and intriguing way possible, then have acquaintances read it first and ask them if they think the book is worth reading, based on the book description itself. Afterwards contact the reviewer; introduce yourself and include the book description, along with the specific information you read on their website to let the reviewer know that the review request is specifically for him/her and not just random.

Aside from the mentioned guidelines, there are also a few things you should never do when asking for book reviews. One - you should never ask a book reviewer to buy your book first so they can review it; if a reviewer has accepted your request then send them a free copy. And two - do not tamper with the book cover as this is very unprofessional and could actually damage your reputation. After your book get reviewed, do not forget to send a personal thank you note to the reviewer, even if the review does not quite meet your expectations.