Advice for the aspiring book reviewer

One of the questions I get asked the most often is "How do I break into the business as a book reviewer?" The idea of getting paid to read books and write about them – coupled with all the free books you receive – is clearly something that interests a lot of people.

Unfortunately, the truth is that it's damn near impossible to get one of these gigs. Even once you do, there's not much work available and the pay ain't that great. (Typical pay for a book review is around $150-$200, unless you're writing for one of the largest papers.)

This is a very odd business. The smaller newspapers – which would be easier to break into – don't run book reviews. Only the larger newspapers – which have the most competition – run reviews. So the whole set-up is bass-ackwards.  (In my case, the first newspaper review I ever wrote was for the Washington Post.)

So if you're thinking about book reviewing as a job, you should probably think again. But it can still be a fun and rewarding pursuit (hobby? avocation?), assuming you've got the talent to make it work.

The first thing you need is some top-quality clips of reviews that you can show editors. These need to be well-written, insightful, professional and written in a journalistic style. Basically, they need to be of the same quality and nature as the majority of the reviews you read in the publication you hope to write for. You should have a handful of different reviews, including both raves and pans.

(Most of the reviews I read online would never hack it in a print publication. In order to succeed as a print reviewer, you have to demonstrate that you're as good as the people already doing the job, so your clips have to be excellent. Work on them until they're as fine as you can make them.)

It would also be helpful to have a compelling hook to get people interested in the first place. Something that you can set you apart, like you're a well-known blogger (some of the more-prominent bloggers have had success breaking into reviewing lately) or you're a published novelist or a professor of literature or an expert on medieval France. (Your hook, of course, should be related to the type of books you want to write about.)

When I started out, I didn't have much of a hook. I ran a mystery book review site (Mystery Ink), and I used those clips as samples of my work when talking to editors. Frankly, it seems like a miracle that anyone was interested – so maybe there's hope for others yet.

Once you've got your clips, here's what I recommend you do: Find out who the book review editor for the publication you're interested in is. Email him/her saying briefly who you are and what you do, and what your credentials are. Tell him/her you're interested in writing book reviews and ask if you can send some clips. Be prepared to hear no, or, even more likely, to hear nothing.

There might be a better way, but that's what I've always done. Chances of success are very low. Most of the time I get turned down, too, even with my track record. But it is possible. I see new names popping up all the time. You've got to be good, though, and you've got to be persistent.

On the other hand, if all you're interested in is reviewing books, you can start your own website or blog, or join up with one of the existing ones, and contribute that way. Granted, you're only going to be one quiet voice in the midst of the cacophony of crappy reviews that fill the internet. But if you're good, and if you have something interesting to say, people will pay attention. There is always a shortage of quality book reviews.

Comments

[KevinH]

How would define a quality review? What are the elements that go into it?

[Richard Myers]

My main interest in reviewing would be to receive free books from the publishers.

Do you think that reviewing novels on a quality blog/website would be enough to get free books? How about reviewing on Amazon and getting a high reviewer ranking?

[David J. Montgomery]

Kevin's question is a good one, and I'll try to give it a good answer as soon as I have the chance.

As for Richard's question... The answer is yes to both. Online-only reviewers certainly receive books from publishers, as do highly-ranked Amazon reviewers.

It can be more difficult to demonstrate your legitimacy as a reviewer in those forums, but it can be done. (I certainly received plenty of books and attention as a reviewer even before I was in print.)

My main advice on that score would be to act as a professional, even if you're not being paid. It quickly becomes apparent who the serious reviewers are.

[pattiabbott]

It is a darn shame more smaller city newspapers don't review books. They could certainly bring some much needed attention to local writers that way. They could also make use of local university personnel who are used to working without pay for academic publications.
Is there an issue here I don't understand. Perhaps the space is too valuable for a smaller newspaper

[Nathan Cain]

I can vouch for what David said about online reviewers getting books.
I started a blog (indiecrime.blogspot.com) to review crime novels from independent publishers a month ago, and publishers, pr people and authors have quick to notice and offer to send review copies. I figured I'd be writing about the books I bought or got at the library.
The people who write, publish and promote books want to get them into the hands of people who are likely to read them and write about them, and, let's face it, there's just not that much print space for book reviews.

[Michael Berry]

David makes many really good points. I'll add one that sometimes works for me: Offer to review a book with a really strong local connection to whatever market you're pitching it to. Make the case that the paper would somehow be remiss if the book weren't covered.

I got my gig with the San Francisco Chronicle because I was on staff and wrote to the book editor as soon as I heard that the former science fiction reviewer had quit. (I recently realized, though, that, other than David Itzkoff at the NY Times, I may be one of the last dedicated science fiction reviewers left at any major U.S. daily.)

I've never had a problem getting any book I've wanted for review. I get way more than I can ever deal with. One of the regular features on my blog is Books I'm Not Reading.

[David J. Montgomery]

The original draft of this post contained the same piece of advice Michael gives, so obviously I agree with him. Pitching local interest reviews is often a good way to break into a market.

This also ties into what Patti posted about... Reviews of local authors or local books seem to be the only kind that most small newspapers are interested in. And even then, it's an uphill battle. I don't know why that is -- you would think that book coverage would be a way in which smaller newspapers could distinguish themselves. But in my experience, they're just not interested.

I suppose it goes back to the common mantra in the newspaper business that readers don't care about books -- a mantra that I think is deeply flawed.

[Michael Berry]

One other thing to keep in mind is that you need to be reading about three months ahead of publication. By the time the book is in stores, most newspapers will have already assigned the review, if they plan to run one at all.

Reviewers need to keep track of PW or other industry periodicals (in my case, Locus), so that they can request ARCs as soon as they are available.

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