If youre not comfortable sharing your own photo, use the official brand logo from your bookstore, library, or school. That's why We Are Bookish's Kelly Gallucci interviewed Estelle Hallick, Publicity and Marketing Manager at Forever, about her process for managing requests, and her advice to members looking to improve their profiles. social media links are nice, but both NetGalley and Edelweiss have special spots to fill them into, so if the bio repeats them? Do you review audiobooks as well as print/e-books? elem.remove(); Which makes sensepublishers can afford to give out digital ARCs a lot more freely than physical ARCs. It was around this time that both self-published and traditionally published authors came to recognize the importance of reviews, especially of the very first write-ups that a book receives. So as a reviewer, you might be a blogger, consumer reviewer, book trade professional (like an agent), or traditional reviewer who works for a publication. I have looked at peoples profiles, and found them pretty much the same as mine, with the one key difference theirs is riddled with links and numbers. While youre in the About You section of your Profile, make sure to check out the options under Topics! Waterstones:Once published, I will post my reviews to the Waterstones website.. However, you also have to fill out your company (presumably helpful if you work in publishing or for a magazine/newspaper) and your role. Thanks for your help and suggestions. My holiday was wonderful, thank you! Are you a member of an authors street team? Try to stick to 3-5 authors to keep things simple. Do: Include links to all of the places you talk about books Hopefully I will be able to add to my profile! Typos and links that arent working can be a sign of a lack of attention to detail, so be sure to give your Bio a final proofread every time you update it. Curious where else you can flex your mad reviewing skills? Do I still need to include it in the bio? Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Im so excited to start using NetGalley! . You can read. Make sure to include the date you pulled your stats so its clear to a publisher how recent those numbers are. Thanks! A lot of the time, this is a really easy decision! You can withdraw your consent at any time. Stats Any thoughts on how to get started or what to do? Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Well I hope this helps you out if you decide to update it! requests a title from a publisher via Netgalley, that publisher has to go through by hand and approve each request. This isnt the best statement to lead with if youre trying to convince a publisher to give you a digital galley. does this blogger run some groups, participate in some street teams? Thanks so much for this! You can find them by navigating to a title's Feedback page or by clicking the purple gear icon on the right-hand side of the Manage Titles page. Once you start picking up books, you have to provide feedback for most of the titles you read. So for every book, carve out some time to read write up your feedback on it. I blog about all sorts of topics in books empathy, culture, adventure cake. Thanks so much for sharing with us. Do you run a book club? Youll still have to go through the anxiety-inducing request process every time, and some people may take weeks to respond. All that said, only you can decide which reviewing platform is best for you. Once youve selected all that apply, your request shoots off to the author or publisher. On the other hand, if youve never reviewed books before, youll have your work cut out for you. Favorite Authors I do not work in any facet of the publishing world. Once youve registered with NetGalley and filled out your profile, you can start discovering books right away. This is especially important if youre a bookseller, librarian, or educator who also talks about and reviews books outside of your job. Well, it all depends on what you want, as well as what you can realistically expect. How strange! Do: Share stats Do you run a book club? What a publisher does then is to look at a persons profile. Due to issues with my old iPad, I never signed up for a NetGalley account. And even if youre not a member of the American Library Association (or something similarly official), there are lots of things you could already be doing that signal to a publisher that you are the kind of person who has the power to convince others to buy copies of a book. What you need to keep in mind when requesting, though, isto not let it get out of hand. Look through which Categories youve selected, check that your links are working, and reread your Bio. If I DNFed, I say why. So how do you make a good Edelweiss or NetGalley profile? Consider making it visible so that if publishers ever have a question or want to work with you on a specific campaign, they can reach out. Publishers are looking for thoughtful, professional reviewers and your Bio is the first taste of your writing that they get. Kelly Gallucci is the Executive Editor of We Are Bookish, where she oversees the editorial content, offers book recommendations, and interviews authors and NetGalley members. Do you review audiobooks as well as print/e-books? By continuing to use the site, you are agreeing to our. Im glad I could help! When you go to fill out your Profile, you can select the Categories you cover in your role as a professional reader. Set your own deadline a week before the publication date if possible, so you wont be scrambling to write a review at the last minute. So that should help you figure out the ins and outs of requesting books on Edelweiss, and let me talk about what you should do about your profile. First Second Welcomes Editorial Assistant Kiara Valdez. People typically request copies because theyre reviewers, and they need the advance copy of the book to write a review from, or because theyre teachers or librarians or booksellers, and they need to read the advance copy to figure out how many books to buy for their classroom or library or bookstore. Awesome!! Also does having a profile pic help? Category Preferences Basically the only place my book love exists is Goodreads, where I have like 3 friends and substandard reviews because I was only really doing it for me before. I need to sign up for your newsletter to keep up. Make sure to include the department you work in, the events or programs you plan, any purchasing youre in charge of, the outlets youve written for, and more. When a publisher looks at your Profile, they can see the list of Categories that youve chosen, which means you dont need to worry about listing them in your Bio. When youre ready to request a title, click the green Request button next to the book in question. While your Bio should be professional and succinct, your linked blog and social media channels are the best way to stand out and show off your vibrant personality. Do you host any online reading events? You can filter for genre but there aren't that many ReadNow, I just look at it every few days and scan through the latest. What Are Linkups All About? Do they champion a cause? Typos and links that arent working can be a sign of a lack of attention to detail, so be sure to give your Bio a final proofread every time you update it. Your Profile includes a section titled Where I Share Reviews. This is a crucial place to provide links to any websites or social media where you share your book reviews, the media outlets where you cover books, or the bookstore, library, or school where youre employed. Some publishers dont provide a lot of information either, so its been mostly guessing what they are looking for in general until my bio looked somewhat decent. Despite the vastness of the NetGalley community, these other sites are much better-known mainstream hubs. To become a NetGalley member, all you have to do is sign up. Publishers can see which genres you prefer to read and review, and by also sharing your favorite authors, you can help provide an even better understanding of the types of books within those genres you most enjoy. (I note that this is a really, really specific set of instructions that will definitely help you out with requesting any First Second requests; possibly not so much with other publishers, depending on their own policies.) Whats the thing you want to see? This is especially true if you find yourself requesting books from the same publishers time and again. These are our Netgalley watchwords. Make sure to include the department you work in, the events or programs you plan, any purchasing youre in charge of, the outlets youve written for, and more. thank you again! I love dark, unsettling, and weird fiction. Kelly Gallucci is the Executive Editor of We Are Bookish, where she oversees the editorial content, offers book recommendations, and interviews authors and NetGalley members. Thank you fo sharing. I currently have XXXfollowers. Instagram: I use my Instagram to snap pics of my current reads and previously read books that I enjoyed, which can include Netgalley reads. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Havent thought about my Netgalley bio in too long! I also started through just posting on Goodreads, but I eventually got twitter and Instagram devoted for books. Are there any example profiles available to look at for best practices examples? Then you want to get on to the good stuff, the bits the publishers are reallyinterested in where you will share your reviews and how many people will see them. Where did you go?! I am also struggling with my NetGalley bio and this helps a lot. With Discovery, unlike on NetGalley, you dont have to wait for your requests to be dealt with; once your reviewer application is approved, you can pick up whichever books youd like. TBR Spreadsheets, [NewBloggers 101] A Quick Guide To Bloglovin, [#NewBloggers 101] General Intro To Bookstagram, [NewBloggers] A (Mostly?) As soon as youre ready to share your thoughts, navigate back to the books NetGalley page and click on the purple Give Feedback button in the upper-right corner. Make sure you mention where those reviews appear and any places you cross-post your NetGalley reviews. That said, every book reviewer will face a familiar panic: how Trust real people, not robots, to give you book recommendations. Now, we're taking a look at how to review our new favorite format: audiobooks! Going to work on my Profiled this weekend. This here is her NetGalley profile: I hope Heena does not mind me borrowing her profile for a bit, but also, go check out her quite extensive list about what to tweak on your NetGalley profile, which includes putting your email on it (although Id make sure to remove @ so you dont get spam botted! It takes some time, but Ive gotten to read so many books I was looking forward to reading! There are six member types on NetGalley (reviewer, book trade professional, librarian, bookseller, educator, journalist or member of the media) and publishers have different goals for working with each one. Of course, if you can swing some book reviews, all the better. I love middle grade, womens, scifi and some literary too. I hope youre doing okay. Become an influencer in your genre and grow your following. If youre a bookseller whos a member of the ABA, a librarian whos a member of the ALA, someone who the publishing staff person knows professionally, the answer is obviously yes. with a book publicist to learn more about the stats theyre looking for. Make your reviews thoughtful and honest. First Second is a division of Macmillan Publishers. Im getting my MLS now! or Im on the teen selection group at my local bookstore! or I have a blog that has 2,5000 followers!. Sorry for the late response Anne! NetGalley helps publishers and authors promote digital review copies to book advocates and industry professionals. Your Bio is the perfect place to share this information with publishersas long as youre comfortable, of course! We want to help NetGalley members craft the best reviews possible. Awesome info Kelly, really appreciate it. Marking that you listen to audiobooks or are a member of a book club helps ensure you get relevant promotional emailsincluding announcements of newly uploaded NetGalley books, limited time Read Now opportunities, and more. As for the profile text itself, you can keep it the same as NetGalley! I have kids so I reviewed a lot of kids books to quickly get my stats up. Indicate if you are a member of a professional organization, such as a state or regional teacher's association. Also, try to review the ARCs you get on Goodreads as well! We feel that everyone should love to read, and that that would make the world a better place. Im sure you could sneak on there if you wanted , Nice post, thanks! I am retired, and live in a rural setting. I have purchase a few of your books over the years, but lately I have noticed that I have purchased several of your books. No matter what your member type is, chances are that you write book reviews that you publish outside of NetGalley. Get started by signing in or joining for free. A little bit of everything! Do you run a book club? When a valid ALA, ALIA, ABA or BA member number is added to a NetGalley account, you will see the relevant logo next to their name when they request a title or when you view their Profile. Though its true anyone can sign up to NetGalley as a consumer reviewer, priority book selection is given to bloggers, industry pros, and traditional reviewers at least at first. I currently have XXX followers on my blog, who I interact with on a daily basis. Thanks and yes, they dont really give you much of an indication of what you should put in the bio! Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. As a reviewer, if you have a logo for your blog or social media profiles, you can use that as well. I bet you could add several from those! , Thanks for the advice. When she's not working, Kelly can be found color coordinating her bookshelves, eating Chipotle, and watching way too many baking shows. I have kids so I reviewed a lot of kids books to quickly get my stats up. If you want to join the #NewBloggers support chat group, just drop me a comment here or a DM on Twitter. You can read. Make sure youre opted into receiving those emails in the Account Security section of your Profile, under Subscriptions.. To maximize your chances of picking up good titles right off the bat, theres one thing you need to do: write some other stuff before you join. All Rights Reserved, 2010-2019 NetGalley LLC. My favourite genres include Mystery & Thrillers, Psychological Thrillers, Horror and True Crime. NetGalley is fairly simple to navigate, and you shouldnt have any problems. Requesting on both platforms is quite simple. Make sure youre opted into receiving those emails in the Account Security section of your Profile, under Subscriptions.. I know my Profile needs some sprucing up and your comments really are very useful. Dont you?). You can also do a few read now books to get your stats up. Note, those will come to your email from the publisher directly, they've been caught in my email's overactive spam filter a few times :(. You can find a specific publishers Approval Preferences on their Publisher page, and the information there can help to shape what you share in your Profile. Are you a blogger? Great post! Librarians, booksellers, and educators: make sure to indicate if you are a member of any professional associations. I am honest on my feedback. Just like you. The registration form is pretty standard: username, password, email, etc. I set up my net galley account today and was kind of lost. Below, I've curated some of the best real professional bio examples I've ever seen on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and the various websites. And while this doesnt mean you need to be a seasoned reviewer to sign up, you may still want to build your portfolio a bit first (more on that later). Your Bio is the perfect place to share this information with publishersas long as youre comfortable, of course! Do you review audiobooks as well as print/e-books? As you go, make any necessary updates. When a publisher looks at your Profile, they can see the list of Categories that youve chosen, which means you dont need to worry about listing them in your Bio. Relevant Bookish Facts Your Bio is the perfect place to share this information with publishersas long as youre comfortable, of course! Just wish I was still there sunning myself haha. This site uses cookies. Your reviews and feedback are essential to publishers, authors, and other readers! In Edelweiss, you can also specifywhy you want the book or why youre a good candidate for reviewing it, which can help! You can also scout out some book review blogs to see if anyones looking for freelance pieces. Thanks love! Now over a decade old, this well-known platform lets authors lend new books to readers in exchange for a fair and unbiased review, as the ubiquitous disclaimer goes. As a reader I want more of those from people reviewing from ARC's. Keep requesting - once you get a few approvals and leave reviews on the site, you'll establish yourself and more publishers will approve you. This is especially important if youre a bookseller, librarian, or educator who also talks about and reviews books outside of your job. I don't know about Netgalley but there have been several threads of people asking for Goodreads friends. Your post has given me some help; however, I have no stats, dont have a blog, dont have a website, dont have anything. You may even reach a point of being auto-approved by certain authors and publishers, which means you can read their titles straight away. for more insight into what you should include in your Profile based on your member type. Check out more of our Profile dos and donts here! I havent done much with my bio since I first joined, and its not very good. Fill out your profile completely Netgalley asks specific questions for your profile, and it's of the utmost importance that you review and answer all of them. Including important stats about your platforms, such as average monthly pageviews to your blog or social media following, is very helpful for publishers. When a teacher/librarian/bookseller/reviewer etc. Subscribe to our monthly newsletter for book recs, interviews, and favorites from our editor. Your email address will not be published. Make sure to include the date you pulled your stats so its clear to a publisher how recent those numbers are. I Review everything I rate 4 or 5 stars. (I read too many books and I forget what they are haha). I've been using Netgalley for a little more than a year, and I love it! It can be tempting to share information about yourself that you think might help your Profile stand out to publishers, but your linked blog and social media channels are the best way to show off your vibrant personality. Any kind of cohesive, thoughtful article that shows you can evaluate and articulately comment on a given issue will serve you well in authors and publishers eyes. Look through which Categories youve selected, check that your links are working, and reread your Bio. Join For Free! So that is 5 in one week. Netgalley is a site which is primarily used to get advance copies of books to industry figures so that they can take some action that will sell copies of a book when it comes out (like, writing a review that encourages people to buy books! NetGalley built its business on authors wanting early reviews to: a) solidify their books reputations, and b) help them stand out from the pack. Another wonderful post, Zuky And so helpful! As for Edelweiss while it does not have a ratio as such, its still not good overloading yourself with books, as youll struggle and might even have to join myState of the ARC meme or #ARCsAnonymous group to keep up with your stack. No matter what your member type is, chances are that you write book reviews that you publish outside of NetGalley. These roles include bookseller, educator, librarian, media, or reviewer; you can choose to provide more specific details as well. Home of the magic search button and endless book recommendations as well as discussions about tropes and characters, Author AMAs, book clubs, and more. If your bio makes your head swim with the numbers, 99% says its going to make the publicists head swim too! Taking on more titles than you can handle may cause you to miss deadlines and degrade your feedback ratio. Founded in 2008, NetGalley began gaining serious traction a few years later, buoyed by the rising tide of Goodreads and similar review sites. Ive only had done 2 read nows so far (busy with a class until next week) and one I DNFed already. what makes this blogger special? Im Evelina and I blog about books that made an impression on me. Everything you could possibly want to know about using NetGalley, youll find right here in this post. Now you can request books. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2010-2023 NetGalley LLC. . Utility! Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Sign In Your Bio can help to give publishers insight into your role and how you can best work with them. Ive had a NetGalley account for a bitso long since I got it that I had forgotten it! Librarians, booksellers, and educators: make sure to indicate if you are a member of any professional associations. Do you volunteer at your local library? This will help publishers to notice you when they are reviewing your requests, and to make sure you are a legitimate reviewer. But also don't do that BS marketing pitch fake sounding reviews.