The wonderful world of book bloggers and how I evaluate blogs as an agent

Don’t y’all just love book blogs? I do! I add books to my to-be-read list based on what bloggers say. I forward links to my clients when one of their novels is reviewed. I read blog comments to see what’s hot. Book blogs drive buzz and sales and excitement and they help promote reading (which is always a great thing). I grew up a reader, but back then (think dinosaur age), books were recommended by teachers, librarians and occasionally by friends. Today, I can compare notes with other readers via book blogs and be part of a big online world of people who love books.

As an agent, how do I evaluate book blogs and how do I use them?

One of the main ways I leverage book bloggers in my job is by sending out Advanced Reader Copies of my clients’ books. Yes I do this. Is it a conflict of interest? No. I’m not trying to “drive business” – I’m just trying to connect books to reviewers. When submitting, I always follow the blog’s submission guidelines and then it’s up to the blogger to review or not and to be positive or negative. I try to provide opportunities for my clients and their books – I don’t try to censor what becomes of those opportunities. By the way, yes – our publishing houses also send out ARCs for review, but you never know who I know that they don’t.

Another way I use book bloggers is by reading their reviews. I want to know what readers think – particularly about books in genres that I represent (young adult & middle grade, romance and science fiction & fantasy). The reviews and the comments on those reviews help me understand the market from a reader’s perspective.

Do I comment on book blogs? Yes I do. I know this has been a hot topic lately and I’m sure that different agents approach this question in different ways. My personal philosophy is that I never comment in a negative way on any book or on any review. Sure, I’ve read books that I don’t love – no one will ever know what those books are. And, I’ve read reviews with which I disagree. I simply nod my head and move along. When I do love something, though, I tend to reach out to the author or to the blogger with a positive comment. Publishing is thankless more often than not and “nice work” goes a long way.

How do I evaluate a book blog? This is the checklist I use when adding a blog to my hot reading list:

- Do I read the blog and enjoy the writer’s comments and style?
- Are the submissions guidelines posted clearly?
- Is the overall layout of the blog professional and engaging?
- How regularly does the blogger post (I like blogs that post 3-4 times a week. I don’t read anything every day, but I also forget about the ones that only post once a week)
- Is the blogger on twitter? Many times I follow bloggers on twitter and their tweets remind me to read today’s post. I personally like this kind of cross-promotion.
- What is the selection of books reviewed? For me personally, I prefer blogs that review some big names AND some smaller releases. So, a blog that reviews the same 10 books that I’m seeing on the NYTimes Bestseller list is a “meh” for me whereas a blogger who takes chances on some “quieter” titles tends to be more my style. I look for the review list to include books from big press and small press and books from big authors and debut authors.
- For me to actually submit an ARC, I make sure the blogger has some sort of disclaimer clearly listed. This disclaimer should say in a pretty direct way “I receive books from publishing houses and review them fairly and for no compensation.”
- I personally love blogs that host a variety of content – reviews, author interviews, guest blog posts.
- Surprisingly, book giveaways don’t do much for me. I know they are very popular so I would never suggest removing them. It’s just that giveaways sometimes make me feel that commenters are more interested in trying to get free books than they are in initiating discussion.
- Does number of comments matter to me? Sure – I love to see a ton of comments on a blogger’s post. To me that means the community at this blog is active and engaged.

So, if you ARE a book blogger, I hope this helps illuminate how your blog can be evaluated. If you are a writer and/or reader, I hope this helps explain how book bloggers can advance your craft and your career. Network with these people when you can – book blogs have proven to be an innovative and important way to promote literature!

For the record, here are some of the book blogs I adore:

For romance novel reviews:
USA Today’s new Happily Ever After blog
http://books.usatoday.com/happyeverafter/index

Smart Bitches Trashy Books
http://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/

Dear Author
http://dearauthor.com/

Ramblings from this Chick
http://ramblingsfromthischick.blogspot.com/

Romancing Rakes
http://romancingrakes.blogspot.com/

Smexy Books
http://www.smexybooks.com/

For young adult novel reviews:
The Hiding Spot
http://thehidingspot.blogspot.com/

The Story Siren
http://www.thestorysiren.com/

A Book and a Latte
http://bookandlatte.blogspot.com/

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So, do you blog?  What are you doing and what will you start doing to address the points discussed by Sara?

On Friday, Handsome Hansel joins us to give us a mans eye view of the world of romance.

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And for one lucky commenter, Sara is giving away a copy of FIRELIGHT by Kristen Callihan.

BOOK 1 IN THE DARKEST LONDON SERIES

Once the flames are ignited . . .

Miranda Ellis is a woman tormented. Plagued since birth by a strange and powerful gift, she has spent her entire life struggling to control her exceptional abilities. Yet one innocent but irreversible mistake has left her family’s fortune decimated and forced her to wed London’s most nefarious nobleman.

They will burn for eternity . . .

Lord Benjamin Archer is no ordinary man. Doomed to hide his disfigured face behind masks, Archer knows it’s selfish to take Miranda as his bride. Yet he can’t help being drawn to the flame-haired beauty whose touch sparks a passion he hasn’t felt in a lifetime. When Archer is accused of a series of gruesome murders, he gives in to the beastly nature he has fought so hard to hide from the world. But the curse that haunts him cannot be denied. Now, to save his soul, Miranda will enter a world of dark magic and darker intrigue. For only she can see the man hiding behind the mask.

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Bio: Sara Megibow, Associate Literary Agent
Nelson Literary Agency, LLC

Sara has worked at the Nelson Literary Agency since 2006. As the Associate Literary Agent, Sara is actively acquiring new clients! The Nelson Literary Agency specializes in representing all genres of romance (except inspirational or category), young adult fiction of all subgenres, science fiction/ fantasy and commercial fiction (including women’s fiction and chick lit). Sara is an avid romance reader and a rabid fan girl of super sexy and intelligent stories.

Nelson Literary Agency is a member of AAR, RWA, SFWA and SCBWI. Please visit our website http://http://www.nelsonagency.com/for submission guidelines, FAQs, resources and sample query letters. Sara’s Publisher’s Marketplace site (www.publishersmarketplace.com/members/SaraMegibow) is a great place to find more about her personal tastes, clients and recent sales. You can also cyber stalk Sara on twitter @SaraMegibowHow an agent chooses what books to read.

What do query critiques, blogs, and men fumbling through romance on Valentine’s Day? This week’s fabulous lectures! Join us for an enlightening and entertaining line-up of Visiting Professors.

Mon, 2/6 – Monthly columnist C.J. Redwine returns with a critique of a reader submitted query letter. Join C.J. as she celebrates the release of her query book and kicks off QUERY PALOOZA! http://cjredwine.blogspot.com

Wed, 2/8 – RU columnist and agent Sara Megibow shares her thoughts on blogs. Are they an effective tool in an agent’s toolbox? http://www.nelsonagency.com

Fri, 2/10 – Handsome Hansel’s humorous take on the trials, tribulations and occasional triumphs men experience while attempting to pull-off romance (with some form of sincerity) on Valentine’s Day. It seems most men still don’t have it figured out. http://thedanceofromanceonline.com/

All Romance University lectures are generously provided by our Visiting Professors. RU is a tuition-free zone!
All our best,
Tracey Devlyn, Jennifer Tanner, Becke Martin-Davis, Kelsey Browning, Adrienne Giordano, Robin Covington, and Carrie Spencer

Today’s visiting professor is well known among the romance community because she truly cares for and champions this genre. Michelle Buonfiglio is best known for founding Romance B(u)y the Book and her romance blog on the Barnes and Noble site. We are delighted Michelle was willing to share her incredible knowledge about the online world with our readers.

Good morning, Michelle!

Thanks, Kelsey, for allowing me to visit today, and to learn along with the rest of your RU students.   

Kelsey: Lately, I’ve seen advertisements for media liability insurance. What is MLI and should authors take out this type of insurance?

Michelle: Now, this’ll sound like a commercial off the bat, but whether you’re a blogger, site operator or author, discuss the need for media liability insurance (MLI) with your attorney. Please don’t make a decision based upon my info/opinions.  Now, the quick/dirty. MLI started out as what it sounds like: policies purchased by traditional broadcast/print media companies to protect them/their employees, etc., against legal allegations which include, but aren’t limited to, libel, copyright infringement, defamation of character, erroneous/under-reporting, or info dissemination that leads to financial loss.  

With the advent of new media – for our purposes, digital forms of networked communications for info sharing like blogs, websites, social media platforms – MLI has become even more important. Wildly simplified for sake of space, this increases the potential number of online viewers of digitized trad media publications who could bring suit.  Large-scale new media companies need MLI because of this potential. 

Now, you’re a blogger with a small book-talk site, for example.  Do you need MLI?  Probably not, especially if your M.O. is writing your opinion about books, the industry, etc., and you’re sticking to facts and your creative, subjective thoughts. However, if you decide you want to brand yourself as the Perez Hilton of romance commentators, for instance, and choose to create content that regularly includes commentary which might be viewed as arbitrary, in which you play fast/loose with facts about authors’ success or, heaven forbid, launch what seems like a campaign to discredit an author/book, you might consider MLI.  Just because nobody’s taken a rom blogger to task for something like this, doesn’t mean they won’t.  Do I suggest you should rush to score MLI just in case that happens? Nah. But it might not be a bad idea to give your attorney a ring, or get yourself one to talk to about it.

Should authors buy MLI?  Pubbed authors should check contracts and w/publishers to see what they cover in terms of copyright infringement, IP challenges, etc.  Then, if you’re driven to blog about or lay down commentary for posterity that could fall into the latter area of the last graph, have a chat with your attorney.  You’re a businessperson in the public eye and will want to protect yourself. But the best way to protect one’s self is to make decisions as part of your marketing plan about what kind of commentary you’re going to produce online, and get right with in advance what you’re prepared for in response to any piece of info you publish online.  If you think you may need to prep for suit based on your comments, you might want to decide whether it’s worth it, and whether that kind of commentary will further your career as a writer.

Kelsey: Do you recommend that authors maintain separate personal and professional presences? For example, on Facebook, Twitter, etc.?

Michelle: I’d suggest yes, but it depends on your goals, how much time you spend banging on social media, and how strongly you try to separate your personal and professional lives.  First, if you’re using social media as part of a marketing strategy for your career, then you probably should be thinking, well, strategy, as in: How do I want potential and current readers/industry professionals/colleagues who want to be my friends/tweeps, etc. to see the brand that is me? And what do I want them to know about me?

In that case, you’ll probably want to gather and accept into your community folks who are likely consumers of your product, who understand or will enjoy how you see the world, and are comfortable with the information you’re going to disseminate.  Whether you’re an author of Christian novels or erotic romance, ‘know your audience’ is a better phrase to keep in mind than ‘Can’t wait ‘til I have 2,000 friends!’  Through response to what you’re posting, you’ll figure out what the community expects from you, whether it’s down-home quips, direction toward content you produce or something else that engages them.  There is no hard/fast rule on this, despite the latest survey you may read.

If you simply adore spending time communicating via social media and feel you’re killing two birds, etc., then combining personal/professional contacts may work for you.  If you don’t care whether your editor/potential editor/publicist/agent knows that your sister is pissed off at your mom, by all means, invite your family into your community.  And, yeah, your readers will enjoy every bit as much as you do those photos of you from high school posted by that best friend you haven’t heard from in 25 years.    

Kelsey: Should pre-published authors try to incorporate a “brand” into their online presence? What if s/he is still developing that brand?

Michelle: Absolutely. But again, what’s the initial strategy?  She’s not published yet, but she wants to take advantage of the community of industry folks who gather online, who read blogs and participate in social media.  And she wants to forge relationships with potential consumers and connected super-readers.  I’ve seen many women move to published status with a small fan base in place because of “smart” time spent online.

Any author’s name is her brand, and her brand is her business.  While I’m a believer in vigorous promotion, I’m not fond of gilding the lily, so I want to see an unpublished author’s site be clear about the fact that she’s “on her way up.”  The goal of developing a pre-pubbed brand is to build excitement about your talent and potential, and to encourage folks to come along for the ride – the “I knew her when” reward.  

Kelsey: What’s the best use of an author’s time and effort when it comes to online presence/promotion?

Michelle: I think the lion’s share of an author’s time should be spent writing a great book.  That said, hanging online can be fun, inspiring, educational… It also can suck time, distract and – perhaps worst for many writers – be terribly ego-debilitating. Have a plan re how much time you’ll devote to online brand building and where/why you’ll spend it.  Create your discrete brand presence by slapping up a free/inexpensive, self-maintained blog or site.  If you do nothing else to promote online, you must do this.  Make sure it has your contact info and book-purchasing info.   Then, observe various online communities and find a few to become part of daily.  Do not believe for a second that all authors who are everywhere on the web are dynamos of successful promotion; they just spend a lot of time online.  Successful online promotion is concentrated, methodical and should energize you and your work, rather than sap your energy.

Kelsey: Do you recommend authors develop relationships with certain online “personalities” (such as you or others)?

Michelle: I can only speak for myself and say, sure. I’ve been pleased to watch women who became RBTB community members four years ago move into published status, and impressed to see some of them move easily back/forth between roles as author and community friend.  I’m always happy to make professional connections with authors at any career point, and jazzed when I can give somebody ink for a great book I might not have known about if they hadn’t reached out.  But here’s something good to remember: It’s important not to treat any blogger or member of the media – no matter how large or small the blog/site – as if they’re your flack or promo secretary.  And certainly understand most of us in the media don’t for a second believe you’re our new best friend; be honest about the relationship you want to develop, and try to offer symbiotic support in return for what we’re fronting  you.  If appropriate, friendly relationships develop in the process, that’s icing.

Kelsey: We often hear that what “goes on the ‘net, stays on the ‘net.” What can authors do to keep themselves out of hot water online?

Michelle:  Seems some folks don’t want to accept the reality of the indelible digital. You simply can’t retract once you publish online. For example, I recently hired an editor who googled me before our interview not only to see what I’d written on the record, but what’s been written about me. It’s all there, ad infinitum.

How do you want your current/potential readers, editors, agents and the publishing community to see you as a commenter and commentator? Do you care? Can you afford not to?  Think about that when you plan your professional online presence, because I assure you most everybody in the industry reads blogs and facebook and tweets, etc.  You want to stay out of hot water?  I believe most everyone knows in her heart when she’s heading there and must decide whether she wants to be “heard” in the moment – or to write and sell books. Step back and accept that your online presence furthers your career most when you stick to the business at hand – building your brand and professional persona. 

Kelsey: What should authors do if they find themselves in trouble with something they’ve done or said online?

Michelle: Depends on what you mean by trouble.  If someone’s threatened or brought suit against an author because of something she’s written online, the best first step – before making any comments on- or offline to anyone — is to consult an attorney, preferably one who specializes in new media.

If “trouble” comes in the form of hoards of villagers at the gate demanding you respond to their anger over something you responsibly blogged or commented about, I suggest sitting by the fire with a favorite re-read until they go home or their rush torches burn out.  That said, some folks feel their voices are silenced if they don’t fight back or at least make a statement, and they should do so, understanding they’ll sustain the drama and may end up feeling frustrated. I believe greater power is shown and retained when one chooses not to respond and simply finds the courage to stand by one’s opinions.

My best advice: As with all online communication done in your professional persona, understand your goals for communicating online before you begin, or go further.  Put the pencil to paper and sketch out ideas about whom you want to communicate with and, especially flippin’ important, why.  Plan how deeply you’ll delve into  your personal opinions at your site/blog/s and others’ site/blog/s concerning hot-topic issues like criticizing your fellow authors’ work, politics, industry dilemmas, etc. – and how much you want to encourage others to do so.  Decide whether you’re spending time online in your persona for entertainment or branding, because the latter can be fun, but it’s really about business: If you work it right, everyone will want to get right in yours, and have a great time doing it.

Michelle, we appreciate the time and effort you spend promoting romance authors, in addition to your useful advice on how to develop and maintain a professional online presence!

RU crew, do you have questions for Michelle about the dos and don’ts of blogs, websites or social networking?

Michelle’s Bio:

Michelle Buonfiglio created and writes BN.com’s “Heart to Heart” romance blog, and contributes weekly to BN.com’s genre-fiction blog, “Unabashedly Bookish.”  She’s a nationally recognized columnist and advocate for the romance fiction genre, its authors and readers.  Since 2005, she’s worked to “define, not defend” romance by bringing it before the broadest audiences possible, syndicating her features at 80+ TV websites like WNBC.com, and Lifetime TV’s myLifetime. A summa cum laude grad in Writing/Fine Arts – as well as a former Miss PA and Top Ten Miss America finalist – Michelle draws on her diverse life experiences in her work, especially as the founder and creative force behind RomanceBuyTheBook.com.

Therese Walsh, an upcoming RU visiting professor, is organizing a mass blogging on family and relationships.  Here are the details:

Therese Walsh’s first novel, The Last Will of Moira Leahy, is about a mysterious journey that helps a woman learn more about herself and her twin, who died when they were teenagers. The Muffin is organizing a mass blogging to celebrate its release on Oct. 13. Therese will be at the Muffin blogging about family relationships, and she’d like some buddies writing on their blogs about family relationships that same day. You can write about anything from tracing your family history to the family feud between your mom and Aunt Martha to planning activities that bring your children closer together. Use your imagination! Contact Jodi at jodi@wow-womenonwriting.com if you’d like to participate and we’ll include you on the list of Therese’s Blogging Buddies running on the Muffin on Oct. 13. Come blog with us!

When bloggers sign up, Jodi will send them a small piece to post on Oct. 13.