Back in April, at the conference of the American
Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA), I fell into conversation with Bryan
Kinney, a representative of BookLife, which is a still-newish enterprise of
Publishers Weekly. The intent, as he explained it, was to make it easier,
seamless, and more open for "indie authors" to submit books for
possible review. Since then, I asked a bunch of nosy questions of Adam Boretz,
who closely oversees BookLife, and provided me with the following answers.
Q: For BookLife,
how do you define "indie authors"? Different from self-published?
Inclusive of self-pub but also comprised of traditionally published by small
presses? Hybrid presses?
A: Indie authors are self-published authors. But as
the industry changes, I think definitions begin to change and there is a blurry
line between a very small press and an indie author. And then there are hybrid
authors and hybrid presses. Rather than get tied to a single definition, we try
to embrace the self-publishing/indie community in all its stripes and colors.
Q: What makes BookLife different from other venues
where self-published authors can pay for reviews and/or submit books at no
charge for possible review?
A: BookLife is about a lot more than reviews. And
while users can submit their self-published books for free Publishers Weekly
review consideration, they can also find a lot of great content at BookLife that
will guide them through the self-publishing process – from editing and book
design to distribution and marketing. Plus, writers can get in touch with
industry professionals on our Services Directory, sign up for PW Select, our
marketing program for indie authors, post excerpts from your book, and a whole
lot more.
Q: It looks like you have a deep well of resources
to point authors to if they are looking for additional ways to develop their
platform and/or market their books. Are any of those services owned and/or run
by Publishers Weekly and/or its parent company, PWxyzLLC? Does PW earn income
from those links, or from any business conducted through them?
A: BookLife is PW’s – and therefore PWxyz’s – website
dedicated to indie authors. So the entire is site is run by PW and much of the
editorial content you mention can also be found on publishersweekly.com. None
of the how-to stories or features or editorial content is an income generator
for PW or BookLife. And, of course, neither are reviews – which PW has never
sold.
The only thing PW offers for a fee is its marketing
program for self-published books, PW Select, which provides authors with an
announcement listing for their titles online and in the print edition of PW.
Additionally, there are some partnerships that offer authors paid services –
such as showcasing self-published books at trade shows. However anything that
constitutes a paid service is clearly marked as such – and the vast majority of
services and content on BookLife are free.
Q: How long (word length) are BookLife reviews? Or
does it vary by category?
A: All reviews on BoookLife are PW reviews. BookLife
is just the conduit by which authors can submit self-published titles for PW
review consideration. After submission, the review process at PW is the same
for any book – as is the length of the review, which is about 150 to 200 words.
Q: Who is doing the reviewing? Regular PW reviewers?
New staff / freelancers? For readers of this blog who are also book reviewers,
is there a process by which to apply? Are reviewers paid?
A: The same people reviewing the newest
traditionally published books for PW are reviewing self-published books for PW.
PW reviews are never bylined and are written by professional book reviewers,
many of whom have been writing for the magazine for years.
Q: Do authors
have a say in whether or not the reviews are put up on the site? (As pay-for-reviews
sites often offer.) If not, how exactly does it work? Once the book is
submitted, it's all up to BookLife editors?
A: Once a book is submitted, it is treated just like
any traditionally published book. So, if a book is selected for review it will published
on PW and BookLife regardless of how an author feels about his or her review.
We really wanted to the process to be the same for all books – traditionally
published or self-published – and the only real difference is the entry point for
submitting titles.
Q: I tried some of the "Buy" buttons, and
they went to Amazon. Does PW earn an affiliate commission from those sales?
A: We do
not earn affiliate commission on the buy buttons on BookLife. BookLife users
determine what URL their buy buttons point to; they do not default to
Amazon.
Q: Clicking on a book cover brings you not only to
the BookLife review, but to a page with links to other reviews/coverage for
that book, the author's website, etc. It seems like a hub authors can use as a
gateway to a fuller interaction for the reader. Do authors pay for that page? Or is that offered at no charge to authors
whose books are chosen for review?
A: That is free – any and all authors can create a
profile on BookLife for free and create what we call “project pages” for all
their books. The idea being that an author’s BookLife page can be used as a
tool for self-publishers to showcase their work, connect with other indie
authors, interface with social medial, and grow their readership.
Q: If an
author submits a book, and BookLife chooses not to review it, are they notified? How long does it take to hear back?
A: Throughout the review process – from submission
to the final outcome – authors are emailed with status updates. So you are
notified when we receive your book, you are notified if it is still being
considered, if it is accepted, and so on. We wanted this process to be as clear
as possible and make an effort to keep authors updated on the status of their
submissions.
Q: Is there a particular kind of book or author that
you think is best suited for BookLife?
A: We really feel that any and all indie authors
writing all types of books can get a lot out of BookLife. The site’s editorial
content is useful for authors writing, publishing, and marketing novels,
memoirs, kids’ books, comics, and everything in between. And, any type of book
can be submitted for free review consideration.
Q: Can you
point to any particular book/author now on BookLife, that is a good example of
how a BookLife review/experience can benefit the author's book?
A: Sure. We here from
authors all the time about how BookLife has helped their careers. One
particular author that comes to mind is Keith Wayne McCoy, the authorof The Travelers. He emailed us shortly after his
review ran to let us know that an agent called him asking for information
about film rights for the book after reading the review. This is why we do BookLife.
Images: Megaphone -- Flickr/Creative Commons, Paul Brigham; Book pile -- Flickr/Creative Commons, 72006245@N05. Others courtesy BookLife.
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