Important:Newspapers are also good possibilities for book reviews, especially those in the author's geographic area. An extensive list of larger daily papers is available at BookMarket.com.

Many more potential outlets may be found on extensive lists of media available at the following web locations:

http://www.newpages.com/NPGuides/reviews.htm

http://www.clmp.org/resources/media.html

Paid Reviews

If you are willing to pay a $295 fee, you may want to consider ForeWord Reviews:

http://www.forewordreviews.com/Publisher

While a standard review is certainly preferable, the publisher of ForeWord points out:

"Librarians, in particular, have rallied our cause and are probably the audience in most need of an review mechanism they trust. This was illustrated again and again in the sessions we attended and expressed by visitors to our booth at the recent ALA in San Francisco. They are hard pressed to find good reviews of titles with subject matters including African American themes, Wicca, Gay-Lesbian-Transgender, Home Improvement, Martial Arts, Women's issues, poetry and first fiction. The notion that a fee would be paid by the publisher for the review did not sway them one iota on the issue of validity, particularly because ForeWord was a name they trusted."

Some POD publishers may have "affiliate" programs with ForeWord, where they receive part of the fee. UP does not. We bring the service to your attention simply to give you more options.

Again, we recommend pursuing all sources of free publicity first, but your needs may vary, depending on your specific situation. Use your judgement to determine the best route for your book(s).

Other Outlets

Send presentation copies to VIPs. A great way to increase demand is to get the book talked about by the right people. This group could include just a few influential people you know personally, or hundreds of public figures who have an interest related to the book. A positive quote from a celebrity can be helpful in future promotions, when the eyes of readers are drawn to a name they recognize.

Book clubs. Send copies to the major clubs, such as Book of the Month and Literary Guild, and others specializing in the book's field. See Literary Market Place for a list: http://www.literarymarketplace.com.

Next, get the complete list of book promotion mailing lists from Dan Poynter's Para Publishing site. In addition to many categories of specialized magazines (from agriculture to youth), they have 360 book review magazines and 110 freelance book reviewers.

Then there are 1,325 radio and 479 TV talk shows, over 1,800 newspapers with book review columns, more than 1,500 independent bookstores, 713 catalogs that carry books and much, much more. Lists are available on pressure sensitive labels, ready to peel and stick. To get the very latest list, visit Para Publishing and see the section on Book Promotion: http://www.ParaPublishing.com.

Conclusion

Book reviews and other media coverage are better than advertising. Your efforts to gain exposure for the book should focus on these free outlets for publicity.

Time is of the essence. Review copies should be sent out as soon as possible. Reviewers like new books. Books are copyright dated so it is easy to tell when they are not new. Equally important, many of your initial sales may come from these reviews.

Building a successful book promotion program is like building a house -- you must begin with a firm foundation. Your foundation consists of getting your book into broad distribution, so that it is widely available to the public. Then begin your promotion efforts. Do not start promoting your book before it is widely available to order from bookstores. Then cover all the bases: news releases, book reviews (as summarized above), advertising if appropriate, online promotion and other methods.

Publishing a book without promotion is pointless. Books don’t sell themselves. Sadly, many authors who self-publish spend years writing -- then quit as soon as the book is ready for distribution. This almost always produces disappointing results. If you are serious about reaching a broad audience, you must be commited to promoting actively and consistently over time.

Don’t rely exclusively on others to promote your book, even if you are confident of their abilities. Using a professional publicist, or a company that provides promotional services is fine … but these are not substitutes for your own involvement.

Remember that promoting a book is a process, not a one-time event. Even if you mount a major media blitz upon publication, you must continue to promote your book proactively and consistently in the months -- or years -- that follow. In the 21st century, authors and publishers will be able to reach readers around the world much more directly than ever before possible. You can be one of them.

The UPside:
startup costs are minimal;
little economic risk is required;
UP provides top quality technical work;
appearance of books is surprisingly attractive;
most titles can be in circulation within 4 months;
broad distribution and initial promotion are included!

Please click HERE to request more information.