Book Reviews And Social Media Tips With Best Damn Creative Writing Blog’s Cortnee Howard

There are a lot of great writing blogs out there and Best Damn Creative Writing Blog is one of the most info-packed around!

Cortnee Howard, editor of BDCWB, book-reviewer and one of the Top 50 African Americans in tech and social media comes on the show today to give us tips on how to get book reviews and use social media effectively.

In this video, you will learn:

• Why Cortnee started BDCWB and how the blog is a go-to resource for the publishing industry as well as giving news to writers and readers
• How Cortnee is a member of the National Book Critics Circle and mainly reviews literary fiction

• Tips for getting book reviews: Know your audience. Pick the right blog to approach, and don't discount the online reviews. Research the type of blog. Don't send the wrong genre to these places. Check the guidelines and policy for submission.

• Pick the bigger blogs and look at their blogrolls. As a reader, analyze where you find out about books. Some sites mentioned are: BDCWB, Large Hearted Boy, Nervous Breakdown, The Millions, Faster Times, BookSmuggler,
• If your book is well done as a self-published or indie book, it will still get reviews. Small presses are springing up as well.

• Pitching bloggers is certainly accessible to all. Pitching newspapers is better with a publicist as they have the contacts already.
• With a cover letter, keep it brief and professional. Remember to include contact details. Email first as preparation and be sure they accept the type of book.

• Top tips for social media. Pick the right social media for you. Don't do all of it. Just pick the one or two that suit you. Don't spam i.e. don't self-promote all the time. Engage with people, be bold and have fun. Be professional but also have a good time.

You can find Cortnee at TheBestDamnCreativeWritingBlog and also on twitter @ArtLifeFreedom