Fiona Broome

Recently, a fellow author asked what I do when people ask me for a free, review, or autographed copy of one of my books.  This was my reply, with a few additions…

I know the dilemma of free/review copies.  These days, I’m lucky to receive two free copies of each book, myself.

Review copies

When asked, it’s not easy to say, “My publisher handles all of that,” but that’s what I do.

Sometimes, I follow-up with my publisher’s PR & marketing people, and recommend that they send a review copy.  With one publisher, that seems to be a black hole… I don’t think they’ve ever sent a review copy to anyone.  Others are wonderful, and — from the start — send marketing materials and review copies to everyone most likely to use them.

In general, if my publisher feels that it’s worth sending the person a free or review copy, great.  If not, I use my own judgment after consulting my current budget.

Sometimes, I send a review copy to the local newspaper if they’ll actually write an article about me — good publicity, that is — in an issue around Halloween.

I gauge that by offering them an interview with me, usually not at Halloween.  If they leap at that, I give them a review copy of the book during the interview.  I also offer to autograph it, on the spot.

On the other hand, if I get a vague, “We’ll keep you in mind…” reply from the newspaper, I don’t send them a review copy.  (And, quite often, they don’t contact me at Halloween, either.)

It may not be personal; keep that in mind.  A lot depends on the editor, and how they perceive their readership.  The religious profile of their subscribers can be a major factor in some areas.  (If they get a lot of letters to the editor, protesting Disney’s “Gay Day,” the paper probably won’t risk anything that portrays the ghost hunting field in a favorable light.)

I sometimes send review copies to people who are “sure things” in terms of reviews.  These days, I think most authors do the same.

And frankly, as someone who writes reviews — as Fiona and under a couple of pen names — I usually spend the day at the local bookstore’s cafe, browsing books.  There is a limit to how many books I want to stack on the floor of my home office!

Sure, a review copy of a good book can result in a more enthusiastic review.  After all, I’ve had more time to read the book.

But my point is: You can get good reviews without sending out review copies. (As a reviewer, I often prefer a digital [PDF] copy of the book, anyway.)

Friends and family

For friends and family, I shrug and say sincerely (and regretfully), “I don’t have free copies to hand out. I wish I did.”

If they just want to read the book, I have a couple of loaner copies… clearly marked as loaners, so there’s no misunderstanding.  (If this happens often enough, I’ll donate a copy of my book to the local public library, and refer people to them.)

Also, I sometimes have a special link I can offer them to buy the book at wholesale.  Again, there are exceptions, but authors just don’t make enough to give out books… not if they’re working with traditional publishers, that is.

I don’t know how much you’re earning with your writing.  Many of my traditionally-published books earn me about 25 cents each, when there’s a per-book royalty.   At some point, I may actually earn minimum wage for the research and writing that went into each one!

(If you do the math, you’ll see that you’re likely to earn more as an Amazon affiliate, promoting your own book, than you earn as the author.)

Autographing by mail

For someone who simply wants their copy autographed, I tell them to send me a copy of the book with a postage-paid, addressed, Priority Mail envelope.  When I return the copy, I usually add delivery confirmation, so I have proof that I returned the book to them.

But even then, I only offer to autograph books when I have the time to do so.  It’s not just waiting at the window to pick up the package, but signing it, repackaging it, driving back to the post office, and waiting at the window to ship it, too.   That can add up to an hour per book.

PR and marketing alternatives

For me, postcards and press releases are good PR for my books, and for me as a paranormal authority.  Around Halloween — which is when most of our books are likely to sell — I try to set up lots of media interviews.  I also talk (free) at public libraries, bookstores, and appear at Halloween-related events.

Be sure you have a website with a domain name that’s closely related to the title of your book.  Of course, you should have a website in your name (or pen name) anyway.

Offer supporting information about your book and your credentials as an author.  Make sure your websites are optimized so that search engines find you and list you near the top of page one for likely search phrases.

Also, carry book-related (and personal PR) postcards with you as much as you can.  You never know when you’ll have an opportunity to hand out a card, or even autograph it for a delighted fan.