What is a Book Blog Tour?

Novelists are finding a new way to market their books. They are doing book blog tours. A book blog tour is one of the easiest ways to get your book more public exposure. You can reach hundreds of readers a day without leaving the comforts of your own home. They are especially perfect for the release date of a book, but they can be done at anytime.

All that needs to be done is a little homework. There are thousands of readers and writers who blog and read blogs. There are also several writing forums that boast a large follower base. Each blog and forum has its own circle of influence. If an author found a perfect path of key blogs to do a book tour, a crop of new readers would arise.

The following is an example of a key blog. This particular blogger writes Bible studies for her church of 6000 members. You can see her locally published Bible studies on the right side of her blog. She also provides a link to the church she attends. You find that she is on the leadership team of her women’s ministry. Moreover, she writes for several on line Christian writing forums. Each of the forums is listed under her associations. Lastly, she has a large follower list, and she has a lengthy blog roll that includes several other influential writers.

If this blogger would be willing to host your blog book tour on her blog, you could reach an unforeseen amount of new readers. One blog is an open door into new readers! Most bloggers would be happy to host a book tour. A book tour would add creativity to their blog, be of interest to the readers and make the publishing world seem that much closer to home. A book blog tour benefits everyone!

How do you do a book blog tour? Once you find the key blogs that you would like to tour, you can make the simple arrangements. Although the specifics may change with each particular blogger, a basic format can be followed.

1) Find your key blogs (go to writing forums, explore comments on high-traffic blogs, research on line book reviewers, etc.)

2) Arrange the blog tour date

3) Create 10-15 interview questions including the answers

4) Give a small synopsis of the author and book

5) Give clip art of the book and photo of author

6) Add a link to the author’s blog/web site

7) Have a signed book giveaway!

The signed book giveaway is very important. Every time bloggers comment on your book blog tour post, they get an entry into the giveaway. You can advertise the book giveaway on sites such as Tip Junkie. Allow the book blog tour post to stay on the blog for a week and then draw the winning entry for the book giveaway on the seventh day (you can find free random number generators online, like Random.org). The blogger sends the mailing address to the writer, and the writer mails the signed book to the winner. Never underestimate the power of a giveaway. Bloggers love them.

This is an easy way an author can promote a book, and the bloggers will have a ball hosting them!

*The winner of the signed copy of Wayback by Sam Batterman is Alicia over at Life's a Journey! Congratulations!



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