{"id":15000,"date":"2017-02-27T15:32:06","date_gmt":"2017-02-27T20:32:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lisatener.local\/?p=15000"},"modified":"2024-09-30T08:58:31","modified_gmt":"2024-09-30T12:58:31","slug":"book-launch-tips-get-bestselling-author-write-foreword-blurbs-amazon-reviews","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jodieburdette.net\/lisatener\/2017\/02\/book-launch-tips-get-bestselling-author-write-foreword-blurbs-amazon-reviews\/","title":{"rendered":"Book Launch Tips: How to Get a Bestselling Author to Write a Foreword, Blurbs and Amazon Reviews"},"content":{"rendered":"

“How Do I\u00a0Get a Bestselling Author to Write a Foreword to My Book?”<\/h2>\n
\"book
Your Book Writing Coach<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I hear this question often–and it’s a good one. A foreword by a bestselling author can help catapult your book to success on Amazon because Amazon views that foreword writer as another author. When people search for the bestselling author who wrote your foreword, your book will come up in the search! Wow, right?<\/p>\n

Recently, a\u00a0writer in my Bring Your Book to Life\u00ae Program<\/strong> asked how she can approach the bestselling author of her choice to write her foreword.<\/p>\n

Problem? She doesn’t know him. Isn’t part of his community. Yet.<\/p>\n

Solution?<\/p>\n

You guessed it: Become part of his community first.<\/p>\n

Okay, how?<\/p>\n

7 Tips to\u00a0Get a Bestselling Author to Write a Foreword to a\u00a0Book<\/h2>\n

First Get Social\u00a0and Contribute to the Hoped-for Foreword Writer:<\/h3>\n
    \n
  1. \"fiveWrite excellent reviews for his books on Amazon and Goodreads. <\/strong>You should only be asking an author you can comfortably and honestly give five stars to. Give those stars. And make the review specific and unique.<\/li>\n
  2. Read her blog or Facebook page posts and comment in a meaningful way.<\/strong> Add to the discussion. Express your opinion. Or share how a specific bit of advice in the post was especially helpful to you.<\/li>\n
  3. Share her blog posts, tweets or updates regularly<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
  4. Get bolder; share your resources.<\/strong> Once you have contributed to the discussion a few times, if it’s appropriate, you can start to share a link to a relevant blog post of your own in response to one of his posts.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Now, Get Closer<\/h3>\n

    \"book5. Is she doing a book signing or workshop? Go!<\/strong> If there’s a VIP version where you can join the author in a smaller group for lunch or mingling, splurge and go for the intimate event. Get in line for your signed copy of the book and, when it’s your turn, you can mention a way in which the author’s book made a difference for you. Follow that with the fact that you are writing a book of your own. Feel the author out, it may be appropriate to ask if the author would consider looking at a sample chapter or two and contributing a blurb. If you’ve done steps 1-3 you are much more likely to get a yes.<\/p>\n

    6. Reach out to your networks, friends and colleagues alike.<\/strong> Let everyone you know you are hoping for a blurb from this favorite author \/ celebrity \/ expert in your field. Ask who knows her. The more you spread the word, the more likely you are to find a connection who may be willing to introduce you.<\/p>\n

    7. Reach out by email.<\/strong> It’s fine to reach out by email, social media or a comment form on the author’s blog. However, do your legwork above first and you are far more likely to get a “yes.”<\/p>\n

    <\/h2>\n

    Foreword, Blurbs and Amazon Reviews<\/h1>\n

    \"authorMeet Dr. Ellen Moyer<\/h2>\n

    I first met Dr. Moyer years ago when she took a class of mine on jump starting your how-to book. \u00a0Since then, we’ve stayed in touch. I’ve offered advice from time to time, shared her excellent environmental blog posts and enjoyed seeing her grow as a writer.<\/p>\n

    Now, Dr. Moyer is a published author and I am so enjoying her\u00a0book\u00a0 Our Earth, Our Species, Our Selves: How to Thrive While Creating a Sustainable World<\/a>\u00a0<\/em>which does an excellent job of making sustainability do-able and even enjoyable.<\/p>\n

    I was struck by what a great job she did in getting support as she launched the book. She has an excellent foreword by a bestselling author,7 blurbs by other bestselling authors and thought leaders in several fields from ecology to health to self-help. She also has\u00a0over 30 reviews on Amazon (almost all 5 star) — a big plus in selling books and being shown to more people (because of Amazon’s algorithm).<\/p>\n

    I originally asked her for just a few points of advice for another article on book launch tips, but Ellen had so much excellent, detailed advice that I invited her to write a guest post for my readers on asking a bestselling author to write a foreword for your book, how to ask bestelling authors and celebrities for blurbs and how to get 5-star Amazon reviews.<\/p>\n

    Take it Away Ellen<\/h2>\n

    \"bookSuccessfully launching my third book, Our Earth, Our Species, Our Selves: How to Thrive While Creating a Sustainable World<\/em><\/a>, depended on enlisting about 45 people to read advance review copies and write about my book in time for launching the book on Amazon.<\/p>\n

    This resulted in 1 foreword, 7 endorsements, and about 20 Amazon customer reviews around launch time (with more trickling later). Owing to these contributions, Amazon quickly declared my book to be the #1 Hot New Release in three categories (Nature Conservation, Green Business, and Environmentalism), which helped build momentum.<\/p>\n

    I offer the following tips for obtaining forewords, including details I wish I had known ahead of time. (Some of these tips are also pertinent to obtaining endorsements from well-known people.) I encourage you to read Mark Hyman, M.D.\u2019s foreword to my book on Amazon<\/a> (click on the Kindle button at the top of the page and then click on \u201cLook Inside\u201d above the cover image.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n