64 Book Bloggers Who Work With Indie Authors

64 Book Bloggers Who Work With Indie Authors

Jo Linsdell   07:00:00

Book bloggers are awesome. These literary lovers help spread the word about the books they read. They spend time crafting book reviews, taking photo's featuring the book covers, and sharing on social media. 

You might also like: 60 Blog Post Ideas for Book Bloggers

Book bloggers are an authors best friend. They are a promotional powerhouse for books, as not only do they go above and beyond to talk about the books they read, but their audiences are listening to them for that purpose. Their followers go to them for reading recommendations, and suggestions. They turn to them for inspiration when they're in a reading slump, and use them to keep up on news of new releases. 

Book bloggers bring authors to their target audience.

This is great news for all authors, regardless of how they are published. Even big name publishers send out review copies and ARC's to book bloggers as part of their book marketing plan.

For authors who self publish it can be hard to create a buzz about their new release. They generally can't afford huge promotional campaigns and advertising. This is why finding book bloggers who support indie authors is like hitting gold.

Well, today I'm saving you the time of searching. 

I reached out to the book blogging community on Twitter (which is awesome too by the way), and all these wonderful bloggers said they are happy to work with indie authors. 

Pretty awesome right?!

Book Bloggers Who Work With Indie Authors:

1. https://motifbytanya.com/
2. http://www.literallyblack.com
3. http://www.thisgirlreadsalot.blogspot.com
4. https://cafethinking.com/
5. https://independentbookreview.com/
6. https://philleader.blogspot.com/
7. https://www.ericarobynreads.com/
8. https://hidingbehindbooksblog.wordpress.com/
9. http://www.narratess.com/
10. https://ignoringlifeblog.blogspot.com/
11. http://www.boundtowriting.com/
12. http://www.literaryedits.com/blog/
13. http://www.theressomethingaboutkm.com/
14. https://lovelyaudiobooks.info/ (only audiobooks)
15. https://reviewsbyleeve.wordpress.com/
16. https://laurenbodiford123.wordpress.com/
17. https://entertaininglynerdy.com/
18. https://catsluvcoffeez.blogspot.com/
19. https://irresponsiblereader.com/
20. https://savvythebookroyal.wordpress.com/
21. https://comfycozyup.com/
22. https://thecaffeinatedreader.com/
23. https://lilisblissfulpages.wordpress.com/
24. https://lovebooksgroup.com/
25. https://orlando-books.blog/
26. http://stephloves.co.uk/
27. https://abookhavenx.wordpress.com/
28. https://www.bookinggoodread.com/
29. https://manisbookcornerblog.wordpress.com/
30. https://bookishfaereviews.wordpress.com/
31. http://www.msjmentions.com/
32. https://inkishkingdoms.wordpress.com/
33. https://moonlightpages.wordpress.com/
34. https://tashasbookishworld.wordpress.com/
35. http://a-novel-idea.co.uk/
36. https://barbarabilsky.wixsite.com/blog
37. https://bookcoffeehappy.com/
38. https://bibookishbabe23.wordpress.com/
39. https://booksandbindings.com/
40. https://blog.kristenburns.com/
41. https://www.amybucklesbookshelf.co.uk/
42. https://www.bloglovin.com/@weekendreader
43. https://areadingbrit.co.uk/
44. https://aramblingreviewer.wordpress.com/
45. https://whisperingstories.com/
46. https://acatabookandacupoftea.wordpress.com/
47. https://thebigfatbookworm.wordpress.com/
48. https://www.proseoflife.com/
49. https://anewlookonbooks.com/blog/
50. https://emmaschapter.wordpress.com/
51. https://moonkestrelblog.wordpress.com/
52. https://ashesbooksandbobs.com/
53. http://zooloosbookdiary.co.uk/
54. https://bookathonblog.wordpress.com/
55. https://bookishstateofmind.com/
56. https://sarahjanelamb.co.uk/
57. https://beforewegoblog.com/
58. https://behindthesebrowneyes.com/
59. http://www.athinsliceofanxiety.com/
60. https://mylifewithinthepages.com/
61. https://elgeewrites.com/
62. http://www.booksandme.co.uk/
63. https://thebookishfairy.com/
64. http://entangledwords.in/

And now for a bonus! 

I always like to give you a little something extra so here's some book lovers who review indie authors on their YouTube channels:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuSesVh76ms_5-AKO2Bp_wA

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNTmgDRRFoeRLSq5l97T97Q

You might also like: 108 Book Blogs to Follow

Are you self publishing your book and want to discuss book marketing ideas? 

Get in touch to schedule your virtual coaching session

Tips for a Successful Brand Photo Shoot

Tips for a Successful Brand Photo Shoot

Jo Linsdell   11:49:00

I relaunched this website in April 2019 with a brand new website design. Whilst I was planning for this I decided it was a good time to update by brand files and do some new brand photo shoots.

You might also like: Exploring CTA's: Different Types of Calls To Action To Use in Your Blog Posts

What is a branding photo shoot?

A branding photo session is a strategically planned photo shoot.

Why doing a brand photo shoot is a good idea

By doing a brand photo shoot it means you have a supply of professional looking, on brand, images you can use whenever you need one.

Pre-Photo Shoot

• Do an audit of what kinds of shots you need and for what purpose. Where do you what to use the photo's? Do you need any specific shoots?
• Select your outfit(s). What you wear gives an idea about your brand and personality. Do you want a smart, professional look? or is your brand more friendly and relaxed? What colours look best on you? What colours fit best with your branding?
• Practice your poses. If you're not used to having your photo taken, or feel shy about getting in front of the camera it's a good idea to experiment with some poses beforehand. 
• Be well rested.

Behind the scenes of my brand photo shoot

For my brand photo shoot I decided I would do one photo shoot inside, and another outdoors. 

I'm a frugal gal and, as I used to do modeling when I was younger, I opted to DIY my brand photo shoot with the help of my sons. If you don't have experience in photography or modeling, you might want to consider hiring a professional photographer to take the pictures for you. 

Indoor Photo Shoot

The indoors photo shoot was the most simple to do as I could do it from home. All I needed was my smartphone and my tripod. It also meant that I had plenty of props handy, and outfit changes were easy. 

It's a good idea to take a mix of close ups and some wider shoots. 

The great thing about doing wider shoots is that it means you can create multiple images from the same photo.

This is the same photo from above just positioned differently. In this one I zoomed in closer and used the right side of the wider photo.

You can achieve even more options by adding different filters to the same photo. 

Outdoor Photo Shoot

I'm lucky enough to live in Rome, Italy, and so have a wide variety of amazing backdrops to pick from for the location on my outdoors photo shoot. I decided on the Colosseum as it's probably the first landmark that comes to mind when thinking of Rome, or even Italy for that matter. 

Having the landmark in the background immediately let's people know where I'm based. 

I wanted some more neutral shoots too though. Luckily nearby there's a park with plenty of areas for taking photo's. 

What made this photo shoot extra fun was that my photographers were my kids. I have a good idea of what kinds of angles work best, but I decided to let them tell me how to pose for some of the shoots. They also helped suggest places we could try shooting.

I came home with loads of photo's. Some from a distance, some up close. Not all were perfect shoots but they don't need to be. 

Then there's the option of editing the photo's to get even more choices for my portfolio. For example, just changing the setting to black and white gives a different look and feel to a photo. 

Each photo can also be sized and edited according to the purpose you want to use it for. 

A few places your brand photos might show up:

1. Website
2. Blog posts
3. Social media
4. Sales pages
5. Newsletter
6. Online courses
7. business cards
8. e-books or or other digital products
9. guest blogs and features
10. podcast promos

Have you done a brand photo shoot? What locations did you use?

You might also like: 60 Blog Post Ideas For Book Bloggers

Need help building your brand and setting goals?

Book Your Virtual Coaching Session Now

Book Review: The Printed Letter Bookshop by Katherine Reay

Book Review: The Printed Letter Bookshop by Katherine Reay

Jo Linsdell   07:00:00

My thoughts about The Printed Letter Bookshop by Katherine Reay

Disclosure: I got sent a free copy of this book by the publisher via Net Galley.

Love, friendship, and family find a home at the Printed Letter Bookshop

One of Madeline Cullen's happiest childhood memories is of working with her Aunt Maddie in the quaint and cozy Printed Letter Bookshop. But by the time Madeline inherits the shop nearly twenty years later, family troubles and her own bitter losses have hardened Madeline's heart toward her once-treasured aunt-and the now struggling bookshop left in her care.

While Madeline intends to sell the shop as quickly as possible, the Printed Letter's two employees have other ideas. Reeling from a recent divorce, Janet finds sanctuary within the books and within the decadent window displays she creates. Claire, though quieter than the acerbic Janet, feels equally drawn to the daily rhythms of the shop and its loyal clientele, finding a renewed purpose within its walls. When Madeline's professional life takes an unexpected turn, and when a handsome gardener upends all her preconceived notions, she questions her plans and her heart. She begins to envision a new path for herself and for her aunt's beloved shop-provided the women's best combined efforts are not too little, too late.

The Printed Letter Bookshop is a captivating story of good books, a testament to the beauty of new beginnings, and a sweet reminder of the power of friendship.

 Amazon

Goodreads

AudioBooks.com

Book Depository

You might also like: My Top Reads of 2018

Are you a book blogger? Join the Bookish Blog Hops group on Facebook to connect with other book bloggers. A great community offering support and events to help you grow traffic to your book blog and generate more brand awareness.

Join now

Want To Increase Your Blog Traffic? Ways To Upgrade Old Blog Posts

Want To Increase Your Blog Traffic? Ways To Upgrade Old Blog Posts

Jo Linsdell   07:00:00

As bloggers our main focus is on creating new content for our blogs, but what about those older posts from our archives?

If you've been blogging for a while you might have hundreds of blog posts in your archives. How do you figure out which ones are worth updating?

A good place to start is by looking at your traffic stats. Posts that bring in the most traffic are a good place to begin. Updating these 'Evergreen' posts will ensure that new visitors to your blog get the best first impression (especially if these posts were from a year or more ago).

You might also like: Exploring CTA's: Different Types of Calls To Action To Use in Your Blog Posts

Ways To Upgrade Old Blog Posts

Graphics

By updating the graphics on an older post you instantly give it a fresh look. If you use visuals when sharing your posts on social media (which I hope you do), then this is an easy to share the same post again without your followers getting bored of the same old same old. e.g. they might have pinned your old graphic to a board on Pinterest. By giving them a new, fresh, image, they can pin it again to a different board and share your content again with their followers. 

Your branding may have changed since you did the original post too, so by updating the graphics you can make sure that your best posts have a consistent look. 

You might also want to think about adding additional graphics to the post e.g. if your post only has a horizontal image consider adding a vertical image too. Vertical images work better on Pinterest.

Broken Links

Any blog that has been going for a while is bound to have a broken link or two somewhere. 

Broken links are links that do not reach their intended destination. This could be because the page you linked to has been removed. When readers click on a broken link they are most likely to end up seeing a 404 error page. Too many broken links on your website will mean you lose credibility. 

Broken links also have a negative effect on your website ranking. 

Add Keywords

Keywords are incredibly important for SEO. Make sure you've added a meta description to the post, and used your keywords in your posts title and content. 

Reworking your posts title can be a great way to increase traffic to an older blog post. If your original post had a random title like "Recent Musings" it's not doing anything for your SEO. Change the title to something that includes your keywords and makes people want to read your post.

Additional Links

Since writing the original blog post you may have written more blog posts related to the topic. Add your newer links to the older blog post. A simple way to do this is by adding the text "You might also like: INSERT LINK HERE'.

Content

Typo's happen to the best of us. Run your old blog post through a spell checker or a site like Grammarly to make sure no mistakes got through. 

If you find that a lot of changes need to be made to the content (e.g. due to outdated information), then you might want to consider deleting the post and creating a new one instead. 

You might also like: 60 Blog Post Ideas For Book Bloggers

Looking for help with your blog? Struggling to come up with ideas, or need help with your branding, SEO, or website design? I can help! 

Book your virtual coaching session now