Unfortunately, Edelweiss has no control over whether your requests are approved or denied by publishers. Each publisher has certain goals for their titles that determine which type of readers they target with their review copy. It’s not unusual for someone to ask us why their review copy requests are constantly being denied. We totally understand – the pain is real. However, often, we see that their requests look something like this:

(OK, that’s a little exaggeration, but you get the idea.) Publishers get a lot of requests for their titles! They’re looking for information that will help them determine if early access to this title will help them reach their sales or marketing goals. It’s in your best interest to provide all relevant information where it is easily accessible for them when reviewing your request quickly. You only need to write your Profile once – it sticks. The “Why Are You Requesting”  field allows you to provide information beyond your profile that is relevant to a specific title. Make sure your profile and requests are great! Be clear, concise, and thorough.

Your Edelweiss Profile:

• Who ARE you? Let them know who you are, what you do, and where you do it. If you’re a bookseller or librarian, include where you work and what you do. Be sure to use your work email address if possible! Blogger or reviewer? Tell them where you blog or review, providing links to relevant sites.
• What influence do you have? How big is your audience? Remember that you’re essentially trying to convince a publisher why you should get this book for free. Publishers grant advanced access to titles for select people with the hopes of increasing book sales! Add important numbers such as how many followers you have or the size of your population that your store/library serves.
• Where can they learn more about you? Be sure to include links to your blog, store/library/agency/association, and social media accounts for easy reference.

Adding your role summary (i.e. type of Edelweiss user), description of your role, profile picture, any affiliations, and links all contribute to your profile strength, which publishers can see when reviewing your request. Learn more about updating your profile here.

Another way to improve your profile is to REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW! The more reviews you have in Edelweiss, the better you look to publishers. You can review any title in Edelweiss – even if you did not receive it as an advanced review copy!

Your Review Copy Request:

• Be specific. Don’t just copy and paste from the last request you made. Publishers are considering giving you free access to a title before publication in trade for something you can do for them. If you have plans to provide a review, consider for purchase, or recommend in some way, provide some details about how you would do so and why it would be helpful to the publisher!

 

 

Happy reading!