Dec 6, 2013

ARC Essentials with Macmillan


ARC Essentials is a new feature here on the blog where I have interviewed several publishers about the process for requesting review copies and then what to do once your review is written and posted. Each publisher has their own way of handling things, so what works for one doesn't necessarily work for another.

Today we have:


1. What should I include when asking for a review copy (Page view stats? Follower count? All social media accounts)?
Please include the following:
your blog url (you’d be surprised how many people actually don’t)
stats (page views, how long you’ve been blogging, etc)
social media accounts
review of books we’ve published (if possible)
and a short list (if you have one) of any upcoming galleys you’d like to receive

We tend to not send out finished copies once a book has gone on sale.

2. How long should I be blogging before I ask for a review copy?
Ideally, at least 6 months. No joke, we’ve gotten requests from bloggers who have only been blogging like a week!

3. Who should I contact about receiving review copies?
We at MCPG have a general publicity inbox that gets checked very regularly. The e-mail address is: childrens.publicity@macmillanusa.com

4. Should I email an author about obtaining a review copy and have them forward my request onto their publicist?
Sometimes bloggers will reach out to the author directly for review copies, which is fine, and when that happens, the author will forward those requests to us for us to handle at our discretion.

5. Do you expect me to review books I never requested, such as an ARC or finished copy I was sent but never asked for?
If you have received a book from us that you did not request, you do not have to review it. But if you do end up reviewing, all I can say is Thank You!

6. When is the best time to post a review?
Ideally, anytime between two months before pub date through the after-pub date. We understand that not everyone will be able to review everything before pub date, so we truly appreciate books being reviewed even after pub date.

7. Where can I send in review links?
If you’re already in contact with me, you can e-mail me directly with review links.
If not, you can e-mail review links to childrens.publicity@macmillanusa.com

8. Do you want to see all reviews I’ve done—positive and negative?
Yes!

9. Am I more likely to get approved if I request an eARC of a book instead of a physical copy?
It honestly does not matter.

10. When is the best time to request a book or be asked to be put on a list to receive a review copy?
You can contact us for consideration for a galley copy usually four to five months in advance. But, again, please keep in mind, that we tend to not send out review copies once books are on sale.

11. Do you have a catalog mailing list for bloggers that I can request to be a part of?
We send out a catalog via e-mail to our blogger contacts three times a year. If you’d like to be considered for that outreach to receive galleys, please e-mail, for consideration, childrens.publicity@macmillanusa.com

12. If I want to interview an author or ask them to write a guest post for my blog, is it best to contact the author directly?
I see a lot of authors and bloggers already interacting directly (which is great) and setting up Q&As and guest posts together. If you’re ever uncertain about contacting an author for this, do feel free to contact us and ask. We can always forward your request to the author.

13. Anything else you would like to add that you think bloggers should/need to know?
I always try to stress this, whether on a panel or on a Q&A: Be a book blogger for the love of books and sharing your love of reading.



Giveaway:
As a special way to kick this series off, Macmillan is offering a massive ARC pack of books from their Winter 2014 catalog, including:

Drama Queens in the House by Julie Williams
The Rule of Three by Eric Walters
Grandmaster by David Klass
Plus One by Elizabeth Fama
Sekret by Lindsay Smith
Something Real by Heather Demetrios
Tin Star by Cecil Castellucci
Cress by Marissa Meyer
Nil by Lynne Matson
Unforgotten by Jessica Brody




*Must be over 13 and live in the US or Canada*

Links:

56 comments:

  1. One of the books I'm most excited for is Dreams of Gods & Monsters by Laini Taylor! Thanks for the great tips Hannah :)

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  2. I can't wait for Isla and the Happily Ever After. I need a Stephanie Perkins book fix!

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  3. Fallon Vaughn
    Joefallon1@yahoo.com
    Marissa Meyer Cress
    A.G. Howard Unhinged
    Tahareh Mafi Ignite Me

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  4. Macmillan has some fantastically awesome books coming out!! I started Sekret and, holy cow. YES!!

    And amen to the blogging for the love of reading...not for the "free" books. (And PS, they're not free. Your time reading and reviewing is not "free"!)

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  5. There are a lot I can't wait for, but I'm really excited about Cress!!

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  6. This post was such a great idea. Every publishing house seems to handle requests a little differently. I've been blogging almost two years, and I still live in fear of making a mistake. I'd feel awful wasting someone's time, you know?

    I'm excited for SO MANY BOOKS! But on that list, the one that makes my heart clench is Plus One by Elizabeth Fama. I love Ms. Elizabeth and her writing style, I loved her previous book (Monstrous Beauty), and the synopsis for Plus One sounds FANTASTIC.

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  7. These types of posts are always so helpful and fun to read. I am really looking forward to see how other publishing companies are similar and/or different in their responses.

    Oh, 2014 is going to be a good year! I don't know if I can choose just ONE book, but I guess I will choose The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin, especially since it was scheduled to be published in October but has been moved to June.

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  8. Even though I've been blogging for a while now, it's always nice to read posts like this about what publishers expect! I've gotten it in my head before that my review needs to be posted before the release date, and sometimes that adds a ton of pressure on me because of my work schedule, etc and I don't want to let the publisher down since they so graciously sent me a copy, so it's nice to know Macmillan is perfectly happy to have the review go up after the release date as well. Can't wait to for this feature to continue Hannah!

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  9. CRESS :D I need that book like AIR! Thanks so much for the post...I didn't know publishers sent out catalogs...I'll be sure to ask to be on that list now! Lovely post :D
    Happy reading
    Jackie
    http://nobentspines.blogspot.com/

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  10. This is such a great feature! It's always so handy to know just what the publicists are looking for.
    I'm personally SO excited for SEKRET! I absolutely love the concept, I'm a big historical nut, and I just recently took a class that incorporated Communist Russia so I can't wait to read about it in fiction!
    Thanks Hannah and Ksenia!

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  11. The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin and Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy

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  12. That is some very helpful information. I am always looking for books to review for my Bedtime Stories so I will have to keep Macmillion in mind. I have never contacted a publisher directly (or author for that matter) because I find it intimidating but now I feel that I have the information I need to attempt to contact them.

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  13. What book am I not looking forward to?! Mostly Cress. My cyborg heart!

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  14. That's an easy one! I'm looking forward to Cress. On another note, I really like this post, I haven't found many like it. :D

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  15. Cress, Sekret, and Plus One! Be still my heart.

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  16. There are so many books I'm excited for next year - it's insane how many awesome books there are going to be! - but my tops are The Winner's Curse, The One, and Meridian! And of course, Cress - a complete given.

    I want to thank you so very much for doing this feature! I've been reviewing for a while now but have only recently decided to try and request a few ARCs I'm really interested in. These posts will help me go about requesting the right way - because the last thing I want to do is waste the publisher's time by doing it wrong. I look forward to the rest in this series! :)

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  17. I can not wait to read Opposition from the LUX Series by Jennifer Armentrout and Cress by Marissa Meyer!!!! Thank you for the amazing giveaway!!!

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  18. CRESS!!!! As well as others, but Cress!

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  19. I love this feature so much! I still feel like a small blogger and I haven't ever reached out to a publisher to request ARCs, but this will be so helpful when I do decide to dip my feet in. I will definitely be returning for more of these posts!

    I'm most excited for Unforgotten, followed closely by Sekret and Something Real. :)

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  20. The book I'm most excited for would probably be Cress! Though, I'm very excited for A LOT of books next year! :)

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  21. There are so many amazing books coming out in 2014, it's so hard to pick just a few! Cress, for sure. Unhinged, Split Second, Rebel Belle, Fire & Flood.. so many!

    Thanks for the awesome giveaway!

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  22. Cress, Unhinged, NIL, Rule of Three, White Hot Kiss, The Secret Diamond Sisters, Defy, The Murder Complex, I could go on & on & on l

    Awesome post!!! I love seeing these kind of Q&As, it's nice to know how pubs think!

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  23. Cress, Into The Still Blue, among others!

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  24. I'm SO excited for Evertrue, The Winner's Curse, Cress, Split Second, and Dreams of Gods & Monsters. :D
    Thanks for the lovely giveaway!

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  25. Eeeeep, I don't know if I am more excited for Split Second or Ignite Me!

    This giveaway is totally awesome. So thank you!

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  26. There's so many I'm excited for! Her Dark Curiosity, Faking Normal, The Taking, The Murder Complex, Fire & Flood, and so many more!! :)

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  27. Adult - The Stone Door (Kingkiller #3), YA - Rise and Ruin :D

    This is both an awesome (and helpful) post and an awesome giveaway :)

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  28. Dying for The Undead Pool by Kim Harrison and Murder of Crows by Anne Bishop.

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  29. Split Second and Cress and Isla and the Happily Ever After!

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  30. I can't wait for Cress and Split Second!

    I absolutely adore this post! It's great to get some insight into publishers and how they work with bloggers. I can't wait to see more!

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  31. What a great post idea! I'm glad I saw the tweet for it. <3

    I'm SO super excited about INFINITE, Dorothy Must Die and the next book in the Starbound Trilogy. Which is quite hilarious since These Broken Stars comes out on Tuesday. But also Ignite Me, The Winner's Curse, Into the Still Blue... So so many!

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  32. There are SO many I'm excited for and anticipating for 2014. I can't pick just one...
    Cress, Lady Thief, Vengeance, The Sound of Letting Go, Into the Still Blue, The Retribution of Mara Dyer, Ruin and Rising, Isla and the Happily Ever After, and soooo many more!

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  33. What a fantastic feature! So helpful for bloggers. Thanks for doing this. :) there are so many books I'm excited for but Cress and Ignite Me are probably at the top of my list.

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  34. I am super excited for We Were Liars! I cannot wait for that book! Thanks for the giveaway!
    -Jayne

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  35. I'm really excited for Mistwalker, the last book in the Arcana Chronicles by Kresley Cole, and for everyone else to read The Winner's Curse which I recently finished and loved and really want to gush about!

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  36. Out of this group, definitely Cress. I'm also anxiously awaiting Evertrue, Silver Shadows, and City of Heavenly Fire. Thank you for such a wonderful post. I hope you continue this series because it's extraordinarily helpful!

    Mary @ Mary Had a Little Book Blog

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  37. I am most excited for Cress! I cannot wait for it! I absolutely loved Cinder!

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  38. I'm so, so excited for Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi!! Love that series! :D

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  39. I'm most excited for Cress by Marissa Meyer. It's like Harry Potter fandom...slightly ridiculous, but I don't care! :) Truly, thank you so much for this post - I really appreciated it. I think I will inquire about publishers' catalogs. Such a great idea! :) xx

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  40. I am most excited about Infinite by Jodi Meadows. I've already read the ARC, but I can't wait to buy it! (:

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  41. Oh man so many. The Retribution of Mara Dyer, Isla and the Happily Ever After, Ruin and Rising and Ignite Me instantly pop into mind though. SO many good series ending :(

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  42. So many books, but Sweet Reckoning, Til Death, Strange Sweet Song, Don't Look Back, Strom Siren,

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  43. So so many, but my most anticipated is probably Dreams of Gods & Monsters by Laini Taylor...especially after reading the Mik & Zuzana novella. *dreamy sigh* Thanks for the awesome giveaway!

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  44. How can I just pick one! One of my most anticipated is Fire & Flood by Victoria Scott. Thank you for the giveaway!

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  45. I'm psyched for so many books...Ignite Me...Isla and the Happily Ever After...my own book, Extraction... :)

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  46. Something Real by Heather Demetrios Fehst is top of my list! Can't wait!

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  47. Personally, I'm most excited for The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkins (love that trilogy!) and Dreams of Gods & Monsters by Laini Taylor. : D Although I'm sure there are more that I'm missing, but these two are on the top of my list right now. >u<

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  48. So many! Into the Still Blue, City of Heavenly Fire, Cress, Sweet Reckoning, and tons more!

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  49. I need Cress in my life! So excited for it! :D

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  50. Oh, Lordy! Cress, Into the Still Blue, Ignite Me, Her Dark Curiosity, Infinite, Isla and the Happily Ever After, Evertrue, Lost Lake, um... I can go on and on.

    Thanks so much!
    Love,
    Ava

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  51. I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR A POST LIKE THIS FOR AGES! Thank you so much for posting - you can probably tell how excited I am to find such a useful resource. . .

    I could go on thanking you forever,
    Lara

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