There are so many things we have today which were almost beyond imagination in the past. This has been particularly brought home to me this week as I'm making a few trips to our county town (more than 100 miles away), and because we lost the internet which brings home just home much we use it! Technology certainly has its benefits! In fact, looking around the room (and this is a comparatively old-fashioned room) as I'm writing this, there are so many things we take for granted which would simply not have existed even a couple of hundred years ago. You can, of course, discount anything which uses electricity and, more interestingly, all of the paperback books - of which there are hundreds - and none of the MDF bookcases either. There would have been no photographs, although there may well have been paintings and sketches of the people in them. But it's not just about taking away what is here now. It's also about what we have lost since then. Rooms needed lighting, and th...
June is a 5 Monday month, meaning there's an extra #MGMonday blog to write. This Author Life blog is all about blog tours, and whether they are really worth their while for middle grade books.
What is a blog tour?
In the past, authors would travel around the country, promoting their book at bookshops and festivals. IT was a logistical nightmare, not to mention prohibitively expensive for many authors. Then, there's the headache of making sure you actually have an audience at these events.
Cue, the blog tour. An online version! One without the need for travel, or the headache of wondering if you'll be speaking to an empty bookshop!
My First Blog Tour Experience
For my debut novel, Taking Wing, the blog tour was a magical thing! I didn't really know what to expect and the fact that several blogs had written reviews was fantastic! I shared each post on my social media, and got lots of comments from people I knew.
My first blog tour was organised by Goddess Fish Promotions and, having tried a few other companies, I still find them to be one of the best.
What Are the Drawbacks for Middle Grade Blog Tour?
The main drawback is that I have yet to find a blog tour organiser specifically for Middle Grade. There are some that do Young Adult, but that is a different thing entirely. This has a few problems.
I had a great experience, for the most part, with my cover reveal for Doorway to the Sunset. However, some of the blogs that hosted it were certainly not ideal for Middle Grade!
If it is a review tour, readers who are used to reading young adult or adult books may not appreciate the differences in middle grade. You are, therefore, at a slight disadvantage.
If someone wants to set up a blog tour organisation business specifically for middle grade books, I am interested, and willing to pay good money for it!
How Much Can You Expect to Pay?
This really varies. For a good blog tour, which guarantees a certain amount of tour hosts, I be happy to pay up to £200. Anything above that, I would usually not consider.
Anything £30 or below, I get a little dubious.
The Best Kind of Tour
Without a doubt, if you have the choice, opt for a review-only tour. Book spotlights aren't really worth it, I've found. Guest posts are fun, but a lot of work, and you have too much of that already! Review tours give you plenty of quotes to use on your website, and the more reviews you get, the more social proof you have for your book.
We'll be reviewing all the blog tour hosts we've worked with this year, in December or January.
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