Putting your titles in the hands of librarians is an important part of any book’s success story. Librarians build collections for their library branch, pick titles for their own reading groups, and were the original comp-title recommendation engines before the age of algorithms. Librarians are book advocates in their community and beyond!
In our Ask A Librarian series, we ask librarians on NetGalley about what makes their community special, what they read, and how they stay up to date with the best new titles for their patrons.
Ottawa Public Librarian Charmaine Atrooshi describes her community of patrons who visit North America’s largest English/French bilingual library and use its Homebound Services program. She also gives us an inside look at how she uses NetGalley, and which resources she uses to keep up with new titles that she can recommend to her patrons.
What resources do you use to find new books to recommend, or to add to your library’s collection?
I use NetGalley and BNC Catalist to find new books to recommend to customers, as well as the Loan Stars lists! I love that library staff all over Canada can vote for their favorite upcoming titles, and that these lists are released monthly! I also like to browse our catalogue (BiblioCommons) for items on order, and I try to browse some of the staff lists within for ideas.
In addition, NoveList and Books & Authors [formerly What Do I Read Next?] are great databases to use when looking for read-alikes, reviews, and recommendations.
*BNC Catalist is a NetGalley Partner. If a book is in both systems, the NetGalley link automatically appears in Catalist.
What’s your strategy for finding new books on NetGalley?
I have some favorite publishers and auto approvals so that is often a first place I check when quickly searching for new books. Depending on what mood I am in, or what area of readers’ advisory I am looking to strengthen, I will search by categories for a specific genre and browse the options available.
What catches your eye when you are on the hunt for new books?
The cover and title are certainly something that draw my initial interest. I admit, I am guilty of judging a book by its cover! If looks good I will read the description to see if it is something that would appeal to me or to library customers. The cover of The Smiling Man by Joseph Knox was one that really appealed to me, as well as The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides. I read and really enjoyed both of those and can see why both have such strong appeal!
Even if I don’t end up requesting a title, reading blurbs and looking at covers helps to keep me abreast of trends in publishing, read-alikes, and new releases, which is always helpful!
Even if I don’t end up requesting a title, reading blurbs and looking at covers helps to keep me abreast of trends in publishing, read-alikes, and new releases, which is always helpful!
Tell us about your library’s community, and the patrons who use your services:
My permanent position is in the Homebound Services department of the Ottawa Public Library. We select and deliver library materials to customers who have difficulty accessing a library branch on a regular basis. Our customer base consists primarily of older adults, and customers with disabilities.
Currently, I am working temporarily as the adult librarian at the Nepean Centrepointe (NC) branch. NC is the second largest branch of the Ottawa Public Library, and it is located in the Ben Franklin Complex, which is also home to Centrepointe Theatre, and a City of Ottawa Client Service Centre. It is also just down the street from Algonquin College.
On average, NC sees between 900 and 1,300 customers a day; a mixture of children, teens, adults, and older adults. Nepean Centrepointe offers a large range of programs from book clubs, to storytimes to Dungeons and Dragons evenings! It also houses materials in Arabic, Russian, Chinese, Hindi – in addition to –English and French, which is reflective of the languages of the community (world language collections are based upon census data).
What resources or programs make your library unique?
Homebound Services is unique in the sense that it literally brings the library into your home and provides a team of staff who are well-versed in readers’ advisory and spend the majority of their time in the realm of readers’ advisory and materials selection. One more unique fact is that we talk with the majority of our customers via telephone!
Nepean Centrepointe houses OPL’s Imagine Space where customers can come to create and collaborate using 3D printers, laser cutters, photo/video editing stations, green screens/video gear, as well as various hand and electronic tools. NC also houses the Sunlife Financial Musical Lending Library, along with our main branch. Customers can borrow instruments such as keyboards, guitars, banjos, mandolins, bongos, ukuleles, violins etc.
Fun fact about the Ottawa Public Library– it is the largest bilingual (English/French) library in North America!
Based on what they’re checking out, what kinds of books are your readers most interested in?
Popular areas of interest for Homebound customers are family sagas and mysteries, as well as biographies of ‘the average person’. We get many requests for Danielle Steel, James Patterson, Kristin Hannah, P.D. James and Anne Perry to name a few.
At the NC branch, nonfiction materials circulate the most (more than double general fiction and mysteries put together!). Staff have really great displays in the nonfiction section which make it hard to walk by without grabbing one (or two). Currently, my favorite displays are “Vintage Hollywood,” “Dropping Names,” “faerie tales are Grimm” and the new cookbook display that offers a quick pick option.
What percentage of your patrons check out digital books versus print?
In terms of Homebound customers, the majority are print material users. There is an increase, however, in questions about downloadable materials, with tablet devices such as iPads becoming more popular and customers starting to explore the possibilities within these devices. We have had an increase in requests for assistance in setting up their devices in order to borrow library e-materials.
The Ottawa Public Library offers various online resources for customer use such as Overdrive (e-books and audiobooks), CloudLibrary (express e-books) and RB Digital (magazines and audiobooks). We also offers appointments for customers looking for assistance with downloading library materials.
Based upon a snapshot from this past June at Nepean Centrepointe, approximately 20% of NC customers borrowed digital materials, 70% borrowed print, and 10% borrowed both.
Putting your titles in the hands of librarians is an important part of any book’s success story. Librarians build collections for their library branch, pick titles for their own reading groups, and were the original comp-title recommendation engines before the age of algorithms. Librarians are book advocates in their community and beyond!
In our Ask A Librarian series, we ask librarians on NetGalley about what makes their community special, what they read, and how they stay up to date with the best new titles for their patrons.
Mandy Peterson, a Library Media Specialist at a high school library in Schuyler, Nebraska, fills us in about her work below:
Tell us about your library’s community, and the patrons who use your services
Schuyler is a small town of about 6,300 in an area of Nebraska known for farming, ranching, and packing plants. Within the last fifteen years, our community has changed from mostly Caucasian rural folks to a vibrant mix of Hispanic immigrants, African and Middle Eastern refugees, and its original inhabitants. This rather sudden change has led to a community struggling to figure out who they are together. Since I work in the high school with around 650 of the area’s youth, my patrons range in age from 14-21 and speak a variety of languages. Our students are coming of age and finding their identity in a new home, in a new country, and within a community that is finding its own identity. It’s a very exciting time to serve them!
What resources or programs make your library unique?
I’m not sure how unique it is, but we have a Spanish section with both nonfiction and fiction materials. We also mark High Interest Low Ability books with a small black dot and shelve them with the rest of the library’s collection so students who struggle with language, ability, or desire to read can identify books that may serve their needs without being singled out. After a student survey, I spent the end of the school year reorganizing our fiction section by genre. Over 96% of our students voted for the change!
Based on what they’re checking out, what kinds of books are your readers most interested in?
Quick reads, no matter the level, are popular in my school. High school students are spread thin with homework, activities, and jobs. They want quality material without a bunch of extra. These are books we need more of. Often, our students like longer books but simply don’t have the time to finish them. Realistic fiction (gritty or romance), science fiction and fantasy, and mystery are the most commonly read genres right now, but every book has its reader. I’m completely open to recommendations!
What percentage of your patrons check out digital books versus print?
Although our district provides an iPad for school use to every teacher and student at the high school, our eBook check out is not very high. Students have mentioned that they prefer physical books. Reading on paper helps them retain the information and shows their teachers that they aren’t messing around when they should be working. 98% of my circulation is physical books.
What resources do you use to find new books to recommend, or to add to your library’s collection?
NetGalley is one of the primary resources. I also follow Epic Reads and many publishers on my library’s Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Amazon’s Coming Soon section has saved me a few times from missing sequels or new releases from authors my patrons love.
What’s your strategy for finding new books on NetGalley?
I head straight for the Teens and YA section, sort by Publishing date, and start looking. If I see books my patrons will like (for example, from an established author), I screenshot the cover and release date and drop it into a folder on my desktop to remind myself to order the book later. If it’s an author I haven’t heard of or an author I love in particular, I will request books that interest me. About 90% of the time, we wind up purchasing those for our library. We love supporting independent authors that we have found through NetGalley, too!
What catches your eye when you are on the hunt for new books? Cover? Title? Description?
I am a cover junkie. My students are, too. (Someone please update covers for classics!) It’s very difficult for me to circulate a book without an appealing, genre-appropriate cover. Descriptions are important too. Most patrons look on the back of the book for descriptions, not the inside flap. I see a lot of books put down if the description isn’t on the back.
How have you successfully engaged librarians? Email insights@netgalley.com with your story. We look forward to featuring your successes on future Insights posts.
*Interviews have been edited for clarity and length.
Putting your titles in the hands of librarians is an important part of any book’s success story. Librarians build collections for their library branch, pick titles for their own reading groups, and were the original comp-title recommendation engines before the age of algorithms. Librarians are book advocates in their community and beyond!
In our Ask A Librarian series, we ask librarians on NetGalley about what makes their community special, what they read, and how they stay up to date with the best new titles for their patrons.
Amanda Buschmann, an elementary school librarian in Houston, shares some insights about her community below:
Tell us about your library’s community, and the patrons who use your services: I work in a Title I district in a Title I elementary school, where I see approximately 850+ students on a rotating basis. The school services grades one through five, and the school is a bilingual school with a majority of Hispanic students.
What resources or programs make your library unique? We were one of the first libraries to routinely use a 3D printer and a Makerspace, and we are also the only school with a Gadget Girls club – a club designed solely for girls interested in STEM to explore science and tech in a stress-free environment. Our collection reflects these practices; we have a STEM resource section is that very popular, with a mixture of non-fiction and fiction books geared towards STEM.
Based on what they’re checking out, what kinds of books are your readers most interested in? Graphic novels are the most popular, including graphic novel versions of non-fiction subjects like electricity and biographies. Graphic novels are an effective way to grab a student’s attention and then supplement with additional texts.
What percentage of your patrons check out digital books versus print? Nearly all of my students use print resources, as very few have tablets of their own.
What resources do you use to find new books to recommend, or to add to your library’s collection? The largest and most effective resource I use is other librarians. I am part of a few different Facebook groups geared towards Future Ready and elementary librarians, and they are beyond helpful. So many fabulous ideas! I also love to use School Library Journal and Kirkus Reviews.
What’s your strategy for finding new books on NetGalley? Firstly, I peruse the Most Requested titles to see if there is anything pressing that I am missing out on. Then, I scroll through the offerings and look for titles and covers that catch my eye.
What catches your eye when you are on the hunt for new books? Cover? Title? Description? I will admit I am a sucker for a beautiful cover, and lately books have been coming out with gorgeous covers. A strong, not overly lengthy title is also paramount to catching my attention. Then I delve into the description.
If you’re looking for ways to engage librarians like Amanda on NetGalley, remember to auto-approve all members of the ALA, and include your titles in the NetGalley newsletter: Librarian Edition. And, be sure your cover art is eye-catching! Check out our Cover Love winners for inspiration. You can nominate your own title for Cover Love here. The promotion is free if your title is selected. And, check out the rest of our Ask a Librarian series!
How have you successfully engaged librarians? Email insights@netgalley.com with your story. We look forward to featuring your successes on future Insights posts.
Interviews have been edited for clarity and length.
For ten years, the ALA initiative I Love My Librarian has been recognizing the best librarians in the country. Communities nominate the librarians who are best supporting their patrons, providing creative programming, increasing intellectual curiosity, and bringing resources to those who need them. Because we also love librarians, NetGalley attended the award ceremony for the ten winners of the 2018 I Love My Librarian Award at the Carnegie Corporation of New York on Dec. 4.
Winners thanked their colleagues for their support and their patron communities for letting them do what they love for a living. They affirmed libraries as places for patrons to explore their own identities and for marginalized groups to find acceptance and support.
One of the patrons who nominated Lindsey Tomsu, a teen and YA librarian from the Algonquin Area Public Library District, described the work she does to create an inclusive atmosphere. “She creates a haven for…teens questioning their identities and orientations, diverse teens, rich and poor alike…” Stephanie H. Hartwell-Mandella, head of Youth Services at the Katonah Village Library thanked the librarians who didn’t bat an eye when she was a curious adolescent who started checking out romance novels. Paula Kelly, library director at Whitehall Public Library, is committed to keeping her diverse community’s needs at the forefront of her programming. She sends a bus every month to pick up patrons (mostly elderly members of immigrant families) to transport them to and from the library. Her library also partners with its Bhutanese community to preserve their shared history and stories, and to share those stories with other Pittsburgh residents. Learn more about all of the 2018 winners here.
Librarians are an important part of the NetGalley community, so we are always curious to learn more about what makes their communities and their libraries unique. And we know that this information is valuable to publishers, as well! Check out our Ask a Librarian series to read more.
Congratulations to the 2018 I Love My Librarian Award winners from all of us at NetGalley!
Librarians are an enthusiastic and digitally savvy bunch, which means that many of them are on Twitter, talking about their libraries, and talking to each other. They tweet about their favorite new titles, and about the daily life of working in a library. Librarians on Twitter highlight their community programming, while publishers’ library marketing teams announce their new releases and chat with individual librarians directly or via hashtag conversations. Pay attention to the vibrant librarian Twitterverse to get a better sense of what librarians are looking for, what resources they’re using to find new books, and to gain inspiration for new ways to connect with these important influencers.
Follow individual librarians on Twitter. Some librarians, like Gwyneth Jones and Shannon Miller are vocal, enthusiastic, and plugged into the wider world of pop culture and media. This kind of librarian recommends titles not only to their own library patrons, but to the rest of their digital community as well. Take note of who they are retweeting and which media sources they are linking to to get a sense of which authors they are reading, and whose opinions they trust. If they’re not already on your radar, add those media sources to your pitch list! Looking at these accounts will give you a more personal understanding of who these librarians are and what they are looking for.
Follow trade organizations and publications that librarians use to stay on top of news and trends. The ALA is a great resource for librarians, and for you, to stay up-to-date with national legislation, funding opportunities, and trends that impact the librarians across the country. Review journals like School Library Journal or Booklist offer insight into which kinds of stories librarians are hankering after, and can give ideas about how to most successfully position your titles for librarians.
Many publishers have dedicated library marketing teams who are focused on serving this specific community. Pay attention to publishers’ library marketing presence and see how they are engaging with libraries and librarians on the platform. For example, W.W. Norton’s library marketing department reached out directly to librarian and pop culture critic, Margaret H. Willison, to ensure that Norton would still send her galleys after she changed addresses. It was a casual, friendly, and mutually beneficial interaction. Penguin Random House periodically runs a Twitter chat, #AskALibrarian to engage multiple segments of their audience. Librarians get to champion their favorite books across a range of interests, and readers get personalized recommendations from highly trained and enthusiastic professionals.
Look at hashtags to see conversations around different topics that are important to librarians. Librarians use hashtags like #libraryreads and #readersadvisory to talk about what they are reading at their libraries and what they are recommending to their community. Get a sense of what kinds of stories librarians are excited to read and recommend. #librariesareforeveryone lets librarians demonstrate the diverse programming available at their libraries, for different ages, demographics, and reader types. You can use it to used to keep up with how librarians are thinking about inclusivity, diversity, and representation in the library space. Use these hashtags to see what kinds of books different librarians’ communities are craving, and use that information to shape the way you market your titles to individual librarians.
How have you interacted with librarians on Twitter? Who do you follow on social media to keep up with new library trends? Email us at insights@netgalley.com. We hope to feature your success stories in future posts!
Waitlyn Andrews’ Yes, Chef received nearly 400 reviews in less than three months. Read on to hear her journey from writing 3,000 words per day, to learning about book-specific marketing and engaging with her reviewers—even going so far as to change the ending of the book!
Your debut romantic comedy, Yes, Chef, was self-published August 3rd, 2023. What role did NetGalley play in your early promotion of this book?
NetGalley has been my favorite pre-launch promotion tool, so I’m happy to gush all about it. I did a little research on YouTube to find best practice advice from other authors, and in the process found a lot of native content by NetGalley explaining the whole thing! I was several videos deep and convinced I needed to try it out.
Since this is my debut, I started from ground zero. I knew in order to build an audience from scratch, I had to invest in intentional marketing. My day job is in the digital marketing world, but the book world is a whole new industry, so I had a lot to learn. I make most of my personal reading choices based on reviews and ratings, so I chose that as the most important social proof to invest in pre-launch. I went from zero people knowing about my book to an email list of 1,300+ all because of NetGalley, and I’m not even mad about having to upgrade my free mailchimp account because of it!
I went from zero people knowing about my book to an email list of 1,300+ all because of NetGalley, and I’m not even mad about having to upgrade my free mailchimp account because of it!
Yes, Chef is described as “an upbeat, closed-door sizzling-with-chemistry, romantic comedy that will have you believing in the magic of a 90’s Rom-Com again.” What about ’90s rom-coms appeals to you? How do they influence your work?
There’s an inherent optimism in 90’s rom coms that I wanted to dwell in. It’s not that they’re without drama, but I grew up on the idea of strong female leads in occupations that I wanted falling in love with the right guys who support them in that journey.
I’m a huge, huge Nancy Meyers junkie, and one of the things she does best in her movies is plant the audience in a lifestyle so immersively that you become a mini expert in random fields and locations, so much so that you find yourself suddenly wanting to wear only linen or become a wedding dress designer, and I attribute that to her attention to detail in the setting. Based on the reviews I received from NetGalley readers, that seemed to be the case in Yes, Chef. Those were definitely my favorite reviews to read because it means that those readers got it, and those are my people!
Yes, Chef saw thousands of impressions on NetGalley, even before your planned Featured Title promotion. To what do you attribute this immediate success?
Based on the stats (which my husband and I watched like hawks because it was all so exciting) the top two reasons people selected the book were the cover and the blurb. And can I just say, that was a MAJOR sigh of relief on both accounts!
I dabble in illustration, but I know my own limits and when my version of the cover somehow included comically over-proportioned cheesy chef hats and hands that looked nothing like hands, I knew I needed to hire it out. The cover artist I worked with was a gem and she took my talking points and RAN with them. The result is something that I frequently just sit and stare at in disbelief.
As for the blurb, I went a little against the grain in the standard back-cover description, but I felt like the internal dialogue that happens in a single-POV book can quickly introduce the readers to the writing style and thought process of the character they’re about to invest their time in. Apparently it resonated well because it received high stats across the board. That had me grinning from ear-to-ear for weeks. I can get away with a lot because I’m in the indie space, but that also means I don’t have a sounding board to run these things by (other than my sweet, patient, husband and my kind, kind editor who answered my midnight emails). NetGalley ended up being the vote of the people and becoming that sounding board for me, so those early impressions validated a lot of the risks I took.
NetGalley ended up being the vote of the people and becoming a sounding board for me, so those early impressions validated a lot of the risks I took.
As of this writing, 18 out of 21 Librarians who have submitted Opinions on NetGalley indicated they would order Yes, Chef for their library! In your experience, in addition to Reviews, how do NetGalley members’ Opinions help you as an author?
Each category of opinion helped tell me a different story from a different perspective. The reviews helped me look critically at the content of the book based on people’s personal preferences. But, the opinions from Librarians helped me get a pulse on the perception of the book from people who are professionally in the space, and what they know from their experience with library patrons. Ultimately, getting the Opinion of one Librarian felt like getting a rating from 100+ reviewers all in one. Seeing the 18/21 result net so far beyond the positive spectrum of what I expected, I was genuinely shocked for this debut. I very much expected to be in a niche category, so I prepared myself for niche stats, but those Librarian stats exceeded my expectations.
I hear you have history with the prolific author Marie Force! Could you tell our audience a bit about that?
Oh, she’s the best! I’ve grown up watching her lifestyle and author journey on social media (she hosted my baby shower for my parents, so when I say my whole life, I mean it!) and I’ve always thought being an author was the ultimate occupation. She’s also an educator and ring-leader in the space, so her content frequently has an educational element that I’ve been gobbling up for years.
She came down to visit my parents a few years ago and we all went to dinner. She talked about her 3,000 words a day rule, and I thought surely I could try that. But the post that ultimately got me started was her recounting what her dad said to prompt her to start writing herself: She had two young kids and wanted to start her first novel but felt she didn’t have the time. Her dad asked her, “Well, what are you doing between the hours of 12pm-2am?” Now, with small kids of my own, I get it. My kids are in-and-out awake anyways, so why not start now?
Yes, Chef was born in those hours, and the sum of 3,000+ words a day eventually added up to a book, just like she said! When I told her I published a book she was wildly supportive, and having someone to watch do the actual thing throughout my life made me feel like I could jump in and try it out myself.
You’re a savvy social media marketer; even just glancing through your Instagram and TikTok, that much is apparent! What are some of your strategies for using social media to engage your audience? What have you learned works best for you and your book?
Thank you! I’ve worked in the digital marketing space for almost ten years now, but as I mentioned before, the book industry is a whole new world, even in the social space! I have general best practices I like to follow, but for my author account I just decided to have a little fun with it. In my day job, I follow the consistency rule (I could spend way too many words elaborating here but ultimately “consistency > creativity” works for most companies) but for my author account, I decided to only speak when I had something to say, and use it as a place to show readers the settings they can expect to read about because I’ve been to them, insight in the the writing process, and then pepper in book promotion content. And my cat. He’s kind of the star of the show. I think I’ve only posted the cover of my book 11/90 posts and that is NOT what I’d ever recommend in any other company or brand, but it’s been fun for me to be much more fluid and organic in my author space.
But the place I’ve loved being a little more strategic is in Reels and TikToks. I have an embarrassing amount of short-form videos from other authors saved on my personal accounts. These stack up to be my own personal TBR list. Making my own version of those videos has been so fun. Those videos always seem to spike my Kindle Unlimited reads so I’ve taken the reviews from NetGalley readers who talked about their favorite book moments and turned those into short-form videos to share on both platforms.
What was an unexpected takeaway from your experience publishing your debut novel?
There were so many unexpected moments for me, but what really got me were the social shares from NetGalley readers! I expected reviews translating to GoodReads and my Amazon page, but seeing my book out “in the wild” on social media floored me! I’d squeal every time I saw one come in, and WAY more came in than I ever expected.
I had a feeling diving all-in to NetGalley would be the best way to grow from zero, and it surpassed all my expectations.
I had a feeling diving all-in to NetGalley would be the best way to grow from zero, and it surpassed all my expectations.
When your Featured Title Promotion ran the week of August 7th, Yes, Chef enjoyed dozens of requests each day. How impactful was this NetGalley Promotion for you and Yes, Chef?
The promotion was crucial in getting my book in an above-the-fold location. The timing of the promotions couldn’t have been better. It ran a week after my public launch and about a month after my original NetGalley launch, and my requests nearly 5x-ed daily for the week of the promotion.
The above-the-fold space also put me on the same landing page as some better-known authors with similar cover styles. So for a week I had the pleasure of seeing my book on the same page with “some of the greats,” as I’d put it, and that type of proximity was extremely helpful to getting adjacent author audiences aware of my book. Did I screenshot the page every time my book landed somewhere near an author I obsess over? Yes, yes I did.
For a week I had the pleasure of seeing my book on the same page with “some of the greats,” as I’d put it, and that type of proximity was extremely helpful to getting adjacent author audiences aware of my book.
What is one piece of advice you would offer to your fellow self-published authors using NetGalley?
I would say go all in with it! Take special note of the cover and the blurb. Since I found such success in those two elements I will definitely pay close attention to those for the next books I make available on NetGalley.
And then since I’m a chronic word vomiter (occupational hazard, I guess) I’ll offer the second piece of advice: Do not be afraid to be firm in your writing style while also paying attention to criticism that could ultimately be helpful.
I wrote a ridiculous happy ending. I knew it was a swept-up, tie-all-the-loose strings, leave-no-room-for-doubt kind of happy ending and that’s a writing style that I greatly enjoy because illogical third-act-breakups make me want to hurl my e-reader across the room (lovingly). That’s my writing style, and it’s a polarizing style, but I know there’s a niche of people like me out there that use books for escapism, and happy places are the nicest places to escape to. But I did notice that about 30% of the reviews that came in said the ending felt rushed. At first I thought, well, that’s just me! That’s how I’ll write! And then I marinated on it a little bit more and realized the people just wanted a bit more and, really, if that’s a criticism I’m working with, why not adjust? Before launching the book to the public I ended up adding two more chapters and about 12,000 more words because one of the best things I can take away from so many reviews is an open mind and ability to think critically about what’s being asked of me while not changing the foundation of what I create. When I emailed all of my reviewers that I’d updated the book with more content, I got an overwhelming amount of support (even from those who didn’t think it was rushed!) and at the end of the day I feel closer to my readers for understanding what they want and then acting on it.
I realized the people just wanted a bit more and, really, if that’s a criticism I’m working with, why not adjust? … At the end of the day I feel closer to my readers.
What’s next for you? What do Wailtyn Andrews and Yes, Chef fans have to look forward to?
One of the reasons it took me so long to get into writing in the first place was the disbelief in my ability to think of scenarios, people and contexts different enough to produce more than one book. But once I opened that dam, things started flowing.
The next book on the horizon is about half way done. It’s a cowboy romance that my husband already says is his favorite (he says that about every book). My parents grew up in Northern Colorado, cowboy country, and my whole life I’ve grown up adjacent to the culture, so this has been a fun genre to work in.
Within the Yes, Chef world, Lucy is actually next up! Her MMC (male main character) is exciting for me because their meet-ugly will be the altered-just-enough-to-be-fiction version of the way I met my husband. Let’s just say he had to work hard to convince me he was actually interested in dating, and Lucy’s MMC will have quite the fun hill to climb.
After that I’ve got a few others in the works (like Evie and Gabe, I promise they’re coming!) but pacing-wise I think I’ll launch about two books a year—with a very large caveat that this year we have another member of our family joining in January, and he will likely be very demanding and require lots of attention if he’s like our first two kids.
Waitlyn Andrews is a pen name author who created an entire personality niched in the idea of fully diving into every reading-loving trope there is, unapologetically. Her books are built on the foundation that reading should be an escape that you walk away from having learned empathy for someone’s way of life and an inherent belief in the optimism of making your own life better.
The call to address sustainability in the book publishing industry isn’t new. Yet ongoing news about the devastating effects of climate change has heightened the urgency for all industries to take action towards reducing their environmental impact. Last year, we wrote about challenges to publishers’ sustainability efforts that we heard at the London Book Fair. Last week they introduced a whole lounge dedicated to these conversations at this year’s Fair. And yet, has there been traction on reducing our industry’s carbon footprint? NetGalley recently surveyed our client publishers about their sustainability strategies.
More and more publishers are making commitments to reducing their carbon emissions. From reducing paper waste to decreasing carbon emissions, publishers are looking for ways to minimize their impact on the environment. And yet nearly half of our survey respondents told us that they are not sure whether their organization has a sustainability or carbon-reduction strategy. Even worse, 33% said their organization does not have a strategy.*
After ABA Midwinter earlier this year, Publishers Weekly pointed out, “Boxes stacked nearly to the ceiling, plus the resulting packaging, garbage, packing tape, and waste, prompted one bookseller to ask if there might be another way to manage all those tempting ARCs.” At NetGalley, we know there is a way—and we’re thrilled to be part of the solution.
Publishers have uploaded about 24,000 books and approved 3.3 million requests from members to read them digitally. That is 3.3 million books that were not printed, and yet still reached the intended, enthusiastic audience they deserve.
March 2022 – April 2023, NetGalley.com and NetGalley.co.uk
In the last 12 months alone, publishers have uploaded about 24,000 books to NetGalley.com and NetGalley.co.uk, and approved 3.3 million requests from members to read them digitally.** That is 3.3 million books, including review copies, that were not printed, and yet still reached the intended, enthusiastic audience they deserve. Booksellers, librarians, educators, reviewers, and media who want to make an impact have leaned into digital reading for their work, and over 300 publishers and hundreds of authors are using NetGalley to meet that demand. (In addition to helping to ‘green’ the publishing industry, we know NetGalley has the added benefit of reducing costs to the publisher, compared to printing and shipping all those ARCs!).
In further good news, companies like Springer Nature Group are leading the charge by reporting on their efforts. Their report, “Driven by Discovery: Sustainable Business Report 2022”, released earlier this month, looks beyond the supply chain, delving into employee engagement with their SDG Impact Challenge (saving 86 tonnes of CO2 and matched by Springer Nature), reporting on carbon offsetting and business travel (business flights remain low compared to pre-pandemic levels), and reduced resource use since they have moved to hybrid work.
For more on the state of sustainability in the book publishing industry:
NetGalley members don’t just love books, they’re fascinated by all aspects of the publishing industry. That’s why in our Industry Spotlight series, we’re asking publishing professionals to tell us more about what a day in their life looks like and to share invaluable tips for members who interact with them through NetGalley. Cynthia Shannon, the Senior Marketing Manager of Food and Lifestyle at Chronicle Books, discusses the importance of early reviews, what her team looks for in member Profiles, and how to best review lifestyle books.
Cynthia Shannon, the Senior Marketing Manager of Food and Lifestyle at Chronicle Books
Meet Cynthia
Years in the industry: 15 (OMG)
First book you worked on as a publicist: The New Rules of Marketing and PR by David Meerman Scott. Working on it provided me with a great foundation right as the traditional media industry was getting disrupted. Pitching a journalist via Twitter was a novel concept at the time!
An indie bookstore you love: Omnivore Books in San Francisco
What does the role of a senior marketing manager entail? What’s your favorite part of your job?
Marketing is about making sure the right message gets to the right people at the right time, and everything I do comes down to optimizing those three aspects for our food & lifestyle products. I love working with the creative and talented authors and my co-workers at Chronicle Books. I’m inspired every day to think differently about what we can do to improve our marketing efforts and raise awareness of all our amazing products.
People outside of the industry can have some funny or odd assumptions about our jobs. What do your friends and family think you do, and what do you wish people knew about your job?
I think many people—including some authors—don’t realize why it takes so long to publish a book when many self-publishing platforms make it seem so simple. So many people are involved in bringing a book to market, and there’s a lot of expertise that goes along with it. I love reading the acknowledgments section of a book to be reminded of everyone who made a book happen: the editor and agent, designers, photographers, stylists, copy editors, operating managers, sales, marketing, and publicity staff. I’m always touched when I see my name listed there.
Help us take NetGalley members behind the curtain: What does the NetGalley request approval process look like for Chronicle Books? What should members keep in mind when making requests?
This might be somewhat unique, but I set most of my books as available to Read Now. I have never seen an issue with getting our books into the hands of more people, especially pre-publication. The NetGalley community is made up of trusted readers and influencers, and their feedback—good and bad—is incredibly valuable as we gear up toward launch.
How do the reviews that are published by members on NetGalley impact the pre-publication marketing you work on?
The pre-publication reviews are helpful in a number of ways:
1) They’re the first honest reviews we get from outside our publishing team, which helps us gauge actual consumer interest in the title and confirms our hunch in identifying an emerging trend from years ago.
2) They surface key aspects of the book that resonate the most with consumers, which helps us adjust the messaging and emphasize those aspects in media pitches.
3) They can flag mistakes in our messaging, which helps us pivot while there’s still time.
For example, a few seasons ago there were some early reviews of a cookbook where reviewers were disappointed to see recipes that included meat. They had thought that it would be a vegetarian cookbook based on the cover, title, and description. While it was too late to change the cover or title, we were able to update the description to clarify that the cookbook contained recipes with meat. We also made sure to emphasize it in media pitches. Reviews improved after that, and it was a good lesson to learn internally as well.
What’s the most common misstep you see from NetGalley members that leads to a declined request?
While I set most of my titles as available to Read Now, my colleague Carrie Gao, School and Library Marketing Coordinator, says that having high approval and feedback percentages are certainly advantages and will usually lead to automatic approvals for any requested title. We will decline requests when we suspect the reviewer is probably not the right audience for the book: For example, when we see someone who mostly reviews Adult thrillers requesting a middle grade contemporary title about a pet shop.
What advice do you have for members who are unsure of the best ways to review nonfiction books such as cookbooks or lifestyle books?
Anyone can Google a recipe for a dish that they feel like making. Good cookbooks will inspire you to try new dishes and build your confidence in the kitchen. Reviewers don’t need to make sure the recipes work—we have actual recipe testers for that—but they should scan the table of contents, read through the recipes, and follow the urge to run to the kitchen to see if they already have the ingredients on hand. Depending on what kind of cook you are, you may gravitate towards recipes that are quick, easy, and practical (like from the upcoming book A Dish for All Seasons by Kathryn Pauline) or specialized and time-consuming like perfecting your own bagels or masa (thinking of those in Bagels, Schmears, and a Nice Piece of Fish by Cathy Barrow and the forthcoming MASA by Jorge Gaviria).
Lifestyle books range from the quirky to the practical and should be approached with that type of mindset. Discover books that speak to you, whether in parenting, astrology, or self-help. Also ask yourself, would you buy this book as a gift for yourself or a friend?
What can newer NetGalley members, who may not have a high Feedback Ratio or strong blog/social stats yet, do to stand out to publishers?
I would recommend having a full and complete profile. My colleague Carrie agrees, adding: Include any link to external sites you might own, including blogs and social media, as we’ll check them out to see how consistent of a reviewer you are or what your social platform might look like elsewhere. Be as accurate in your profile as possible. Make sure your member type is correct. We’ll take into account how long you’ve been a NetGalley member, as being relatively new could explain a low ratio and wouldn’t necessarily cost you any points.
Who are some book influencers you think are doing really cool things in online book reviewing spaces?
I follow several NetGalley members who cross-post their reviews to Goodreads, as it’s always interesting to see what other books they choose to review. I also queried my colleague Ailyn Pambid, Marketing Assistant (and respectable book reviewer in her own right: @wheresdabooks). Ailyn noted how there are some great book influencers on YouTube (such as Regan from @PeruseProject, Adri from @perpetualpages, and Cindy form @withcindy) and Instagram (Sol from @thesolreader, Oscar from @booksteahenny, Angela from @baosbooks, Hayle from @bookishbluebird, and Esther from @estherhfung).
Is there anything we didn’t cover here that you’d like to add?
I rely on NetGalley to start the flywheel of pre-publication buzz. I’ve noticed that approximately half of my NetGalley reviews show up on Goodreads, and the Goodreads ratings feed into Edelweiss, giving sales reps some built-in support when meeting with booksellers and librarians. NetGalley also helps raise awareness with a core and influential readership.
Thanks for chatting with me, Cynthia!
Editor’s note: The above opinions represent the specific viewpoint and strategy of one particular publisher. Publishers and authors use NetGalley to help accomplish a variety of goals, and incorporate NetGalley into their overall marketing and publicity efforts in different ways.
Book bans and attempts at censorship are currently spreading across the U.S. and are disproportionately impacting diverse titles and authors from historically marginalized communities. Both as publishing professionals and as readers ourselves, the NetGalley team stands against book banning and wants to ensure our members have tools at their disposal to fight back against censorship in their communities. Book banning touches every member of the NetGalley community from library workers and educators to authors and readers, and all can use these tips to work together to protect intellectual freedom.
Listen to those most affected The impact of a book ban is far-reaching and touches different communities in unique ways. It’s important to listen to those affected in order to put your own efforts towards making a positive change.
Although not exhaustive, here’s a short list of places to start listening and learning: The Stacks Podcast has an excellent series of interviews—featuring authors, students, educators, politicians, and booksellers—that explore everything about book banning from a legal standpoint to activism. Former librarian Kelly Jensen’s coverage of the ongoing bans is incredibly informative and packed with resources and action items. Penguin Young Readers put together this document of resources for educators and library workers.
Request books from your library If you see certain books or authors missing from your branch’s shelves, ask your local librarian about submitting a request for the library to acquire them. This not only helps put those books on your library’s shelves, but it’s a trackable measurement of community interest that library workers can use if a certain book is challenged.
Show up Find out when your local city council, library board, and school board meetings are being held. Attending these meetings allows you to stay informed and gives you the opportunity to not only speak out against book bans but to voice support for the library workers, educators, and politicians in your community who are working to protect intellectual freedom. Your voice can be a source of much-needed support to those who are pushing back against censorship.
As you begin to attend meetings, you may find yourself wanting to take an even more active role. Consider joining your town’s council, library, or school board.
Vote In the upcoming elections, use your vote to support candidates who are actively working against censorship. Pay close attention to local elections, which have a major impact on your community. If you notice that a candidate doesn’t have information available regarding their stance, ask!
Keep your community informed Chances are that your friends, family, and coworkers care about these issues as much as you do. Invite them to attend board meetings with you, or if they can’t attend, update them on what you learned. Talk together about candidates you think will make a difference in the community and make a plan to go vote together.
Follow and support those making a difference Whenever you find yourself frustrated and wanting to help make a change, first look to those who have already been hard at work making a difference. Organizations such as the National Coalition Against Censorship have valuable resources for readers, library workers, educators, and students to use when facing censorship in their community.
You can also look to organizations such as We Need Diverse Books, a non-profit that advocates for inclusive changes to the publishing industry. They’re currently offering grants to educators who need financial support for diverse literature programs, as well as those impacted by COVID. You can donate to support those here.
Donors Choose allows you to help specific educators in need. Teachers share what their classrooms and children require—including many requests for donations that will go towards stocking classroom libraries.
These tips are just a starting place—help us share more!
What advice do you have to help stop book banning in your community?
NetGalley members don’t just love books, they’re fascinated by all aspects of the publishing industry. That’s why in our Industry Spotlight series, we’re asking industry professions to tell us more about what a day in their life looks like and to share invaluable tips for members who interact with them through NetGalley. Here Sydney Tillman, the Publicity Manager at Hachette’s Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, discusses the art of a picture book review, what she looks for in member Profiles, and her favorite parts of being in publicity.
Sydney Tillman, the Publicity Manager at Hachette’s Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Meet Sydney
Years in the industry: Going on five years!
First book you worked on as a publicist: The Purrmaids series–the pun options were endless!
An indie bookstore you love: Cafe con Libros in Crown Heights, NY! It’s a cozy, very well-curated Afro-Latinx-owned bookstore and coffee shop with a focus on community and intersectional feminist reads. It is also home to my favorite bookish tote bags!
What does a day in the life of a publicity manager look like? What’s your favorite part of your job?
I start every morning reading through newsletters, media alerts, and scanning through my inbox. A big function of our jobs as publicists is to be effective communicators and a hub for information—for authors, editors, booksellers, and media/journalists—and emails are a big part of our job. The sheer volume of emails that we receive has increased in this virtual world, so I always prioritize the day’s tasks based on what is currently in my inbox. My day-to-day is often a mix of communicating with authors, pitching media for book coverage (my favorite part of the job!), and working with booksellers and/or book festivals to plan events or school visits.
People outside of the industry can have some funny or odd assumptions about our jobs. What do your friends and family think you do, and what do you wish people knew about being a publicist?
Publishing is such an insular industry and a lot of folks outside of it don’t see all the different stages of the process. Despite knowing that I work in publicity, most people assume I have editorial responsibilities—which I think is a common misconception for folks outside of editorial.
Publicity is a behind-the-scenes job. A big difference between marketing and publicity is that publicists are working to secure earned media (review coverage, interviews, etc.) while marketers secure paid media (ads/sponsored posts, etc.). For publicists, there can be a lot of work (research outlets, building media relationships with journalists/bloggers, crafting pitches) that goes into securing one media hit. We can spend hours building a list, crafting a pitch, and having a back-and-forth with a media contact, but at the end of the day there’s no guarantee that coverage will be secured. However, when it is, it is the best feeling!
Your passion for picture books shines through even on your social media. What do you recommend reviewers focus on when writing about picture books, particularly when it comes to balancing who the book is intended for compared with the person likely to be purchasing it?
I. love. picture. books. And I love reading picture book reviews. I think it’s important to keep in mind that the art and text work together to create the story. I love a picture book review that is balanced in its examination of both. While it’s important to call out those special elements of the read that will engage young readers—maybe it’s a great read-aloud or inspires imaginative play—I think that picture books are for everyone. I love, love, love reviews that call this out. The adult reading the review and purchasing the book is oftentimes also the person that will read the book to the child, and so a successful picture book review should also compel the adult to want to buy or read the book.
Help us take NetGalley members behind the curtain: What does the NetGalley request approval process look like for Little, Brown Books for Young Readers?
Publicists are responsible for routinely checking NetGalley to manage incoming requests for their assigned titles. I go through the requests for my titles on a weekly basis and approve or decline requests. It’s also important to note that Publicists are only approving requests on NetGalley for members who identify as “Media Professionals” and “Reviewers” while marketing handles “Bookseller,” “Librarian,” and “Educator” requests.
What’s the most common misstep you see from NetGalley members that leads to a declined request?
There are two common missteps I often see. The first is someone who clearly has requested a title for a library or educational purpose, but who has mislabeled their member type. A request for anything outside of a consumer review or media purpose will often be declined by publicity.
The second is an incomplete profile. The more you build out your profile, the better. I personally immediately look for the links included. If a request has links to an active blog, bookstagram, or other platform then I’m most likely going to approve that request. If the request doesn’t include any links or it has links to inactive accounts, then that request will likely be declined. We want to see that you’re actively reviewing and engaged—that’s more important to me than stats or follower count.
What can newer NetGalley members, who may not have a high Feedback Ratio or strong blog/social stats yet, do to stand out to publishers?
Don’t be discouraged! Continue requesting books and posting reviews online. The more you continue to build out your platform(s) and engage with the community, the better. Regularly posting content shows us that you are consistent, which is something that we prioritize when going through requests.
Who are some book influencers you think are doing really cool things in online book reviewing spaces?
Maya Lê known as @maistorybooklibrary on Instagram is such an incredible champion for picture books. She goes above and beyond to create engaging, original content for young readers.
Thanks for chatting with me, Sydney!
Editor’s note: The above opinions represent the specific viewpoint and strategy of one particular publisher. Publishers and authors use NetGalley to help accomplish a variety of goals, and incorporate NetGalley into their overall marketing and publicity efforts in different ways.
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