How Excerpts Help Authors Get Book Reviewed Fast

October 04, 2025Categories: Author Marketing Tips, Podcast Episode
Mastering Book Reviews with Owen Hawthorne
Uncover the strategies to get your book noticed by the right audience. Join us as we delve into insider tips for submitting to book review sites and blogs, and explore free review services that can boost your book's visibility. With expert advice and real-life success stories, our podcast aims to equip authors with the tools needed to successfully navigate the world of book reviews. Don't miss out on learning how to make the most of your book review submissions.

So, you’re an author, and you’ve just finished your masterpiece. You’re probably wondering how to get your book noticed, right? Especially if you want to get your book reviewed by those influential book review sites and blogs out there. Well, one of the most underrated tools in your arsenal is the simple excerpt.

Yeah, that’s right — excerpts. Like those bite-sized pieces of your book you share before anyone even reads the whole thing. If you’re not already leveraging them, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity to generate buzz and get honest, valuable feedback from book review services and reviewers.

Why do excerpts work so well? For starters, they offer a taste, a sneak peek that piques interest without giving everything away. Think of it as a movie trailer but in written form. Reviewers and bloggers are often juggling piles of submission requests. When you send a carefully selected excerpt, it makes their job easier because they can quickly get a feel for your writing style and the tone of your story.

What Makes a Good Excerpt?

First off, it’s got to hook the reader. That means opening right in the thick of something interesting — a conflict, a question, or a captivating voice. An excerpt should be long enough to tell a mini-story or introduce compelling characters, but short enough to leave reviewers wanting more. Somewhere between 500 to 1000 words usually works well.

Another tip: Choose an excerpt that stands well on its own. If a passage depends heavily on context from earlier in the book, it might confuse readers and reviewers. You want to hand over something that flows, that feels complete in some way.

How Excerpts Help Authors Get Book Reviewed

  • Ease of Access: Reviewers who browse hundreds of books daily appreciate a quick way to sample your work.
  • Showcasing Your Style: The excerpt acts like your writing business card — it tells the reviewer what kind of voice and quality to expect.
  • Generating Authentic Interest: When people connect with your excerpt, they’re more motivated to review the full book and share honest opinions on book review blogs or free book reviews platforms.
  • Standing Out from the Crowd: Many authors overwhelm reviewers with entire manuscripts or lengthy submissions; a sharp excerpt shows you value their time.

These reasons make it clear: excerpts are a bridge to getting your book reviewed. They help you create initial interest, which can be the difference between being ignored and landing a glowing review.

Where to Use Your Excerpt

After you’ve picked your best excerpt, you want to make sure it’s put to good use:

  1. Book Review Submission Platforms: Many book review sites allow you to attach an excerpt with your submission request. This helps reviewers get a quick sense without committing time to the whole book.
  2. Book Review Blogs: When contacting bloggers, including an excerpt in your pitch email can boost the chances they’ll read your book.
  3. Social Media & Newsletters: Use snippets to build hype with your audience and encourage them to seek out reviews.
  4. Author Website: Post your excerpt on your site — it’s great SEO content, gives potential readers a chance to sample, and encourages sign-ups for mailing lists.

One fantastic service you might want to check out is Feedback Frontier. They specialize in connecting authors with real readers and honest reviewers, making it easier than ever to get book reviewed and gather meaningful feedback.

Final Tips to Remember

  • Always proofread your excerpt. Typos or awkward phrasing can turn off readers and reviewers immediately.
  • Tailor your excerpt to the audience you’re submitting to. A thriller excerpt won’t excite someone who runs a romance book review blog and vice versa.
  • Be genuine and polite in your submission emails. Remember, behind every blog or review service is a real person who appreciates respect and clarity.

So, if you’re looking to find free book reviews, or even paid book review services, don’t underestimate the power of a good excerpt. It’s one of the simplest ways to make your book more accessible and appealing to reviewers.

Ready to step up your review game? Get Your Book Reviewed Today by signing up with Feedback Frontier — a place that champions honest, quality feedback from readers who get it.

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