How to Write a Book Endorsement

Erica Vetsch here, and I'd like to talk about author endorsements today. I've been asked recently to provide endorsements for a few projects, and it got me to thinking.

Do you read endorsements? Do they carry much weight? What makes for a good endorsement?

First, what is an endorsement? 

An endorsement is a recommendation by someone in the same field or someone with some clout in the arena. It wouldn't do much good for me to write an endorsement for a book on auto mechanics or nuclear fusion. I wouldn't think much of an endorsement by a beautician for a book on the ins and outs of mountain climbing (Unless he/she happened to be a mountain climber.) This is why romance authors endorse books by romance authors and self-help gurus endorse books by other self-help gurus. The endorser is supposed to have some knowledge of the subject matter they are endorsing.

Second, what makes for a good endorsement?

1. As stated above, a good endorsement is provided by someone who has knowledge of the subject matter, and is, hopefully, recognized by the readers of that subject as an 'expert' in that field.  

• As always Vetsch brings a setting, her characters, and their love story blazing to life - Mary Connealy, author of Sharpshooter in Petticoats (A Bride's Portrait of Dodge City, KS by Erica Vetsch)

• "A Passion Most Pure is a frolicking read brimming with humor, desire, and addled affections, and guarantees to satisfy the most romantic of hearts."--Tamera Alexander, bestselling author of Rekindled, Revealed, and Remembered (A Passion Most Pure by Julie Lessman)

2. A good endorsement is fairly short. 50-200 words. This is NOT a book review. Succinct, pithy, on-point language is a must. No spoilers, no character studies, nothing that detracts from the book, and nothing that smacks of self-promotion for the one endorsing the book! 

• “As always, Ruth Logan Herne shoots straight to the heart with Back in the Saddle…the heart of the story and the reader. This is one cowboy love story you’ll want to enjoy to the very last page.” —Debra Clopton, author of Kissed by a Cowboy (Back in the Saddle by Ruth Logan Herne)

• "Sarah Sundin is a gifted novelist. Bottom line--this book is perfect for lovers of WWII romances and mysteries that would give Nancy Drew a run for her money."--Cara Putman, award-winning author of Shadowed by Grace and Where Treetops Glisten (Through Waters Deep by Sarah Sundin)

3. A good endorsement identifies the audience and/or shows to whom the book will appeal. This might state the genre, or compare the work to that of other authors. 

• "Brentwood's Ward unfolds like the best British costume drama, full of rich detail, wit, and intrigue. Readers will fall in love with Nicholas Brentwood from the first chapter. This Bow Street Runner has all the qualities a hero needs: integrity, intelligence, and independence; and the heroine, Emily Payne leads him on a merry chase sure to delight Austen and Conan Doyle fans alike." Erica Vetsch, author of The Cactus Creek Challenge (Brentwood's Ward by Michelle Griep)

• “A story that has it all---mystery, the mafia, and a heroine you can’t help but root for. If Veronica Mars met the Roaring Twenties, you’d end up with The Lost Girl of Astor Street!” Roseanna M. White, author of The Lost Heiress (The Lost Girl of Astor Street by Stephanie Morrill)

4. A good endorsement evokes the hallmarks of the genre. Suspenseful, humorous, quirky. The language of an endorsement is informal and feels like the style of the story being endorsed.

• “Emotionally resonant and brimming with hope, No One Ever Asked is an intimate portrayal of a community in chaos. As Katie Ganshert employs alternating perspectives and vastly different viewpoints, she dives deep into fraught themes of race, adoption, social justice, infidelity, friendship, and more. This gripping story is written with sensitivity and grace, and it will stay with readers long after the final page is turned. A heart-changing, transformative work!”—Nicole Baart, author of Little Broken Things (No One Ever Asked by Katie Ganshert)

• “Across the Blue provides a fascinating insight into the early days of aviation whilst also delving into questions of identity. Readers of sweet romance will enjoy the blossoming relationship between a young man of questionable birth and the young lady of privilege, whose dreams surge beyond societal expectation. Carrie masterfully weaves issues of faith and vivid descriptions into this story of hope and determination, with exciting scenes destined to make your pulse soar!” —Carolyn Miller, author of Regency Brides: A Legacy of Grace series (Across the Blue by Carrie Turansky)

5. A good endorsement includes or at least implies a call to action. There is an encouragement for readers to take a look at the book, to run, not walk, to the bookstore to pick up a copy. A good endorsement urges a reader to join in the fun and experience the same emotions as the endorser. 

• "The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest is a wonderful, romantic tale filled with love, betrayal, and forgiveness. I loved this book and highly recommend it to readers of all ages." Cara Lynn James, author of A Path Toward Love (The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest by Melanie Dickerson) 

• "Once again Cynthia Ruchti had me falling in love with her characters and not wanting the story to end. From the teenager to the tiny house village people I wanted to follow them on Instagram and read every post. Don't start reading if you need to get up in the morning because this will be an all-nighter." Becky Turner, President KBT Counsulting (Miles From Where We Started by Cynthia Ruchti)

Third, what are some endorsement pitfalls?

One of the major pitfalls of endorsers is doing too many. If you endorse more than a few titles a year, readers will begin to wonder...I receive book recommendations through BookBub, and about twice a month I get recommendations with an endorsement by a best-selling author. Now by his own admission, he reads about a book a day, but if he scatters endorsements like confetti, each one carries a bit less weight with me.

Another pitfall is not reading the endorsements you've done in order to make the new one unique to the story you just read. Not long ago I found two endorsements by the same author for two recent releases, and she called both of them the best suspense she'd read this year. (Insert raised eyebrow.)

Fourth, How do I go about procuring endorsements for my book?

This can be a tough one, especially for a new author, but don't despair. There are many ways to get authors to endorse your book. 

1. Look to your author friends, the people you've come up through the ranks with, who know you and your work. You've spent time becoming friends with other writers, and here's where those writers can pay it forward, pay it back, or pay it out. 

2. Get your publisher involved. They have other authors in their stable, and they can be called upon to give a possible endorsement to a fellow in-house author. 

3. Consider your genre and reach out to authors who write what you do. If they write it, they probably like to read it, so you have a better chance that they might want to read your story for possible endorsement.

4. Tap experts in areas you've researched for your story, or people you've interviewed or questioned along the way. Experts love to be asked their opinion, and if you've got a thriller that involves Homeland Security, and you have a Homeland Security agent as an endorser, it carries more weight!

5. Don't be discourage if your favorite author doesn't say yes. Authors are busy people, and you can't know what commitments and deadlines that author already has. Also, they tend to have lots of author friends with books releasing, and might have filled their endorsement quota for the year. Or they might have obligations to their publisher and a TBR stack that rifles any measly tower in Pisa. It's not personal if they send their regrets. 

So, do you read endorsements? Do they carry any weight with you? 

Best-selling, award-winning author Erica Vetsch loves Jesus, history, romance, and sports. She’s a transplanted Kansan now living in Minnesota, and she is married to her total opposite and soul mate! When she’s not writing fiction, she’s planning her next trip to a history museum and cheering on her Kansas Jayhawks and New Zealand All Blacks. You can connect with her at her website, www.ericavetsch.com where you can read about her books and sign up for her newsletter, and you can find her online at https://www.facebook.com/EricaVetschAuthor/ where she spends way too much time!

Look what's available for pre-order now! 

Journey along in the Old West as four women travel to meet their husbands-to-be and discover that nothing is as it was planned. Eve’s fiancé is in jail. Amelia’s fiancé has never heard of her. Zola’s newlywed husband is dead. Maeve’s travel is misdirected. Can these brides can find a true love match?

The Galway Girl by Erica Vetsch
Kansas, 1875
A mail-order mix-up sends Irish lass Maeve O’Reilly to the Swedish community of Lindsborg, Kansas. Will Kaspar Sandberg consider it a happy accident or a disaster to be rectified as soon as possible?

Coming May 1st, 2019, you can pre-order your copy of Mail-Order Mishaps today by clicking HERE.