How do I submit something for posting on the blog?
Simple, just send me the review you’ve written (within the body of the text, NOT as an attachment) in an email to
anum.shaharyar@gmail.com with the
subject title ‘Blog: Book Review (by [Your Name])’. Make sure
you add a link to the book existing on the web somewhere (I’m the
most partial to Goodreads links for books/stories, but an Amazon link or a link
to the author’s website will also do, so long as they look legit) as well as a
blurb so I don’t have to google what the book is about.
Also add a quick 3-5 sentence paragraph about yourself so I
know who you are. Provide your twitter handle, as well as a 1 sentence
descriptor that you want up on the blog along with your post.
Is there any age or experience criteria for submission?
Absolutely anyone can send a submission for consideration, no restrictions at all.
Someone contacted me
to write about their book. Can I submit it to this blog?
First, check with them and make sure it’s okay. Second, drop
me an email at anum.shaharyar@gmail.com
with the subject title ‘Blog: Query related to book review (by
[Your Name])’. If it seems fine, I don’t see why not.
How do I submit my
own book for consideration for reviewing?
Drop me an email at anum.shaharyar@gmail.com
with the subject ‘Blog: My Book for Review (by [Your Name])’. Add 3-5 sentences
about yourself, 3-5 sentences about the book you have written (this could be,
for example, your blurb), and 3-5 links where your story/book is available for
others to read online. Ideally, it should be available on Goodreads at the very
least. Don’t forget to attach an epub/pdf copy of your book. I’m welcome to
being contacted by authors, agents, or publishers.
But two things to keep in mind. First, just because you’ve
sent a book for review doesn’t mean it’ll get reviewed anytime soon, or at all.
I don’t bind myself to only reading Pakistani literature, because that would
get boring, and I don’t want to bore myself. So if I do review it, I’ll drop
you a message letting you know your book will be reviewed soon. Second, please
expect a very honest review. Only send in your book if you’re very okay with
harsh criticism, which might happen or it might not.
I’ve already shared
my book with you for reviewing but you haven’t put anything up yet. How soon will
you be reviewing my story?
I apologize. I’m not sure why I didn’t review it, but it shouldn’t
have happened. Just drop me another email, reminding me when we initially
talked (so I can check my earlier emails) and attaching a copy of your book so
I can prioritize it.
How regularly will
the blog be updated?
I want to aim for every Monday and Thursday, but life
sometimes gets in the way and it might not happen exactly like that. A day or
two here or there doesn’t matter, because this is not a job, but something
that’s meant to be fun and as a way to build community.
How quickly will what
I write be updated on the blog?
Hard to say. Depends upon how much other people are writing,
and how much I’m reading and writing as well. I’ll try to give you a heads-up
as to when it’ll be posted, but none of that is set in stone, so expect
flexible timelines.
Can I share a review that I have already posted somewhere else?
Nope, only original content. You are welcome to share content once it's up on this blog on your own personal pages, but if it's already been published, I'd rather you write something completely new.
How much will I get
paid?
I am not, and will not, be paying anyone for any content for
this blog. I run this blog for fun and also because I could never find good
reviews of Pakistani English literature online, and it’s meant to be something
we do because we want to promote good literature. Even if I choose to earn
through the blog in the future, you’ll be on the list as a guest blogger. If
that isn’t something that suits your style, you’re welcome to begin your own
blog, and I wish you well and good luck.
The blog doesn't seem like it's probably set-up/I don't like the current look of the blog.
Since this is a project for fun and not for earning money, I keep experimenting with the look, changing it up depending upon how bored I am with the previous theme/colours/look. I've recently gotten some free time and am starting to clean it up a little, but it'll probably take some time for it to look a hundred percent proper.
Is this blog promoted
on social media?
I’m a lazy social media user and will only sometimes randomly tweet about a review, so the short answer is, no.
Can I promote this on
my own personal social media?
Of course. Once the content is up, it’s your content and you
are welcome to share the link to your post on as many social media channels as
you like.
Can I review a book
written by someone I know?
If it’s a best friend or a blood relative, no can do. You
definitely won’t be objective in that case. A better idea would be to pass on
the book to someone else you know who likes to review books, and let them get
in touch with me, or pass on the book to me if it’s someone you really want to
support in their writing. The idea is that these reviews are unflinchingly
honest, and even a slight correspondence can affect our ability to be unbiased.
Can I review books
that haven’t been published yet?
Nope. No unpublished material. Only books that have existing
ISBNs, a link online, and a way for those who are reading the review to
actually buy/read it should you bother reviewing the book.
Can I review absolutely anything as long as it’s written by a Pakistani author?
Well, we’re aiming for fiction written in English, but if
you find non-fiction or poetry that you really want to analyse, go for it. If
you’re not sure, it’s probably a good idea to ask me before you begin writing
that review. Just drop me an email at anum.shaharyar@gmail.com
with the subject ‘Blog: Query related to book reviewing (by [Your Name])’. Keep
it short and simple, please.
What’s the word length for anything I write for the blog?
The more detailed, the better. I’d say aim for 500-1500,
which is a pretty generous limit, but if you want to go overboard because
there’s more you want to say, be my guest. Try to cap it at 3000 though.
Can I quote passages
from the book within my review?
Definitely, since I do it myself. Make sure the quotes are
in italics, to make it obvious that something is being quoted.
How honest should I
be in my reviews?
The more honest, the better. I am usually very frank about
whether I like something or not. Just assume that only you and your best friend
are reading this, so you can say whatever you want, as long as it’s not
discriminatory or hurtful.
Can I swear in my
post?
Let’s keep it family friend. Unless you are absolutely
overcome by the urge to swear, and nothing else will do in its place, I’d
suggest find synonyms. Try a thesaurus.
Can I add videos,
gifs, or other audio visuals to my post?
Not currently, purely because I suck at uploading that
content and would probably make a mess of all your hard work. Stick to
formatting your text and we’ll learn slowly together.
Why doesn’t the blog
include reviews of books written in other languages spoken in Pakistan?
Primarily, because English literature is what I read the
most, and since I was the one writing the reviews, it made sense to start with
books written in that language. And since I don’t read and thus have no
critical understanding of books written in other languages, I’m a bit wary of
covering them because I don’t know how the reviewer is treating the books
they’re reviewing.
That being said, other people are more than welcome to start
their own blogs of reviews about books from other languages, and if they’re serious
and consistent in updating their content I am more than happy to promote it
from my end.
Who gets to decide
whether my work gets put up on this blog?
I do, since I run the blog.
Are there any
specific rules I need to know about?
No content that’s sexist, discriminatory, or harmful. Goes
without saying. Also no plagiarism. Also goes without saying.
I have a question
that hasn’t been addressed here. What do I do?
Send me an email at anum.shaharyar@gmail.com
with the subject ‘Blog: Query (from [Your Name])’ and I’ll get back to you as
soon as I can.