Book Blogger Dictionary

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Author Interview: A somewhat common post on a book blog is the author interview. Interviews can be completed through email or over the phone. You can contact the author directly or through the author’s publicity agent. You can usually find contact information on the author’s website.

Advance Reader Copy: An advance reader copy (arc) is a marketing tool. Publisher’s provide these free copies to booksellers, journalists, book bloggers, etc. ARCs are not finished copies and are usually distributed three to six months before a book is officially released.

ARC Tour: An arc tour or a traveling arc tour is a great tool for book bloggers looking for a way to review and promote titles. A tour host site has an the arcs. They then do a call out for any book bloggers interested in reading and reviewing this title. There are usually regulations that bloggers must follow to participate. The first person is sent the arc, and have a certain time limit to read the arc and send it on to the next person on the list and so on.

(It’s been my experience that ARC tours sites don’t last long because of the work that is involved. If you know of any active tour sites, please feel free to mention them below and I’ll make a list!)

BEA: Book Expo America. A annual trade show that features literature. The largest book trade show in the US, open to industry professionals only.

Blog Tour: Blog tours are hosted by Tour sites or by a publisher. A blog tour is used to promote an upcoming title. Most blog tour participants (book bloggers) are invited by the host site or the publisher. Blog tours can last anywhere from a few weeks to a few months, with one blogger hosting the title/author a day. Blog tour posts can consist of everything from an author interview, guest post, giveaway, chapter excerpt, book trailer, etc.

Guest Post: A guest post is when another blogger, author, friend, etc… writes a post for your blog. Sometimes a guest post is used as part of a blog tour. The topic of the post can be decided by the host blog, or the guest participant.

Klout: Klout is a measurement of online influence. It’s unknown how Klout measures influence. You can read more about Klout.

Meme: Wiki describes a meme as “an idea, behavior or style that spreads from person to person…” Memes within the book blogging world have evolved and changed to better benefit the blogging platform. For book bloggers memes have become synonymous with networking and sharing content. Bloggers invite people to link to, pass around, and participate in ideas/features. Examples of book blogging memes; Top Ten Tuesday, Waiting on Wednesday & In My Mailbox.

Monetize: Monetize in it’s simplest form means converting something to money. Monetizing ones blog usually mean setting up some sort of advertisements.

Review Request: A review request can be sent from an author or a publisher to a blogger. Usually it’s a formal request asking the blogger if they would be interested in reading and reviewing a specific title.

SEO: Search Engine Optimization. According to Wiki, SEO “is the process of improving the visibility of a website or a web page in search engines via the “natural” or un-paid (“organic” or “algorithmic”) search results.” When I figure out exactly what all that means I’ll let you know.

Twitter: A social networking tool. Twitter is a service that allows users to send and read text based posts up to 140 characters in length.

Vlog: Video + blogging = Vlogging.

Widget: Widgets are those fancy little tools that you can add to your sidebar. That thing over there in the sidebar that shows my “recent posts” that’s a widget. The “google friend connect” that’s a widget too. There are all sorts of different types of widgets!

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Please note that these are not the official definition of these terms but my own translations to the best of my knowledge.

Do you have a book blogging term you’d like added to the list? Please leave it in the comments.

Do you have a elaboration or correction on one of these terms? Please leave it in the comments.

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2. YA Book Blogger’s Directory
3. YA Book Blogger’s Directory
4. Book Blogger Appreciation Week: I Voted, Did You?
5. Book Blogger Appreciation Week: Community Part II