Reviewing and book promotion have become a bit like a game of whack-a-mole these days. As soon as you find something that works, it changes.
I’m not just talking about markets, either: I’m talking about platforms. Facebook allows people to create groups with the prime purpose of authors promoting their book and then deletes posts from authors who promote too heavily (whatever that means). Amazon, in a well-intentioned but heavy-handed attempt to crack down on the (real) problem of fake reviews, is taking down reviews from people who know each other.
I get where Amazon, at least, is coming from, but it doesn’t address a key problem for a lot of authors. We tend to be friends with a lot of other authors and read their books. Our author friends read our books because they are part of a shared interest. We have shared interests because that’s what friends do. And we review each other’s books because there’s a value to reviews. This is not the same as paid-for reviews or, indeed, review swaps.
I keep intending to write reviews and one of the excuses I make to myself is that I don’t want the ones I write deleted because I’ve overstepped an invisible -- and constantly-shifting -- line. I say excuse because it could be that I’m just lazy. So I’ve come up with a solution - I’ll review books here, on my blog. Maybe deep down I always thought I would — the clue’s in the name of the blog!
It’s not a book review blog. It’s a blog where I might occasionally discuss books (and talk about them in the same breath as my own, because it’s my blog and I can). I won’t do review swaps. I’ll only review books I buy, and like. I won’t be tied down by a star rating. And if I want to review books by my friends and fellow authors, because they’re my friends and fellow authors, then that’s what I’ll do.
There are no obligations and nothing in it for me. I don’t even have ads on my blog. If anyone wants to read it, share it, link to it, it’s up to them. But I’m tired of endlessly chasing my social media tail. I just want to read and discuss books, from time to time.
I love your analogy on whack-a-mole. So true! Good luck on your new venture and don't forget, Goodreads doesn't play by the parent company rules (Amazon owns GR now) ;-)
ReplyDeleteThat's interesting. I had assumed Goodreads was the same as Amazon. So until the mole pops its head up somewhere else, I can review of Goodreads without fear of deletion. Excellent - thanks for that.
ReplyDeleteHi Jennifer, that's a nice solution - but please be aware that writers will then ask you to put the review on Amazon! A review on someone's blog is lovely, we can tweet it, etc, but Amazon is where it will be seen by the reading public as a whole. The other reason that writers like Amazon reviews is that they affect the visibility.
ReplyDeleteI know exactly what you mean about reading books of friends!!! There are some indie writers whose books I love and who don't read mine, and vice versa, but sometimes you genuinely do love each others' - it seems ludicrous that you can be penalised for it. Similarly, I don't know about you, but I get to know my readers online - does that them make them 'friends', who can't review my books??!!
If it's any comfort, I have only had about three removed over the whole of the past year. I don't think it's quite as much of an issue as people say it is.
Hi Terry - thanks for popping by and commenting.
DeleteI was thinking not so much of a standard review but more like a blog post which discusses an individual book (or a series of books). And yes - I have also become 'friends' with readers - and writers - online, through a shared interest in books!
There's an obvious problem with fake reviews but I don't think penalising people who know each other is the answer. It's interesting - and encouraging - that your experience is that it isn't widespread, though. In the meantime, I suspect I can at least end up posting reviews on Goodreads, once I've nerved myself to write them, of course!
I think this is a lovely idea, Jennifer. Who knows, you might even start a trend to do more of this sort of thing, on ones personal blog. A lot of bloggers only do reviews in conjunction with author spotlights, or as part of review tours. This is a fresh twist. Best of luck with it!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sharon. I do like the idea of being able to write about books by friends without feeling that I have to worry about Amazon judging me all the time!
DeleteIt's one of the reasons I have a reviews blog separate from my author site. Though of course that doesn't help the fact that so many people want to see "ratings." Problem being those ratings on Amazon and Goodreads are suspect at best. But until there's a better system, it's what people will continue to rely on. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteSigh indeed! There is a problem with the rating system, though I don't think Amazon is going about dealing with it the right way. I actually find the idea quite liberating - being able to discuss books rather than be tied to the format of a review is a new experience for me.
DeleteI like your idea, Jennifer - good luck with it. I think the Amazon thing is only if authors blatantly post a tit-for-tat review of each other's books within a few days. I've not had any problems there so far.
ReplyDeleteI also think it's more of a problem in the States, Rosemary, or so I've heard. But the more I think about it, the more I like the idea of being able to think about a book without having to rate it.
Delete