Anyone used Word Slinger Publicity (http://bookreviewrequest.com)?

[Frank]

Have any of you guys used Word Slinger Publicity? Their website is http://bookreviewrequest.com.

Pros / cons? Is it worth it?

[Riley, Viking Extraordinaire]

I'm leery of any place that says they guarantee anything but... Looking for reviewers can be a pain in the butt. I personally do not have any experience with these guys. however, it sounds different the most paid services. I still couldn't justify paying that much for it, but everyone's situation is different.

[Frank]

Thanks, Riley. I'm looking at the lowest-cost option IF I do anything w/them. I've found a couple of other blogs from people who are "official" reviewers for them, but that begs the question of whether anyone reads the reviewers' sites.

[Ina]

I follow their page here on Goodreads. I don't want to spend the money, but am considering it. I googled reviews for Word Slinger and didn't come up with anything negative. Let me know if you use them, I'm interested in your results.

Ina

[Frank]

Thanks, Ina. I haven't decided yet but will post in this thread when I do.

[Frank]

I'm in the process of signing up for this service (lowest level, one press release). I'll try & remember to post an update after it's had a chance to be distributed.

[Frank]

So far I've received four requests from people interested in reviewing the book. Sent out the books today. Will try to keep you posted on results.

[Virginia]

I would also be very curious as to how your experience with them turns out. The claims on their website seem legitimate enough, but one never knows. Good luck!

[Ina]

Frank, you had to send them paperbacks. They didn't take ecopies?

[Anthony Deeney]

If genuine, it looks like an interesting deal.

[Frank]

Ina wrote: "Frank, you had to send them paperbacks. They didn't take ecopies?"

Sent paperbacks directly to some of the people who requested reviews.

[M.F.]

Please do keep us up to date, I'm quite interested in this service.

[Aly]

I get books request from Word Slinger Publicity all the time through my e-mail and I try to help out all the authors I can. I get some books through eBooks and some are mail to my home in paperback. I really like reviewing with Word Slinger Publicity! I also do the reviews for free once I get the book to me!
Hope this help!

[Frank]

Thanks, Alysia!

[K.E.]

I paid for this service in May. I received 12 requests through Word Slinger for copies of my paperback which I sent. Midwest Reviews requested 2 copies and a covering letter.
Beck told me that the requests for copies to review could dribble in over the months. You have the choice whether you send a copy to everybody who asks.
With the request, you are given any website available so that you can check whether they have posted your review.
So far I am still waiting for the reviews. I think the reviewers receive lots of books and get back-logged. So it may take a couple of months to get yours.

[Frank]

So far I've received 4 requests. No reviews yet so you are probably correct.

[Bret]

Interesting, will follow this- so many similar services popping up but it's hard to get a read on their real-world impact.

[P.L.]

What concerns me is the things I've been reading here and there that Amazon might take a stand on paid reviews. Nothing definite that I've found, but the rumour is out there and Amazon is deleting some reviews it thinks were written by family members. (Hasn't happened to me because I don't have such reviews.) What this will do to places like Kirkus, I have no idea.

[Riley, Viking Extraordinaire]

Your Kirkus review shouldn't be down with the other reviews anyways, since it is a editorial review. They go in your blurb spot. And I'm glad that Amazon is cracking down on paid reviews, as a reader I feel jipped when I read a book and find out that an author has paid for reviews. I mean, what's the point of having them if you're going to buy them?
Not to mention, as an author/customer, I'd be unhappy if I received anything but a glowing review. So don't pay for reviews.

[P.L.]

What's the difference between a Kirkus review and other reviews? Just curious because Create Space directs members to Kirkus.

I have never yet paid for a review and I doubt I ever will.

[J.D.]

P.L. wrote: "What's the difference between a Kirkus review and other reviews? Just curious because Create Space directs members to Kirkus.

I have never yet paid for a review and I doubt I ever will."

I got an email from Kirkus not that long after publication. As soon as I saw the $475 price tag, I laughed my butt off and deleted the email.

[P.L.]

J.D. wrote: "P.L. wrote: "What's the difference between a Kirkus review and other reviews? Just curious because Create Space directs members to Kirkus.

I have never yet paid for a review and I doubt I ever wil..."

Good for you!

I checked several of their reviews of fiction. They spent time outlining the beginning of the books and then added one-line reviews. All for $475!

[A.J.]

How did this work out for you, Frank? Did you get an acceptable return? Well written reviews?

[Kenneth]

P.L. wrote: "J.D. wrote: "P.L. wrote: "What's the difference between a Kirkus review and other reviews? Just curious because Create Space directs members to Kirkus.

I have never yet paid for a review and I dou..."

Has that $475 for that review paid off

[Rootie]

I used Word Slinger for my book, MY CHILDHOOD CHRISTMAS and got two great reviews within a month. The reviews carried so much weight that the libraries are now starting to buy my book. It was worth the money to me.

[Riley, Viking Extraordinaire]

Rootie wrote: "I used Word Slinger for my book, MY CHILDHOOD CHRISTMAS and got two great reviews within a month. The reviews carried so much weight that the libraries are now starting to buy my book. It was worth..."

Awesome! Good to hear some feedback on the service from someone who's used it.

[Ryan]

I'm also considering Word Slinger for my debut novel..which is dropping in ratings daily on Amazon. I def. need reviews. Anymore feedback? Two great reviews within a month sounds good. Anyone have success elsewhere? PLEASE Share! Thank you, Ryan Hill, Author
Barking Madness

[Joe]

For $150, they'd better be guaranteeing something, like reviews from major journalists with large followings. Reviews don't necessarily sell books. They may make it more likely that a random browser clicks on one (if it has a lot of 4-5 star reviews), but unless the review is by someone with name recognition and a large following, you can do just as well soliciting reviews for free from people here.

I also notice the people who said they used it have not followed up with their results, which says a lot with zero words.

[Frank]

Delayed response here because I wanted to give it some time, but I only received a couple of requests for copies of the book and have seen no reviews so far.

[J.S.]

Hi there. I'm new to the forum. I was wondering if the reviews from Word Slinger are only Amazon reader reviews. I was under the impression that they were blog or other media outlet reviews. If that's not the case, I don't want to spend the money. Thanks!

[Carolyn]

Last spring I hired Wordslinger publicity for a program at $149.99. Beck Willem prepared a news release for my memoir, “Coming to Las Vegas, A true tale of sex, drugs & Sin City in the ‘70s” to send to their list of reviewers. I received 5 review requests, including from the Midwest Book Review.

I sent the books as requested. In June I received an e-mail from Beck that the Midwest Book Review had been published, with a link to the June issue. I read that issue VERY CAREFULLY and could NOT find my review.

I have subsequently e-mailed Beck several times, with no response. I have not seen any reviews from the other folks who “requested” a review copy.

I share this with you now to let you know I DO NOT RECOMMEND WORDSLINGER PUBLICITY. Whatever they did certainly did not warrant a $149.99 fee.

[J.S.]

Thank you! I just saw this on FB. Appreciate the info and will save my hard earned $.

[Babru]

My book, 'In Search of Magnificence: a collection of poems' ISBN 9781478763710 was published by Outskirts Press both as paperback as well as Kindle edition in Sept 2015. In order to get reviews I have looked into a number of sites some of which are already mentioned here including Kirkus, Wordslinger in addition to Outskirts review service (http://outskirtspress.com/options/628... Amazon's top reviewers 9http://www.amazon.com/review/top-revi...). I would appreciate if any one sharing his or her experience with such endeavor. I have given away 20 books earlier (first edition) at goodreads and got 4 reviews posted here.
Thanks
Babru

[Eva]

Even though this topic is dated, I just happened to browse the review policy at Wordslinger. Thanks to the valuable input here, I'll pass on spending money.

[Garfield]

I was not impressed with them at all

[Linda]

I sent the fee of $149.95 to "Beck" and received a draft news release compiled mostly of my word-for-word online book description and bio. Only two blogger requests came back and neither were recognized. I was also advised that Midwest Book Review wanted to see the book and I was to send two hard copies to James A. Cox Editor-in-Chief at an address I later found was a residential neighborhood in Oregon, WI (see below picture on Maps). No further correspondence or answer to my inquiries - obviously a scam.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/278...

[[deleted user]]

Just a heads up, review swaps are not allowed.

[Garfield]

Forget about word slinger

[Diane]

Why Garfield - did you have an experience you can share? Thanks!

[Garfield]

I paid and nothing came of it,.....maybe only about 3 of my emails were returned

[Diane]

OK, thanks.... very mixed results, in the above thread. Thanks all...