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Self Reviewing
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Bahahahaha! That is awesome... I think I get what you are saying and I totally agree... how can you review your own book and expect people to take you seriously?
Kendal wrote: "Bahahahaha! That is awesome... I think I get what you are saying and I totally agree... how can you review your own book and expect people to take you seriously?"Kendal wrote: "Bahahahaha! That is awesome... I think I get what you are saying and I totally agree... how can you review your own book and expect people to take you seriously?"
Thanks ... but I still think my ex-girlfriend was wrong!
At least that rating your ex gave you was (likely) before the zombie craze. Or you may have gotten 0 stars.
I thank god for the stars I can get.
Dawn ... I'm a friggin' genius ... at least I think so ... but if you ask my dog ... then I'm the biggest A-hole that ever lived.
That's pretty hilarious.I don't think rating a book is a good idea because it can be taken as an attempt to skew the ratings. Plus, in general, it's been in my experience that self-rating authors tend to be more likely to be badly-behaving-authors.
Reviewing your own book is fine, though, IMO. I use it for blurbs and information about the book that wouldn't be relevant in the summary. It's a great way to let readers know when new editions will be up, and to promote cover reveals/photo credits.
I'm glad to help. And yes, I agree. The environment can be somewhat toxic at times. But most people on this site are very kind and quite willing to help promote indie authors. They just want to do it on their own time, without being harassed, and without running the risk of being persecuted. Considering all the promotion that they do is free I think this is understandable. I mean, reading is supposed to be fun - not a chore. <3
Depends what you think ratings are actually worth.The argument goes both ways... on the one hand you've people randomly 'rating' books for no reason, or as a form of ranking what they might want to read, or even just to pull a book or an author down - isn't that skewing the ratings too? Then there's the cult of 'get all my friends to give me 5 stars'. And then there's authors reading each other's work...
Gotta live, gotta breathe.
Heh. I read my friends' work, but I rate honestly so that tends to make people not want me to read their work sometimes. I feel bad, but hey - I was a blogger first, and if I start making exceptions for one person, I'd have to make exceptions for everyone, and then what a mess that'd be.
Nenia wrote: "That's pretty hilarious.I don't think rating a book is a good idea because it can be taken as an attempt to skew the ratings. Plus, in general, it's been in my experience that self-rating authors..."
I haven't done this yet, but I've heard of authors doing it, that is, taking the opportunity to give you more info rather than pat their own back.
Yeah, it isn't the self-reviewing that puts people off so much as the self-rating.
Amusing arguments advanced all around. (Only noticed the alliteration after writing it, lol)Normally I NEVER rate my own books. Not because I think it really skews the ratings--like water, over time art tends to find its own level anyway. If you give yourself 5 stars and everyone else gives you 1 star . . . ha ha ha.
But I've recently made an exception in one case:
To promote my new novel, I'm giving away a novella 'Eden' as a free download on Smashwords.
I listed it on Goodreads too, and seeing as it's erotica and the subject matter rather risque, I gave it 5 stars simply to kick start interest--create some initial buzz.
It's free anyway, so I'm entitled to extract payment in ego-boost. LOL!
Now, here's the thing. Both reviews I've so far had for 'Eden' have given it 3's, pushing the rating down from my original 5 to 3.75. If I get another two 3's that comes down to 3.25 (I think).
So like I say, the author's personal rating of their book really means nothing in the long run.
Now, Is it right or wrong to do so? That's the million dollar question, right? The answer might depend on whether or not you have a million dollars to spend on promo elsewhere, lol!
I just have to say ... that last time I rated myself was just after having sex with my girlfriend. I said I was five stars ... she gave me one star ... She said it would have been zero ... but she gave me points for breathing.
And none of you can read my book. No self-promotion here.