THE Group for Authors! discussion
General Discussion
>
Can one encourage reviews, or is it just wait and hope?
date
newest »
newest »
Your question is ambiguous. I see you wrote four reviews yourself, so you must know writing reviews on Goodreads is possible. Goodreads does not import reviews from other sites.
G.G. wrote: "Your question is ambiguous. I see you wrote four reviews yourself, so you must know writing reviews on Goodreads is possible. Goodreads does not import reviews from other sites."I have reviews for my book on Goodreads that people have posted on Amazon first..
Sorry about the ambiguous question. I'm an author, and was asking about encouraging reviews of my own work on Goodreads. Or somehow featuring my books so people see them in the maze and can read and review them.?
Jean, Robert,As noted above, your AMZ-first reviews had to be transferred by the author of the review to GR, which is what I try to do when I review.
I believe GR allows you to offer a free copy of a book in exchange for an honest review (as the saying goes), so long as the reviewer discloses he/she obtained a review copy. How and where you make the offer I suspect depends on your genre, and whether it has a group of readers/authors for that genre, where the offer could be made.
Otherwise, based on my own experience, it's promote your book as best you can and hope for the best.
Sorry I couldn't be of more help.
Eric
Robert - that is one of life's great questions. I wish I had one of life's great answers to give you in return. If there is an easy way of doing this, I haven't found it yet. What little I have found is this ...You're an author and you come onto Goodreads hoping to find some readers. It's a good place to come as it's full of readers. Unfortunately, if you rush up to people and say "buy my book! Buy my book!" they will run away rapidly in the opposite direction. Or you'll get banned. Or both.
The trick seems to be to come here first as a reader and a friend. Participate in the groups. Chat about things which aren't your books. Review someone else's books. Help people. Be a nice egg. Then reviews will come.
If you've written a good book, people will recommend it to their friends. Then they'll recommend it to their friends and so on until you're a zillionaire bestseller who ought to remember it was his old mate Will who told him all this.
Some parts of GR allow authors to self-promote. Others allow read 4 reviews (although that can be a minefield). Some places allow you to arrange giveaways. Have a snoop around.
It's all about building a brand, and that brand is you more than it is your books.
And if there's an easier or better way, I'd love to hear about it!
If you want reviews, try joining groups like "Shut Up and Read" and "Making Connections."
Thanks Will, as I thought. But that's ok. I do understand it all, but of course I'm new to Goodreads so am still finding my way around. I certainly appreciate your help though. Thanks.
One way to encourage reviews of your own books is to review others' books. I have gotten some definite attention by readers simply by writing reviews of books I have read. (Reviews can be a great way to expose your writing chops, by the way.)Another way is to start an author blog on your goodreads author page. However, I might warn you by personal experience: blog readers seem to read more for entertainment than to be baldly marketed to (understandably) so if all you do is write blog after blog about your book in an obvious attempt to sell copies they don't exactly "turn on you", they just don't show up (i.w. view the blog). Most of us can tell the difference between being engaged in an interesting topic (which may indeed be directly related to your book) or being advertised to.
Self-promotion is a subtle art, and is a creative art in itself. There are fun and clever ways to indicate your book's availability and presence without jamming it down people's throats. People tire of that, as they get it on television and other outlets all the time so it can be wearisome.
I once saw a book advertised in print ads at least 10 times in different magazines and media outlets. I thought "Wow; that author must either be rich or be a trust baby!" After seeing his ad for the 10th time or so I looked his book up on Amazon. After all that expenditure and exposure he had about 5 reviews (and not particularly all great either). Being in the face of potential readers in such a blatant manner does not always prove effective, and may have the opposite effect in fact.
The best way to get your book reviewed is to give people a reason to be interested in it beyond the fact that it is your book.
Steven wrote: "One way to encourage reviews of your own books is to review others' books. "Author reciprocal reviews, review swaps, or exchanges are a violation of both Amazon & Goodreads TOS. Amazon will delete such reviews where they are identified. It's also a violation to review what is deemed a "competing product" ie: a book in the same genre.
The op says it would be nice "to see some reviews happening." Why? If you are seeking feedback that should be done prior to publication from critique partners, beta readers and your editor. Reviews are reader impressions left for other readers, not feedback or pats on the head for authors.
Ultimately if you want reviews, sell more books. Anecdotal evidence is you will see 1 organic review for every 100 sales, or every 1,000 freebies.
Thanks for all the replies folks. I kind of knew that, but was more trying to find out how Goodreads itself works.
A.W. wrote: "Steven wrote: "One way to encourage reviews of your own books is to review others' books. "Author reciprocal reviews, review swaps, or exchanges are a violation of both Amazon & Goodreads TOS. Am..."
Just out of curiosity, can you provide a link to a prohibition at AMZ or GR that says if you write murder mysteries you can't review any murder mysteries? Ditto fantasy, scifi, whatever?
Thanks.
Should you choose to join some Goodreads groups, please be sure to read the group's info thoroughly as many moderators have strict rules regarding self promotion.I also encourage you to participate and contribute as a reader in these groups as opposed to joining simply to promote and run. Discussion is also a great way for potential readers to get to know you. If they like to read the same things you do, they may take a look at your work. ☺ Good luck!
As a side note, Goodreads does not allow the joining of groups just to promote.
Don’t join groups simply to promote your book. While we encourage you to join groups to meet readers, do so as a reader. Joining multiple groups for the sole purpose of posting about your own book isn’t permitted on the site, and will simply irritate your target audience.
https://www.goodreads.com/author/guid...
Hello? I don't engage in "author reciprocal reviews, review swaps, or exchanges" but I do write reviews of books all the time. I don't write them with the express purpose of getting my books reviewed , but I write them because I am an avid reader. However, in the process of writing reviews I get responses from readers who liked my review. Thus I believe there is the likelihood or possibility they will then check out my other reviews, my blog, books, etc. Goodreads says this themselves in their information guide, that one of the best ways to get attention as an author is to talk about books on the site (and review them).This is not a direct solicitation to readers, but it can have the benefit of piquing their curiosity. People sometimes click on one's name and also want to be friends on the site when they feel there is common interest or they are impressed with a review.
Eric wrote: "Just out of curiosity, can you provide a link to a prohibition at AMZ or GR..."Did you read Amazon's guidelines? They can be found at https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/custom...
Here's the bit about leaving reviews (bolding mine):
In order to preserve the integrity of Community content, content and activities consisting of advertising, promotion, or solicitation (whether direct or indirect) is not allowed, including:
Creating, modifying, or posting content regarding your (or your relative's, close friend's, business associate's, or employer's) products or services.
Creating, modifying, or posting content regarding your competitors' products or services.
Creating, modifying, or posting content in exchange for compensation of any kind (including free or discounted products, refunds, or reimbursements) or on behalf of anyone else.
Offering compensation or requesting compensation (including free or discounted products) in exchange for creating, modifying, or posting content.
There's been numerous threads about GR's policy on author review swaps, including statements from staff that they're not allowed.
The vast majority of avid readers never feel compelled to post a rating or review on a literary or commercial website. Those that post them do so to share their personal, and therefore, subjective opinion of the book with other readers, not the author.Most books and seminars on the subject of publishing and literary marketing agree that sales generate reviews. The consensus seems to be that the ratio is that reviews reflect 1% of total sales.
Perhaps it is safe to say most people don't write reviews because they don't enjoy the process of writing much of anything. I guess it reminds them of having to complete college term papers or they consider it a form of drudgery. I enjoy writing reviews, it's sort of a form of "closure" to my parting with the book. Sometimes the closure is a little sad if the book was a page-turner, and sometimes it's a bit of a relief if I found the book tedious or unsatisfying.Guess I'm part of the 1%. I have bought quite a few books based on glowing reviews. I may have also avoided some stinkers by noticing a pattern of comments in negative reviews. I have no need of reading reviews of the classics or a Steinbeck novel, as I have enjoyed everything he's written, but I will check out reviews on a book by a writer I am unfamiliar with or a book that I am on the fence about reading.
Eric wrote: "A.W. wrote: "Steven wrote: "One way to encourage reviews of your own books is to review others' books. "Author reciprocal reviews, review swaps, or exchanges are a violation of both Amazon & Good..."
Writing a review on a mystery if you write mysteries would not be a violation of terms of service on Goodreads per se. It would be how you approach it.
If it's an honest review, that's something you're encouraged to do as an author and, frankly, as a reader who uses the site for reading. Most of us are both. What wouldn't be acceptable is if you're setting yourself against that other author as competition and writing a review in that way, e.g. This mystery is terrible, check out my mystery titled 'such and such'.
When I said "review others' books" I did not say anything about reviewing them to be competitive or making some kind of under-handed deal to "swap reviews" with other authors , and certainly not dishing out bad reviews to undermine your competition. All of that just smacks of desperation. Is that kind of behavior really common? I would hope not. The original question in this thread was along the lines of "How can I encourage reviews of my books?" The best answer is, of course, by selling books. But my answer was to also read books and, if you are prone to doing so, to write reviews, not just of books like your own and not with some surreptitious goal of getting reviews, but because by interacting with readers about reading and books it is entirely possible at least some people will decide on their own volition, without you bugging them, to check out your books. In doing so, perhaps they will even go one step further and rate/review the book. It happens. I've checked out author's books on the basis of a particularly powerful or well-written sliver of a comment, so I know it happens.
There are ways to be present, to be visible, without baldly soliciting or pleading with people to buy one's books. Books are the primary focal point of this site, not authors and their writing careers.
Bottom line: at some point one's book must stand on its own two legs. That's the risk we take as writers.
Speaking as a reader: I follow the blogs of some authors - because they review the books they are reading, rather than constantly chant "buy my book!" Behave like a reader. Have it be a pleasant surprise that you're an author.Other authors' blogs I wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole. (Because they're entirely self-promotional.)
I certainly agree with you to some extent, Susanna. But one of the reasons authors have blogs is to discuss their books and inform readers in an interesting way about them, hopefully without tooting their horn too much and overdoing the sales pitch.. What if an author blogs about a variety of topics AND their own books, at least intermittently? For example, if an author's new book comes out isn't it appropriate to say at least something about it to one's blog readers?Yes, self-promotion can be annoying and sometimes very obnoxious, but most indy authors and self-published authors are left to their own devices as to promoting their work. I am currently sifting through the myriad of book promotion options and it is quite a jungle. There is clearly an entire cottage industry that thrives upon authors in need of book promotion and marketing assistance, Some are reputable (and pricey, I suspect) and others I'm pretty certain are shady as hell.
If authors are not to blog to some extent about their books why is it that authors are allowed the option to blog on GR and the general public is not? Surely not only to talk about their pets, gardening, and where they went on vacation. Such details can be easily found on social networking sites such as FB, etc.
I can relate to readers who tire of self-promoting authors because I am an avid reader (and reviewer) myself. I can also relate to the frustration of authors who feel like every time they say anything about their books they will be accused of self-promotion. Truman Capote did not have to concern himself with 100 different options for promoting his books; his publisher got the word out. We writers now have to be not only the authors of our books but (unless we have money to burn) our own public relations and promotional team. It's a tall order, but we try, and if sometimes we chirp too loudly about our babies, may that be taken with a measure of understanding.
One thing is certain: silence is decidedly not golden when it comes to marketing one's own book.
All I'm saying is what turns me off. As a reader. As an author's potential market. I don't claim to speak for anyone else.
So, there's book blogger sites. If you Google book review list you should come up with some useful pages who list book review bloggers with their contact details. You can then submit book review requests via their sites (usually via their own submittal form). xxJust don't go asking random readers for reviews, they don't like it.
It strikes me that getting reviews is one of the most challenging aspects of professional writing and in my experience it is no more difficult for those who work with traditional publishers or self-publishers. Indeed in my case, I don't see any difference. I have sought reviews for both my non fiction and fiction works.. one sends books to journals that review, gives away free copies, ask colleagues to comment on line, see the occasional review show up spontaneously by those who have read one's work and happened to comment. As Steven Leibo for non fiction and Li Bo for fiction I have gathered reviews in all the ways above to some extent but there seems no sure way to do so and my traditional publishers, from Berkeley to Hawaii, from Praeger to Rowman and Littlefield don't seem any better at it than I am on my own with Amazon Create Space.
The rules are also changing. To get a review in the New York Times, the review copy must reach them months ahead of publication. And to get a review in the also prestigious Kirkus Reviews, now you pay a fee.Victor
It is important to remember that a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulation requires that any review obtained through any form of compensation (cash, free copy of the book, gift card, or promise of reciprocation) must include a disclaimer stating so. Unfortunately, it is the general lack of compliance, either out of ignorance of the requirement or a deliberate choice to ignore it , that has resulted in many readers choosing to ignore all reviews.
Jim wrote: "It is important to remember that a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulation requires that any review obtained through any form of compensation (cash, free copy of the book, gift card, or promise of reciprocation) must include a disclaimer stating so."I would be shocked if there were any truth in that, and if so, this is a policy that should be ignored.
Paul wrote: "Jim wrote: "It is important to remember that a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulation requires that any review obtained through any form of compensation (cash, free copy of the book, gift card, ..."I guess you'll have to be shocked, then. So far as I know that's true. But more important, it's also GR policy that if you get paid for reviewing...and getting a free copy is pay...it has to be disclosed. And to the best of my knowledge, though I don't work for GR, you can get banned for violating that. AMZ probably does the same thing.
And sorry, but the policy makes sense. A reader checking reviews should be informed whether the reviewer bought the book, or got a free copy...so he can properly weigh the value of the review.
Just my USD .02.
Eric
Okay, there are some articles out there, and the subject is interesting if disturbing. Here's one: https://www.wired.com/2009/10/ftc-blo...But then, a response to people's concerns, from the FTC: "FTC Responds to Blogger Fears: That $11,000 Fine Is Not True"
And what it seems to amount to is, if you endorse products on a blog for pay, and you have a large audience, and you don't disclose that you're being paid in the form of free products or other compensation, and then you get warned, and then you continue to defy the warning, and then a product that you endorse for pay without disclosure turns out to be defective, you may face a fine.
That's probably still overreach. Basically, sue me, or prove I committed a crime, or stick your fine up your ass.
And no, I don't review for gifts or rewards, never have, and no I don't pay for reviews, never have. But I'm annoyed by any attempt of the government to try to smack around amateur commenters and reviewers and restrict how they express themselves, with policies that they don't apply to professionals and mainstream organizations.
People who review books based on a free copy or a request to review them seem to be pretty compliant with that policy on both Amazon and GR. The rule certainly makes sense. I also see quite a few reviewers being forthcoming in their reviews that they are friends or family of the author. (Others don't need to admit this for those of us who are discerning and seasoned readers of reviews. I could almost write a parody of one of these reviews. They often sound and read something like this, following the requisite 5 star rating):"So and so has written the shattering account of a man and his profound spiritual bond with his pet tarantula that will leave readers breathless with anticipation at every plot twist. This is the most gripping book I have ever reed! There is adventure, laughter, and hairy entanglements from start to unforgettable climax. I was literally in tears when villains attempt to steal Flo, the tarantula, and you will be too! I recompence this unforgettable book to everyone and will definitely be buying more of so and so's books with the greatest of enthusiasm. I would give it a 6 star rating if i could!!!! I can't say enough about this malificent book sure to be a classic in your personnel collection".
I didn't know that people (or publishers?) offered payola or gift cards, etc. for reviews. In the profoundly eloquent words of one currently famous orator: SAD.
As an academic I have regularly reviewed books throughtout my career, books that publishers sent me--- God forbid-- for free. There is nothing unusual about this and the idea that an academic would lie in a review for a free book is laughable. And as an author-- Leibo and Li Bo I often give books away hoping folks will take the time to review them positively. Nothing unusual here.
Li wrote: "As an academic I have regularly reviewed books throughtout my career, books that publishers sent me--- God forbid-- for free. There is nothing unusual about this and the idea that an academic would.. give a book a good review simply because one was given it free is laughable."I should add that far more common is the practice of authors having their publishers send books to individual readers or journals that then send them on to reviewers for free.
Steven wrote: "People who review books based on a free copy or a request to review them seem to be pretty compliant with that policy on both Amazon and GR. The rule certainly makes sense. I also see quite a few r..." Thanks for this -- you're right and you gave me a good laugh for the day.
Well, I don't think I agree that it's even important to know whether someone was given a book in exchange for a review. Seems to me the only important information is whether the reviewer is friend or family or is being paid (in addition to the book--I don't see the book as payment). Those are things that obviously influence a review. When I get a free book to review--from NetGalley, publisher, wherever--I feel no responsibility to give it a good review. If I send a book to a stranger and ask for an honest review, that's what I expect to get. Read-for-review is a non-issue. The issues have to do with relationship to the author.
The important thing is that it's the law to reveal it.
Susanna - Censored by GoodReads wrote: "The important thing is that it's the law to reveal it."Whose law? The Federal Trade Commission of the U.S. doesn't establish laws. They have policies which may conflict with the law.
Let's see the FTC sue an individual book reviewer for not revealing that they received a review copy of a book, and let's hear them frame the argument that this is a deceptive practice because the amateur does not enjoy the implicit trust that is due to professional reviewers, and then maybe we'll see what the law really is.
As a practical matter this is simply not an issue. Writers such as myself are constantly given books to read and review by journals, authors and publishers and they are all given for free.The real challenge is getting readers, those who are not writers to appreciate how much writers need, desire and appreciate them taking the time to write reviews.
At any rate, GoodReads requires it. You'll find it in their FAQ, in the "review guidelines" section: "Commercial reviews are not allowed and will be deleted. If you received a free copy of the book, you are required to disclose that in your review in compliance with federal law."
Steven wrote: "The real challenge is getting readers, those who are not writers to appreciate how much writers need, desire and appreciate them taking the time to write reviews."I'm not sure where the stumbling block is for some people. It's not difficult to write a few lines, or even a paragraph or two, after finishing a book. I leave reviews on both GR and Amazon almost every time I finish a book—especially if it's a self-pub or a newer author who may not have a lot of reviews—because that may be the only thing that convinces someone to purchase that book (or convinces them to pass on it and find something better).
Maybe it's the circles I run around in, but most of the readers I know are also puzzled at some people's reluctance to review.
Regarding one of the other topics above (the "I received this free in exchange for an honest review"), author Raymond Esposito did a blog post a while back about how that phrase at the beginning of a review can actually hurt the credibility of the review if it's a five-star. I have to admit, I agree with him. When I see the disclaimer and the review is favorable, my first thought is "friend of the author/feels obligated" even though I know that's an unfair assumption.
Frankly I don't think those of us who write entire books are in a good position to comment about people's reluctance to write a few lines of a review. Far as I can tell, it is something of a given. And the same is still true to an extent for writers but perhaps for another reason, as Leibo or Li Bo I have been writing books for my entire life and yet I never made an effort to promote any of my books until this summer. And in doing so I have only recently come to appreciate the importance of taking the initiative to review the books for others. In that past I did it, from time to time and when asked but only recently made the decision to spend more time doing so.
Lynda wrote: "Steven wrote: "The real challenge is getting readers, those who are not writers to appreciate how much writers need, desire and appreciate them taking the time to write reviews."I'm not sure wher..."
I agree that the disclaimer on a review muddies the water for the reader. The reader really has not idea how to interpret it or what value to place on it. The whole issue to me is a tempest in a teapot. And if I could just think of another cliche, I'd use it.
Gary wrote: "And if I could just think of another cliche, I'd use it. "Nah, you're good to go. :)
So my books are listed, and all is well, but I would love to see some reviews happening? Is this possible on Goodreads, or are reviews listed those from other sites like Amazon etc?