tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post8642712423246604077..comments2024-03-28T10:41:26.999-06:00Comments on Blood-Red Pencil: Guidelines for Requesting ReviewsDanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14471919576687777886noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-84522856855875858792014-05-29T06:46:39.046-06:002014-05-29T06:46:39.046-06:00Thank you! This is very helpful. My book is due ou...Thank you! This is very helpful. My book is due out in the fall and I was not sure how to go about requesting reviews. This post will make sure I do it professionally. JoanCurtishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16224850170022507851noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-91046633102389288242014-05-29T05:24:57.309-06:002014-05-29T05:24:57.309-06:00Just had to pass on this one, it's so unbeliev...Just had to pass on this one, it's so unbelievable. I had a tweet, a public one, from a writer who asked if I would give her a 5 star review in exchange for her doing the same for me! No mention of actually reading and assessing the books honestly. Don't these morons understand that they devalue the whole system of reviewing by encouraging such dishonest cheating? It beggars belief!stuartaken.nethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05695584662320617659noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-14043081776253300742014-05-28T18:31:38.204-06:002014-05-28T18:31:38.204-06:00Thank you for letting us know what the appropriate...Thank you for letting us know what the appropriate method is for requesting a review.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03534849962517743534noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-76088556490654419182014-05-28T17:57:06.677-06:002014-05-28T17:57:06.677-06:00LOL, Terry. I'll consider your request right a...LOL, Terry. I'll consider your request right after the one in which the author said, please don't post anything less than a five star review as those are the only ones that matter.Maryannwriteshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-76768609640041564192014-05-28T17:51:21.862-06:002014-05-28T17:51:21.862-06:00Good point, Morgan. If I was going to contact you ...Good point, Morgan. If I was going to contact you to request a review, I'd make my opening and closing more personal since we have known each other a long time, but I would probably still include the pertinent information so you could decide if you would be interested in the book.Maryannwriteshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-49170539381631982052014-05-28T16:02:59.858-06:002014-05-28T16:02:59.858-06:00And I'm NOT a book reviewer, yet I get request...And I'm NOT a book reviewer, yet I get requests from publicists asking me to review their clients' books, usually with a reference to my blog, which has never published a book review. <br /><br />But, hey, Mariaanee -- I've got a great new mystery book out. I'm sure you'd love to read it and give it a 5 star review, wouldn't you? <br /><br />Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-30618410849098211052014-05-28T13:06:25.986-06:002014-05-28T13:06:25.986-06:00Great advice, Maryann. The only difference would b...Great advice, Maryann. The only difference would be if you know the reviewer personally. Then it would seem strange to send them a Dear So and so letter. However, in most instances, casual is not the way to go in business dealings.Morgan Mandelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10118929301591850918noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-28763711078654786472014-05-28T09:33:16.145-06:002014-05-28T09:33:16.145-06:00Along with consideration and respect, I think. The...Along with consideration and respect, I think. The world really was a different place before the lust for money at all costs became the supreme aim in life. Sad, eh?stuartaken.nethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05695584662320617659noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-40009072397631385802014-05-28T08:53:38.577-06:002014-05-28T08:53:38.577-06:00If that wasn't so true, I'd laugh, Diana. ...If that wasn't so true, I'd laugh, Diana. Perhaps I will just take a deep breath and sigh.Maryannwriteshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-13979992639810403402014-05-28T08:49:13.420-06:002014-05-28T08:49:13.420-06:00I'm pretty certain business etiquette is dead....I'm pretty certain business etiquette is dead. I swear I read the obit years ago. It was involved in the same train wreck as manners and decorum. :)Diana Hurwitzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18216220574149672733noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-89190796187714578902014-05-28T07:46:34.799-06:002014-05-28T07:46:34.799-06:00Even a variation thereof would be acceptable. Are ...Even a variation thereof would be acceptable. Are we really that old? When we're gone, will anyone care about doing things right? Scary thought, isn't it, that mediocrity and all points below that will take over, and excellence will become a relic, a fossil, lost in the halls of antiquity. Hmm. Must be feeling a bit melancholy today. :-)Linda Lanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16056682992943171805noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-44970050001226236282014-05-28T07:25:20.987-06:002014-05-28T07:25:20.987-06:00Nope. Not working Christopher. LOLNope. Not working Christopher. LOLMaryannwriteshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-47495526965043297142014-05-28T07:24:52.457-06:002014-05-28T07:24:52.457-06:00Glad you found the post helpful. I don't know ...Glad you found the post helpful. I don't know if the proper business letter form is even taught today, Linda. We are old... LOLMaryannwriteshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-29658211179484557412014-05-28T07:23:46.011-06:002014-05-28T07:23:46.011-06:00LOL, I agree Larry. I just chalk those up to my ch...LOL, I agree Larry. I just chalk those up to my chuckle for the day and move on. Maryannwriteshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-5572312247540503902014-05-28T07:23:05.301-06:002014-05-28T07:23:05.301-06:00Ah, so the problem might just be the desperation s...Ah, so the problem might just be the desperation slipping through in my review requests ... I'm guessing that 'please, please, please review my book, HEADWIND ... or you'll have my suicide on your head' is not working.Christopher Hudsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03667548312923348614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-79188219070623015422014-05-28T07:22:42.509-06:002014-05-28T07:22:42.509-06:00Thanks for the kind words about my post here and m...Thanks for the kind words about my post here and my blog. Glad to have you as a follower there. Like you, I have received some great query letters only to be disappointed in the book, Congrats on getting the review in India.Maryannwriteshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-50650307135501441432014-05-28T05:43:12.191-06:002014-05-28T05:43:12.191-06:00Amen!
Casual, often faceless, and devoid of resp...Amen! <br /><br />Casual, often faceless, and devoid of respect for the prospective reviewer, requests for the favor of a review frequently fall far short of the professional queries of the past. Sometimes "progress" seems a lot more like a huge step backwards in the "appropriate communication" department.<br /><br />Great reminders, Maryann.Linda Lanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16056682992943171805noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-56401451093621104572014-05-28T04:10:35.325-06:002014-05-28T04:10:35.325-06:00Maryann, you banged the drum for professionalism w...Maryann, you banged the drum for professionalism with great examples. In my view it extends to all our transactions with fellow professionals and the big world out there, including the online author forums. I cringe every time I see a thread that starts something like this: "I am just so pumped because my debut book was just released, like yesterday. On the Kindl and all over. Plz buy it and like it and tell ur friends."<br /><br />Arrrgh!Larry Constantine (Lior Samson)http://amazon.com/author/liorsamson/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-30028039790195688262014-05-28T01:28:10.486-06:002014-05-28T01:28:10.486-06:00Thank you for an interesting insight into the mind...Thank you for an interesting insight into the mind of a reviewer, Maryann. Authors are a mixed bunch, with some odd attitudes. I write, blog, read and review. Whilst I've had some odd and sometimes self-defeating review requests like you, I've also had some pleasant ones, only to discover the book I received was all but unreadable. Difficult.<br />Similarly, I've had requests from reviewers for copies of my books for review and I've generally sent copies. My latest release was published by a local indie publisher in digital and print formats and, at 700 pps is quite a heavy tome. This, of course, makes sending the physical book overseas a costly exercise. My publisher and I share that expense, as the royalty deal is particularly generous. We recently sent one to India and were rewarded with an excellent review by one of Amazon's top reviewers, so it can be worthwhile. But I've also sent review copies and never heard a word, so one has to be selective: a risk of all business, I suppose.<br />I like your blog, by the way, and I've joined it.<br />Thanks again for this interesting post.stuartaken.nethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05695584662320617659noreply@blogger.com