Posts
KINDLE SYSTEM
http://tyconreviews.com/
favorited and followed me on Twitter.
I checked out who had done so and learned wearily it was just a way to get my business.
On their web page, they calmly explain why you should BUY REVIEWS. Only $97 for 10 reviews.
Sigh. Yeah, I want to get thrown off Amazon and PAY FOR THE PRIVILEGE.
ANNE R. ALLEN wrote a detailed article on why this is a very, very, very bad thing to do.
http://annerallen.blogspot.com/2015/05/paid-reviews-why-authors-should-never.html
KIRKUS REVIEWS:
I've also seen ads for KIRKUS REVIEWS popping up everywhere on the internet.
Now, when an established business starts avalanching the net with ads then I begin to think they are hurting.
$425.00 for a review that might take 9 weeks.
Or you can fork over the extra money and pay $575.00 for the 4-6 week review.
Once the review is published, however, few, if anyone, will see it.
It gets tucked away three or four layers deep into the Kirkus labyrinth of thousands of reviews.
And you wouldn’t find it unless you searched for it specifically.
Only an extreme select few books get selected by their editors for a featured review,
and even fewer (think Stephen King) actually get a star.
REALLY NOT WORTH THE MONEY FOR MOST OF US.
If you want to buy a review from an objective service, you might want to look into these:
San Francisco Book Review: $125.00 (8-10 weeks)
Portland Book Review: $100.0
Readers Views: various review services (2-4 week turnaround)
Indie Reader: $150.00 (2-4 week turnaround)
Midwest Book Review: $50.00 (14-16 week turnaround)
Self Publishing Review: $119 (1 month turnaround)
ForeWord Book Review: Requires book submissions 2 months before release date
I hope this helps.
Don't forget to go to D.G. Hudson's RAINFOREST WRITING http://dghudson-rainwriting.blogspot.com/
to read her review of my book:
THE STARS BLEED AT MIDNIGHT
Rather than buy reviews, if you want to spend the money, spend it on advertisement instead.
ReplyDeleteThat's what I think -- still the best advertisement is word of mouth, and you cannot buy that! :-)
DeleteVery true, about the word of mouth. But potential readers have to know about the work...and give it a shot before the ball can get rolling. And that's a tough thing to do sometimes. :)
DeleteYes, how to get our novels out in the media spotlight and noticed by more than just our blogger friends is something that still eludes me. :-(
DeleteI agree with Terry on the ads. Giveaways are a good way to get the book out too, and hope they love it and spread the word.
ReplyDeleteI've tried giveaways, Holly. I stopped when dozens of emails hit me, asking when I was giving another book away so they could read another of mine since they didn't buy Kindle books when so many were being given away!
DeleteThe answer is out there; I just have stumbled upon it yet!
Oh my gosh! I don't think I'd ever buy a review! Something about that just seems... sleazy. I mean, I guess if I gave someone a free copy of my book in exchange for a review, that's different (I've done that before), but spending $100 dollars or more on one?! No, no... that money is better spent elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteMadilyn, it does seem a bit shabby, doesn't it? John Locke spent thousands of dollars on review mills, shooting him up into Amazon's best-sellers listing. Sigh.
DeleteI believe it's better to go with Anne R. Allen's advice. We can't even agree on what comprises an honest review.
ReplyDeleteToo many reviewers like to pick apart the author's writing style without looking at the storyline so much, without considering his creativity, and if the story kept you turning the pages. I don't care if the reviewer is a grammarian or is an expert in the field, was the story worthwhile reading? I'm referring to fiction, where story or characters are king.
You're right. Just do our best and hope the honest reviews come. Reviewers are often in it for the delight of proving how witty they are at a poor author's expense -- little ego's need constant stroking I guess. I like your standards for judging a book. :-)
Delete