Should a writer pay to have his/her book reviewed?

[Josephphi235]

Does anyone at QT have any comments or suggestions on the possibility of paying reviewers (say, $10 to $20) to review my (self-published) books? Today was my first time to even investigate book reviewers. There are some on-line reviewers that charge fees for producing reviews of one's books. Is paying such a reviewer sheer foolishness? Is it a total waste of money? Is there even a reasonable possibility that paying for such reviews could even slightly increase book sales?

Any comments or suggestions regarding these questions would be appreciated.

(By the way, my two books are nonfiction and are about philosophy, religion, science, logic, etc.)

[munley]

I'm a little confused because the subject line asks about paying to have your book published, but your message asks about paying reviewers to review books you've already self-published.

Here is a link for a college publisher looking for non-fiction book submissions. I don't think you would be paying them to publish your book.  They advertised a call for submissions in Poets & Writers, which is a pretty respectable publication online, as well as in print for many years.  Here is the link for the Hudson Whitman page, if you think your manuscript would be suitable for it:

http://www.hudsonwhitman.com/

[Josephphi235]

Awe, what absentmindedness on my part! That subject line was way off from what I intended. I meant to ask whether a writer should pay to have a book reviewed -- not published! Thanks for pointing that out.

I've now made the correction in the subject line, but anyone reading your message now might wonder what your complaint was -- I hope it doesn't cause you any embarrassment.

Joseph

[Josephphi235]

I'm a little confused because the subject line asks about paying to have your book published, but your message asks about paying reviewers to review books you've already self-published.

Here is a link for a college publisher looking for non-fiction book submissions. I don't think you would be paying them to publish your book.  They advertised a call for submissions in Poets & Writers, which is a pretty respectable publication online, as well as in print for many years.  Here is the link for the Hudson Whitman page, if you think your manuscript would be suitable for it:

http://www.hudsonwhitman.com/

Thanks for this information. My books (2 of them) are already published -- yes, self-published. It's certainly not the ideal way to go, but maybe it's better (for some people, anyway) than not getting your work to a publisher at all.

I, of course, meant to ask if a writer ought to be paying a reviewer to review one's book. Any input on this question would be appreciated.

Joseph

[Tabris]

I've now made the correction in the subject line, but anyone reading your message now might wonder what your complaint was -- I hope it doesn't cause you any embarrassment.

Joseph

It's actually still showing up that way on the screen, so you'll need to go back into the first post and edit the subject line there.

THe subject lines on the individual post will be different depending on what the poster hit "reply" to and those won't change, but you can change the main one by editing the first post.

I have never paid for a review, so I can't answer your question. There are plenty of book reviewers who will do it for free, but they tend not to have the same reach. I think it's a matter of figuring out whether your target audience is reading those targeted reviews and whether your potential reach is broad enough that a wider-read review will earn back the amount of money you paid getting the book reviewed in the first place.

[shadowwalker]

I think I would first investigate non-fee reviewers. Since nonfiction seems to be an area where self-publishing is better established and has a better reputation, I would think it would be easier to find reviewers for one's work. Otherwise, I would try to investigate the reviewer's reputation among readers (not necessarily writers). For example, how big is his/her readership, and are both good and bad reviews posted and left up? Have you talked with colleagues about certain reviewers, or if they've tried this?

[Falen]

I'm with Tabris. I think step one is to find reviewers that review your type of book and that reach a lot of potential reader. I mean, if i reviewed you book on my blog, yeah i've got almost 500 followers, but most of those people read fiction, so a positive review on my blog wouldn't get you many sales.
So start there, then when you find those reviewers, i would weigh the cost vs possible sales. If they charge yo $10, but you're confident that review will net you x many sales, well then $10 may be worth it.

[Josephphi235]

I've now made the correction in the subject line, but anyone reading your message now might wonder what your complaint was -- I hope it doesn't cause you any embarrassment.

Joseph

It's actually still showing up that way on the screen, so you'll need to go back into the first post and edit the subject line there.

THe subject lines on the individual post will be different depending on what the poster hit "reply" to and those won't change, but you can change the main one by editing the first post.

I have never paid for a review, so I can't answer your question. There are plenty of book reviewers who will do it for free, but they tend not to have the same reach. I think it's a matter of figuring out whether your target audience is reading those targeted reviews and whether your potential reach is broad enough that a wider-read review will earn back the amount of money you paid getting the book reviewed in the first place.

Thanks for your helpful ideas on getting a reviewer.

So far as the subject line is concerned, I'm not worried about if, unless it would mislead a reader about what I meant to ask. I suppose the thread has about run its course, anyway.

But since you seem so savvy in computer matters, and since I'm an utter clutch at it, let me as a couple of very simple questions about using this site. First, how does one reply to a post, if it's not the last post in the thread? I don't know how to do that, except by hitting "Quote".

Second question: How do you get just a partial quote from a previous post? Do you just hit quote and then delete everything but what you wish to include?

Thanks for any enlightenment on these simple questions.

[Josephphi235]

I think I would first investigate non-fee reviewers. Since nonfiction seems to be an area where self-publishing is better established and has a better reputation, I would think it would be easier to find reviewers for one's work. Otherwise, I would try to investigate the reviewer's reputation among readers (not necessarily writers). For example, how big is his/her readership, and are both good and bad reviews posted and left up? Have you talked with colleagues about certain reviewers, or if they've tried this?

I appreciate your input on this. No, I've not checked with others about this matter -- except for what I've posted here. I'd hardly even known that getting free reviews was a possibility until just the other day. So, I'm really new at this matter, and I'm just sort of "testing the waters" to see it it's a route worth my taking.

You made some really good suggestions, and I'll try to keep them in mind.

[Josephphi235]

I'm with Tabris. I think step one is to find reviewers that review your type of book and that reach a lot of potential reader. I mean, if i reviewed you book on my blog, yeah i've got almost 500 followers, but most of those people read fiction, so a positive review on my blog wouldn't get you many sales.
So start there, then when you find those reviewers, i would weigh the cost vs possible sales. If they charge yo $10, but you're confident that review will net you x many sales, well then $10 may be worth it.

Thanks for your helpful tips. I'm wondering about reviewers who say that they would post a review of a writer's book at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, etc. Is this a good idea? Do most reviewers have their own blog where their reviews are printed, or do most of them simply post the reviews they give at large book outlets?

I'm totally new at all of this; so, I'm really just looking for hints at how best to pursue this, if indeed, it's worth my pursuit.

[Tabris]

But since you seem so savvy in computer matters, and since I'm an utter clutch at it, let me as a couple of very simple questions about using this site. First, how does one reply to a post, if it's not the last post in the thread? I don't know how to do that, except by hitting "Quote".

Yes, that's how it happens. Reply at the bottom replies to the thread.

Second question: How do you get just a partial quote from a previous post? Do you just hit quote and then delete everything but what you wish to include?

Yes, that's what I do. Also, in order to intersperse my answers with your quote, I just code it to end the quote and then reopen the quote.

Thanks for any enlightenment on these simple questions.

YW. It takes a little getting used-to, but once you're in the groove, it'll come naturally. 

[LateToTheParty]

I read an article about a self-pub author that paid $500 for a review in Locus or Kirkus, (one of the us-s, maybe Toys R' Us-s) and the mag in question offered the author an opportunity to decline publication of the review. While not cheap, it's not a bad option as both magazines (and the toy store) have excellent reputations. I'm sure other genres have similar pay-per-review options. Unfortuantely--as I'm sure you know--nonfiction is a completely different animal and philosophy runs to academic journals. Not only would they not take a fee to review, they'd probably send out grad students to kill you in your sleep for asking. Just saying.

[Josephphi235]

I read an article about a self-pub author that paid $500 for a review in Locus or Kirkus, (one of the us-s, maybe Toys R' Us-s) and the mag in question offered the author an opportunity to decline publication of the review. While not cheap, it's not a bad option as both magazines (and the toy store) has excellent reputations. I'm sure other genres have similar pay-per-review options. Unfortuantely--as I'm sure you know--nonfiction is a completely different animal and philosophy runs to academic journals. Not only would they not take a fee to review, they'd probably send out grad students to kill you in your sleep for asking. Just saying.

LTTP, thanks for those ideas -- some really good points about philosophy versus much other nonfiction, and especially the utterly different world from fiction! Unfortunately, getting one's philosophical writing reviewed in philosophy journals requires very substantial "credentials" -- and those are animals I don't possess! Therefore, it appears that my fate is to be one of those "starving artists" (writers -- in this case).

I might well be willing to shell out a couple of hundred dollars to a reputable magazine that was agreeable to reviewing my books -- in the case where I'd have the option to decline to accept the offer upon reading the review. Of course, finding such a magazine for philosophy might well be a hopeless quest.

[Josephphi235]

But since you seem so savvy in computer matters, and since I'm an utter clutch at it, let me as a couple of very simple questions about using this site. First, how does one reply to a post, if it's not the last post in the thread? I don't know how to do that, except by hitting "Quote".

Yes, that's how it happens. Reply at the bottom replies to the thread.

Second question: How do you get just a partial quote from a previous post? Do you just hit quote and then delete everything but what you wish to include?

Yes, that's what I do. Also, in order to intersperse my answers with your quote, I just code it to end the quote and then reopen the quote.

Thanks for any enlightenment on these simple questions.

YW. It takes a little getting used-to, but once you're in the groove, it'll come naturally. 

Tabris, thanks again. By the way, I noticed that at the very beginning of my initial post, I wrote "...and since I'm an utter clutch,...", which goes to show that my internal speller must have been on break -- "klutz" was the word I'd been intending to write. It was late, and I was tired!

Thanks for the helpful pointers.

[Tabris]

LOL -- I figured "clutch" was a regionalism that meant basically the same thing.