I ignore review requests.
I really don't know how other bloggers handle review requests. I know some reply to every request. I know some who don't. For me, I'm a mix. If I'm interested in a book (or the author, because I do have favorites), obviously I reply and agree to read and review. If I'm on the fence, I'll usually send an email to decline or offer to do an author interview instead of investing my time in a review. If I'm not interested, it comes down to two things. If the book didn't catch my interest, I usually delete the email without replying. I get 10+ review requests each and every day. There is no way that I can respond to every request. The other thing that makes me not interested? If the review inquiry is absolutely lacking and borderline infuriating. Not only do I send the request straight to the trashcan, I remember the author and never accept any requests from them.
Things to remember when requesting a review:
If you're going to ask me to take the time to read and review your book, take the time to read my review policy. My review policy is there for a reason. For me to accept a review request, a book really has to get my attention. If it doesn't match the things listed on my review policy, there's a good chance that I won't be interested. It's not only beneficial for me, but for authors, too. It saves them time sending a request that will be deleted. And if by chance that I do agree to review, it saves the author from a bad review because I didn't enjoy the book because of the genre, age group, or content. I get so many requests for erotica. My review policy specifically says that I do not accept erotica. Respect that and find a blog that reviews erotica.
Mass e-mails are for chain letters circa 1999. No one likes a mass e-mail. It's impersonal and boring. Whenever you request reviews via mass e-mail, no one is going to pay that much attention to it. If you want to get my attention, use my name! (And spell it correctly.) If I see Hi, Kristen! at the start of an e-mail, I'm opening that sucker. Using someone's name then doing a copy paste request is fine. Just remember what you're copying and pasting so you don't send me an e-mail addressed to Jada. (That has happened. I'm still wondering who Jada is.)
Be patient. Like I mentioned earlier, I easily get over ten requests per day. It's mind boggling, really. Patience is the key whenever making review requests. Be patient when waiting for a reply. I usually go through my e-mails twice a week. Anything important is answered on the spot, but everything else is filed away for the two dedicated days of inbox cleaning. After we've chatted and I've accepted your book, be patient while waiting for the review. I may tell you it'll be a month or two. It may be three by the time the review goes live, though. There are quite a few things that can come up last minute for bloggers. We have to try to fit all of that stuff in with what we're already planning. And you know what? Sometimes I just don't feel like reading and I get behind. Even though reading is my pleasure and passion, I need a break from it sometimes. So just be patient with us. We're only human.
Be patient. Like I mentioned earlier, I easily get over ten requests per day. It's mind boggling, really. Patience is the key whenever making review requests. Be patient when waiting for a reply. I usually go through my e-mails twice a week. Anything important is answered on the spot, but everything else is filed away for the two dedicated days of inbox cleaning. After we've chatted and I've accepted your book, be patient while waiting for the review. I may tell you it'll be a month or two. It may be three by the time the review goes live, though. There are quite a few things that can come up last minute for bloggers. We have to try to fit all of that stuff in with what we're already planning. And you know what? Sometimes I just don't feel like reading and I get behind. Even though reading is my pleasure and passion, I need a break from it sometimes. So just be patient with us. We're only human.
Other bloggers: What advice would you give to authors requesting reviews?
Authors: What has worked best for you when requesting reviews?
Tell me in the comments below! (Or just yell at me for ignoring your request.)
I'm fortunate that I haven't gotten any review requests, but I'm pretty clear on my blog that I only read library books, and so far that seems to be working :)
ReplyDeleteGood for you! I've been reading more and more library books lately. It's relaxing. :)
DeleteI ignore requests I'm not interested in as well. If an author/publisher can't take the time to read my policy, then why should I take the time to respond? I also find it's really difficult to say to someone, "I'm sorry, your book just doesn't sound good to me", so I avoid that all together.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about personalized requests. I had an author blatantly tell me that she knew her book bordered on being considered a genre I disliked, but she was willing to risk the negative review, so i read her book and I actually liked it!
Oh man! I know what you mean! I hate the awkward moment of should I tell them that their book just doesn't sound appealing at all? So horrible!
DeleteYay! Sometimes that happens, and it's the best! :)
REALLY?? Oh man I don't even get review requests LOL.
ReplyDeleteIt's a blessing in disguise, I promise!
DeleteVery interesting blog post, and nice of you sharing how you feel regarding this topic! As an author, I always care to read review policies and ONLY send a request if my book fits in the blog's policy. - That's because in the past I have been doing reviews to indie authors, and I can't tell the times some of them were impolite pushing their books on me. So... I stopped reviewing - mostly. Now I only review books of those whom I have more interaction with, like a few author buddies, and of course, my fav authors, regardless :)
ReplyDeleteI think the reason why a lot of indies behave like this, is because they are too self-absorbed in their work, that they only see their side, forgetting to care about the other behind the blog altogether :P
Also, like Emily said here... It is not so easy to tell someone that his or her book doesn't sound interesting at all or it is not your cup of tea :S
I agree. I really dislike telling someone that I don't think their book is something I'd like. So what do I do? Avoid the confrontation! Hah. :) Thanks for giving another perspective to this, Isis! :)
DeleteI'm a mix of both as well! Sometimes, I just ignore and delete. Other times, I'm truly interested. I've also noticed I forget those books quite easily (I'm trying to get better organized). I like the informal ones that use my name and sound genuine. And if I don't want to do a review, I sometimes offer up a promo post. It depends, though. But I don't get nearly as many review requests as I first did when I created my blog. And that is A-Okay by me. Sometimes reviewing just becomes too much.
ReplyDeleteWe are totally in the same boat, Holly! Your thoughts echo mine exactly. It's almost too easy to get overwhelmed!
DeleteI try and reply where possible some emails say if I don't hear from you I'll presume you do t want to, I do ignore those that are so far out of my field like a sci do Christian horror or something becAsue I feel like they haven't even looke at my blog and what I read,
ReplyDeleteEm @ afternoonbookery.blogspot.com
I agree. I feel like if I can tell that the author or publicist didn't even take the time to read my policy, then I don't have to justify the request with a response!
DeleteI accept almost every review request but it takes me significantly longer to read a review book rather than a book I get from the library. Deadlines don't sit well with me. When an author says I need the review within 6 weeks, I either panic or forget all about the book. I have a really busy life outside of blogging and having deadlines isn't helping. And when I inevitably go over the deadline, I always feel terrible emailing the author and finally telling them that the review went live.
ReplyDeleteLaura at www.blueeeybooks.blogspot.com
Deadlines always freak me out, too! I am so in awe of you that you accept every request. There is no way I could handle that. If I'm not into a book, I try to force myself through it but I really struggle and almost put myself in a reading slump if I do!
DeleteI'm really glad I'm not the only one who ignores them, to be honest. I thought I was the only one who did that. I never know what to say, especially because I've had authors become abrasive with me in the past regarding reviews.
ReplyDeleteYou are not alone, chica! It's just an awkward situation, and I avoid it. :)
DeleteI get on average about 1 to 3 review requests per week, and honestly I have a hard time declining review requests. I feel bad about it, but I have other things that I gotta do in my daily life, can't just lay around and read every book an author asks me to review.
ReplyDeleteI know! As much as I'd love to lay around and read 24/7, I don't get to. And I like to use my reading time for books that I REALLY wanna read. Woe is me, huh?
DeleteI delete those impersonal chain mails immediately, because you can at least take the time to make it look like you write me. The same with emails that clearly show they haven't read my review policy. 'I think you will enjoy this erotica book', because yes, I read those book all the time... I don't take the effort to reply to that.
ReplyDeleteGirl, I know! It's so frustrating. Why even bother requesting blindly? You're only going to hurt yourself whenever you request from someone who doesn't enjoy your genre and gives a review that reflects that.
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