GOOD REVIEWS discussion
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Rise of the Phoenix
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Review Swap
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Dameon wrote: "I am looking for someone or another author that is willing to swap books for reviews. I will post my books description below to read. It is titled 'Rise of the Phoenix,' it is an action-adventure. ..."Sure, send me a pdf please and I'll send you mine. Cheers, Mehreen
Email:[email protected]
Email me at [email protected] and we can work out a plan to do our book exchange and review.
Pattimari
Pattimari
I'll tell all of you right now this isn't a good idea. Review Swapping is considered fraud and self-promotion, and when readers find out about it your rep is gonna be in the toilet.
John wrote: "I'll tell all of you right now this isn't a good idea. Review Swapping is considered fraud and self-promotion, and when readers find out about it your rep is gonna be in the toilet."See, this is one reason to avoid passive voice; "is considered" by who? Self-promotion is what you're SUPPOSED to do if you're publishing independently. Fraud isn't just too strong a word, it isn't even the same category of thing.
There are other reasons review swaps can be a bad idea. A reputation for fraud isn't one of them.
However:
1) Amazon are guaranteed to be a dick about review swaps because it definitely counts as a review from someone you are connected with, and Amazon generally leave no opportunity to be a dick unexplored. Goodreads is all about the good reads, so nobody here is going to go all Amazon about it.
2) All you are offering is a pair of eyes. Any agreement to swap overly-positive reviews is a fool's game. Be honest. That means if you read a book you can't recommend, politely decline to review it. If you do like the book, say what you like about it in the review. That's good information for other potential readers.
3) You probably don't already have a reputation to ruin, yet. If someone reads and likes your book which they found only because of a review that came from a swap, they aren't going to retroactively hate your book in the rare case that they find out. Which takes me back to point 2. A glowing review of a poor book is reputationally bad for the reviewer and the author, regardless of whether a swap was involved.
Thanks John. I did not know of this. I was told by others that this is a good way to promote. And yes we give each other proper reviews, if you believe it to be 3 stars than 3 stars it is. Anyway I will now look at it from a different perspective. Have a great day.
Also, thanks to you Pete for your knowledgeable input. As these are things that I was unaware of, it's not that I'm trying to get over on readers. I'm new to this, so forgive me if I offended you as an author. Have a good day.
Pete wrote: "John wrote: "I'll tell all of you right now this isn't a good idea. Review Swapping is considered fraud and self-promotion, and when readers find out about it your rep is gonna be in the toilet."..."
It's fraud because you haven't read the book yet are giving it a 'review'; in this case a positive one. Plus the fact that you've been solicited to give the review, yet aren't disclosing this as per the FTC. Not saying the cops are gonna come and lock you up for it, but as you yourself pointed out Amazon, etc, all have strict guidelines and polices against it for just these reasons. And a review swap is expressly what's being asked for in the OP.
As to your disingenous question, 'considered by who'- I suggest a KDP discussion with a woman named Maggie Spence who tried to do the same in a roundabout way, and even other authors- the people she was trying to swap with- told her it was a very bad idea. Wanna take a guess why?
But you go right ahead if you want to. When it hits the fan, you'll already know the reasons.
It's fraud because you haven't read the book yet are giving it a 'review'No, don't do that, people.
A review swap implies only that you read each other's books and give a review. If it's an honest review, that's fine however you came by it. There's no ethical difference between that and a recommended read from some other social media source.
At least I assume this is what's meant, because surely you'd look like a fool giving a terrible book a good review or trying to review a book you haven't read. Who even does that? If that kind of numbfuckery is what you're against, I am 100% in agreement with you.
It's not such a big deal in most cases. Reviews aren't magic golden pixie dust that can be applied--"fraudulently" or otherwise--to rescue a bad book.
--A review swap implies only that you read each other's books and give a review.--If that's what you're looking for, then simply offer up free copies for review- and that's not what was asked for. Review Swapping is just what is says: I'll 5-star you if you'll 5-star me.
Dameon wrote: "I am looking for someone or another author that is willing to swap books for reviews. I will post my books description below to read. It is titled 'Rise of the Phoenix,' it is an action-adventure. ..."Hi Dameon, I've messaged you.
Two Bodies: a Skilled Merc, and a Powerful Terrorist…
Finding their connection is the responsibility of CIA Analyst Dante Tucker and Delta Force Operative Sgt. Nicholas "Edge" Pierce. It quickly becomes clear that the murdered terrorist is simply the start of something far larger, a plan that intends to shake the foundation of America.
The Heart of Miami is in Ruins…
Destroyed by a new weapon, wielded by a mysterious organization. Tucker and Edge are on the hunt for those responsible before the next phase of this plan can be launched. But with each encounter they have to question are they the
Hunters or the Hunted?
In this game of cat and mouse that extends from the Everglades to the mountains of Oregon and the nation's capital itself, Tucker and Edge will stop at nothing to bring down those who are responsible!