Goodreads Authors/Readers discussion

Edit: Please disregard. I have asked Mods to remove this post and do not wish for additional comments. Though it was done with the best of intentions for honest and fair reviews, concerns have lead me to delete this post. Please note that no books have yet been received by me or others, nor have any reviews resulted from this post and I no longer wish for any review participation of this sort.

Getting reviews as a new author can be a catch 22. Blurbs, Forewords, and Book Reviews by Big Name Authors are traditionally arranged by literary agents and big publishing houses in exchanges and paid contract work. These are not options for many new authors, especially those who self-publish. And since most people tend to only buy books that have already been reviewed at least a few times, it can be extra hard to reach those first few reviews as a new author. I suggest those of us who are new authors reading and genuinely reviewing each other's work so that we can all gain those first reviews.

Rules:

1. Reviews must be FREE. No money exchanged.
2. If you are asking for reviews, you must give at least one review.
3. Books for the purpose of review must be provided to Reviewers for FREE through the book retailer that you would like the review to be published on. (Use the promo codes designated for this purpose if possible.)
4. Books Reviewers must agree not to share the copy provided to them with others.
5. Reviews must be provided in a timely manner dependent on the length of the book.

Post below if you would like to have your book reviewed and are willing to review someone else's work. Be sure to comment and communicate so that you are both in agreement about how you’ll review.

S.G. wrote: "I propose an exchange. New authors reading and reviewing each other's work so that we can all gain those first reviews..."

What you are proposing violates Amazon’s TOS and can get your KDP account banned. Plus many readers consider it unethical.

If you want reviews, sell books. You can run FB, AMS and BB ads without any reviews. If you cover and blurb are doing their job, people will buy a book without reviews - that’s how I got started.

Tilly wrote: "S.G. wrote: "I propose an exchange. New authors reading and reviewing each other's work so that we can all gain those first reviews..."

What you are proposing violates Amazon’s TOS and can get you..."

Amazon's TOS states that payment cannot be accepted in exchange for reviews which is why I specifically stated that all reviews must be free and without exchange of money. I do not see an ethical problem in giving honest and fair reviews to other new authors. Of course ads can help sell books but reviews give future readers an idea of what a book is about prior to buying so that they can make more informed purchase decisions.

Jason wrote: "S.G. wrote: "Jason wrote: "S.G. wrote: "Book Exchange Proposal:

What I am Willing To Review - Any Genre Fiction or Non-Fiction. Under 250 pages. I will Review on Goodreads as well as one other pla..."

Emailing me the pdf would not be a verified purchase so I could not review it. I do not see a way to get the book for free without a paid subscription, therefore I don't see how I can actually read or review your book. Perhaps someone else who already has a paid subscription would be better suited to review your book.

I am interested in reviewing your book. Should be under 250 pages. I will commit to a review within two months time; and would expect the same from you. I am only on Amazon and Google play. We can talk and determine best way to exchange. What I want reviewed: Historical fiction (period 1870-1940) USA. Listening To Her Own Voice. can contact me through my website; www.colleenbooks.com.

Great! Really looking forward to learning from your writing. www.colleenbooks.com

In this you are misinformed, SG, and Tilly is correct. Trading, exchanging reviews even without payment is against the TOS of KDP. Quoting, relying on a particular favourable section in the terms is neither proof nor confirmation. And as Tilly stated this can see all the reviews removed, even legitimate ones, books de-listed and your KDP account banned.

Go to the KDP forums and ask if you are in any doubt, it is a common query. I should add since Amazon own Goodreads making such requests/offers provides all the recorded proof they would need. If you do not possess/utilise a KDP account yourself, it is wilful misrepresentation to encourage others who do into such practices.

Even if the book is provided free, including ARC or Early editions, then the reviewer must include a disclaimer to clearly state such. By default Friends and Family are restricted from providing glowing endorsements, though how exactly they police this they do not say. Also Amazon have the added requirement that you need to have spent at least $50-75 in a year on anything to permit addition of any review. This has been well known from the outset because of rampant abuse back then. And yet regularly on this and other forums people try.

Annoyingly, conventional publishers are not so restricted and often indulge blatant celebrity endorsements, frequently employing discount pre-orders and freebie strategies to generate an early buzz. This is just one of the many disadvantages of the Self-Published and the reliance on the generosity of strangers.

If you are a Kindle Unlimited subscriber then the books are effectively free and you are actively encouraged at the conclusion to add a review. However the page count is recorded so skipping to the end will get flagged.

You go ahead, ignore the advice, do as you wish. Just please don't encourage others to do likewise. You may get away with it for a time but the consequences are real.

Nothing prevents anyone who reads this thread from reviewing the material unsolicited without any expected 'quid pro quo'.

Colleen wrote: "Great! Really looking forward to learning from your writing. www.colleenbooks.com"

Unfortunately, I wanted to let you know that the New Author Reviews have been cancelled. I'm sorry for the inconvenience. Please do not go through the trouble of sending me your book, although I'm sure it is lovely, I can not review it. Likewise, I do not expect you to review my book. I wish you all the best with your book.

S.G. wrote: "Amazon's TOS states that payment cannot be accepted in exchange for reviews..."

You need to make yourself familiar with their review guidelines. They specifically state you cannot review where you know the other party (eg: review swaps, editors, or friends and family) plus you are prohibited from leaving a review on a similar product (eg: authors are not allowed to review other author's books). But it's your book that will be affected or your KDP account that will get banned, not mine *shrug*

S.G. wrote: "...reviews give future readers an idea of what a book is about prior to buying..."

That's what the cover and blurb do, along with the sample that they can read. As I have already said, readers will absolutely buy a book with no reviews. Low budget ads are how I got sales started for my book and that saw organic reviews trickle in without me having to do a single thing.

We all start from zero. I'm simply offering what worked for me and took my book from no reviews to over 1,000 - without having to do anything unethical or that could get my KDP account banned.

S.G. wrote: "I do not see an ethical problem in giving honest and fair reviews to other new authors...

Review swaps are unethical as they are not unbiased consumer reviews. The swap gives rise to an expectation of only giving the other author a positive review. In fact of the author review swaps I've seen in thread like this, they are always 5-stars (which readers can spot a mile off and promptly discount as fake).

Thanks for the info and update. I will not participate in any exchange and will opt to run ads as recommended above. I'll review KDP guidelines.