Authors Lounge discussion

Wordsmiths, I need your help: how best to request a review from a giveaway winner on a comps slip? I don't have much room.

What I've got so far:

Hello Xxxxx
I hope you enjoy reading [Title Title] - perhaps you'll let other potential readers know what you think of it.
Regards, Cassian

I'm not satisfied with that. Any ideas, anyone?

Good question. I'd be interested to know what other Giveaway authors have done if reviews have not been forthcoming after a period of, say, 3 months.

Thanks Denise. Perhaps that is the best approach.

Elizabeth wrote: "Good question. I'd be interested to know what other Giveaway authors have done if reviews have not been forthcoming after a period of, say, 3 months."

Hi Elizabeth ... There's been a debate on that very subject over on the Goodreads Feedback forum. If you're interested, the link is http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/8...

Cassian wrote: "Elizabeth wrote: "Good question. I'd be interested to know what other Giveaway authors have done if reviews have not been forthcoming after a period of, say, 3 months."

Hi Elizabeth ... There's b..."

Thank you - I'll just wait and see. You never know - the books had to go to the US and to Australia - they might have taken a while to get there.

I've been thinking about doing a giveaway for my next releases, and the posts here have been very insightful, thanks everyone.

Cassian
All kinds of issues going to be argued here, but how about the idea of bypassing the issues in total.
I'm thinking, what about instead of just making available "giveaways", you offer free "review copies"?
That way from the start the reader, if they want a free copy, would understand why the writer was making them free in the first place, and if the reader didn't feel they should be compelled to write a review, they wouldn't have to, but they would understand there was a request being made by the writer in exchange for the free copy, UP FRONT.
What about that idea?
Now that my books are on smashwords, that's what I'm thinking of doing.
Any opinions guys?
Bruce Gregor Hodge

and okay, I'm a bit new to all this, but if you give a review on goodreads, does it transfer aross to smashwords or amazon? Because in terms of book sales, that's where the reviews need to land. So if someone is prepared to give you a review, how do you register that across the board? I'm told amazon won't permit their reviews to be posted anywhere else. It's pretty bloody hard for us writers isn't it? Does anyone want my brilliant shortbread recipe?

I've done my first Goodreads giveaway, and had the unexpected experience of one of the two winners sending me an email hitting me up for more books in exchange for reviews. He even has "If you are an author looking for reviews, send me a copy and I will review it when I finish it." on his profile page.

I ignored his email, but it did make me wonder if this is acceptable GR conduct. It says in the giveaway rules that authors must not send the winners anything but the book, and that the winners are encouraged to write reviews, but they don't have to. Emails soliciting books from authors isn't covered.

Here's my (limited) experience with requesting and receiving reviews. If I'm sending a book to a giveaway winner, I thank them for participating, and ask that if they enjoy the story, to share their thoughts by posting a review on Amazon. If a book reviewer/blogger reviews the book, I thank them, and ask if they will post their review on Goodreads and Amazon. There are a few groups within Goodreads that offer a "Read To Review" program with guidelines/rules for both Authors and Reviewers. Sometimes they work . . .

My opinion - don't say anything. Goodreads rules for giveaways say that authors are "encouraged to write a review, but are not required to." Sometimes you get one and sometimes you don't. To me, it can be quite awkward to go back to a reader and encourage them to write a review, but that's me.

When I sign the book, I usually put something like "Thank you for entering. I hope you enjoy it!"