tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post757852640568562311..comments2023-06-10T22:42:19.087+10:00Comments on Australasian Christian Writers: Reviewing Ethics: Online Book Reviews (Part Two)Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-21087129642491895202015-02-12T08:21:38.436+11:002015-02-12T08:21:38.436+11:00Yes, a lot of review swapping does go on, to the a...Yes, a lot of review swapping does go on, to the annoyance of many reviewers (who don't hesitate to report it when they see it).<br /><br />Yes, I did read Romancing the Memory Collector, and my review will go live next Wednesday (18 Feb). I'm sorry it took so long, but I really enjoyed it. Well done!Iolahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17199141868703826943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-4803549755683170002015-02-11T11:40:33.201+11:002015-02-11T11:40:33.201+11:00Very interesting post Iola. Read it with interest....Very interesting post Iola. Read it with interest. I also had the alarm bells ring when I read the recent RW member post about swapping reviews. I suspect there's a lot of this goes on. <br />Did you every get around to reading "Romancing the Memory Collector'? The sweet romance I sent you last year? If you did, I missed the review. Cheers VirginniaAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08875053127227250977noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-39181273933969326862014-06-16T18:31:07.215+10:002014-06-16T18:31:07.215+10:00Hi Rita, If you're looking for influencer-revi...Hi Rita, If you're looking for influencer-reviewers, who will disclose in their review that they received a free book from the author in exchange for an honest review, you can post requests on your writing groups. <br /><br />Reader reviews are harder to source. You can pay a publicist to help you, pay to put your book up on NetGalley, or tour your book with a blog alliance (which may or may not incur a cost). <br /><br />Australian Christian Readers Blog Alliance (ACRBA) offers free blog alliance tours. The only potential cost to the author/publisher is providing either print or electronic review copies. <br /><br />ACRBA tours fiction, non-fiction and childrens books. Regular bloggers who want to review books can join ACRBA and request review copies of the books they're interested in reviewing.<br /><br />ACRBA accepts submissions for traditionally published books and indie books (no subsidy/vanity books). I toured my debut book, 'Falling for the Farmer', in March and received 8 reviews from ACRBA members. I offered print review copies for Australian members, electronic for international members. Narellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07665380446283721576noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-78041993151816506602014-06-16T17:55:47.734+10:002014-06-16T17:55:47.734+10:00Yes I suppose you're right - its the usual sto...Yes I suppose you're right - its the usual story, a few abusing the system so the system clamps down. Fair enough, too.Catherine Hudsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03947906623825971761noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-80881425781472049772014-06-16T17:21:55.597+10:002014-06-16T17:21:55.597+10:00Like you have said in your past posts, Iola, it...Like you have said in your past posts, Iola, it's all about common courtesy. Catherine also made a good point...how to get reviews ethically or do we do as we've mostly always done and hope someone does it out of the goodness of their heart. And bless 'em if they do!Rita Galiehhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14586506137798711397noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-7974330984906437202014-06-16T13:50:08.698+10:002014-06-16T13:50:08.698+10:00Thanks, Jeanette! It's not that difficult - th...Thanks, Jeanette! It's not that difficult - the general guide on Amazon is if that you are doing something purely to promote your book, it's probably against the rules. Iolahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17199141868703826943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-72797813681546367992014-06-16T13:48:49.569+10:002014-06-16T13:48:49.569+10:00Yes!
The other problem is that someone comes up w...Yes!<br /><br />The other problem is that someone comes up with what they think is an original idea to promote their book, not realising that the reason no one does it is because it's against Amazon's rules (or FTC guidelines, or Goodreads rules...). Review swaps are a good example of this. Iolahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17199141868703826943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-60666162746324054452014-06-16T13:45:53.730+10:002014-06-16T13:45:53.730+10:00It's not so much that some of these things are...It's not so much that some of these things are "wrong" - it's more that some authors have abused the system, so Amazon has decided not to allow certain kinds of reviews. Iolahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17199141868703826943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-66959773017111553622014-06-16T13:44:27.040+10:002014-06-16T13:44:27.040+10:00Family members can comment, but members of your im...Family members can comment, but members of your immediately family still shouldn't review your books on Amazon - although they can review on Goodreads or Koorong (but should still disclose the relationship).Iolahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17199141868703826943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-85766173191903654682014-06-16T13:33:17.875+10:002014-06-16T13:33:17.875+10:00Hi Iola, Thanks again for another clear post on Am...Hi Iola, Thanks again for another clear post on Amazon reviewing policies. It's good to know the ins and outs of what is and isn't acceptable.Jeanette O'Haganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11057798704247611224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-54699503247963840992014-06-16T12:26:21.515+10:002014-06-16T12:26:21.515+10:00Hi Iola and Narelle
I think that's a very vali...Hi Iola and Narelle<br />I think that's a very valid point about assumptions. I've often seen something another author's done and thought, 'Oh, what a great idea' and assumed it was ok. I guess that's the biggest lesson for me here - that's just because someone I would normally trust has done something doesn't mean it's legal or ethical. Not because their intentions are (necessarily) bad but because they have also made assumptions based on what they see everyone else doing.Annehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02264631051671432037noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-69877092148080657862014-06-16T10:01:43.835+10:002014-06-16T10:01:43.835+10:00Iola, thanks for another helpful post. There seems...Iola, thanks for another helpful post. There seems to be a lot of misinformation floating around regarding what is and isn't acceptable. We also can't assume that just because other authors are doing it, or endorsing certain practices, that it must be okay and not breaching the review site's TOS. Narellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07665380446283721576noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-35042487849038872592014-06-16T09:30:42.264+10:002014-06-16T09:30:42.264+10:00Whoa, imagine being in the financial position to m...Whoa, imagine being in the financial position to make Karen Kingsbury's offer! <br />I appreciate having more of this clear advice, so our own lines don't get blurred. I'm actually glad to see that family members of authors may make Amazon comments, if it's properly declared. I didn't realise that. Thanks for the post, Iola.Paula Vincehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02079952414990463270noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-12300303692023606232014-06-16T08:49:49.326+10:002014-06-16T08:49:49.326+10:00Wow! There's so much to think of! A couple of ...Wow! There's so much to think of! A couple of those (like doing reviews for one another) at first glance I would not think of as being wrong. You make some great points. I think we might need a post on how to get more reviews, ethically. (Unless we have and I've missed that post!)Catherine Hudsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03947906623825971761noreply@blogger.com