BlackSnake
Anaconda
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Do anyone have experience with getting reviews for their published work? I'd like to know how to go about it in some what of a professional manner.
Getting reviews
- Thread starter BlackSnake
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CrimsonMaiden
Pretty in Pink
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I'm sure Alessia or AngelofDarkLust could help you out. You might want to pm them.
BlackSnake
Anaconda
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lance gt said:
I was speaking of book reviews, not for my stories here on Lit. I get plenty of feedback on the stories that I have posted here.
As I publish my stories in anthologies, I'd like to get reviews outside of Lit.
dr_mabeuse
seduce the mind
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There's an incestuous relationship between romantica/porn publishers and reviewers that's hard to crack. The big publishers push their books on the reviewers, and the reviewers review what they're told to review, which is the stuff the publishers give them. It's a lot like the music business used to be in the days of Top 40 and AM radio when the big labels paid the DJ's to push their records. It's very hard for a small-press or self-published author to get a review in a major venue like Romantic Times or Coffee Time.
Publishing is 10% writing and 90% publicity and marketing. When you get right down to it, the main reason to try and get published with a name outfit rather than go it alone is that the name publishers have marketing machinery and clout and can get you publicity you can't get on your own. They're willing to invest money in your book to promote it, and they have the expertise and market presence and full-time marketing staff to push your book. (There are a lot of e-book publishers who'll be glad to publish your book but won't spend a cent to promote it. Without the promotion, you'd might as well publish it yourself and keep all the money. You'll still only sell to your friends either way.) God knows how many books are published every day, and how many authors are begging for reviews. Reviewers need to know that a book's been vetted by some publisher who can vouch for its quality before they'll invest the time and money to review it.
There are a number of newsgroups and Yahoo Groups etc. devoted to romance/erotica, and they might be willing to review a book sight unseen. Other than that, the only way I know to get reviews is to get published with a name publisher.
The review process itself is pretty skewed too, because you'll never see a bad review of a book in the romance press. I was talking to someone who used to be a reviewer, and they said their policy was to give the book to one reviewer and if they couldn't find anything good to say about it, it went on to a second reviewer, and then to a third if necessary. If the third couldn't write a favorable review, then they just wouldn't review the book at all. So the reviewers scratched the publishers' backs and the publishers scratched the reviewers'.
Incestuous, like I said.
On the other hand, BS, there are now so many review sites out there that it might be worth doing a search and checking to see what their policies are concerning reviews. Can't hurt.
Publishing is 10% writing and 90% publicity and marketing. When you get right down to it, the main reason to try and get published with a name outfit rather than go it alone is that the name publishers have marketing machinery and clout and can get you publicity you can't get on your own. They're willing to invest money in your book to promote it, and they have the expertise and market presence and full-time marketing staff to push your book. (There are a lot of e-book publishers who'll be glad to publish your book but won't spend a cent to promote it. Without the promotion, you'd might as well publish it yourself and keep all the money. You'll still only sell to your friends either way.) God knows how many books are published every day, and how many authors are begging for reviews. Reviewers need to know that a book's been vetted by some publisher who can vouch for its quality before they'll invest the time and money to review it.
There are a number of newsgroups and Yahoo Groups etc. devoted to romance/erotica, and they might be willing to review a book sight unseen. Other than that, the only way I know to get reviews is to get published with a name publisher.
The review process itself is pretty skewed too, because you'll never see a bad review of a book in the romance press. I was talking to someone who used to be a reviewer, and they said their policy was to give the book to one reviewer and if they couldn't find anything good to say about it, it went on to a second reviewer, and then to a third if necessary. If the third couldn't write a favorable review, then they just wouldn't review the book at all. So the reviewers scratched the publishers' backs and the publishers scratched the reviewers'.
Incestuous, like I said.
On the other hand, BS, there are now so many review sites out there that it might be worth doing a search and checking to see what their policies are concerning reviews. Can't hurt.
Last edited:
Jenny_Jackson
Psycho Bitch
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Dr. M,dr_mabeuse said:
What about using an agent. Would there be a better chance he could push the book along to a Big Publisher? Most don't even want your submissions.
JJ
dr_mabeuse
seduce the mind
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Jenny_Jackson said:Dr. M,
What about using an agent. Would there be a better chance he could push the book along to a Big Publisher? Most don't even want your submissions.
JJ
An agent is definitely the way to go if you can swing it. They know the publishers and can get you the best deal, and many if not most of the top level publishers won't even look at a book unless it comes through an agent.
It's a lot easier to get published (in e-book format, at least) than it is to get an agent, because a lot of e-book publishers will publish anything that's resonably literate. It costs them next to nothing, and because they don't do any marketing or make much of an investment, any money they make is pure profit. An agent is only going to represent what he/she feels will really make money.
I belong to the Romance Writers of America and went to their Atlanta convention in July. It was basically 2000 authors looking to get published, and getting an agent was considered more important than getting a publisher. These poor agents were being swarmed by hordes of frustrated authors, and it was pretty insane. Some agents will read what you send them cold, but they're more likely to be impressed if you've already been published or won some awards or been reviewed, so it's kind of a catch-22.
I was lucky enough to have my first books published by Ellora's Cave, which has some clout, but with erotic romance being so hot now I'm going to try and find an agent for the next one. Basically what they want is a synopsis and the first three chapters of your book, and then you have to make sure you pick the appropriate agent. You don't want to send your BDSM book to someone who handles teen romance. There are lists of agents on the web, and I have a bunch of names from the convention I can dig up if you want more information.
There are a few women in my local RWA group who have agents, and they all said finding them was a tough and tedious process with a lot of rejection, but a good agent is probably the best thing an author can have. They know how to sell, how to promote, who's looking for what, and what they're paying.
Unfortunately, I've yet to find an agent who handles short fiction. That you've got to do on your own.
