Mini Muse Monday and Giveaway Image Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Mini Muse Monday and Giveaway
To Review or Not Review; That is the Conflict
On occasion, when I have a Monday open on my blog, I’ll be posting my thoughts all manner of things, and asking for your input too.
These will be short posts, and I encourage you to contact me and let me know if there’s something you’d like to discuss.
This week, I chose book reviewing since there’s been such a hullabaloo on Amazon recently. Reviews have been removed if Amazon thinks the reviewer knows the author.
My question is whether or not you think authors should be reviewing other authors’ books, particularly within the same genre. Is it a conflict of interest? Could the reviews be construed as biased or worse yet, an expectation that authors will swap five star reviews?
Authors are readers too, though. Just because their profession is writing, does it mean they have any less right to post reviews?
Let me know your thoughts, and I’ll enter all commenters in a drawing for a digital copy of Virtue and Valor.
Why can’t authors leave a review , its no different than us readers leaving a review , they love to read to, this just sucks
I don’t think an author should be stopped from reviewing a book by another. Half the reviews out there sound as though they are paid advertising.However, an author does put herself in position of having flaming arrows thrown at her work if she does criticize the work of another- dueling horrible reviews. It happened to one or two authors or so I’ve heard. I don’t think thar just because a person has published a book that she necessarily is better able to critique the work of anyone else. However, neither do I think it reason to stop her from writing reviews.I like reviews to tell me about gross errors, wrong or strong language and graphic sex so I can avoid the book. Usually I have to read the 1 and 2 star reviews for that information.
That is one reason I don’t post reviews less than 4 stars, though I’ve read books that I would have given lower ratings to. I always remind myself that just because I didn’t like it, doesn’t mean someone else might not.
I can usually tell when an author/editor has reviewed my books since they point out things someone that’s not an author wouldn’t.
I am a published writer,(poetry and articles) , but not of a book as yet. However,I know many authors and have met them after I have read and loved their books. I would hate to find out that my reviews were not posted or removed because I met them.It isn’t fair.
I know mostly mystery and romance writers and have yet to find a professional one who would undermine another’s work. I have found them to be quite generous to each other, figuring there is room for all styles and that readers read voraciously.
I have , however, seen a number of high reviews from authors for the work of their friends.I know it is hard not to do so, as some authors, (especially romance writers) , seem to have an inflated notion of their work and are unhappy with less than a 5 star review. (Not everyone can pump out a Wuthering Heights every time!) I don’t give 5 stars lightly, but I am never unkind.I used to double-speak in a few and never give a less-than really good review, but it cost me a reader gig.It is not fair to inflate reviews as people rely on them and although there are readers enough to go around, not everyone has unlimited funds to purchase every book that comes along.
So far, even the review of my cousins’ books and one where the author used my name for a character, my reviews are still on Amazon; I hope they stay.
Tonette, I haven’t been able to identify Amazon’s pattern myself. One of my aunts decided to review my first book (not at my request because she blushes easily) and she said she was my aunt in the review. It’s still up to my knowledge.
I do know I had a few emails the last time I released a book from reviewers whom I have never met, that said their reviews weren’t showing up.
Although I think author need to be cautious about posting reviews, they should continue to do so. After all, we read what we enjoy reading and as Mary Anne pointed out, we often bring a level of expertise to the review that might not be there otherwise. Of course, that can come back and bite you in the hiney if you regularly bash other authors.
Thanks, Collette. Answering this question is easy. Yes, authors should be allowed to review the works of fellow authors.
Authors can bring insights to a work that someone who doesn’t write can’t. If the reviewer and the reviewee (if that’s a real word) write in the same genre, you can be sure the write-up is based on considerable knowledge of the genre and its readership.
Is Amazon is worried about a conflict of interest? Do they think Author A will pan Author B’s book if they have a feud going? Nonsense. Author A won’t read Author B’s works at all. And vice versa.
As for the “You scratch my back; I’ll scratch yours” scenario—okay, this can happen. But has it actually happened? If so, how often?
I don’t know of any cases. And if there are any, the number must be very small. Not enough to affect sales or the readers’ confidence in reviews. Or to warrant Amazon’s policy.
Fact is, if Author A likes Author B—personally, professionally, or both—when she writes a review she’ll be honest. Praising a bad work will do Author B no good in the long run.
Or even the short run. Not if 99 reviewers say they hate a book and only one loves it. Who’s a potential reader going to believe?
In short, banning authors from reviewing makes about as much sense as banning politicians from voting. It would never be allowed in a democracy.
But Amazon isn’t a democracy; it’s a corporation. Therefore I just don’t know what we or anyone can do about this situation.
Ah, thank you, Mary Anne. Reviewee!
I love what you said about banning authors from reviewing makes as much sense as banning politicians from voting.
It’s the tracking algorithms Amazon uses in many cases. And using the name of an author in a review will trigger a potential rejection. Amazon has fine print, and they will use their rules to remove reviews if they think you have any relationship with an author (friend, fellow author, family, uberfan). I have successfully had all but one of my reviews reinstated that Amazon removed because it claimed I’ violated the policy. I had to go through an upper level of corporate to get it done, though. Most appeals are denied.
No other seller (BN, BAM, etc…) has that criteria, including Amazon’s own goodreads and shelfari.
BTW, it’s not just authors/editors who give severe critiques, I’ve known readers who think they know everything, and they can be very scathing to a book.
Denise
You are so right, Denise. And often readers don’t know they are wrong, but most authors refuse to get into a go round to prove they are right.
I think authors risk burning bridges when they review. I still use Goodreads because it’s my own book tracking system, but I don’t do anything but leave a star rating these days.
I do know some authors who use an alias for their reviews because they are afraid of that very thing. I know others who have felt they couldn’t leave an honest review for fear of either making an author mad, or hurting feelings.