Consider Both the Downsides and Upsides of Writing Reviews
Before you decide to use reviews as an integral part of your book’s marketing campaign or making them an income stream for your writing career take a exactly two minute to read this little post. Mary Gannon, deputy editor of Poets & Writers Magazine, says reviewers take “a lot of heat…for some free books, a few bucks, and a byline.” However, it’s usually only the most famous reviewers who are disparaged for their criticism and usually only the radical or caustic ones at that.
Many authors worry about lawsuits. They also worry about tax collectors since the books that reviewers get free must be claimed as taxable income. (Check with your tax accountant.) Neither threat is going to disappear, but you can help protect yourself from both by using a disclaimer in your review. The disclaimer might be official sounding or more casual. Something like this:
“Just so you know, I received a book (or e-book) in exchange for an unbiased and fair review. No fee was charged the author or the publisher.”
It does make a nice income stream for you because you’re probably already doing a lot of reading. With a little research you can pitch the marketing departments of publishers to review their new release you’d probably read anyway, to review their new releases. (If you do, don’t be afraid to tactfully ask for paper ARCs if that’s your preference.)
You can also ask publishers or online review sites you review for frequently to write a recommendation for you for expos and tradeshows you’d like to attend. That can save you the cost of an entrance fee and get you access to their media (press) rooms. Having a representative at these expos benefits them, too. You can hand out business cards to people you meet who might be interested in their review site and your badge will qualify to place a supply of their media kits to be distributed in those media rooms. (Do a search on “tradeshows” to read the parts in this book (the soon to be published How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically) where I discuss some of my experiences with this benefit.)
Here’s the nicest thing about making a review-writing decision: You don’t have to make a choice. You can have it all. You can write for pay sometimes as a legitimate freelancer for the media. You can write reviews to boost your brand sometimes. You can write as gifts to authors you know or for authors whose work inspires you. Call the latter the golden-rule choice. The do-unto-others choice. The Karma choice.
Notice I did not suggest you start a business that sells reviews directly to publishers and authors. I cover that elsewhere in this book, but if you aren’t already aware of it—reviews paid for by anyone associated with the book are considered unethical for both the payer and the payee. It’s about credibility. It’s about keeping reviews believable. To put it more bluntly, it’s about avoiding anything that smacks of bribery or payola.
