Hiya! Well, I know it's been a while since we posted one of these, but you know holidays and you know exams and that thing called life. But also I really wanted to do one of these, but simply had no ideas. So I got one, finally!
Today I'd like to mention something called review request. I'm sure you have got plenty of these and you know how they go and I have seen quite a lot posts about rude requests and authors. This is something I have no experience with so I won't go there.
Here is the other thing that rather confuses me. While I do get a lot of review request some of them I simply have no time to accept and sadly I have to say no. I must say that I hate doing it, as I know we can help those self published authors a lot, but I do accept a lot and then get really pilled in with plenty of books and it's always a chaos.
But one thing I always do while saying no is offer those authors different type of posts, or how we called them Spotlight Posts! And surprise surprise, a really small number of them accepts this! I wonder why?!
I do know it's not the same, but honestly it's something. I mean you don't lose anything. Or am I just not seeing things right.
Enlighten me! Have you had such experience? Share your thoughts even if you did not! I love reading them!
Love,
Ah yes I had everything and I confess for many I just forget to answer because I pass the request to the girls I know and they usually don't respond either and in the end it stays like that... But I do answer for many too.
OdgovoriIzbrišiI ended up having to stop accepting review requests because I was getting too many of them and I honestly had no time to read and review the books. I did feel very guilty though and it makes me sad that I can't help. But even with spotlights, I'm not usually a fan of posting them on the blog. I prefer reviews, but I know some people appreciate them.
OdgovoriIzbrišiI always feel bad saying no as well but I honestly just don't have time with all the ARC and tours I do to take on more and still be able to read something from my TBR now and then.
OdgovoriIzbrišiI stopped taking requests a long time ago because I ran into a couple of authors who were rude when they didn't like my honest opinion of their book. Not to mention I got so many requests for books that were just not a good fit for me. I don't even bother to respond anymore to random requests especially the ones who don't even address me by name. My blog clearly states I am not accepting requests. I think many bloggers have stopped doing requests to avoid any nasty situations. Granted most authors are perfectly polite but it only takes one to ruin it.....
OdgovoriIzbrišiI don't have as much time to read, and I feel like if I accept too much then I won't get to the book for a long time. I do take some requests if I'm really curious about the book though, and I've done other posts for people before too like a guest post or interview.
OdgovoriIzbrišiI'm just about barely coping with all my review books these days, that I don't even have time for reading books that I want to read, I do feel bad when I can't take on any books, but managing everything can be so hard!
OdgovoriIzbrišiOH MY, I feel so bad right now. I don't even accept review requests. :/// I always think that maybe I should, but publisher are sending me books and there's NetGalley and something called a library and Amazon, so I never get the time to actually read them ://
OdgovoriIzbrišiI'm not accepting review requests right not(mostly because I got way too stressed out about them) but when I did, I'd also offer to do a spotlight type post if I was saying no, but I never had an author turn it down. That seems crazy! It's still helping to get the word about your book around, why would you say no?
OdgovoriIzbrišiI've never had a really bad experience with an author being rude, but I don't like accepting requests straight from authors because then I can't help but feel bad if I have to give a negative review. Especially if they're nice and we get to talking on Twitter or something(this happened once) but then I didn't like the book and, maybe it was just me, but it was awkward. That's why I prefer getting review books through Netgalley or blog tours or something.
Even though I say on the blog that I'm accepting review requests, it is honestly just so rare for me to accept them because I'm already drowning in a sea of unreviewed books and well, a sea of bought books that I am dying to get to as well :|
OdgovoriIzbrišiI actually don't respond to review requests if none of us are open to reading it, but I do like the solution you're offering to them, and I'm not sure why they wouldn't take it. I mean, they want some publicity, right? So bookish spotlights would be awesome for them...
OdgovoriIzbrišiWe face the exact same problem.
OdgovoriIzbrišiWith studies and life going on, it is difficult to accept, read and review every book that comes our way. Sometimes, if the book doesn't sound appealing to us at all, we don't even respond. But we like the sound of some! And we do offer promotional posts. And those which do sound nice, but we aren't in the mood to read, we always offer promotional posts, which is a 50-50 for us. We have had as many positive responses as rejects, so I have no idea how it works.
Anyway, nice point to think about and great post!
Sarika @ The Readdicts
I'm not able to accept many review requests either. And just like you, I do offer spotlight posts if I think the book is a good match for our blog, but we just don't have time to read and review it. A spotlight is better than nothing! :)
OdgovoriIzbrišiI am not someone who does spotlight posts on my blog - and I can never figure out why. Maybe it is because when I read other blogs I am looking for their opinions and all, which is why I keep my content in retrospect to that as well. But I will agree, I don't like saying no to authors :(
OdgovoriIzbriši