I had a disheartening expertise this week. There’s an creator AAR has reviewed 13 occasions previously six years. In that point, we’ve given her work three As, three A-s, three B+s, one B, one B-, and one C. Since 2017, she has solely gotten As and B+s right here. She has a brand new e-book popping out subsequent month and I reached out to her publicist to see if we may get a overview copy.
At first stated writer requested the place we’d put up our evaluations. After I advised her we solely promise postings on our web site and defined who we’re, she then wrote me this:
I’m aware of you guys and I’ve given ARCs to you earlier than, however I’ve by no means given one with out realizing who the reviewer is. As I’m positive you may perceive, I’m not going to present somebody a free e-book who has typically disliked her books previously. Are you able to inform me who the reviewer is?
I wrote again:
We don’t launch reviewer names to publishers nor can we promise constructive evaluations. We’re knowledgeable, unbiased web site.
I by no means heard from her once more.
A lot of the books AAR evaluations come from Netgalley, Edelweiss, or publishers. I’ve by no means been requested earlier than who the reviewer of a sure e-book is perhaps and I’ve definitely by no means had it–implicitly–advised to me that with a purpose to get a e-book, AAR must have favored an creator’s work previously. Now, I’m positive publicists have wished that and that we’ve been turned down–anonymously–as a result of we’re not a road crew. However this interplay was so nakedly we solely are giving out ARCs to these whom we’re moderately positive will rave concerning the e-book. (Don’t even get me began on the free e-book factor. We don’t cost for evaluations and we by no means inform anybody give us your e-book and we’ll do it at no cost for those who…..)
And I get it. I do. Writing a e-book is each an act of affection and of nice labor. To present your laborious received phrases to somebody who would possibly trash them appears counter intuitive and maybe self-defeating. Why ought to authors allow us to overview their books with no assure?
I do know what I take into consideration that however I’m curious? What do you assume?