    
Troy
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Troy
Post Number: 154
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 | | Posted on Sunday, October 10, 2004 - 05:32 pm: | |
Tee There is more than one way to do everything. I wish there were more of us trying. Thanks for the compliments. You know I feel the same for your efforts as well.
Emanuel Try to decouple, in your mind, the money recieved for the review fees from the actual reviewer. This should be easy because there is no connection.
You are a reviewer, I just googled you. Impressive resume. So I really appreciate you insights and opinions . Supposed I said,
"Emanuel I like your writing and respect you opinion. I'd like you to review Jane Doe's book for me"
Then I give you a check for $200.
Would you say to yourself,
"Hey, Jane Doe paid to have this review done. I better make sure it comes out good"?
Of course not, why would you? You have been paid to write a review. My transaction with Jane Doe is of no consequence to you. Indeed, there is no reason for you to even communicate with Jane.
For all you know Janes review was a freebie, or maybe Jane washed my windows in return for a review. Get my point? My transaction with you the reviewer is completly separate from my transaction with the author. Further I could collect funds for a review and acutually not pay the reviewer. The does not warrant a "disclaimer".
The real benefit to you as an author is that you can almost guarantee you will get a book review.
The benefit to you as a reviewer is that more paid review opportunities will be made available to you.
The benefit to the reader is that they will see more book reviewed and the quality will inprove as competition for reviewers heats up.
The benefit to the book review publisher is another source of revenue which, for those of us not in it only for the money, can fund other actitivies to benefit society.
This has the potential of being a win, win, win win situation.
Of course, as you suggest, authors may balk at the fee. Not every publication can command a $350 fee for a review. Kirkus can, AALBC.com can not. Our fee will have to be somewhere south of our authors profile rate. Which is $299 for self published authors.
Part of your these comments assume that only fee based reviews will be performed. Of course when Ms. Morrison's next book comes out it will be reviewed. But the authors who also paid for a review will have there books reviewed. The fee paying reviewees will be subsidizing the Nobel Laureates. Again none of this should have any impact on the reviewer.
Emanuel, if you don't mind me asking in terms of the revews you have written how much were your typically paid for writing them? Did you you ever write any for free? Would you have prefered to be paid in those instances. I see you have reviewed for many entities what is your general impression about the compemsation you have received?
Emanuel, some authors would be much better off paying for an ad, others might be better off paying for a book review. It depends upon the author and the books.
Jmho Time will tell. However I have no problem publishing all favorable reviews if that is the way if falls out. If people want to think the reviews are baised because of connection they have created in their minds there is nothing I can do about that. There is no reason that people can not do that today.
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