Poll - A Reviewing Ethics Question

[Lynn ODell]

I started asking for comments prior to reading the book for two reasons:

1. It made my posting ability a little faster if I already have the comments in hand.

2. In order to protect the author and my blog. As a writer, I don't respond to one or two star reviews at all. I just think it's unprofessional no matter how irritated I get. Sure, I vent a bit in the forum, but not on the book page and not even on my own blog.  As a consumer/reader, I would feel the same way if I saw an author 'jumping on' or 'nitpicking' a review. As a reviewer, all of the above. So, I just get general comments from the author about their book and none of them pertain to the review itself.

Now, if an author takes it upon him/herself to add a comment to the online version of the blog, I do allow that as long as it's not over-the-top antagonistic. This is mainly because those comments do not show in the Kindle version, which is what the subscribers pay for. 

I just worry that publishing their comments might seem like 'rubbing salt in the wound,' so to speak.  But, the other side of the coin is that I'm not trying to get people to not buy those books, so shouldn't the author have a voice anyway?



What say you, authors? Would you just as soon have your comments posted regardless?

[BP Myers]

Though I know it makes your life more difficult, I've found the author's comments on the review itself very interesting.

I recall one author good-naturedly parrying one of your points with "I did that on purpose," and another who commented about how perceptive one of your comments was. I suspect your blog may lose some of its unique "edginess" if you solicit comments prior to the author reading the review.

Perhaps your stated policy could just be that "All authors were given the opportunity to comment on the review" and those authors who do will have an "Author's Comments" section, and those authors who don't, won't.

The bottom line is, whether you give a good or a bad review, you are talking about our books. And that's always a good thing.

[Lynn ODell]

Okay, taking all votes    and Mr. Myers' remarks into account, I am doing it this way:

I will solicit comments prior to reading as I have been doing.

Then, I will e-mail the author a copy of the review with this statement:

Here is my review in its entirety. It will be posted <insert day>. You are welcome to provide further comments directly related to the review, or with no response, I will post your original comments:
 

[Ann in Arlington]

I observe you've only had the poll up about 2 hours and have only had 6 voters. 

If it was my choice, I'd hold off any decisions for at least 24 hours.  Some folks come on first thing in the morning and some come on at night.  So far you've only gotten the opinions of the dinner crowd. . . .

My opinion only, and I have no dog in the fight.

[Lynn ODell]

I observe you've only had the poll up about 2 hours and have only had 6 voters.  

If it was my choice, I'd hold off any decisions for at least 24 hours.  Some folks come on first thing in the morning and some come on at night.  So far you've only gotten the opinions of the dinner crowd. . . .

My opinion only, and I have no dog in the fight.

You make a good point. Thanks!

Oh..I saw 59 views and just figured that no one really wanted to vote. LOL

Well, I have one that needs to be posted in the morning, so I did what I said below.

However, I can always change the way I handle it if someone has better ideas.

[MariaESchneider]

 I used to review for BSCreview. There were a number of reviewers (some pros--ie getting paid or had been paid from other sites for reviews).  There was a discussion about "mailing the review before posting."   I never did that sort of thing (too much trouble) but I can tell you that the reviewers that did practice that -- almost all of them stopped after a very short time UNLESS they knew the author.   There were various reasons--authors sometimes didn't see the email in time for it to make a difference and were upset they missed their window, authors on several occasions felt it was okay to argue privately over certain lines, authors in some cases ASKED for specific changes, authors highlighted passages to "clarify" something the reviewer quite "obviously missed" and so on.  

Basically, from what I heard, it opened a whole can of worms and dialogue that was unnecessary and became an huge email chore for the reviewer.   In one case, the author emailed all her author friends...then later that reviewer ended up on a panel at a conference with the author...

We love what you do Red--and you're doing a good job of it, but were I you, I'm not sure I'd open myself up to too much interaction with us crazy authors!   Most of us are professional, but you do not owe us multiple emails and multiple opportunities to discuss a review.  If you want to do author interviews, I think that is a better place to have some dialogue about the various books, what might have been intended in a plotline or that sort of thing.  That is a good way to have an open discussion where both parties can put forth their best foot.

One other point I'd make--if you do have emails going back and forth between yourself and an author--they are your words and if the author is mad enough and dumb enough, he/she might decide to post your private email comments to their own blog, in or out of context (in other words they may post their interpretation).  While this is a poor reflection on the author, just keep it in mind should you find yourself going down a rathole trying to clear up some point or other.  Remember that not having a conversation at all is also a choice.    

:>)

Good luck with things.  I think you're doing a great job.

Maria

[marianneg]

I think Maria makes some excellent points.  The more you involve others in this, especially since it involves reviews, the more opportunities for hurt feelings and misunderstandings.  If you want to post author comments, I would only post ones that they give you before you read the book and review it, but, honestly, I would probably just leave them out altogether.  Your blog is about your opinions, and I think that's what most people are looking for in it.

[Maria Hooley]

The one thing I've learned from teaching is that no matter how hard you work to be fair, there are still going to be people who do not recognize your attempts.  Sadly, no matter which choice you make, it will offend someone or someone look down upon it.  You are a fair person who does go out of her way to help both writers and consumers, and in the end, you are the one who has to deal with the aftermath if and when it comes so I would go with what your gut tells you.  I do believe that because you believe in being fair, you've already got a good answer tucked away.

[ldenglish]

I've had reviewers email me their review before posting and I've always told them the same thing: "This is your review, your opinion of my work, so say it as you see it. I'm not going to argue with you."

And that's what it boils down to: Your review is your own, unbiased opinion, as it should be. Perhaps the author will not agree with you, perhaps some readers will not agree with you - you can't concern yourself with their viewpoint. I see that you're trying to be fair to the authors you review, but if you email them a copy of the review before posting, and the author doesn't like what you say and gets nasty, there will be hurt feelings on both sides before the review is even posted. If, when you ask authors for comments before you post, that gives them the opportunity to give some background information on themselves and their book, fine; and I can see how that will cut down on the work you have to put in. But sending them a copy of the review before you post? Wouldn't do it. You've been doing a great job so far, Red - why change what already works?

What's that old saying? If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[Lynn ODell]

Well, I asked about this because I've only had one other 'bad' review since I started the blog. At that time, I wasn't trying to get comments prior to posting, so I just didn't bother.

For the last two, one of which is posted today, I had the comments in hand before actually starting the books.  So, I didn't really have a 'procedure' in place.

I appreciate all of your comments so far. I am leaning toward the 'avoid the argument' idea of not sending out the review before hand.  Plus, I can get a bit soft=hearted and I don't need people trying to get me to change parts of their review.

Of course, if they want to post a comment on the blog after the review is published, they can do that. My blog does not allow comments without my approval, so at least I can ensure that things don't get 'nasty'.

[sigrosenblum]

I don't fully grasp all that you are doing. But my flash impression after reading all these posts to date is that you should not get tangled up in a you said/I said ping pong match with authors. You are bending over backward to be fair--which is admirable--but the old adage is relevant here: "Never complain. Never explain."

[Tip10]

Red, My opinion is that you absolutely SHOULD NOT solicit comments beforehand -- do your reviews and post them!

If the authors wish to comment after the review is posted allow them to do so.

Red, the reviews are yours and yours alone -- you endeavor to remain unbiased and fair in your reviews and by everything I've seen you do an admirable job of doing so.

But you really need to avoid any hint of your reviews being tainted or influenced.  Whether intended or not, commentary by the authors prior to the reviews may tend to indicate that the authors might have been accommodated in some manner or another -- and this lends less credence to your reviews IMHO.

[Lynn ODell]

But you really need to avoid any hint of your reviews being tainted or influenced.  Whether intended or not, commentary by the authors prior to the reviews may tend to indicate that the authors might have been accommodated in some manner or another -- and this lends less credence to your reviews IMHO.

Well, the comments I am asking for prior to the review have nothing to do with the review at all. i actually ask for them before I even begin reading the book. They are just stuff like how they came up with the book, how long they have been writing, biographies, etc.

If you mean 'don't send them the review first so they can comment', then, you have brought up a very valid point.  Your argument alone would sway me to not let the author see and comment on the review beforehand.

[Tip10]

Well, the comments I am asking for prior to the review have nothing to do with the review at all. i actually ask for them before I even begin reading the book. They are just stuff like how they came up with the book, how long they have been writing, biographies, etc.

Sorry, I misunderstood -- I let semantics get in the way.  To me that kind of background info is fine to post, and fine to solicit beforehand.  Research versus commentary kind of thing.  To that respect I'd say go ahead and post them.

If you mean 'don't send them the review first so they can comment', then, you have brought up a very valid point.  Your argument alone would sway me to not let the author see and comment on the review beforehand.

This is really where I was trying to go with this -- don't allow previews as a matter of rule. 
Having the authors see the review at the same time as we readers removes any inkling of the issues that concerned me.

Good luck and keep up the excellent work!!

[Christopher Meeks]

Red, I love the fact you're constantly trying to improve your reviewing. When you'd written me before the review posted of The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea, I appreciated NOT knowing about the review (which turned out to be great) because that probably would have made me anxious as if I was supposed to comment on what you see and think.

Your heart is in the right place in that you want to be fair. Where I learn the most in your reviews in when you comment on what you like or dislike specifically. When you're enthusiastic about something, it shows. The comment section is a good place for a writer to offer some insight of some sort. You'd written and asked if I wanted to write about my book, and I wrote of the book's genesis.

Keep up with the good work. You make a lot of us want to see what your latest finds are.

--Christopher Meeks