Hosted by: Tiger's All Consuming Media
The topic is: Review/Guest post requests: Do you have a review request policy? Has it changed over time? How do you handle requests that don’t meet your criteria?
In the past, what types of "pitches" have caught your attention? Are there any (non-specific) examples of requests that are off-putting to you as a blogger?
Yes, I have a review policy. I have modeled it after other policies I have seen. Recently, I had to make a change to it as I am swamped with books and was getting way too many requests. The requests have dwindled since the change but I am still getting more than I can handle. I feel really bad. I have a whole folder just for review requests in my email. As soon as they come in I just drop them in without reading them. I mean to get to each of them and even respond back. Problem is I am super busy with just keeping up with the blog, twitter, reading books, and life. More often than not I don't get around to even reading most of the review requests. There are some that immediately grab my attention. Maybe I am susceptible to flattery or just like that someone took the time to actually look at my blog and figure out my name. So if the email opens with something about my blog or even with my name I am more likely to open it up. I also like to have the Title and Author in the subject line. That way I can look up the book on Goodreads without even opening the email. If the book sparks my interest I can open the email and see what is being offered. I wish I could read all the books that come my way but it just isn't possible. Plus a girl can only read so many books that don't fit the criteria before her desire to read is snuffed out. I am thinking in the long run here. Must keep my love for books or all this will disappear.
I am not really sure how to appropriately handle books that don't fit my criteria. Especially since I often misjudge a book. There have been many times I have been disappointed. I just feel so bad that I force myself to finish the book. Is that a horrible thing? It takes me forever to force my way through and then I am half-hearted in my interest to pick up another book. What if it likewise is dissatisfying? I have tried responding back that I am not interested in that type of book. But it doesn't seem to work. I can feel their affront even over the internet. Some have followed up by sending proof of how awesome their book is. "Look this blogger loved it. What is wrong with you?" After such fun emails I have started to just ignore the requests. It makes me feel horrible. I know I wouldn't like being ignored. But how do I let them know I have read their request and am not interested? Or that I am interested but not able to read their book?
As for the best way to catch my attention:
Offer up a physical copy. What can I say other than I am not the biggest fan of eBooks. It just isn't the same as reading a paper book.
As for the best way to catch my attention:
Offer up a physical copy. What can I say other than I am not the biggest fan of eBooks. It just isn't the same as reading a paper book.
- What I wish to know is how do you get over your guilt at not liking their book?
- Do you force yourself to read it or do you leave it unfinished?
- What do you tell the author in this case?
- Does it make you feel like you are breaking an agreement?
- Is it better to give all the reviews a chance, as in read so many pages or be really selective?
- Also, do you think there is a time date on the emails? If you have time four months later is it still appropriate to respond? Yeah, probably not but really how long do you think you have to consider before responding? A week, two weeks, maybe an entire month?
Thanks for the topic.
