| On My Mind Monday with Paranormal Sisters! |
Where every Monday we pick a
topic and tell you our thoughts on it. It might be weekly or every other week.
Haven't decided yet. And if you have a topic you want our thoughts on, post a
comment and we might decide to do it.
I heard and seen posts about blogs charging people for
reviews. The blog will write a review for your book for a certain price. Some
of these prices are out of the box crazy. Especially if you're an indie. I mean
we're already spending so much just to get our book out there, now you want use
to pay hundreds more just for a review.
Look I'm kind of a virgin on this topic but I have a need to
talk about it. I kinda want to see what you my readers think about it. So today
on On My Monday I'll be talking about charging for reviews from two point of
views-The Blogger & The Writers side.
The Blogger-
I see the want behind charging one. If blogging is a passion
and kind of like a job to most I can see why one would want to charge for book
reviews. Why not get some cash for the time you are putting into these books
you read and then review. If one isn't lucky in the job world in our society
then why not try to make some cash in things you are good at, like writing
reviews. We bloggers put hours at end in these blogs you guys oh so love and
sometimes it can be tiring. I'm sure sometimes we all feel like what's the
point. Yes, there's a great feeling in spreading the love for books you just
can't get enough of, even spread the words on authors too.
But sometimes there's a want for more. A dream to earn a
little while working on your hobbie, your passion. Now I'm not saying to charge
people hundreds of dollars. No, far from that. Like if I would to charge for
the reviews I do for books it would be 5 bucks. Why that cheap, let’s talk to
my indie side....
The Indie-
Sadly if you're like me, you don't have a job out there in
our society. So, since no one wants me I'm trying to make my writing as a good
income. Or at least make a little profit after all I spent to get my short out
there in the writing world. And since I already spent so much I wouldn't want
to spend hundreds of dollars on certain packages for book reviews and what not.
That'll hurt me too much to do so and I don't care how popular your blog is.
But since I'm a blogger I can see the want behind it. So if charged 5 to 10
dollars for reviews, I think I could do that as an indie. It’s cheap and I'd be
helping me out by getting my book out there while helping out that blogger
that's putting in the time to review it. It’s a win, win situation.
In some eyes I'm sure I'm wrong to you guys which is why I'm
bringing the topic to you. What's your opinion on the subject? If you're a
writer and they asked for 10 dollars for the time into reading/reviewing your
book, what would you say to that?
Thanks for stopping by!
Interesting. To me sounds like a mortal struggle. I personally would never be able to charge an author for reviewing a book. For one, I started my blog as a hobby and I know most people would love to be paid for a hobby, but not a lot are holding their breath. Of course book reading and reviewing is a big different I think...
ReplyDeleteFor one, if the author is coming to you to read their book, they are pretty much paying for it already. You get the book for Free, you are not buying it and they get a free review in return. What is it to say that your review was the reason someone bought this book on amazon?
If you are now charging for books, on top of getting copies for free - you should be able to write drop dead fabulous review. Do you charge them if you end up giving the book less then four stars? What happens if you DNF the book, or didn't like it? Do you give the money back?
I understand sites with lots of traffic can have some influence. But I have also seen sites with lots of visitors and no comments on their reviews, nah uh, nill, zip, nada.
I also understand that some book reviewers, like the ones working for the media and magazines get paid for they they are doing. Then ask yourself, are you a literature major? did you graduate in degree for that? Do you know happen to realize that once in a while they buy the books they review?
I have a small blog. It's not big and I don't expect it to be big. If I feel burned out... I take a break or perhaps just buy the books I want to read when I want to read them. I find it a privilege to be able to get books from publishers and authors to review for FREE and I'd be more then happy to repay them with the best review I can write. In the end, it all comes down to one thing. Do I like the blurb of the book, and one or two reviews on amazon to see what people have to say about it. Maybe its from someone who got paid, but most likely it's not.
Just my two cents.
@Lily B-
ReplyDeleteWow all great things to look at and to ask oneself but I'm not really looking to charge people. I'm simply asking for opinions on it and I'm so glad you spoke up ^_^
I'm a small blog too. Have been reviewing for a hobby since July 29, 2011. Got inspired to blog from Keary Taylor, an indie author that opened that writing world for me. That side of the writing world.
Now I'm not privileged in getting books from publishers. Most of my books I've reviewed was bought from Barnes and Nobles (got a whole stack I still have yet to get to, I just keep buying haha). But this year I just now opened my blog to review request from authors and the ones that choose me mainly send out ebooks which most of the time only cost .99 cents. Out of the few that come to me, one of them gave me a paperback. And I am grateful when they do come to me and I do review for FREE cause it's a passion of mine. All of it is so I understand the feeling.
Anyways, Thanks for stopping by!
@Lily B-
ReplyDeleteOh and the other half of books I do review are from Amazon which I got for free.