BBP: The Book Blogger Police, Are Watching You!
So I am sitting around enjoying my Sunday night when I get an email from a blogger who was a bit like 0_o over an email conversation that was taking a wrong turn. This is a YA blogger who posts reviews early when there is no embargo present to generate an ‘early buzz’ for a title. So it can have higher pre-order status and be talked about and anticipated by would be readers. To be honest I don’t do this myself, but usually I am scrambling to read the book for the release day. So, sometimes I save my reviews to generate buzz for a paperback release, why is this not considered wrong as well?
I am going to post the email correspondence with comments from yours truly here and below it some thoughts on ‘early buzz’ from Twitter users in my stream.
Email One:
I was browsing across your site and realized that you have posted a review for a book that isn’t or hasn’t even been released until NEXT March.
Now, I am in the book blogging community as well, you really should wait until a few days before publication before releasing your review of the book. Publishers really dislike bloggers doing this. I really don’t know what publicist or publishing rep would actually allow you to do this. Do you send your reviews to the publicists, publishing folk you interact with??
Just a few words of advice.
Condescending much? No matter our personal opinions and even if we see a blogger do something outright ignorant who are we to email a blogger in a condescending manner?
Response from blogger:
While I appreciate the time you took to write this e-mail, I don’t necessarily appreciate how you approached the subject. You have assumed that I have no idea what I’m doing and do not communicate with publishers, which is not true (and also not very nice). While I agree that publishers enjoy coverage of a book near the publication date, they also have use for early buzz, which is what I have done with that book (and several others). Early buzz gives authors and publishers something to work with when marketing the book up to the actual publication date – if you visit my Review Policy page, you can see all of the authors that have taken early buzz quotes from my blog and posted them on their website to help sell their book prior to release. I do plan on featuring Demonglass (and other books I have posted about early) during their publication week to encourage sales (as I have done with other books).
In the future if you have a suggestion, I would prefer an approach more resembling a dialogue rather than the tone taken with the one below. Thank you!
The blogger is a lot nicer than I would have been. I think answering at all deserves a medal. She explains her intentions and then asks to be spoken to in a nicer manner.
Naughty Blogger Strikes Again:
There has been NO time that I have EVER posted a review of a book 6-12 months BEFORE the publication date. Even If I have done that I would be immediately asked to take it down and asked to re post it nearer to the publication date. There are many many US and Canadian Book Blogs that have been told this. Almost always or at least most of the time, there is usually a disclaimer at the bottom of the email that a publicist sends, or will send at a later date which will stipulate not to publish a review of a book THAT early. Maybe the early buzz is more for mainstream reviewers – newspapers, etc, and I do agree they do happen, but never this early for book blog people.
I have been a blogger for over 2 years and have extensive contacts both in Canada, US and Europe where every single one of the people I interact with have strict guidelines about posting reviews. Even then it is only a few days before the publication date.
Now, surely, you must have known this, it is the talk of the blog sphere right now. How would you like it if you read a review that you read about and wanted only to find out that the book isn’t even published as of yet. By the time it is published, you would have forgotten entirely about it. What would be the use of that? None in my humble opinion, quite a waste of you ask me.
Usually, in the case of early “quotes” are taken from actual authors as well as featured reviewers for legitimate newspaper reporting avenues.
I suggest you get your facts straight, it is most likely the AUTHORS that post them on their own websites, not the publicity engines behind the authors. I have been quoted in many websites, have been featured on many many other publishing blogs, AND have been interviewed for online publications. It doesn’t necessarily mean that I go and talk about them BEFORE they are out, what would be the point of that ?!?
I would suggest you make it clear when you are emailing a publicist or asking about a book what their policy is about posting early reviews, I can nearly guarantee you that a early review of 6 months is unheard of.
If you have any further questions, I will be happy to answer them. I am assuming that you are new to the whole book blogging thing, so that is why I stated what I stated in my original email.
I do need to be told about how to act appropriately, I am quite older than you, and have already learned those lessons.
And here is where the 0_o comes in. Do I need to state my resume too? I have been in online publications big effin woop no one cares. I think this blogger needs a serious reality check, how dare they talk to a fellow blogger like this? Folks this is not the way to go about solving problems. As an unbiased third party who has conversed at times with both parties in this email, I think it sucks that blogger A felt the need to email blogger B in this way. Next time try to be a bit nicer if you see something you don’t like, or hey here is a better idea, don’t comment on it at all as it is not your responsibility to police the internet or other bloggers. If the publishers don’t like it they will let blogger B know.
Quotes from Twitter:
From @CatcherGoneAwry: as long as it isn’t spoilery. a non-spoiler review is just publicity, good or bad. no embargo = free reign.
From @BooksandWine: EARLY BUZZ, its a great thing, like when TrishHeyLady reviewed The Passage.
From @ShanynLee: I say yes, if you plan on re-featuring when book is released.
From @MelanieGoodman: Yes. I want to know what books to put on my wish list, not what books everybody else has already read. I prefer early buzz.
From @YAaddict: Yes it’s okay, as long as it’s not spoilery. Why would they send them out so early if you coudln’t?
So what say you? Policing gone awry or concerned citizen?
I received the following message from blogger B and was unable to respond on Facebook because I was deleted as friends:
That was me that wrote those emails to that blogger. You may as well delete me now, I don’t really care who or what is said about it, some can take it as they see it, I have never ever posted a review 6 mths beforehand, and even if I did post a review early I was asked to take it down and re post it when it was closer to publication time.
So, if you want to open a can of worms go right ahead, there is already too much drama in the US side of blogging anyways. It is more like taking a piece of meat with a bone in it and sucking the life out of it even out of the bone if you asked me. But, really you had to just publish the email WORD FOR WORD, nice…why not go right ahead and publish my email too.
I did post the emails word for word, otherwise I couldn’t get my point across. Censorship is wrong in any format and I am sorry that you think we shouldn’t be social media buddies anymore. I agree there is too much drama, and I post about a lot of it and the ridiculousness of it here. Which is why I posted this article. To attack our fellow bloggers because you think they are wrong is atrocious. If the publisher wants to do something they will otherwise it’s in their hands.
By: pussreboots (@pussreboots)
They wouldn’t have sent you a copy this early if they were afraid of you posting a review this early. Your blog isn’t the only one I’ve seen posting reviews of books coming out next spring. Sheesh.
By: Amanda (@pookasluagh)
I honestly wouldn’t have even answered the first email. Oh my.
By: Travis (@Travis_Pearson)
I don’t see a problem with it. If it’s a debut, I sometimes post early. Sequels I usually leave until closer to the release date.
If I talk to the author regularly on Twitter, I’ll ask them if they have a preference. Some say they’d rather me wait, some want it out there early.
Honestly, if Blogger A had contacted me like that, I would NOT have been as nice as Blogger B.
By: April (Books&Wine) (@booksandwine)
What a sanctimonious prig.
WTF, I am pretty sure blogger A should have just left it up to the publisher, and should not give advice unless it is solicited.
Who the hell does that.
By: Jamie (@brokeandbookish)
HAHAHAH. Oh I love people who think they are so awesome and smart and know more than everybody else in the universe. There is a difference between nicely conversing with someone about things that you’ve picked up along the way and tips to a new blogger and basically saying, “The way you do things on your blog sucks. I would KNOW..I am the GOD of book blogging.”
Meh. People like this irk me–when it comes to anything–not just blogging. End of rant. Promise.
By: stacy - girlsinthestacks.com (@girlsinthestack)
Whoa, blogger A…wow. I do think her approach should have been different, or maybe have not sent the email at all. Unsolicated harsh advise is never taken well, period. If that person is indeed older…well, then they should have known better.
By: Melanie (@melaniegoodman)
Unless a publisher or author specifies when they’d like the review posted, I post after I finish reading. If a book was sent out that early and I wasn’t told to wait, then I would post my review that early. I do tend to wait and read books closer to release dates just because my TBR pile is so large that I have to choose what I read next based on release date, but sometimes I’ll read something that I’m really excited about a little early.
I also think it’s interesting that it’s assumed people would forget about books if they are reviewed early. Not sure about others, but I keep a running wish list of books I want as I come across them in reviews or WoW posts. It seems like a lot of people do this on Goodreads or other book social networking sites.
I don’t agree with the advice and think the tone is very condescending. I’m not sure I would have posted the email exchange publicly, but it is an interesting issue. I certainly would hope that if somebody had a problem with the way something was run on my blog, they would be a little more pleasant when writing to let me know about.
By: Pam
I have gotten crazy emails, like the author who threatened to strangle me but didn’t post the emails. With this I felt since it wasn’t directed to me and I could be unbiased I would post it. Not to mention I couldn’t get my point across otherwise, I mean it’s not like I outed person A or person B.
By: Julie (@bloggersbooks)
I feel like you will now be getting an email telling you it’s wrong to post other people’s problems on your blog and that you should NEVER put someone’s emails up without consent. If you do, oh how I would love to read it.
Honestly, what difference does it make in anyone’s life when somebody else’s review goes up? Yeah, I get kind of confused when I see a release 3+ months away getting reviewed, but it doesn’t meant anyone is WRONG. It means I have a different way of blogging than the other person and I can move on with my life.
If we all worked the same way, there’d be no point in having this many blogs. We’d all be drones, working like a machine. Where’s the fun in that? Where’s the community?
By: Tara
If I ever received an e-mail like that, I would respond only with a photo of my middle finger. Blogging is not serious business, or at least my blog isn’t!
By: Rebecca Herman (@rebeccamherman)
Oh… my… Wow. I really don’t think it was her place to send those emails. IF the publisher has a problem with that particular blogger, it is the publisher’s responsibility to contact the blogger. Personally, I do not post super early reviews on my blog, but I do post them on Goodreads as soon as I am done reading, because I figure someone on Goodreads is going to be looking up info on that particular title so having the reviews there helps IMO. The only time I really post super early on the blog is if it’s released first in another country (and I read that edition) or if I’m asked to post the review early as part of an ARC tour. And I’ve never heard so strict a policy as waiting til a few days before the on sale date!! Most of the time when I am given a suggestion when to post the review on the blog it’s a vague one such as “Once it’s less than a month til the release date, go ahead and post it whenever you feel like it.”
By: Lisa (When She Reads) (@bluefenix)
wth? the question I be asking would be their FTC! or does she really blogs o.0
“I do need to be told about how to act appropriately, I am quite older than you, and have already learned those lessons.” now that’s rude!
It be fine as long as you be re-featuring the book on it’s release and when there’s a agreement between publisher, authors and the blogger. Now I’m actually curious what blog she has
By: Shesten (I Heart Monster) (@iheartmonster)
Usually when I ask when they want the review published, I usually get a “Any time before or around the release date which is ______.”
Geez. Dr. ama.
I prefer to publish around the release date myself because I don’t want it to creep up on me and me forget to spotlight it.
By: Reese M. (@missbookishgirl)
@Tara – I love your response, and I concur. :)
I don’t see any issue with early reviews for buzz. I agree with the assessment that if the publisher prefers the review to be posted during a certain period, then they probably would not be shy about letting people know that. Besides, if they didn’t want early buzz, then there would be no point in sending ARC’s so early.
I haven’t been around long enough in the community to have much of a reference point (i.e. seeing early reviews for books 6mos in advance of publication), but who am I to judge? It wouldn’t bother me, and even if it did there would be no reason for me to feel the need to admonish someone because of it. I have my own stuff to focus on thankyouverymuch. :)
By: Tony (@hennaotoko)
This is just an alternate universe for me – I have to beg for books, and I rarely even get a response from the publishers! Having said that, my responses to these messages would probably have involved slightly more, shall we say, ‘adult’ language…
By: heidenkind (@heidenkind)
To me it seems like she (he?) is put out that they “can’t” post early reviews and other bloggers do. Otherwise why get so upset about it?
People are always trying to put constraints on other people. You can’t do this, you shouldn’t say that. Fuck ‘em!
By: nomadreader (Carrie) (@nomadreader)
Oh my. While I do think there are bloggers on both sides of the debate, there are no rules. Publishers and authors have preferences, as do bloggers. Personally, I love early reviews. I’m a frequent library user, and the earlier I can get on the waiting list for new releases, the better. If it’s available for pre-order on my Kindle, I’ll pre-order it and be thrilled to wake up to it the morning it releases. Isn’t one of the greatest things about book bloggers our diversity and (usual) respect for said diversity?
By: katiebabs (@katiebabs)
I honestly don’t see the point in posting a review so far in advance. When I see a review for a book not released for another 6 months, I do find it strange. But then again, the blogger is allowed to do what they want, especially if the publisher doesn’t care.
I think a review a month in advance leading up to a release is more reasonable because people will remember than a review so far in advance.
Why would someone want to post a review so early for a book?
By: Pam (@bookaliciouspam)
I don’t post early. But I can see why some do. However it’s really not up to me to say “Hey don’t do that other blogger”.
By: katiebabs (@katiebabs)
Oh, and I do think some bloggers want to post their reviews early because they want to be the first and perhaps have their chance of being blurbing in the next book by an author.
But seriously, blogging is supposed to be all in good fun. So what if a blogger posts a review 1 year before a book is released. Why do other bloggers get bent out of shape about it? Jealously, me thinks because another has a book they want and they don’t have it yet.
By: Pam
Agreed. I am always struggling to get a book read in time.
By: Rowena (@thebookscoop)
Oh Blogger Police…they make me laugh. They need to worry less about the content of other blogs and worry about their books. If the publishers had issues with early reviews, they would have let the bloggers know. It’s not a bloggers job to police other blogs.
Everyone has their own way of running their blogs and that’s as it should be since…it is THEIR blogs.
I highly doubt Blogger A would appreciate receiving an email like the one she sent out…no matter what she says.
By: Chris@bookarama (@Chrisbookarama)
Whatever agreements a blogger has with a publisher, that’s between the 2 parties. I’d never email a blogger to complain that they were doing it wrong. If I saw something really terrible (and I can’t think what but early reviews is not one of them), I would contact the publisher directly not the blogger.
And that’s all I’m saying about that. :) But wow, getting books a year before the release date is mind blowing and knowing me I still wouldn’t have the review up until after it was released.
By: Meghan (@mbookworm)
Wow, I’m quite shocked at the audacity of anyone who would email another blogger and say they’re doing it wrong! Especially when they’re not. A bit of friendly advice is fine, not that email.
I will admit that I don’t see the point of posting reviews early, mostly because I never remember the books in question if I can’t look them up/wishlist/buy them right away, but prepublication buzz has to come from somewhere! If it suits a blogger to post a review six months in advance, that’s fine, and it’s up to the publisher to let bloggers know their preferences, not other bloggers.
By: April (Books&Wine) (@booksandwine)
Teh interwebs UR DOIN IT RONG!
I do like getting to use lolcats speak.
Who the hell does that though? Don’t even sit and bitch about US blogging drama when there wouldn’t be any if that blogger had not sent the email. Maybe if she had some manners or was polite, this conversation would not be happening.
Hypocrite, say one thing and do the oppositeeeeee.’
:-)
By: Amy (@Amy)
Wow… that is shocking enough but the crazy blogger’s response? Really? Man oh man, some people really are crazy. If a publisher or author has an issue they will let you know. If not, well, early buzz is definitely a good thing in my mind. I know there are a number of books I’m itching for just because they aren’t out yet but GREAT reviews have made me want them. Oh, and I’m going around to friends and family mentioning this book that I can’t wait for. So me thinks buzz is good and people trying to police bloggers (other, of course, than the publisher or author who is sending out the book and may ask that it not be reviewed early!) just stop already!!
By: B. A. Binns (@barbarabinns)
At least no one who reviews my debut novel will have this problem. The publisher is so far behind in sending review copies out, it may hit the bookstores before it hits reviewers desks. They decided to rush to get the book out this year, and all I can say is I now understandwhy the publication cycle takes so long, some things just refused to go fast.
By: LauraM (@Lauram68)
Um, just wow. I posted a few reviews early last year. Just an eager beaver:) But actually the publishers and authors were quite happy about it. (Mandy Hubbard and Lisa Mantchev)
Why other bloggers feel the need to police is beyond me. The blogger will do what they want until they are asked not to but said author or publicist or publisher.
I feel badly for EVERYONE involved. (that’s me sitting on fence! :))
By: Natalie (@mindfulmusings)
That’s definitely ridiculous. Every blogger I know (and some of them have been blogging for years) don’t have a problem with posting early reviews. Most publicists don’t either (and I’ve actually asked)! If they do, then they can communicate that to us via e-mail, and we’ll be happy to accommodate them! I can’t believe how condescending that e-mail was. I probably wouldn’t even grace that person with a response.
By: kay (@infiniteshelf)
While I do think that six months is a bit early, that’s a personal choice! As long as the publicist and author and etc. have no issues with it, I don’t either. There are many books I added to my wishlist before the book was released. Buzz can be good for a book.
By: bermudaonion(Kathy) (@bermudaonion)
I read a book and had it reviewed very early one time. I emailed the publicist and told her that I’d enjoyed the book and would hold my review until release day. She told me to go ahead and publish it. I ended up being blurbed in an ad in the newspaper.