Dawn, A Sci-Fi story on a forsaken planet, by Weston Westmoreland

[Peto]

On this last one you assume wrong. The verified purchase reviews are from unknown readers. The ones who are from advance readers explicitly say so. And they happen to lower the average. They are few reviews, not much weight in numbers at all, so it is not that strong an argument, but there they are.

As for your hint at fake and interested reviews, advanced reviews are common legal practice. I invented nothing, cheated in nothing. Read lots of blogs, some book, and that was the general advice. Get advanced reviews and specifically inform they are. There is no way you can get some reviews on your publishing day if you don't release some advanced copies. If you do not want to cheat, that is. How do you intend to face your book releasing day on that regard?

A car payment? Ha ha ha. I wish. My advice is worth amazingly little, but it's given humbly and with good intention. Considering you spat it back on my face, I understand I offended you somehow. I apologize.

As for your book, I wish you the best.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by Peto

On this last one you assume wrong. The verified purchase reviews are from unknown readers. The ones who are from advance readers explicitly say so. And they happen to lower the average. They are few reviews, not much weight in numbers at all, so it is not that strong an argument, but there they are.

As for your hint at fake and interested reviews, advanced reviews are common legal practice. I invented nothing, cheated in nothing. Read lots of blogs, some book, and that was the general advice. Get advanced reviews and specifically inform they are. There is no way you can get some reviews on your publishing day if you don't release some advanced copies. If you do not want to cheat, that is. How do you intend to face your book releasing day on that regard?

A car payment? Ha ha ha. I wish. My advice is worth amazingly little, but it's given humbly and with good intention. Considering you spat it back on my face, I understand I offended you somehow. I apologize.

As for your book, I wish you the best.

Ok, you misunderstood me on the advanced reviewers.
I have done a few Arcs myself.
The thing is I got the books straight from the authors. No money involved and every one of those reviews are labeled.
Your advanced reviews look like you found some site that said for $5 get up to 10 reviews.


Paid reviews are legal too but they are supposed to go under editorial reviews.

You want me to give you some very honest feedback.

If you want to write as a hobby, fine. If you want to make a little money to pay for your next book fine. Leave it up, forget about it, put the money earned in a special account for your next book.

If you want to make real money, take the book down, save every penny you can and get the thing edited by a professional who's first language is English.
Avoid any sites that say proofreading for $100 or other small figure regardless of length.
Avoid any sites that say for $5 or other small figure, get many reviews.
You got what you paid for and it shows.

Also don't worry about word count. Too many descriptions look like padding.

Now if you just want a pat on the back or positive reinforcement, there is another website that will do just that.
Google writers cafe.
For personal reasons I refuse to link that site.
Don't mention my name. .

[Peto]

No, I paid nothing for reviews at all. The rest is pretty sound advice, thank you. I will pass on the Writers cafe, though

[Deskisamess]

As a guy who wrote a book and is trying to sell it, I need the flashiest cover I can manage, of course. As a reader, the cover drags my attention or not. If it does, I do not give it any further consideration.

As a reader, I tend to be more drawn to a simple cover. Flash may get my attention, like Dame Edna does. But it also may give the wrong impression of the book itself, and can seem cheap.

Versions... you mean you would never buy a second edition of a paper book? Or you would not accept a new edition with corrected typos? Or that you would reject the option of an alternative illustrated edition?

If there are that many errors in the first edition, it shouldn't have been published to begin with. And I'm not going to finish a books rife with errors, and would have little interest in reading it a second time, just to see corrections. Finish the book before you publish it. Issuing a different edition with illustrations isn't the same thing as issuing a corrected edition.

As far as reviews go, if any of the reviews on Amazon are from people you know, they are not only worthless, they are in violation of Amazon review rules.

[Peto]

When I say flashy I mean colorful, saturated. I have always preferred low key tones on my images, but they don't sell as well, so what I have at home and what I sell differ. Dull colored covers do not catch your eye when you are looking at thumbnail arrays. So you need your cover flashy to get a first chance of drawing attention.

I totally agree about typos. However, nobody said there are many errors at all. All that's been said, either by actual readers or others, is this, and it came along with 5 stars:

5 stars of 5 A really good read.....
By Rus on June 12, 2017
Format: Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase
Enjoyed this book and how well paced it is. A few typos but they did not detract from the story.
Many twists and turns and enjoyed the surprise ending.. Enjoy the read.....

Goes without saying I don't know this Rus. Seeing as it is happening everything I say is put into question in the name of feedback, anyone should feel free to check on him, or any of the other verified purchasers for that matter. I always take advanced copy reviews with a pinch of salt and I understand why others would too. You can also discard second opinions and read up to chapter 3 for free and judge for yourselves by clicking Look Inside at Amazon.

Regarding reviews by known people, it's not my issue, but you are not right with that. Nothing is said about that at all, this is the closest mention:

"Customers in the same household may not post multiple reviews of the same product."

Here are the complete rules:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/custo...deId=201929730

[Cinisajoy]

On that review, the few typos would distract me from buying your book.

Now, after all we have been through, do you really want me to reread the preview?
I mean as a proofreader not just a reader.

[Deskisamess]

I don't have time to find it right now, but there are specific rules about reviews. If there is any link, familial, or business connection, they can't review your work.

When I see reviews for an unknown author, left on the same day, by reviewers who have not reviewed anything else, those reviews are suspicious.

Especially when they are just one or two sentences with words like "amazing" and "fascinating."

[Peto]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

On that review, the few typos would distract me from buying your book.

Now, after all we have been through, do you really want me to reread the preview?
I mean as a proofreader not just a reader.

Not really. But you know I wasn't talking to you...

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by Peto

Not really. But you know I wasn't talking to you...

You are correct. You don't want my proofread.

I guess I shall have to put my red pen back up then.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Peto

<SNIP>

Regarding reviews by known people, it's not my issue, but you are not right with that. Nothing is said about that at all, this is the closest mention:

"Customers in the same household may not post multiple reviews of the same product."

Here are the complete rules:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/custo...deId=201929730

Well, that's as may be, (and those aren't the ONLY reviewing guidelines, BTW--there are several. See these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/custo...deId=201967050 which says ANY family member and here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/community-...s-from-authors ), but if you would visit the KDP forums, you'll find out that if Amazon determines that you have ANY acquaintanceship with the reviewer, they will remove the review. It can even be something as (to you) trivial as "friending" them on Facebook--and the review will be removed. Don't ask me how they know/find out, but they obviously have bots/spiders crawling author's FB pages, and other social media, to guard against this. There are entirely too many reported instances of it, to doubt that it exists. If Amazon determines that your reviewers come from some "reviewing" blog, they'll be removed, as they consider that those are quid pro quo (review for a review/review-trading) reviews.

I already know that you won't believe me, which is why I'm telling you to visit Kindleboards and KDP forums. Ask other authors. See if I'm lying to you.

It's the problem that plagues ARCs. It's not just "people in the same household."


Hitch

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by Hitch

Well, that's as may be, (and those aren't the ONLY reviewing guidelines, BTW--there are several. See these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/custo...deId=201967050 which says ANY family member and here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/community-...s-from-authors ), but if you would visit the KDP forums, you'll find out that if Amazon determines that you have ANY acquaintanceship with the reviewer, they will remove the review. It can even be something as (to you) trivial as "friending" them on Facebook--and the review will be removed. Don't ask me how they know/find out, but they obviously have bots/spiders crawling author's FB pages, and other social media, to guard against this. There are entirely too many reported instances of it, to doubt that it exists. If Amazon determines that your reviewers come from some "reviewing" blog, they'll be removed, as they consider that those are quid pro quo (review for a review/review-trading) reviews.

I already know that you won't believe me, which is why I'm telling you to visit Kindleboards and KDP forums. Ask other authors. See if I'm lying to you.

It's the problem that plagues ARCs. It's not just "people in the same household."


Hitch

It is now Kboards not kindleboards. I see you left there before I did.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

It is now Kboards not kindleboards. I see you left there before I did.

In 2010, when we were initially added to the Amazon Professional Conversion Services list,

Spoiler:

(brag: the ONLY company in the USA that passed all the tests, vetting, etc., to be on the list...sorry, just proud over that achievement),

Amazon asked me to basically donate time on the KDP boards, helping DIYers make their Ebooks. So, I did, and I still do. But that's been 7 years, now. It's nearly impossible for me to hang on any of those other boards, websites, etc., b/c either I see/run into our clients, or I am asked a bajillion questions about ePublishing, or how-to make eBooks, or how-to do this or that or the next thing....so all of it is work for me. Not relaxation.

Thus, while I still donate time at the KDP, b/c we were asked to (and I figure, all things being equal, I should), I don't hang out at other author's/publisher's forums. I have a few blogs and publishers that I follow; but lurky-wise, not noticeably. This, MR, is one of the few places I can come and relax. Just hang. Be mostly myself, instead of some vanilla, whitewashed, no-opinions version of myself, that has to not offend ANYONE, EVER. I mean, it's bloody tedious when you're a known person, (within my area of expertise, I mean, not like some celebutwit or actress or something) with an Internet biz; I probably have the single most boring, vanilla FB page and Twitter account known to humankind.

Before I had this biz, I had ZERO presence on the Net. I had nice little avatars, and ZIP presence as myself. I could say/post/be whatever I wanted.
I didn't have to be invisible. Now? Now I'm this nice, boring, vanilla person who never has political opinions or anything else. It's like being in a type of prison, really.

While I don't have much time for most of Hollyweird, it's given me sympathy, for how horrible their lives must be, forced to live as some idealized version of themselves, in the public eye. I cannot imagine what it's like. I already know how bad it is, in my little corner of the universe. Being a star? Must be a goddamned nightmare.

Hitch

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by Hitch

In 2010, when we were initially added to the Amazon Professional Conversion Services list,

Spoiler:

(brag: the ONLY company in the USA that passed all the tests, vetting, etc., to be on the list...sorry, just proud over that achievement),

Amazon asked me to basically donate time on the KDP boards, helping DIYers make their Ebooks. So, I did, and I still do. But that's been 7 years, now. It's nearly impossible for me to hang on any of those other boards, websites, etc., b/c either I see/run into our clients, or I am asked a bajillion questions about ePublishing, or how-to make eBooks, or how-to do this or that or the next thing....so all of it is work for me. Not relaxation.

Thus, while I still donate time at the KDP, b/c we were asked to (and I figure, all things being equal, I should), I don't hang out at other author's/publisher's forums. I have a few blogs and publishers that I follow; but lurky-wise, not noticeably. This, MR, is one of the few places I can come and relax. Just hang. Be mostly myself, instead of some vanilla, whitewashed, no-opinions version of myself, that has to not offend ANYONE, EVER. I mean, it's bloody tedious when you're a known person, (within my area of expertise, I mean, not like some celebutwit or actress or something) with an Internet biz; I probably have the single most boring, vanilla FB page and Twitter account known to humankind.

Before I had this biz, I had ZERO presence on the Net. I had nice little avatars, and ZIP presence as myself. I could say/post/be whatever I wanted.
I didn't have to be invisible. Now? Now I'm this nice, boring, vanilla person who never has political opinions or anything else. It's like being in a type of prison, really.

While I don't have much time for most of Hollyweird, it's given me sympathy, for how horrible their lives must be, forced to live as some idealized version of themselves, in the public eye. I cannot imagine what it's like. I already know how bad it is, in my little corner of the universe. Being a star? Must be a goddamned nightmare.

Hitch

Spoiler:

Congratulations

I am glad you are here. I love chatting with you. I know what you mean about the celebrity.