Contacting someone for reviews

AndrewMowere · 10-08-2016, 06:00 PM

Hello, I am a rather new author and some of the ethical guidelines that many take to be common are a little hazy. I would like to a ask something specific.

About eight months ago, someone reviewed my debut novel and gave it three stars. This review was amazing. He commented on my magic system being too telling (which was on purpose, but I reworked the descriptions and let the dialogue give that school subject feeling after his comments), explained a few issues he had with my technical faults, and even pointed me to some of Lovecraft's work for pointers on how to create vagueness for the illusion of scale. Needless to say, there was much learning done due to this amazing individual who just cared enough to comment.

Skip forward five short stories, a novella, and a Fantasy story collection later. I am writing that same book's sequel, and am about a week and a half away from finishing the first draft. There will be a month or two of editing, and then I intend to give out ARC's and other fun stuff in preparation for a Christmas self-published launch.

Is it appropriate to try and reach out to that same man? an email would be too much, but it's easy enough to send him a message on goodreads. I would love to see his opinion on the sequel, if not as a beta reader then as a reviewer.

Dr. Drib · 10-08-2016, 06:45 PM

Sure! Why not?

You obviously respect his opinion. Tell him that.

Tell him that he is free to offer a critical review in any way he sees fit. It's not your job to dictate how he should posit his review (and I realize you're not saying that). If he thinks your work is rubbish, then find out why. If he likes portions of it - or all of it - then find out why.

If you respect his critical assessment (as you obviously do), then give yourself the chance to learn something from him - whether it be 10 novels or 100 novels in the future.

meeera · 10-08-2016, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndrewMowere

Is it appropriate to try and reach out to that same man? an email would be too much, but it's easy enough to send him a message on goodreads. I would love to see his opinion on the sequel, if not as a beta reader then as a reviewer.

I'd be inclined to suggest the email over the Goodreads message, to be honest, and that way you can attach the eARC or a Dropbox link to it (without conditions such as an undertaking to review) at the same time.

AndrewMowere · 10-09-2016, 04:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by meeera

I'd be inclined to suggest the email over the Goodreads message, to be honest, and that way you can attach the eARC or a Dropbox link to it (without conditions such as an undertaking to review) at the same time.

Really... I was certain that would be too intrusive. I only have his email (probably) somewhere on system because of a library thing giveaway. You send someone ONE email and suddenly they're in your autocomplete list.

Dr Drib: Thank you, I really do respect his opinion. Also,I apologize for the times my idiocy got me into trouble with you.

Dr. Drib · 10-09-2016, 06:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndrewMowere

Really... I was certain that would be too intrusive. I only have his email (probably) somewhere on system because of a library thing giveaway. You send someone ONE email and suddenly they're in your autocomplete list.

Dr Drib: Thank you, I really do respect his opinion. Also,I apologize for the times my idiocy got me into trouble with you.

The old cliche is that no one is perfect. And that certainly includes me!

I hope you contact him and that he'll be responsive about reading your work with a critical eye.

AndrewMowere · 10-14-2016, 04:10 AM

Update: He ignored me. Oh well, there will be other good opinions. Meanwhile, I am on my last chapter. Went all out yesterday and wrote ten thousand words which I'm certain should need to be closer to fifteen, but I can do that later.

darryl · 10-14-2016, 04:49 AM

For what it is worth, this site offers reviews.

http://forums.onlinebookclub.org/

Dr. Drib · 10-14-2016, 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndrewMowere

Update: He ignored me. Oh well, there will be other good opinions. Meanwhile, I am on my last chapter. Went all out yesterday and wrote ten thousand words which I'm certain should need to be closer to fifteen, but I can do that later.

Well, that's a shame.

Perhaps there's someone here whose opinion you respect, or another site where you are a member.

issybird · 10-14-2016, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndrewMowere

Really... I was certain that would be too intrusive..

It's too late now, but I strongly agree with this. Emails are personal, private. Using one in this manner would have a distinctly stalkerish vibe to me. Goodreads is neutral, public space where people are open to interaction.

ApK · 10-14-2016, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by issybird

Emails are personal, private.

How did you arrive at that delusion...er...opinion?

Don't EVER be misled into thinking emails are private. They are NOT. Regardless of what the over-entitled set might think or claim.

As for personal? Well, one can certainly use or not use email for whatever they want, but if the OP has the guy's email address, I presume it was put out there and expected to be used for communication. Assuming the OP didn't hack the guy or go dumpster diving or something to get it.

Me, personally, I would have emailed the guy something like:
"I was very impressed by your thoughtful review of the first book, and I learned much from your critique. I'd like you to have this eARC of the sequel."

Dr. Drib · 10-14-2016, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ApK

How did you arrive at that delusion...er...opinion?

Don't EVER be misled into thinking emails are private. They are NOT. Regardless of what the over-entitled set might think or claim.

As for personal? Well, one can certainly use or not use email for whatever they want, but if the OP has the guy's email address, I presume it was put out there and expected to be used for communication. Assuming the OP didn't hack the guy or go dumpster diving or something to get it.

Me, personally, I would have emailed the guy something like:
"I was very impressed by your thoughtful review of the first book, and I learned much from your critique. I'd like you to have this eARC of the sequel."

That's an excellent way to dispel any kind of 'creep' or 'stalker' notion that might come into play, and reinforces the respect that the author would have for that reviewer.

issybird · 10-14-2016, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ApK

How did you arrive at that delusion...er...opinion?

Don't EVER be misled into thinking emails are private. They are NOT. Regardless of what the over-entitled set might think or claim.

Whoa! I think "over-entitled" is going too far.

Seriously, everyone knows, or should know, that there's no privacy on the internet. Still, I think people want other individuals to respect their privacy as much as possible. When there's a means of contacting someone through a neutral space like Goodreads first, I don't see why you'd jump to a direct approach. We all know the TSA people have a good idea of what we look like naked; that doesn't mean we're ok with hearing them snicker. We should respect boundaries, even ephemeral ones.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

That's an excellent way to dispel any kind of 'creep' or 'stalker' notion that might come onto play, and reinforces the respect that the author would have for that reviewer.

It wouldn't dispel it for ME, and that is how I characterized the stalkerish vibe.

Why run the risk of alienating a formerly supportive reader, when there's an alternative approach?

ApK · 10-14-2016, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by issybird

Whoa! I think "over-entitled" is going too far.

I wasn't referring to you. To your actual point, I merely disagree about the use of email in this situation.

The rest was me just using the space to remind folks that email is not private, and to rant against the type of person out there who posts their deepest darkest secrets on hugely popular public Internet sites, complete with video, and then whines loudly about the "violation of their privacy" when-- surprise! --that info gets used in a way they don't like.

'cuz they are out there, and apparently some of them are in Congress.

Maybe I should have started another thread for that part.

Cinisajoy · 10-14-2016, 05:46 PM

If the author had been given the email address to contact the reviewer about books, then it would be reasonable to use the email address.
Now if the reviewer hadn't specified he wanted informed about new books, then it might be crossing a line.
It wasn't here but another forum and an author noticed I had reviewed his first book. He contacted me out of the blue to review the next one. Note: I wasn't impressed with the first one.
I turned down the offer but it was somewhat awkward.

meeera · 10-14-2016, 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndrewMowere

Really... I was certain that would be too intrusive. I only have his email (probably) somewhere on system because of a library thing giveaway.

This changes things. In that giveaway situation I would generally expect you to discard the email address after using it once. With your original post I was assuming you had access to the email address through reasonable sorts of means, like it being their review blog contact address.

Be very careful sending unsolicited Goodreads PMs, however, and check Goodreads spam policy first.

10-08-2016, 06:00 PM	#1
AndrewMowere Connoisseur Posts: 76 Karma: 2050612 Join Date: Dec 2015 Device: none	Contacting someone for reviews Hello, I am a rather new author and some of the ethical guidelines that many take to be common are a little hazy. I would like to a ask something specific. About eight months ago, someone reviewed my debut novel and gave it three stars. This review was amazing. He commented on my magic system being too telling (which was on purpose, but I reworked the descriptions and let the dialogue give that school subject feeling after his comments), explained a few issues he had with my technical faults, and even pointed me to some of Lovecraft's work for pointers on how to create vagueness for the illusion of scale. Needless to say, there was much learning done due to this amazing individual who just cared enough to comment. Skip forward five short stories, a novella, and a Fantasy story collection later. I am writing that same book's sequel, and am about a week and a half away from finishing the first draft. There will be a month or two of editing, and then I intend to give out ARC's and other fun stuff in preparation for a Christmas self-published launch. Is it appropriate to try and reach out to that same man? an email would be too much, but it's easy enough to send him a message on goodreads. I would love to see his opinion on the sequel, if not as a beta reader then as a reviewer.

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10-08-2016, 06:45 PM	#2
Dr. Drib Grand Sorcerer Posts: 45,343 Karma: 59447733 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Peru Device: KINDLE: Oasis 3, Scribe (1st), Matcha; KOBO: Libra 2, Libra Colour	Sure! Why not? You obviously respect his opinion. Tell him that. Tell him that he is free to offer a critical review in any way he sees fit. It's not your job to dictate how he should posit his review (and I realize you're not saying that). If he thinks your work is rubbish, then find out why. If he likes portions of it - or all of it - then find out why. If you respect his critical assessment (as you obviously do), then give yourself the chance to learn something from him - whether it be 10 novels or 100 novels in the future.

10-14-2016, 04:10 AM	#6
AndrewMowere Connoisseur Posts: 76 Karma: 2050612 Join Date: Dec 2015 Device: none	Update: He ignored me. Oh well, there will be other good opinions. Meanwhile, I am on my last chapter. Went all out yesterday and wrote ten thousand words which I'm certain should need to be closer to fifteen, but I can do that later.

10-14-2016, 04:49 AM	#7
darryl Wizard Posts: 3,108 Karma: 60231510 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Aura H2O, Kindle Oasis, Huwei Ascend Mate 7	For what it is worth, this site offers reviews. http://forums.onlinebookclub.org/

10-14-2016, 05:46 PM	#14
Cinisajoy Just a Yellow Smiley. Posts: 19,161 Karma: 83862859 Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Texas Device: K4, K5, fire, kobo, galaxy	If the author had been given the email address to contact the reviewer about books, then it would be reasonable to use the email address. Now if the reviewer hadn't specified he wanted informed about new books, then it might be crossing a line. It wasn't here but another forum and an author noticed I had reviewed his first book. He contacted me out of the blue to review the next one. Note: I wasn't impressed with the first one. I turned down the offer but it was somewhat awkward.

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