Self-Published Books?
Hola chicas. And chicos, if there are any chicos. I have a question for those of you who like to review books: Does anybody NOT have objections to reviewing self-published books? I'm not going to review them on here, singularly awesome though they may be, but should I pass anyone's name along for the ones that come trickling in? Email me at homegirlsbookblog@yahoo.com.
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30 comments:
Why don't people want to review self-published books? I know some of them are pretty bad, but there might be some wonderful books out there.
I've never really read a reason why bloggers don't want self=published books.
For me, it is an issue of time. I have so much to do, and so many quality, fully-vetted books that have undergone the scrutiny of sharp editors, that I don't want to hunt for a diamond in the rough. I guess I trust the traditional publishing process. But you are right: There are undoubtedly some great ones out there. The Shack was self-published, initially. I haven't read it, but it turned out to be a blockbuster.
I am open to self-published authors for the month April on either my Moonlight to Twilight Blog (adult content) or my YA blog The Cracked Spine.
http://moonlighttotwilightblog.blogspot.com/
http://thecrackedspineblog.blogspot.com/
:o)
MsM
I'll add you to the list, MsM. Thanks!
I also read self published books - one of my fav. books right now was self published! :)
I am book-crazy.com - Jenn! :)
Thanks
Jenn@book-crazy.com
Hi Homegirl,
I actually don't mind self-published. While I agree with Rachel that time can be an issue, when I have so many favorite authors I want to read, I like supporting emerging authors and finding the hidden gems.
Feel free to consider me for any self-published books that come your way. Please email: reminderlistreviews at gmail.com.
Thanks! And good luck!
Melissa (Miel Abeille)
I feel that if you run across a self-published book that is actually decent and you catch yourself reading it then you should post a review. That's the rule I go with on my own blog. I feel you shouldn't be going out of your way to read self-published books just in sake of this blog. You should do it because you find yourself doing it.
I kind of see it in the same way Erica does. To date, all the self published books that have been sent my way I passed on reviewing-- mostly because I could not make myself continue reading them.
I have reviewed self-published books in the past, but I don't regularly. They have to sound really awesome for me to say yes.
I'm not opposed to reviewing self published books for my blog http://www.communitybookstop.com
Really the only difference between a self-published book and those on the shelves in book stores is someone else vouching for its merit. You can find just as much crap in a book store as you can on a self-published stock site. But at least the books on stores have been vouched for, vetted, edited and edited and edited by eyes other than the author.
With self-pub, you could rightly be getting a first draft manuscript from someone. And you have to pay for it. No thanks. I'll stick to fanfiction.net where the crap to good ratio is about the same as self-pub books but I don't have to pay to read any of the stories.
I'd recommend seeking out the POD-dy Mouth blog, someone that set out to read nothing but self-pub books to find out just what the crap to good ratio was. Let's just say I'm not really exaggerating.
I review self-published books (drama, memoir, romance, YA, Jane Austen sequels etc). I don't like to discriminate when reading a book. Some really horrible books have been published by big publishing companies and some great ones have been self-published.
Feel free to pass my info along for self-published books: Grace2133(at)yahoo(dot)com
Grace
<a href="http://www.bibliophile23.wordpress.com>Books Like Breathing</a>
HTML failing as usual. But correcting because, well, I don't want to look like a dunderhead.
Grace
Books Like Breathing
Donna--I totally get the "crap-to-good" ratio among fully-vetted books is not necessarily higher than among self-published books. There are so many dumb books on Barnes and Nobles' shelves, it makes my head spin.
I've read some excellent self published books. I always welcome them :)
It depends on the book. For me it is a book by book basis. I have read some really good self published books and some that were.... well.... not so much. :)
I have no problem reading self-published books, but the ones I tend to get are about pioneer women falling in love with meaty farmers, with a serious Christian bent, or else vampires, werewolves, aliens, etc, and that's just not me. I would have no objection to reviewing one that piqued my interest, same as any published book. I believe in writers, whether or not they've been approved by the publishing industry!
I'm ok with this, but it depends if I like the bio or not. I have read one self published book and even though the writing wasn't terrific, the story was pretty amazing.
I like the varied responses here...I agree that the book itself should determine what we read and review.
Personally, I won't waste my time on books about vampires, but they're certainly out there and published by traditional houses, and many people love them.
I prefer to think of my own "self-published" books as POD; I published with a subsidiary of Amazon.com, and I'm proud of my work. I've had some excellent reviews.
When you first posed the question, I kind of felt offended...but then I kept reading and was relieved at the different responses. To each her own, of course, and we have to be discriminating in our own way. Like I said...no vampires for me! LOL.
Writers, like many people, can be thin-skinned, but then again, we need to toughen up!
I personally love self-published books. Many great authors got there start that way.
Sure I get bad ones occasionally. When that happens I don't waste my time finishing it and I email the author and let them know what I didn't like about it. The female authors really appreciate this feed back. In my experience, male authors have a harder time excepting their work isn't brilliant.
Honestly, I don't read or review self-published books because I own over 600 books that are to be read, which expands with every library booksale I attend. When I do read a book for review, it's usually a book which has been published by a traditional publisher and therefore has been through a vetting process, and edited. I've come to terms that I'm not going to live forever, there's great books which come out every year by traditional publishers, and my TBR keeps expanding, life's too short to read books which I have little interest in.
In the Uk it is even becoming difficult for well established authors to get new book deals even with an established fan base and I know of some that for this reason have had to self publish.
Will you also automatically reject such authors.
Maybe it is different in the USA?
I should revise that post, I guess. What I meant was that I probably won't receive a random request from a person who self-published to review their book. But, if a reading buddy said "Oh, I read the most AWESOME book. Check it out!" Then I would read it in a heartbeat. Personal recommendation trumps publishing house credentials. I just don't have the time to dig around. (I technically don't have the time to dig around Barnes and Noble, either, but it is quicker to find out what is winning awards than what self-pubbed book is developing a good fan base). As an aspiring writer myself, I have respect for people who self-publish. I know how hard and restrictive the traditional publishing process can be. The scope of my post was for the purposes of reviews on this blog, alone, and for self-published authors who "cold-call" me.
Whoa. REVISION. I meant I probably won't ACCEPT not receive. Morning typos. Kids on my lap... hahaha
I review self-publised books! I've had pretty good luck reading great self-published books.
crystalperspective.blogspot.com
I've never actually read any self published books (I've never actually been asked) but I'd be happy to consider trying one if the book appealed to me.
I read alot of Self pub books and its a win some lose some sort of situation for me..
But I read more Self Pub than anything else... and have no probem continuing
erotichorizon@googlemail.com
E.H>
I am with Shelia (Bookjourney)- I pick on a book to book basis based on the synopsis or blurb and maybe a bit of author info. I am certainly open to reading self-published. Take for example THE SHACK which was originally self-published! I have some author friends whose books I love even though they are self-published. And there are well known authors and publisher books that I have read where the editors must have fallen asleep: leaving wrong character names in; not having cell phones in a contemporary novel involving a journalist; and numerous typos. Very sloppy and those turned me off the author as well as the publishing house.
Feel free to include me on your list please! Reviews by Martha's Bookshelf
I accidently bought a self-published book from an independent store about 9 months ago. It looked so unusual and had no blurb so I took a punt. It ended out being short stories and they were amazingly well written but very bizarre. The sort of thing you have to read at uni. Anyway I was glad I bought it. I'd read a self-published book if I liked the premise.
You don't consider them at all? I think there are a lot of bad books out there who have made it through the "scrutiny of sharp aditors" as you put it :)
I recently bought and read an idependently published novel, it was so, so good. Some of the big publishers really liked the story but couldn't figure out how to promote the book because it cannot be pinned down to a spesific genre.
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