The dilemma of review copies

Sharon Wheeler

I discovered very early on in my journalistic career that you don't make a living from reviewing. A fairly well-known sportswriter confided to me that the book and theatre reviews he wrote for one of our national papers were just a sideline and brought in peanuts. And it's been the same for me for the past 20 years with book and gig and album reviews. Great fun, but I won't be retiring on the proceeds.

For most reviewers, the perk is the book or the CD or a ticket to see the band. I suppose it depends how desperately you want to be in print if you're prepared to buy them yourself and review them. I've done it once years ago when I was trying to get a foot on the music-writing ladder. I wouldn't do it now.

All this is by way of musing over an email we had from a publisher during the week. They're a fairly small indie set-up and, like the rest of us, are feeling the pinch from the recession. So, instead of sending out review copies of books, they're proposing to send PDF files instead to the reviewers.

I can totally understand why they do this. Publishers must spend a small fortune in sending out review copies to countless publications, many of which will never review the book. I know that some, not surprisingly, want to trim their distribution lists.

The RTE big cheeses (well, me and Yvonne Klein) discussed the email from the publisher and in the end decided that we couldn't, in all conscience, expect reviewers to work from PDF files. A lot of people don't like reading on-screen (I have PDF versions of at least two of the Julia Spencer-Fleming books which I'm rather intrigued to read, but have never got past page 20 of the first one, because it's so damn eye-numbing reading from a computer screen). And it would cost the reviewer  a chunk of change in paper and inks if they chose to print the PDF out. Seeing as they're reviewing for the love of it as it is, we can't ask them to do that. And, to be honest, selling the book at some stage is the only way a lot of reviewers make any dosh out of reviewing.

I think the indie publishers are in a tricky situation. But for many of them, the only reviews they're likely to get are on sites like RTE, simply because we review 40 books a month – your average newspaper, if they've still got a book review page, are likely to have space for four a month (and those are probably from the big publishers).

We've suggested to some publishers that they don't send us books on-spec any more, but instead email with new releases and we will attempt to match up the book with a reviewer. This isn't a flawless plan, as many publicists will be too busy to email editors individually. And it loses that element of lucky chance, where an unusual book arrives in the post and catches an editor's eye.

But until reviewing ebooks becomes the norm, rather than the exception (and I can't see that happening terribly quickly, particularly in the UK – there's still no sign of the Kindle appearing here, and I bet Waterstone's staff haven't been mown down in the rush for the Sony reader), I think publishers just have to budget for review copies and keep their fingers crossed that they get a reasonable hit rate for their money.

Comments

[Maxine]

I would never review a book if it were in electronic format (pdf or other). (I still shudder at my early days of blogging when I was finessed into reading a ms in Word format- the headache!).
I spend all day at work on screen and also some leisure time on screen, so when I read a book I want it in print, in large font with a nice white background if possible.
If someone sends me a PDF to review (as happens once or twice a week) I just delete it.
I agree that it is a massive waste for publishers to send out (conventional) review copies. Also, nobody would expect a reviewer or publication to confirm in advance of seeing a book whether they would review it, sight unseen. However, I think publishers on the whole could be a bit more efficient about asking reviewers and publications first if they "might" be interested in reviewing a book. I get so many unsolicited books sent to me, I am never going to have time to review them all - and I am just an individual who reviews books on a tiny blog just for fun. The publication I work for receives literally hundreds of unsolicited review copies of books a week, and our book review section is 3 or 4 pages a week so we only review a tiny fraction of those (quite a large minority aren't even on a topic covered by our journal).

[Lynne Patrick]

Like you, Shaz, I understand why small publishers would want to do this - but I wouldn't ever contemplate doing it myself. Creme de la Crime is way behind the times in refusing to accept e-mail submissions; the reason is that I hate reading on screen, and won't inflict it on anyone else.
The economical answer, I suppose, is to trim back the list of review copies - but that's risky; if we don't send out the copies, we definitely don't get the reviews.
While I'm searching for a solution that will actually work, be assured that you'll continue to get actual copies of our books at least.

[Maria]

When I reviewed for BSCreview, I was one of the few that accepted e-copies for review. Now that I know more about ebooks, I'd probably request an easier form to read (.mobi or epub), but I didn't mind doing a review from an online book. It did tend to take longer to bubble to the top because I had to have time to read it while at home--I wasn't going to drag my laptop along with me to read it.

I'll only be reviewing at BSC until the end of the year--but I noticed that in the past year, about 3 of the reviewers made "exceptions" and reviewed PDF files.

[Dana King]

I'm with you half way: I wouldn't take a PDF file for a review. I've done over 100 reviews, all for free, and I do most of my reading on the subway to and from work. I'm not going to print out and bind hundreds of pages of a book I may not like.

We differ on one point: I would NEVER sell an ARC. Some I keep; the others I give away to my mother or friends or libraries.I was told early on it's not ethical to sell a review copy, and I think that's fine. I got the book for free, and the pleasure (I hope) of reading. I'm not writing 2,000 page retrospectives of how this book fits into the author's oeuvre. I'm devoting about 600 words to helping a reader make up his mind. The book alone is payment enough.

[Lartonmedia]

Hi Maxine! Yay, not just me, then! I spend too long during the day on the computer, so absolutely don't want to do the same in the evening.

We had a weird one a few years ago where someone said they were sending an ARC -- and in fact sent a humungous parcel of unbound paper. She got very stroppy when we declined to review it, and wanted it returned. We said no!

We have a set line with authors and publicists, which is that we will never guarantee that a review is used.

[Lartonmedia]

Hi Lynne! I know that if I was running a small press, I'd budget for those review copies, as that's the only way to get publicity in many cases.

[Lartonmedia]

That's interesting, Maria! I hadn't come across anyone who would review from the e-copy. The snag for me is that I read in bed or on a train, where a laptop isn't very convenient!

[Lartonmedia]

Hi Dana! Oops, should have made that clearer. I won't sell ARCs -- it's bad practice and also dodgy, as they're not the finished product. I give them to friends to read often. I think it's fine, though, to sell the actual book later down the line.

But then I'm very bad at giving books away, as the piles of them around my house will testify!

[Maria]

The ebooks that were read by others than myself were from small press, but by trusted authors (meaning usually the reviewers were already fans.)

In my case, I don't mind reading online stuff, so it's just another free book (which as you say, is probably the best thing about being a reviewer and sometimes the *only* perk.)

If I had an e-reader, such as the Kindle, I would have read even more ebook copies--and probably would have preferred that method of delivery. Like most reviewers I ended up with a stack of books that seemed to multiply in the dark of night...and it gets to a point where the books have to move out or the people do...

[www.google.com/accounts/o8/id?id=AItOawkgZ5fp9eDrdHKFnDvHCch4kM1Fcdgn6vk]

Being with a press that offers both ebook and POD copies (No, not self- or vanity-published, with a small commercial publisher), the reviews I've gotten have primarily been from sites that take pdf files for review. There was one that wanted paper, and as she absolutely loved the books, I didn't mind the expense of sending paper to her, but the vast majority have been all done electronically.

[Lartonmedia]

I've got to say I am tempted by the thought of being able to store load and loads of books electronically. But I like the feel of paper in my hands too much to give books up!

[Lartonmedia]

That's interesting! I suspect it will eventually be the way a lot of smaller publishers will go. But I suspect, too, that, we won't be the only site or publication not keen on reviewing electronic copies, certainly for the time being!

[bookwitch]

I have two books I very much want to read sitting on my desktop. One problem is keeping track of what page I'm on when I take a break.

Publishers would be better to send me books when I ask for them, and not when I haven't. But then some are very careful with how many they send out, and others put books in the post like there's no tomorrow.

[Lartonmedia]

That's one of the reasons I dislike reading PDFs -- I forget where I got to!

The argument, I suppose, for sending out everything is that you will have books catching an editor's or a reviewer's eye that they might not have heard of, or thought was worth looking at. It's certainly happened to me on quite a few occasions!

[Maria]

That's what I meant about a desktop (or laptop) ereader. They all keep your page for you!!! Even if you switch books! It was a LOVELY day indeed when I discovered that. I had closed down mobipocket reader (my reader of choice). When I re-opened the book, voila! There it went, right to the page.

I don't know if it would work with PDF. I pretty much look for .mobi or epub because using the reader really does provide some advantages.

[Maria]

Oh and don't get me wrong. I still do like the feel of a "real" book. I think there's room for both in this world. Well, not in my living room anymore, but in general. :>)

[Lartonmedia]

LOL, Maria! I am starting to worry -- the books have encroached on my kitchen!

I've only ever tried reading the PDF files on my normal laptop, and there's no way I can find of marking the spot.

[Pepper Smith]

Easiest way I know to mark your spot is keep a piece of paper by the computer and write down the number of the page you leave off on.

Since I do all my editing on the computer anyway, it's the best way I know of making sure I can find my place again.

[Robin Agnew]

I like your mentioning the "odd" book that might get lost in the shuffle, so often that's where I find a book I love to handsell. It's chemistry - or something! Great post.

[Lartonmedia]

Hi Pepper. Very sensible idea -- and yay for old-fashioned pen and paper!

[Lartonmedia]

Thanks, Robin! It happens to me a fair bit -- I see the pre-publicity for a book and it doesn't particularly grab me. But then I pick the book up when it arrives and whoosh . . . . .!