I'm late in announcing the winner of my extra ARC for Suzanne Desrochers' Bride of New France. Congratulations to Tiffany, who also recommended Elizabeth George Speare's Calico Captive in her comment. I'll be in touch over email to get your address, and thanks for the book suggestion, too. Hope you'll enjoy the read!
Because I'm overwhelmed with ARCs, I've temporarily stopped accepting review copy and interview requests. I haven't begun to make a serious dent in the books I picked up at the ALA conference, and there are some books I've actually bought that I'd like to get to in the near future. (I reserve the right to solicit books from publishers myself, however.)
This isn't the first time I've closed submissions, and it's not an event I usually announce—my review policy always has up-to-date submissions info—but I'd be curious to get feedback from my fellow bloggers about a related issue. This blog's policy is very easy to find, and my contact details on the sidebar make clear reference to it, but it's become a source of increasing frustration that only a small percentage of the people who contact me about reviewing their book appear to have read it. If you have, and if you've taken the time to query about or mail me a book in one of my areas of interest, thank you! But this has become an all-too-rare event, alas.
For other book bloggers: Is this your experience, too?
For example: I frequently get queries about reviewing e-books. I own a
Kindle, but I take a lot of notes as I read, along with page numbers,
and I find that reviewing from print works better for me. Writing me a nastygram about this aspect of my review policy isn't going to impress me or show me the error of my ways. Likewise, sending me a 10mb pdf, along with a query advising me how much I'll enjoy reading so-and-so military novel, will result in an immediate referral to the trash bin. I receive several ginormous ebook files every week.
I continue to be baffled by the large number of queries addressing me as Susan, considering my first name is, um, right there in my email address, but that's another story.
My estimate is that 90% of the queries I've gotten are for novels that my policy excludes. In contrast, when I get a pitch letter that indicates the sender has read the policy, I pay close attention. (For the summer publicity intern who sent me an unsolicited ARC in July, citing my interest in early North American settings... I wish you'd stuck around another month to see that I reviewed the book you sent me. Your letter worked, and I hope another publisher hires you full time!) My time is limited, so I can't promise to get to absolutely everything I receive, but I'm grateful to those who take the time to read the directions. That's really all it takes.
About Me
- Sarah Johnson
- Collection management librarian, readers' advisor, avid historical fiction reader, NBCC member. Book review editor for the Historical Novels Review and Booklist reviewer. Recipient of ALA's Louis Shores Award for book reviewing (2012). Blogging since 2006.
I've received some odd review requests at times, and IIRC one of them was addressed to you instead of me :)
ReplyDeleteDespite an update that I'm not accepting any review copies, I still get the occasional pitch. Why...
Hah, that's amusing about getting a query addressed to me. Did they spell my name right? :)
DeleteI think so, or it lease it was your blog mentioned in the email. Been a while though. Mail merge can be a tricky thing.
DeleteVery true. I've gotten Dear First Name once or twice.
DeleteI don't understand why authors or publishers don't do a better job of reading review policies. It takes time to pitch a book; why not focus on those bloggers who are likely to read it? Also, spending some time getting to know the blog, leaving comments etc. is much more likely to result if not in acceptance of the pitch, at least in a relationship that may lead to a review, plug, or just some fun conversations.
ReplyDeleteI think the problem is that people forget there's a human being behind every blog. That human being has a wide range of books to choose from, and "duty reading" gets old very fast. Sending nastygrams to bloggers who are unlikely to read your book is the opposite of what writers should be doing--building relationships.
You're very right about "duty reading" getting old, and about the rest, too. The time is past where I'll allow myself to feel guilted into reading a book I normally would have passed by because it's outside of my preferences. I will say this... nearly all the books I'm offered are historical in some respect. People get that part right. But fewer go past that. So many queries start out by saying they're a longtime fan of my blog, etc., but then they offer me a nonfiction title (which I've never reviewed here) or attach their entire ebook as a Word doc. Those get deleted without reply.
Delete"Duty reading" - that's why I'm not in any bookclubs. It took me years to admit to myself that I NEED to read what I want to read.
DeleteSarah Other Librarian
That's a good attitude... and why I'm not part of a book club, either.
DeleteIt happens all the time, not only to my own blog where I do read all over the place, but also at Historical Tapestry where it is only historical fiction.
ReplyDeleteAnd you are right. When you get a pitch from someone who has clearly read your blog and taken time to know your tastes it does make all the difference!
It does! And many of those novels are high in my TBR pile... it's because I want to get to them soon that I decided to stop taking other requests for a time.
DeleteThanks so much for this post. I was wondering if I were the only person who felt this way or go received all those review requests. One request in 20 is probably appropriate for my blog. As for e-readers - I use my Ipad with all the book apps, but I still prefer a print copy of a book for review.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first started, I felt guilty and responded to the sender, now, realizing I am one of many getting the request, I just hit delete (except for the ones, as you say, who take the time to read your blog.)
Hi Alex, your blog's focus couldn't be stated more plainly, so if you're getting mostly inappropriate queries, there isn't much hope for the rest of us! I read Kindle books on my own time, and on a couple of occasions have done interviews based on an e-copy, but find that it's more difficult for me to do an in-depth review from one. And same here... I used to respond to everyone individually, even if the request didn't fit, but I don't any longer.
DeletePeople don't pay attention. Nothing to be done about it.
ReplyDeleteAnd yet I'm asked to dedicate several days' time and attention to reading these books. Funny how that works ;)
DeleteI haven't made a special 'Review Policy' tab because I've heard from so many folks that it seems to get ignored. My blog bio includes a little throwaway about how I love 'place as character, interesting heroines, blah blah' so most pitches include at least one argument abt how their book fits whatever I say -- so I appreciate that -- even if it is often a stretch. ('My book is set in a city, which is a place!')
ReplyDeleteI don't own a kindle and so I often respond to those with kindle-only review requests saying so (and thus, declining to review their book). More often than not, those folks advise me to download an app to my phone or read it on my computer, which I find so rude and aggravating.
That's nice that you get most pitches tailored (or semi-tailored!) to your interests.
DeleteI understand being aggravated by that. When I turn down a request for whatever reason, I'm not apt to change my mind.
I am so thankful that I a) got my client's book off to you before you closed to submissions, and b) that the substantial time I spend researching blogs and other media is time well spent and appreciated. I just did a blog post on my new blog, about "fearless pitching (querying)", but perhaps it needs a follow-up post about the specifics of finding that Submission Guidelines button...and then actually reading it. It seems kind of like sending in a resume for a position you have no experience or skills for; I bet that Human Resource folks get lots of those. People think its easier to do a mass mailing, so to speak, but it is incredibly inefficient and wasteful. Much, much better to effectively target. 90% is a terrible commentary on the authors and publicists sending you material.
ReplyDeleteHi Eleanor, your note about the book I received (thank you!) was right on target and very much appreciated. I'm sure I'll reopen submissions within a month or two... this just gives me a little time to catch up on reading/reviewing the titles that are already here.
DeleteSpeaking as someone who's served on a few search committees where I work, I agree the two situations are very similar. Generic resumes are easy to dismiss, as are those from people who don't meet the minimum qualifications. I'm on some publishers' historical fiction email lists, which is fine - not everything has to be focused, and it lets me pick and choose - but it's great to see a more directed approach, too.
There may be an assumption out there that for those of us who read historical fiction, absolutely anything in the genre would suit our tastes (and any format - print or ebook or audio or whatever), but there are so many different varieties out there.
I enjoyed reading your blog post on the topic!
I only accept review copies for books that are part of organized blog tours, that way only tour organizers are the ones who contact me (I don't have a contact me feature on my blog).
ReplyDeleteI have so many unread books that I purchased for myself sitting on my shelves that I figure it's better for me to focus my attention first and foremost on them.
That's a smart way of handling it. Personally I've been stepping back from many blog tours, but it depends on my interest in the book.
DeleteI haven't had this problem (yet!!!), because I'm too new and just starting to get ARCs/offers, but I have seen more than one blog post saying exactly what you said here, so I know you are not alone. Feel free to send any extra ARCs that you can't or don't want to read, that deal with history or historical fiction, my way! *wink* mary_galliver@yahoo.com (still trying to figure out how to post as anything but "Anonymous" -- Why, yes, I AM technology challenged, why do you ask? ;D)
ReplyDeleteSorry about the difficulties with posting! There should be a way to do it and link your profile up to your blog site (the OpenID option should work if nothing else). I do like hearing about new titles and getting offers - some of the best books I've read have arrived this way - but I'm just a tad overwhelmed with irrelevant queries. And one of these days I may do a big giveaway for ARCs that need homes!
DeleteI understand, and hope I eventually find myself in the same position! And I'll keep my eyes open for that giveaway!
ReplyDeleteIt is always easy to tell those who have read and those who haven't read a review policy. The majority of the time the books I am pitched are historical in nature - however there are some that are so far outside my perview - like I recently was pitched a political NF of some kind. It is always much appreciated when you get a pitch that has at least looked at your blog before - like a breath of fresh air!
ReplyDeleteThat's very true - it's always easy to tell. I also got a query recently for a NF book on politics. They must go from blog to blog collecting emails. I've been considering not reopening submissions because the number of off-target emails has been so great, but then I know I'd miss offers of books I do want to read. It's a dilemma.
Delete