May 19th, 2010 / 6:08 pm
Web Hype

Are we really all reviewers?

Here’s a cool new thing if you’ve got the cash to spare: The Rumpus has started up a book club in which you’ll be sent an advance copy of some anticipated novel each month in exchange for twenty-five dollars. At the end of that month you’ll be invited to “a moderated online discussion” with the author.

“It used to be that only people in the media got advance copies of books but that wall has come down quite a bit. Now everybody’s a reviewer.”

Really? Are we all reviewers now?

36 Comments

  1. Adam R

      In the small press economy, mentioning a book on a blog seems to be as helpful for sales as a review that no one reads.

  2. Dreezer

      Well, it’ll sell a lot of books.

      I think it’s kind of silly but will be interested to see if this works out.

      And yeah, I’ve been turned on to plenty of books by blog mentions that fall far short of a review.

  3. Patrick

      Could ask the same about fiction or poetry.

  4. chris

      We are if you believe that one person’s opinion is just as valid as the next. Which I do. The real question is whether or not one person’s opinion is as relevant as the next.

  5. darby

      we are all reviewers because we are all authors

  6. Nathan (Nate) Tyree

      I’ve been reviewing books for various websites for a decade. I often get review copies. So, sure, I’m a reviewer.

  7. jesusangelgarcia

      or articulate, thoughtful or insightful enough to matter.

  8. jesusangelgarcia

      not true.

  9. Adam Robinson

      In the small press economy, mentioning a book on a blog seems to be as helpful for sales as a review that no one reads.

  10. Dreezer

      Well, it’ll sell a lot of books.

      I think it’s kind of silly but will be interested to see if this works out.

      And yeah, I’ve been turned on to plenty of books by blog mentions that fall far short of a review.

  11. Patrick

      Could ask the same about fiction or poetry.

  12. jesusangelgarcia

      In some ways, the spin on this feels like a bad joke. Legit “reviewers” (aka critics) often work with editors who tend to hold them to a minimum level of clarity, coherence, thoughtfulness, etc. Plus, in my experience, reviewers get promo copies of work (i.e., free advances) directly from publishers, publicists or producers. The Rumpus charging individuals for advances feels a bit crass and exploitative of all parties. But Stephen writes in the original post that he hopes/expects most of the books to be hard covers. That seems more worth the price of admission, perhaps, but then… who gets paid? [If you care to peek, I wrote more about my upside/downside feelings in the Rumpus comments.]

  13. Ryan Call

      Edward Champion Says:
      May 19th, 2010 at 4:20 pm
      Since nobody here has the balls to ask important questions (and I fully expect this comment to be deleted), and Elliott has been far from transparent, here goes:

      1. A galley typically costs at least $5 to make. Are you paying the publishers for these galleys with these funds? Or are you pocketing the cash and plundering these galleys, redistributing them among the people who pay you money for financial gain? If the latter, then how can this be considered even remotely ethical (particularly in light of the recent FTC blogger policy)?

      2. How is it ethical to take money from subscribers when they can express their professional interest and have the galley sent to them for free when they write to the publisher?

      3. Why are you disrespecting the authors with this plan? The galley is not the version that the author wishes to put out. It is riddled with typos, gaffes, and other errors. So not only are you besmirching an author’s vision. You are also taking away much needed sales to that author that will assist her in getting another book deal.

      4. Why cut into the galley supply like this? Galleys are typically distributed to booksellers, critics, et al. so that a publisher stands a chance of getting some advance buzz or generating sales. When you take fifty galleys, then this destroys fifty potential shots at a book getting publicity. It is nothing less than monopolizing a supply that you have no right to horde.

      Stephen Elliott Says:
      May 19th, 2010 at 4:39 pm
      Hi Edward,

      I think you’re wrong about this. I don’t think we’ll be sending galleys out the majority of the time. I don’t want to commit to that, because I’m not sure, but I’m reasonably certain that the majority of time it will be hardcover books, not galleys. Or it might be a mix.

      If the publishers don’t think participating in the book club will be good for sales they probably won’t agree to do it. The author has to agree to it as well. An awful lot of authors have already asked us to consider using their book.

      I thought you and I were supposed to do an interview?

      Stephen

  14. Ryan Call

      oh, context: from the link over at the rumpusbooks comment thread. thought this was interesting.

  15. chris

      We are if you believe that one person’s opinion is just as valid as the next. Which I do. The real question is whether or not one person’s opinion is as relevant as the next.

  16. Roxane

      I have to say, I don’t see how this is… cool or new or different and the price seems extraordinarily high to me. Is the cool part the advance copy? Or is the cool part the book club discussion? Book clubs have been around… forever. I have no problem with the Rumpus Book Club at all, and I’m sure it will be fun but I’m confused.

  17. darby

      we are all reviewers because we are all authors

  18. jesusangelgarcia

      Is this really true, Adam? I thought Shane’s book was literallly launched into the mainstream by the support it received in the underground.

  19. jesusangelgarcia

      and if it is true, then what’s the best way for small-press publishers/authors to generate “buzz” that translates into sales for their books? I’m talking novels.

  20. jesusangelgarcia

      I think the “new” is being able to discuss w/ the author. I think it’s good for the author and good for readers. I think it’s what the web was meant for. The price (or the money trail) gives me… pause.

  21. Nathan (Nate) Tyree

      I’ve been reviewing books for various websites for a decade. I often get review copies. So, sure, I’m a reviewer.

  22. jesusangelgarcia

      or articulate, thoughtful or insightful enough to matter.

  23. jesusangelgarcia

      not true.

  24. jesusangelgarcia

      In some ways, the spin on this feels like a bad joke. Legit “reviewers” (aka critics) often work with editors who tend to hold them to a minimum level of clarity, coherence, thoughtfulness, etc. Plus, in my experience, reviewers get promo copies of work (i.e., free advances) directly from publishers, publicists or producers. The Rumpus charging individuals for advances feels a bit crass and exploitative of all parties. But Stephen writes in the original post that he hopes/expects most of the books to be hard covers. That seems more worth the price of admission, perhaps, but then… who gets paid? [If you care to peek, I wrote more about my upside/downside feelings in the Rumpus comments.]

  25. Ryan Call

      Edward Champion Says:
      May 19th, 2010 at 4:20 pm
      Since nobody here has the balls to ask important questions (and I fully expect this comment to be deleted), and Elliott has been far from transparent, here goes:

      1. A galley typically costs at least $5 to make. Are you paying the publishers for these galleys with these funds? Or are you pocketing the cash and plundering these galleys, redistributing them among the people who pay you money for financial gain? If the latter, then how can this be considered even remotely ethical (particularly in light of the recent FTC blogger policy)?

      2. How is it ethical to take money from subscribers when they can express their professional interest and have the galley sent to them for free when they write to the publisher?

      3. Why are you disrespecting the authors with this plan? The galley is not the version that the author wishes to put out. It is riddled with typos, gaffes, and other errors. So not only are you besmirching an author’s vision. You are also taking away much needed sales to that author that will assist her in getting another book deal.

      4. Why cut into the galley supply like this? Galleys are typically distributed to booksellers, critics, et al. so that a publisher stands a chance of getting some advance buzz or generating sales. When you take fifty galleys, then this destroys fifty potential shots at a book getting publicity. It is nothing less than monopolizing a supply that you have no right to horde.

      Stephen Elliott Says:
      May 19th, 2010 at 4:39 pm
      Hi Edward,

      I think you’re wrong about this. I don’t think we’ll be sending galleys out the majority of the time. I don’t want to commit to that, because I’m not sure, but I’m reasonably certain that the majority of time it will be hardcover books, not galleys. Or it might be a mix.

      If the publishers don’t think participating in the book club will be good for sales they probably won’t agree to do it. The author has to agree to it as well. An awful lot of authors have already asked us to consider using their book.

      I thought you and I were supposed to do an interview?

      Stephen

  26. Ryan Call

      oh, context: from the link over at the rumpusbooks comment thread. thought this was interesting.

  27. Roxane

      I have to say, I don’t see how this is… cool or new or different and the price seems extraordinarily high to me. Is the cool part the advance copy? Or is the cool part the book club discussion? Book clubs have been around… forever. I have no problem with the Rumpus Book Club at all, and I’m sure it will be fun but I’m confused.

  28. jesusangelgarcia

      Is this really true, Adam? I thought Shane’s book was literallly launched into the mainstream by the support it received in the underground.

  29. jesusangelgarcia

      and if it is true, then what’s the best way for small-press publishers/authors to generate “buzz” that translates into sales for their books? I’m talking novels.

  30. jesusangelgarcia

      I think the “new” is being able to discuss w/ the author. I think it’s good for the author and good for readers. I think it’s what the web was meant for. The price (or the money trail) gives me… pause.

  31. TTT

      For a long time, publications like the Times Literary Supplement have accepted reviews from the public, so does the Guardian.

      Publishing houses have always been happy to give free copies away to anyone that will write a review even it was for a journal that eight professors read. It’s a lot cheaper than an advertisement.

      Has the person who wrote that not seen the basment of Strand Books filled with advanced copies of everything?

  32. TTT

      For a long time, publications like the Times Literary Supplement have accepted reviews from the public, so does the Guardian.

      Publishing houses have always been happy to give free copies away to anyone that will write a review even it was for a journal that eight professors read. It’s a lot cheaper than an advertisement.

      Has the person who wrote that not seen the basment of Strand Books filled with advanced copies of everything?

  33. reynard

      pretty sure library journal & publisher’s weekly have a family of bonobos writing for them, so why not?

  34. Catherine Lacey

      Zing!

  35. reynard

      pretty sure library journal & publisher’s weekly have a family of bonobos writing for them, so why not?

  36. Catherine Lacey

      Zing!