On page 44, there is a compilation of various Book Review Options, purely for reference purposes, to demonstrate the variety of Paid Review options and the prices charged. Costs I believe will be an important factor for many indie authors and as shown, some of them are quite high, with no guarantees.
Taking note from Blackburn’s article, if you consider your book/s as a product to be sold in line with any other type of commodity, then paying for a review would make sense especially in a climate where ‘the review is king’ or you wish to speed up the process to hopefully start those sales rolling. Of course besides monetary issues there is also the question of time that you have available.
Mattern and Friedlander’s perspectives are more purist in the Indie Writer’s agenda, being an Independent Author means exactly that, being independent. An honesty about working hard to promote and gather testimonials from reviewers that have no gain except to say if they like your work or not and if they have criticisms these can be taken to improve your product.
From each perspective there is mostly a choice on whether you allow bad notices, but if you have paid good money this would be quite disheartening.
So, to pay or not to pay?
Indie would be interested in your view.
contact: [email protected]
Reviews, to pay or not to pay?
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