Dismissed? I Think Not

 

Every once in a while, something I read rubs me the wrong way. As you know, I subscribe to a lot of publishing-related newsletters, and one of them is distributed by a review site for indie and small press books. The site has a good reputation for being fair, meaning that even if you choose the paid review option, there is no guarantee you'll get a positive review. It also offers free reviews, but among the (I assume) hundreds of submissions it receives each month, only a handful of books are chosen. I totally get that; paid reviews have to take precedence--that's how the site stays in business. In fact, last month it received 250 free-to-submit books and only chose six from that stack to review (per the latest newsletter).

The owner's newsletter detailed how those books are chosen. Part of it revolves around his staff's reading preferences, which he didn't specify, but logically their preferences must be diverse. You can't have 30 reviewers who only like fantasy if you want to have a wide reach.

Then there's the cover, then the blurb, then (and this is kind of a sticking point for me) has the site reviewed an author's previous book and did the reviewer really like it? Well, for sure, that author's going to be chosen again.

When I first published Running From Herself and was begging for reviews (still begging!) I submitted the book to them. Naturally, it wasn't chosen. And I'll freely admit that the cover was awful and the blurb was only so-so. That said, I guess it was the tone of this latest newsletter that I found off-putting. "We're so exclusive that we only pick the cream of the crop." You're a small business! Get over yourself!

It's not that I'm a stranger to failure. See the title of this blog. Anytime I submit my book to anything, I fully expect to be turned down. I try not to take it personally--I know how good a writer I am--but that's difficult. Lots of authors claim to not take, for example, negative reviews personally, but I'm skeptical. "You aren't your work," they say. Well, actually, yes, you are. Where does your work originate? Why, in your brain, which, unless you're a mad scientist who keeps brains in jars on a shelf, is part of you. You devised the plot, you wrote the book. Of course my work is me! It's not my next-door neighbor's, it's not my cat's.

Thus, any rejection, either by a review site or by a reader (thankfully, I don't get reviews, so that's a minor concern) I sure as hell take personally. The only rejections that didn't bother me was from writing contests. I did take my foolhardy expenditure personally, but I get (now) how those contests work, and I doubt any of the judges even read my book.

The guy who wrote this particular newsletter is the same guy who begged all his newsletter subscribers to review his new book! He offered us a free copy and provided the review link. I did actually scan the book (it's about, of all things, how authors can find reviews), but its contents were so basic and his tips so readily available via a simple Google search that I had to assume it was written for brand new authors. I did write a review, solely to try to stay on his good side, even though he'd long ago rejected my submission. Reluctantly, I gave the book four stars, which is more than I can say for the reverse. He never gave me any stars, because my (superior) book wasn't good enough for him to choose.

And not to rub it in, but I see his book only has 22 reviews, even after all his blatant begging. Maybe I should get some dispensation for being one of the few who went the extra mile for him.

Bottom line, after reading his subliminal message about my novel just not meeting his site's high standards, I resubmitted it! Unless he keeps detailed spreadsheets, he'll never know this is my second submission. And obviously he doesn't, because I got an automated message telling me my submission was received (with the requisite exclamation points!!!). He's still trying to sell me on a paid review, though. No dice. $195.00 for a "standard" review (meaning a 6-10 week turnaround time). More for an expedited review. I don't even care if my book gets chosen or not (it won't). It's just the principle. 

I'm sure he didn't intend for his newsletter to come across as entitled, and less jaded writers likely didn't read it that way, but I'm so tired of rejections, especially when the rejecter hasn't bothered to read my work. 

What do people want? 90% of self-published books are crap. Change my mind. I deserve a crumb of recognition for being part of the 10%.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://independentbookreview.com/