The Rebecca Review's Blog

So many books, So little time!

24 Jul 2010 2 Comments

by therebeccareview in Reviewing

All good and true book-lovers practice the pleasing and improving avocation of reading in bed….No book can be appreciated until it has been slept with and dreamed over. ~ Eugene Field, Love Affairs of a Bibliomaniac (1896) 

Books are the windows through which the soul looks out. A home without books is like a room without windows. ~ Henry Ward Beecher

There are a lot of people like me, people who need books the way they need air. ~ Richard Marek

To see more book quotes: www.seasonedwithlove.com/book_lover_quotes.htm

Top Ten Reasons for Reviewing

24 Jul 2010 Leave a Comment

by therebeccareview in Reviewing

1.  I read so I can write reviews. 

2. I enjoy playing in author’s minds. They have the most delicious thoughts. 

3. I have a hunger for knowledge and I need books like I need air. 

4. It is a good excuse to climb into bed and stay there all day. 

5. Reading gives me new ideas.

6. Because I love the feel of paper and how a book feels when you hold it in your hands. I like how books look all sitting in a row on the bookshelf and I am tormented by the  thought of running out of books to read. Although, that has yet to happen. I’m not overly excited about reading books online. It just doesn’t appeal to my “reading in bed” nature. 

7. Because I love words and books are full of them. 

8. Because I collect quotes and I find it enjoyable to read books just to find great quotes. 

9. Books are playgrounds where pretty words dance.  

10. You can escape into a world of words and learn a great number of important life-altering lessons.

The Top Ten Concerns Readers/Authors Have About Reviewers

24 Jul 2010 Leave a Comment

by therebeccareview in Reviewing

After analyzing all the comments I get on a daily basis, this is what
I discovered about author/reader concerns.

1. Accuracy – Does the reviewer actually read the material and have enough background to be able to analyze the book. Some reviewers are accused of “reading the book jacket” or “not reading the book” or “getting the character’s name wrong.” Now with Amazon’s new comments feature, readers can correct reviews in live time and reviewers can edit their review if they have made a mistake. 

2. Conflict of Interest – Was the reviewer paid directly by the author to write the review. This to me is one of the most valid concerns. I don’t accept money directly from authors, nor am I hired by anyone to produce reviews. This is a hobby. If someone chooses to make money from their writing, then they can avoid the “conflict of interest” concern by not accepting money directly from authors.

3. Fairness & Honesty – Is the reviewer able to write a review without attacking the author’s character, life choices or content selection?  This is mostly a concern authors express. Is this reviewer getting people to vote for their reviews or voting for themselves (Amazon doesn’t allow this)? This is an issue of honesty. 

Readers mostly express this concern because they want to be able to trust the reviews. Most people are fairly good at figuring this out when it occurs and simply go on to read a more trustworthy review. This is a personal decision since it is almost impossible to prove this is occurring, although Amazon monitors and watches this occur. They have removed reviewers from the ranking system when they have discovered this has occurred. 

4. Critical Analysis – Some readers want to read reviews that take an author to task and some want to read a review promoting the content of a book. This is a very personal decision. Negative reviews can be fun to read if you disliked the book or are looking for reasons not to buy the book, although it can also be a reason to buy because negative or critical reviews can create controversy and that tends to sell items pretty fast. 

5. Star Ratings – I don’t enjoy reviewing books that are 1-2 stars as I rarely can make it through the book without becoming angry myself. So, by reviewing things I love, I have made a lifestyle choice.

Wisdom speaks of another path, a much more fulfilling path and one that brings everyone more happiness. Plus, who wants to spend their life reviewing books they don’t enjoy? It is enough of a challenge to find books that are amazing, in the first place! The joy of reading, for me at least, is in finding “those” types of book. Books that either make the world a better place or affect me on a spiritual level and make me think more deeply about my own life. 

Words can be very powerful and the words you put into your mind or repeat can change your world and even create what happens next. You’d be amazed at how powerful books are in this regard when you read a lot of them.

Note: Companies in general are more open to negative comments because it helps them adapt their products and they sell more in the end. They also don’t seem to take the comments as seriously on the emotional level because the blame is spread out through the company and doesn’t usually address one person in particular. I’ve seen companies remove products from the Amazon website, change them for the better and adapt to customer comments. This is one of the main reasons I enjoy reviewing more than books, because I see that it does make a difference in the quality of products we buy. 

6.  Specialization – Does the person reviewing the book have the qualifications to review the book in hand. Do they have enough life experience to understand the content or are they simply making judgments based on their own lack of experience. At times people actually complain if you look like you know how to write a review. This is a very tricky area to even step into because personal experience determines how well you write and many people do read books on how to improve their writing.

7. Diversity – Many times people are concerned with this aspect because they don’t think about the “specialization” aspect. A reviewer may only choose to review cookbooks or focus only on novels. For some specializing can also annoy readers and people want to see you as a person with many interests. This is a difficult one to address, but I’ve expanded my interests substantially. I think this is more a concern of authors who want you to review their work, although I’ve had people question me on this subject when they only noticed certain reviews and did not consider looking through a few hundred. It is difficult to see the categories I review because Amazon no longer has the categories and I’ve had to resort listing items in “tag lists” to retain my credibility.

But honestly, I review so many things, I think I have too many interests.

8. Reviewing more than Books – This is an idea that at first caused great alarm at the discussion boards. I reviewed a box of Altoid mints and the world ended. Then, people started to review more than just books and even sometimes would listen to music and now and then they felt adventurous and would review something from the kitchen store. While I thought it was great fun to review lots of different things, this did cause a lot of concern for more traditional reviewers.

Now and then, I still see this problem when I get an angry e-mail or comment about something I loved and reviewed. The world is an ever expanding miracle and to me, commenting on a wide variety of items is purely “fun.” So, to insist that I only review one type of book or only focus on music or books is to me very restrictive and that is not a world in which I ever want to live. Believe it or not, I have had to fight for the right to talk about what I love.

9. Taste – A general dislike of someone’s tastes can promote anger. I have seen this expressed in reviews and in comments/e-mails. Generally I assume that if I never like something one person is reviewing, then we have different tastes. That is not a level of “taste,” but more the type of items a person reviews. 

10. Lifestyle Choices – This is a really tricky one because each individual has made choices on how they want to live. This may include religious or moral choices, living situations, sexual preference, limitations in what a person wants to review and has much to do with emotional complexity. 

Sometimes authors will complain if you address a lifestyle choice they have made. Some have said people try to “preach” in the review. I think this is much more of a concern with authors and their right to live their lives in any way they choose. For readers, this can be very enjoyable reading and it does create controversy, conflict and can encourage humor (mostly for the reader, not the author).

So, as you can see, there are many concerns and readers and authors have different concerns.

Reviewing is a balancing act between the reader and author and it is not always easy to please both parties. In the end, you have to please yourself and deal with criticism from both sides.

I hope this has been helpful to you in understanding what a reviewer can go through on a daily basis. This is a lifestyle I have chosen and since I must deal with this all on a daily basis, I’ve made decisions about how I want to live my life.

Addressing negativity is a reality in life. How you address the negativity is essential to your very existence. All too often it is easy to see this conflict in a depressing light, but I feel that trying to remain positive is more healing than being negative. 

When you make a lifestyle choice, you have to also decide how you are going to survive your choice. By deciding to be a positive person, you have taken on an entire world of negativity and that can be overwhelming at first and then beautifully revealing in the end.

Can you think of any others? Please comment if you have more ideas!

The Conundrum of Comments

01 Jul 2010 Leave a Comment

by therebeccareview in Reviewing

“Anger is a momentary madness, so control your passion or it will control you.” ~ Horace

While we’d all like the Internet to be a cozy place, there are some negative aspects that can affect your emotional health. How do you deal with comments? In this online world opinions are everywhere. In good faith you write a review and someone on the planet decides to knock you off your feet with an abrasive comment. All you were trying to do was share some beauty with the world. What do you do in this type of situation since it is so common? Is it better to ignore the person? Delete the review? Compose a witty retort?

Yes, you will be temped to respond in an angry manner. You may even get upset or mad for a few days. For your amusement, here are a few negative comments I’ve received over the years:

“…there is no way that you can possibly read, see, listen, taste etc etc all the things you review.”

“Is this an ad by someone who works for Gaiam? Did you really have to write 850 words to review an exercise DVD? Really?”

“It would have been more helpful if you just wrote a BRIEF review… I don’t want to read a lengthy synopsis every time I seek a book review. It’s just too time consuming.”

“Who cares, you have way too much free time on your hands.”

“i think you should go to book rehab. cause i think you are a reading addict. SERIOUSLY.”

“I was wondering if you actually have a life?”

While these may seem fairly tame now, they upset me when I first saw them. Now I can laugh about it and go on with my life. In fact if you’d like to see my responses visit this page: Comments_heard_it_all_before. On this page I explain the top ten concerns people have about reviewing.

I do get mostly positive comments! To see them visit these two pages: Your_important_comments

Comments about Reviews

In the end, how you respond to these types of comments is really important. You can get stuck in negativity and respond in an angry manner or you can be reasonable and answer in a calm manner. I’d recommend the latter method because it leaves you with no regrets. Most people who are angry are probably not going to come back and see your response. But the rest of the world will! That is my advice from ten years of experience with this issue.

My Review For Food Mission

29 Jun 2010 Leave a Comment

by therebeccareview in Reviewing

“No good act performed in the world ever dies. Science tells us that no atom 
of matter can ever be destroyed, that no force once started ever ends; it merely passes through a multiplicity of ever-changing phases. Every good
deed done to others is a great force that starts an unending pulsation through time and eternity. We may not know it, we may never hear a word of gratitude or recognition, but it will all come back to us in some form as naturally, as perfectly, as inevitably, as echo answers to sound. ”

~ William George Jordan (1864-1928)

One day I was reading a top reviewers profile and I saw that they were being funny by saying “will review for food.” This made me think about how it might be possible to do exactly that!

I had sponsored a child through World Vision and wondered how I could get other people involved in this charity. It didn’t take long to figure it out. I decided to encourage authors to make a donation after I reviewed their book.

To keep myself honest I decided not to review any books I didn’t like. In fact, I would send them back or donate them to my local library.

This has worked out very well and one author even sponsored five children after I spent just a few hours reading and reviewing his book. Many authors have made one-time donations as well.

There are always ways we can change the world but sometimes we have to get a little creative. I lived in Africa for twelve years and saw the devastation of poverty. I’m so happy that now I can make a difference in the lives of children around the world.

If you enjoy my reviews, join me in this mission by making donations 
at the World Vision website: www.WorldVision.org

To read my top ten reasons why I like World Vision see this page:

http://www.seasonedwithlove.com/change_the_future_of_a_child.htm

A Secret of Success in Reviewing and Life

27 Jun 2010 Leave a Comment

by therebeccareview in Reviewing

Optimistic people live longer and enjoy greater success. They have lower blood pressure and produce less stress hormones.  Being negative increases the possibility of poor health. Many diseases have their root in a negative emotion. That doesn’t mean that a person with a positive attitude will never get sick, it just means it is less likely.

In my over ten years of reviewing at amazon.com I’ve rarely read a book on success that didn’t mention the benefits of having a positive attitude. It is truly one of the secrets to success. However it is not easy to go against the grain. I’ve often had to fight for my right to look on the bright side.

In a negative world it is easy to succumb to despair. You really have to make a commitment to seeing life in a new way. It will be difficult at first especially if you are depressed. With practice you can incrementally improve from day to day. You may find you have more success if you practice gratitude on a daily basis.

One of the ways I stay positive is by writing reviews. I’ve taught myself to only review three-, four- and five-star items. That doesn’t mean I won’t be honest if I find some fault in the book. It just means my overall message will not be negative.

Being in a sunny frame of mind takes more effort than being pessimistic. You have to begin to see the blessings and avoid being a curse. This may mean that you have to reject a book nicely instead of reading it and writing a scathing report.
There is a place for negativity and it can definitely help customers make better purchasing decisions. I myself will often read negative one- and two-star reviews before I buy a book. Then if I hate a movie or book I also tend to read the negative reviews. I just hate writing them because they put me in a bad mood. Some reviewers have said that I’m letting others do the dirty work. The truth is I personally cannot live happily when I write negative reviews. At one point it bothered me so much I couldn’t sleep and had to ceremoniously delete all my one- and two-star reviews. Once this was accomplished I felt better and could sleep without fear of retaliation.

When posting a negative review we often seem to forget that a human being will be now struggling with our negativity. Imagine the difference when someone is overjoyed by our positive blessing. If you want to make the world a friendlier place try a dose of positive reinforcement and remember that kindness counts.

Don’t let anyone tell you that you are too positive. Start looking for books that promote a positive lifestyle and review those types of books instead of books that make you upset, angry or negative in some way. You may notice that now your comments on your reviews are mostly positive. Of course there will be days when even being positive can create a negative response but I’ve found that to be rare. You can’t please everyone so you might as well please yourself. I’ve made the decision to be positive and it has brought me happiness. I wish the same for you!

What do you think? I look forward to your comments. 

My Idea of a Good Review

22 Jun 2010 Leave a Comment

by therebeccareview in Reviewing

1. A Description of Content – Just enough to whet the reading appetite and yet the information doesn’t ruin the work for others who have not read the book or viewed the movie.

2. A Description of Delight or Dissatisfaction or maybe even Mediocrity – I want to know if a work changed a life, moved someone to tears or brought a smile to their face.

3. Personal Experience – Information that makes me want to purchase an item so it will enhance my life. I’ll also buy items just to see how bad they could possibly be.

You can really say that once you have watched a movie, read reviews on the movie and written a review of the movie, that it has become a part of you. There are elements you will draw from the entire experience that will change you. What you read and view might be who you are becoming.

How to Get and Keep a Reviewer’s Attention

22 Jun 2010 Leave a Comment

by therebeccareview in Reviewing

In the past ten years I’ve dealt with a number of authors who have approached me in various ways in order to get me to give them a review at amazon.com. 

Here are my top 10 ways to get and keep a reviewer’s attention:

1. Finding a Reviewer: Find a reviewer who has reviewed similar books or look for reviewers who have done a good job on books you have read and liked. Once you have found a reviewer you like, look at their amazon.com profile to see if they are accepting books or if they have a public email. 

2. Initial Contact: Say the reviewer’s name in email. Never use something like “Dear Sirs” especially if you are writing to a woman. That happened to me recently. Try to personalize the email and find some way to connect with the reviewer. 

3. Show an Interest in the Reviewer: Take the time to find out if the reviewer has their own site. Then mention that you looked at their site. While at the site make sure to find out what the reviewer is accepting. If they don’t have a site, mention that you read some of their reviews.

4. Email and First Letter: When writing the email about your book keep things short and to the point. Say something tantalizing about your book that is sure to get the reviewers attention. It is better to send detailed explanations of your book when you mail the book. A reviewer may not take the time to print off a copy of your email. So include a copy of the original email or include a new short letter with your contact information. It is important to include your email address in case the reviewer has any questions. It is also more likely that you will get a notification email when your review has posted. If you have a website make sure to include that information in the letter you send with your book. Also include a link to the book at amazon in your email! That allows the reviewer to quickly look at your book and to see what others are saying. If you don’t have any reviews, don’t worry. Some reviewers like to post the first review.

5. What Not to Say: Never say: “I’m glad you have agreed to review my book.” The reviewer won’t decide this until they have your book in hand.

6. Sending the Book: Send your book by Media Mail. It saves you postage and puts less pressure on the reviewer. It is likely that the reviewer already has a pile of books to review and it is going to take a few weeks or even months before they get to your book.

7. Contacting the Reviewer After You Have Sent the Book: I advise you not to do this. If you want to know if a book arrived do something easier: send a postcard that the reviewer can mail back to you as soon as the book arrives. Once you have received notification that your book has arrived be very patient and refrain from contacting the reviewer. Some reviewers will feel stressed out if you get pushy and may even return your book or may put your book under the pile of books they have to review instead of on top! In other words, they will avoid your book because you are stressing them out! Instead of contacting the reviewer, think positive thoughts and hope for the best. At one point I had 200 books to review so it took months to get to a review. I now don’t accept as many books at once to prevent this from happening. 

8. What Not To Ask For: Never ask a reviewer to return your book. Your book is a gift in exchange for a review. Never include a return envelope for the book. Instead, encourage the reviewer to donate your book to a local library or charity. They may also want to send the book to another reviewer or to a friend.

9. How to Respond Once a Review Posts: Send the reviewer a thank you note in email or send a thank you card. If the reviewer says something negative in the review try to remain professional. 

10. Promote Your Book: Once you have a few reviews use them to promote your book at your site or in email. You may even want to ask the reviewer if you can use part of the review as a “blurb.”

I Believe in Reviewing

22 Jun 2010 Leave a Comment

by therebeccareview in Reviewing

I believe in reviewing books that are old and books that are new. There have been years in my life where I didn’t read a single book and other years when I read a book almost every day. To me, there is nothing more cozy than settling into a warm bed for a night of reading with a cat nearby.

During the day I am not afraid of looking silly carrying twelve books out of the library. I am on a mission. The thought of running out of books to read terrifies me. To be alone at home without a new book leaves me restless. I must process new information on a constant basis or I get bored.

Each new book I read is an adventure unless it is a book I don’t want to finish. I believe that you don’t have to finish a bad book. Why force yourself to endure something you are obviously not connecting with just so you can write a bad review? Who has the time to finish a bad book?  I believe in writing three- to five-star reviews. I may start a one-star book but I rarely finish it. Just because I don’t like writing one- and two-star reviews doesn’t mean I don’t like reading them. When I start a new book or buy a new book I will often read the one- and five-star reviews to get a sense of how people feel about the book. That gives me an idea of how much time I want to spend on a book.

Some authors pour their souls into their books and as a reader I appreciate their gift. I believe in the right to publish your own book if no one else will. I love the determination new authors exhibit when they have suffered through numerous rejection letters and finally decide the world must read their book so they publish it themselves. I love finding those types of books and since I review at amazon.com authors often find me before I find them.

I believe in buying as many books as you can afford. I don’t keep all the books I buy, most of the time I donate my used books to my local library. I believe in sharing books and feel that a book languishing on a shelf is a sad book. Books are meant to be read until they are worn out and recycled. Of course some people collect books and obtaining books becomes a sort of obsession. I am more obsessed with reviewing books than collecting them.

If everyone in the world read more good books maybe there would be less time for war. I believe in books that bring peace to the world and peace to your heart. I read books to understand the full range of human experience. 

Be careful which books you read because words are powerful and they will change your life.