To Pay or Not to Pay..........that is the question! Or is it?

Not for the first time in the last few months have I stumbled across a debate online regarding book reviews and whether a writer should pay for them or not. This, it appears is a thorny issue and quite an emotive one, although thankfully during this recent debate no-one wanted to burn me at the stake or was horrible as has sometimes been the case. Nice to be able to debate subjects with well rounded individuals even if I didn't necessarily agree with them. (Waves at any who are reading this post)!!!Anyway........

 

Personally,  I don't think its a great idea when someone says to you 'pay me a tenner and I'll write a review for your book luv!' How can you be sure that its an honest review and they are just not giving you your money's worth? Amid lots of cries of 'totally dishonest' and 'paying your way to the top of the Amazon charts, tut, tut.'...........I think we should stop and have a look at this from a totally different perspective. My perspective! Only kidding. But, lets examine a few key points.

 

As most or some of you know, I run Brook Cottage Books which organises virtual book tours and other promo events for authors. Of course, most of the work I do has no cost attached despite long hours put in. However, for such things as the tours, yes there is a cost attached. The question is.........are you paying for a review by using a tour company? My answer to that is............No! You are paying me to be the 'glamorous' (?) in-between person who spends hours toiling over an overheated laptop putting together press kits, linking with tour hosts, getting word about your book out via a newsletter, organising tour banners, putting tour pages up etc etc etc. so you don't have to do all these things and can get on with the very important job of writing more wonderful books! All of my amazingly talented tour hosts, or my bookish family as I like to call them are extremely professional people who do an amazing job with their reviews. They just won't write what you want them to write. They will be honest. If they loved your book they will tell you. If they didn't, they will tell you that too. All I ask is that they are not rude or hurtful in their reviews.

 

Another point that was raised during the debate about book reviews was whether or not reviewers get anything out of taking part in tours when the tour organiser is getting paid. Let me clarify a few things...........

The money paid to organise a tour barely covers the man hours put in to get a tour off the ground and keep it running for the life of the tour. If worked out, it would be hugely less than the minimum wage. My day starts at 5am when I work on book stuff, paid or unpaid. I then go to the day job where I work on more tour stuff during my lunch and tea breaks. Then I get home and work until about midnight most nights on ......... yes you guessed it........more tour stuff. Why do I do it? Because I love it. Simples!

 

The statement 'what does the reviewer get out of it? Nothing. But you get paid.' I have to say that this one irks me a little. Lets look at some comparisons between a reviewer taking part in a blog tour and a reviewer reading a book to review at the direct request of an author.............

 

Scenario 1

 

Author request - 'Dear lovely reviewer, will you review my book?'

Reviewer response 'Oh yes certainly.'

What's in it for the reviewer? ..........A free book, making new networking links, increased traffic to blog, being kept in the loop about latest book news, making new bookish friends, being a part of the wonderful book world.

 

Scenario 2

Tour organiser request -  'Dear lovely reviewer, will you review this book for a tour on a particular date?'

Reviewer response 'Oh yes certainly.'

What's in it for the reviewer? ..........A free book, making new networking links, increased traffic to blog, being kept in the loop about latest book news, making new bookish friends, being a part of the wonderful book world.

 

Am I missing something here? Hmmm. As a book reviewer myself I have never once felt that I have been taken advantage of by blog tour organisers. Although I organise book tours, I also take part in a tons too that have been organised by others. As a result, I get lots of lovely readers to my blog. If a reviewer feels that they are being taken advantage of then they shouldn't take part in a tour. You'd tell an author politely that you do not wish to review their book so you should take the same stand with a tour organiser if you feel so strongly. But, don't agree to take part in tours and then complain about it!

 

The question of money exchanging hands in the book world seems to be one that causes debate after debate. It seems that a lot of people place very little value on the written word or what it takes to get that word out there. However, the very talented Rowan Coleman hit the nail on the head recently during one such debate on Facebook about why eBooks are so expensive! (?) Rowan very clearly pointed out what is involved in getting an ebook out into the world and its no mean feat! So, why shouldn't the author get paid a fair price for working so damned hard! In my opinion, they should be selling their books for an awful lot more! Adding to this, I'd just like to ask.........'Why shouldn't book tour organisers get paid?' Would publishers, agents, editors, proofreaders, book cover artists, printers etc etc do their job for free? Why do people expect me to?'

 

I'd love to hear your views on this.............but keep them respectful please. We are all entitled to an opinion. Mine is just that...........my opinion. Yours might be different. That's ok. Just remember though that the common denominator here is our love for books and that's why we do what we do..........paid or unpaid. Happy reading! x

 

 

Only 24 hours in a day? You cannot be serious!!!

 

Sometimes it occurs to me that I do too much. I have a lot of friends, both online and in the immediate vicinity plus a husband who confirm this and nag at me a fair bit.  I often sit down for a few seconds and wonder if I am doing the right thing by continuing with this hectic lifestyle. The answer that I keep coming up with is 'Hell yeah!' What's not to love about my life? Every now and again I go looking for more things to do! What do you suppose that is all about? With working, blogging, book touring, writing (sometimes), being wonder wife and supermum oh and still having a bit of a social life, 24 hours in a day are simply not enough! I mean who had that idea of only 24?

 

If I was to look at it from an outsiders perspective it might appear that I am trying to fill some sort of void. Freud would probably have had a field day with what goes on inside my head. However, the simple truth of the matter is that I wasted too many years not doing anything! No I didn't sit on my backside and twiddle my thumbs! Of course I didn't. Its not my nature. I've been working since I was 13 years old for goodness sake!  What I mean by wasting too many years is that I was too sensible too soon. I grew up fast in a less than normal childhood and suddenly became Ms Mature long before I wanted to be. I put family commitments above all else and did was what expected of me whether it made me happy or not. I gave up a lot of dreams. Oh and there was also the little problem of not having the motivation or bravery needed to do what I wanted. So, a lot of the problem was down to me.

 

However, a couple of things happened to change things. Firstly, I suddenly found myself a single parent who was soon to meet and eventually marry a man who would offer unfailing support and encourage me to push myself to do more of what I wanted. Then, a couple of years ago something else happened. Book blogging happened and with it a new way of life. Yes I know it all sounds a bit arty-farty but that's what has happened!

 

The book blogging community is such a wonderfully warm and loving one. Fellow bloggers and authors alike are some of the most friendly and encouraging people on the planet. Once I joined this inspirational community something stirred inside me............no it wasn't indigestion...........it was the desire to read and write more. The desire to immerse myself in all things bookish again. Memories from a childhood hidden in books soon surfaced and I realised what had been missing from me. Books!

 

So, now that I have rediscovered my oomph for all things literary it has given me a new zest for life because I am doing so many things that I love and meeting lots of new people and having lots of new experiences. I push myself harder because I never want to lose that sense of achievement that I now have. Of course I know that my dream of doing something bookish full time may of course remain precisely nothing more than a flight of fancy.  But, you know what? I don't care. I just know that I am happy now. (psssstttttt if anyone is reading this and wants to offer me a job, well you know where I am.) I may be 44 (said in quiet sobs over a glass of wine and a Twix) but by God its time for adventure! Bring it on!

As well as trying new ventures in the bookish world I am trying on new adventures in Debbie Land. Oh you know, like hiking up the odd mountain, abseiling, running in charity events, going to the gym etc etc. It may take me longer, I  may complain about a dodgy hip, bad hair and a constant desire to pee but so what!! I'm doing so much more than my younger self ever would have dared, if you don't count the getting drunk and stealing a horse or dressing up as a milkmaid. Life couldn't be better or more fun! I'll rest when I'm dead!

 

 

Rubbish She Wrote!

It suddenly occurred to me this week when I was the focus of not one but two interviews that I love to talk about myself! Hey who doesn't!? Right? Just me? Ahhh ok. So, for this reason, which is purely narcissistic, I have decided to start this blog. It will be full of totally boring and random stuff but sometimes my head just doesn't have enough room to hold it all in. It'll be observations about life, my feelings on certain subjects, things I am getting up to and of course the odd rant here and there...........actually probably a lot of rants. I promise to stay away from the computer when I've had wine! And, for you men reading this blog.............I apologise for the total girlie overload! Try and look past all the pink fluffy stuff now and again and read what I write! As this blog will be a continuing work in progress for a while please be patient with me and don't be surprised if it looks different every time you visit! I like to keep you confused!

 

I always kept a diary for a number of years when I was a teenager and kind of fell out of the way of writing in it each day. You know what its like when real life gets in the way. But over the last few years I have become involved in the writing community and rediscovered a love of writing again. Oh no not another wannabe writer I hear you shout. But, yes I'm afraid to say that I am. I'm probably not very good at it and I never really share it with anyone but its there, in my head all the time. So, for this reason you are all going to have to put up with me blogging and boring the pants clean off you! Sorry about that. The exit is right over there ----------------------->

 

And, if you are a teeny bit interested in reading the two interviews I took part in, you can find them HERE and HERE. Happy reading!