Junie B. Jones Smells Something Fishy | 
Need opinions! I‘m reading an ARC for a small publisher. (I redacted a little just to keep the post somewhat neutral.) The book publishes at the end of July.
They just sent me “suggested” text (⬆️ above) for my review, just to be “helpful.” No publisher has ever done this “for me” before.
I am offended and wrote back to tell them so. It feels like coercion. Or am I just being over sensitive?
Soubhiville Not cool. I‘d be unhappy too. 6y
DGRachel Oh. Hell. No. The whole point of ARCs is that you are supposed to provide your honest opinion. Your own words. I‘d be furious. 6y
TheBookDream NOOOPE 6y
See All 50 Comments
Melissa_J Definitely wrong. I‘ve never heard of a publisher doing this before. I‘d refuse to review. 6y
rwmg Very helpful. Simply add 'not' to every sentence 6y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @Melissa_J I‘m not liking the book much. So I might just refuse. Or do something more public. 6y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @rwmg Good idea! As long as I don‘t have to use double negatives and spray tan. 🤪 6y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @DGRachel I am. Mostly I‘m pissed cuz now I have to read the whole FTC guidelines. I suspect they aren‘t allowed to do this. 6y
LibrarianRyan No. I couldn't do it. I would have to say "take my review the way I wrote it, or not at all. If you want readers to believe reviews you and trust you as a publisher, you have to be honest. Accept it as is or don't." Or something similar. You are probably better at wording it than I. 6y
Hollie I would be upset as well. Your ARC is for an honest review. Plus, you‘re a better writer than the “suggested” review suggests 😉 6y
Kappadeemom Oh wow, I think this might be against guidelines and seems unethical. If this is the case, then you should be paid - like an endorsement deal 😀 6y
Crewgurl Not cool!!! I‘d be very upset. 6y
CouronneDhiver Not cool. They can have your review as it is, or not at all. 6y
LiteraryinPA I agree with my fellow Littens. That seems out of line and not in the spirit of the ARC system. I‘d like to give them the benefit of the doubt that they were coming from a place of helpfulness, not of bullying, but I don‘t know the whole backstory. 6y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @LibrarianRyan @CouronneDhiver I haven‘t written the review or finished reading the book. They are pressuring me even though my original deadline from them was end of July. I responded that I won‘t be using their text. Smells fishy, just like the tagged book. 6y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @Hollie LOL. Thanks for that! 6y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @Kappadeemom Reading the actual FTC guidelines right now. Argh. Legalese is no fun. 6y
JHSiess That's unethical & unacceptable, & violates the Fed Reg, in my opinion. I write my own reviews & any publisher that has a problem with that need not send me more books. 6y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @LiteraryinLititz I want to assume they are just new to publishing and don‘t know better. Still, it sure leaves a sour taste in my mouth. 6y
Amanda.T Umm hard pass on that. You are perfectly capable of providing your own opinion. Their “help” is really not necessary. 6y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @JHSiess I def won‘t accept more books from them. It‘s a small publisher and the book is as much a corporate white paper as a book. 6y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @Amanda.T Indeed. I know the contact has been to my blog. Not getting help from them is the whole darn point. 6y
Leftcoastzen OMG ! Absolutely absurd and insulting in my opinion! 6y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @Leftcoastzen Thanks for weighing in! 6y
LazyDays I would say it borders on out of line or a small publisher trying to help people notice them.🙆 It's hard to say, I would feel a little awkward. But I would also let them know that I don't need any guidance and my review will be just that MY review. And if they need reviews sooner then they need to set better dates. Good luck! I hope they leave you be and take your review💜 6y
CarolynM Completely inappropriate in my opinion. 6y
Birdsong28 It's wrong you shouldn't have to feel like you are pressured into giving a good review. 📚📖 6y
esurient I've occasionally received 'helpful reviewing guidelines' from small presses, but I've never seen a 'copy and paste' form like this one. What are they planning to do if identical reviews crop up on various sites? 6y
esurient If I was in your shoes, I'd inform the press it's insulting to be asked to put my name on a review that someone else wrote, and then I'd link them to my honest, original-work review. 6y
DivineDiana Interesting marketing ploy. 🤔 6y
samesfoley I‘d be really insulted and annoyed as well! 6y
ReadZenRites I would return the ARC with a polite and professional “no thank you.” Don‘t put your time into reading & preparing a review when the publisher is not seeking your original thoughts and honest opinion. 6y
OrangeMooseReads That isn‘t appropriate. I‘m with others in letting not only the publisher know that this is inappropriate but letting others know what they did in trying to coerce a positive review from you. If they did this to you then you know they did it to others reviewing the book. 6y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @DivineDiana Yeah, but ... not cool really. 😜 6y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @LazyDays @CarolynM @Birdsong28 I couldn‘t agree more. Thanks for the validation! 6y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @esurient Really good point about identical reviews. That can backfire massively on Amazon. I plan to write something wholly my own, as I *always* do. Thanks! 6y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @samesfoley Thanks for weighing in—it helps! 6y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @OrangeMooseReads I am really thinking about putting something about this whole episode in the review. Not quite sure, though. 6y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @ReadZenRites I thought about refusing to review. But I‘m already reading the book and have plenty to say about it. (As I usually do!) Debating about whether to call them out on their “marketing” practices. 6y
Birdsong28 I would call them out on it as reviews help books as you know and it looks like they are influencing the reviews just for sales so it's not a true reflection for other readers if other people have been pressured. I have had this when I have been to sort out my phone as they say you get a survey to do and you need to put a 5 (which is the best rating) otherwise they get in trouble. 6y
obviateit @BarbaraTheBibliophage I definitely think you should include something about this nonsense in your review. 6y
ReadZenRites Oh, I see. Then, yes, I think you should mention that they tried to suggest wording— that is totally unjustifiable! 6y
Reggie This is like when you make something for Thanksgiving and someone says, “Oh, this just needs this a little something to make it better.” Which makes me want to accidentally drop the dish on the floor. 6y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @Reggie Hahaha. Yeah, it‘s definitely coloring my reading experience with the book. Can‘t WAIT to write this review. Is it wrong to like writing reviews for books you don‘t enjoy? 6y
minkyb I enjoyed entering late to this discussion. Such an odd concept to ask you to review a book but suggest what you say and how you say it. Baffling. 6y
SomedayAlmost They may be trying to brand the book or author in a certain way-and totally overdid it! 6y
britt_brooke This would make me want to pick the book apart in my review. 6y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @britt_brooke I‘m leaning that direction, purely on the content of the book anyway. Can‘t wait! Mwahahahahahha 6y
britt_brooke @BarbaraTheBibliophage 😈👏🏻 6y
MaGoose Agree with the others that you should include a remark about the publisher trying to make suggestions. 6y
100 likes50 comments