Friday, February 28, 2014

When to post reviews of brand new books?

With all the blogging advice to be found around the internet, I have debated this question quite a bit. A lot of conventional wisdom dictates ARC reviews be posted within a few weeks of the book's release date, either before or after. In my very unscientific observation, it also appears to me (especially for the BIG blogs) pre-release reviews seem to be somewhat favored. I could be wrong, so don't quote me on that -- it's just the impression I've gotten over time as I've been flitting about the blogosphere.

The problem is, I don't think that works for my blog. First of all, I don't have any kind of established relationship with publishers -- I'm a small-timer and I'm totally cool with that. I've never emailed anyone to request a title, so there has never been a written commitment to post by a certain date. The ARCs I'm lucky enough to receive are mostly from giveaways and contests -- mainly GoodReads or Shelf Awareness ads. Most of the time (especially with that last one), I never quite know if I've been chosen to receive a title until it's on my doorstep. Sometimes that leads to an unexpected glut of books all coming out around the same time, even though I've only ever been chosen for a small percentage of these contests. I've had my share of book-blogger fails, mainly in the form of ARCs collecting dust long past when they should have been read and reviewed. I've tried to forgive myself my past (inexperienced) transgressions, even though I still feel guilty about them. I have committed to a more conscious effort to I give newly received ARCs greater priority (and to not enter so many contests!), but that still doesn't mean I am going to write pre-release reviews.

I want to help get the word out about great new books, but for my blog, pre-release reviews just don't seem to work. Even when I do review an ARC well before it's publication date, I prefer to post on the release day itself, at the very earliest. There is often so much pre-release buzz, I think sometimes bloggers forget the majority of people (myself included most of the time) need to actually wait until the publication date to get their hands on a new book. I'm not naming names, but take for example this tweet I just spotted by a book blogger:
"If you haven't already picked up ___ by ___ you're missing something in your life"
It was referring to a book on my wishlist by an author I've read before, so I immediately thought I got my dates mixed up and missed the publication date. The tone of the tweet also made it sound like it had been out for a fair bit of time. Except it hasn't. The release date is not even here yet, but this makes it sound like it's already on the shelves. PET PEEVE. I'm not quite sure how that is doing the book any favors. Granted the release date is only a few days away, but still.

I am of the belief that if I'm going to pique someone's interest in a book, they should be able to get hold of it, if they so choose. Don't get me wrong, it's totally OK for other bloggers to write pre-release reviews, as long as the date issue is clear. I understand the desire (and the need) to get buzz going about new books beforehand and I know they are valuable contributions to the book community. I just hope that for a small timer like me, it's OK to sometimes not do things exactly the same way as everyone else.

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So fellow book bloggers, I'm curious -- how do you handle ARCs and when do you post reviews of brand new books?

25 comments:

  1. So I've been book blogging for a few years and I personally post my reviews usually no more than a few days or a week before release. Usually I do it on day of release or within a week to a month after. Why? Because I'm sure you've noticed like a TON of books will all release on the same day. No way can I post them all on that same day. Also I completely agree with you that its not appropriate to do pre-release reviews weeks and weeks before the book is available. I don't like reading those reviews because you can't buy the book right then. I totally get that early buzz is good but I do think its unfair as well. I'll read and rate the books early sometimes on goodreads but I find I get jealous when I see a book I'm dying to get and someone else I know has already read it - so I try to minimize that to being just a few weeks before the book releases and I still usually only post my review very very close to release day.

    So you are not alone. I completely understand and see where you are coming from. I think some folks are so used to getting any book they want pre-publication that they forget that many readers don't and in a way alienates people and fosters jealousy and negative feelings.

    make love not war! hehe

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    1. That's good to know from a more experienced blogger. And you are right, Tuesdays are like book bonanzas! It's a fine balance and I think we all just do the best we can spreading the book love :)

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  2. I've pretty much come away from ARCs completely now. I do review a few every now and again but I'm terrible at reading to schedule so the release date has usually passed by the time I get to it!

    I think getting ARCs is a wonderful thing, and I still get excited over some titles, but I decided to step back from them as they were changing my reading habits too much. I wanted more freedom, and I also found that ARC reviews don't tend to generate as much discussion on my blog, which is one of the things I love most about blogging.

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    1. That's a direction I soon may be heading into myself. I'm not very good at reading on a schedule either, as much as I would like to be! It is a rare ARC review that generates a lot of discussion on a small blog like this one. I try to only review ones I am really excited about, but we all have so many books to read, I know it takes a lot for a new title to make it onto someone's radar!

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  3. I've never posted a pre-release review and I doubt I ever will. As a reader, I don't like seeing a review for a book that's not available yet, and my number one rule with blogging is to write the blog I'd want to read.

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    1. I love that policy and I think it's pretty much what I have been doing myself -- I'm just only now articulating it!

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  4. Obviously I just started blogging & reviewing books on GoodReads so I've not signed up for any ARCs yet. But it does boggle my mind that people would post them so far in advance. I understand that it may be easier to read & review as soon as you get the book, but it's not as if you have to post it right as soon as you're done writing the review. If I were in that situation, I would definitely wait until closer to the release date to post. Maybe a week before the release date, but not earlier than that.

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    1. I totally agree -- read it, write your review, and save it in draft til the date gets closer. It never can hurt to have a review or two ready to go, especially if you get busy!

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  5. I do like posting early and reading about them early so I am excited for them. I do appreciate when the bloggers put the release dates so I am not so excited that I think it is released now!
    Missie @ A Flurry of Ponderings

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  6. This is a tricky subject. I think ARC reviews don't really need to be posted more than two weeks before the book is published at most. I sometimes post reviews before the book is published but only like a week out or I'll wait till the day they are released to post my review. With that tweet...I would be so frustrated since the book isn't out yet so there is no way for the normal every day person to get it yet. Sigh. I understand early buzz is good, but I feel like only to an extent when it comes to reviews. So basically I totally get where you are coming from and agree with you on this subject. Great thought provoking post!

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    1. It really is tricky to navigate! I like that you don't post too early and I know you always put the date so I know if it's out already or not :)

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  7. ARCs stress me out to be all honest I don't like to accept them very often. I always put the review up after the release date. I usually don't get them read before the real release date.

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    1. Yes, they are both exciting and stressful -- once I review what I have, I may consider a moratorium!

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  8. On Bits & Bobs I make a point of not receiving any review books, however when I hosted my old blog (which I know you're familiar with) I did request books off of Netgalley - I never received a physical ARC. When I received review ebooks I always chose to post in the week the book was to be released.

    I don't like it when I read a review of a book and then learn that it's not out for x amount of months yet. I feel like starting an early buzz doesn't help those who intend to go and purchase said book, at least in my experience, because I know I've long forgotten that book before it's release date rolls around.

    I like when you post reviews of ARC's because I know that that book will be accessible to me in the near future.

    :-)
    Bits & Bobs

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    1. I am tempted to follow your lead Jade! ARCs are so exciting, but I don't like the (mostly self-imposed) pressure of the pile I've accumulated. Not knowing if I won a Shelf Awareness contest until the book arrives has really thrown me for a loop scheduling-wise more than a few times. It may be time to admit defeat and return to mostly non-review books on this blog -- though every time I say that, I also say I'd want to catch-up on what I already have, so I'll have to think about how to proceed!

      Being in different countries though, I guess even a book that is available here might not be available yet for you in the UK or vice versa

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  9. Although I feel bad for feeling this way, I do like the idea of posting ARC reviews in advance because I'm excited about the fact that they're ARCs. However, like you, my schedule usually makes that impossible and I agree that it doesn't make sense to post a review much before most people can get their hands on it. When I don't have an agreed upon review date, I usually shoot for the publication date, so I can both be an early reader and post a review of a book everyone can get :)

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    1. I don't think it's something to feel bad about, or that there's anything wrong with posting early, as long as one is very clear about the publication date. If I read about a really awesome-sounding book that won't be out for a month or so, I tend to make note of it so I'll remember by the release date.

      Ultimately, I think it's a matter of how the publisher would like to do things -- how early and how much buzz they'd like to create -- and what the blogger feels comfortable with.

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    2. DoingDewey -- It is exciting that they are ARCs and I give them priority because of that, but I also know that even if I don't get the review out by the pub. date, I'm still reviewing it way sooner than if I didn't have an ARC -- I guess we all just try to do our best :)

      postcardsfromlalaland -- without any real publisher contacts, I think that's why I feel a bit adrift on this subject, but I'm OK with that. And you are right that being clear about the date is SUPER important.

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  10. I personally don't like seeing reviews too far in advance of the release (like more than a month). I also get bored when EVERYONE is reviewing the same books right around the release dates. So I guess it's a catch-22... I like variety but I also don't want to read about a book now that isn't out until July!

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    1. You have a very good point there and that is another reason I am wary about posting too soon -- it's so hard to know what the "right" thing to do is!

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  11. I find I forget about a book if it's being reviewed too early, so I do like them posted nearer the time. In my case the vast majority of reviews are posted after the release date because I tend to receive them afterwards, and those I receive beforehand I don't have time to review earlier. Including the date is important, and it helps to remind the reader to check it out later.

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    1. I feel like I forget about them too, which is why as a reviewer, I really resist the idea of pre-release reviews! Always a good idea to include the publication date, whenever we post :)

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  12. I am guilty!!! I am sooo guilty! I get tons of ARC from publishers at events mostly with the intent of reading them. Honest! Then I get home and it hits me. I have a million books I need to read FIRST! OMG! But new unread books are so....You know! Anyways per-releasing a review has never and probably will never be an issue. LOL! I have ARC that have been made into movies and are out on DVD now I need to read.

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    1. Glad I'm not the only one! I feel so, so guilty sometimes. I tend to go on ARC kicks, and then I give myself permission to read something from my shelves and it's sometimes a while before I return to the ARCs and I feel so bad. I think I'm going to stop entering contests and request forms because it's become too hard for me to keep up!

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I'd love to hear what you think :)