Comments on: A Look Inside The Mind Of A Book Reviewer http://www.bloggernews.net/118250 High-quality English language analysis and editorial writing on the news. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 17:42:04 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Anthony James Barnett - author http://www.bloggernews.net/118250#comment-724411 Anthony James Barnett - author Thu, 30 Oct 2008 16:33:53 +0000 http://www.bloggernews.net/118250#comment-724411 I found the post heartening, yet disheartening. I agree and applaud your high standard approach. People trust someone who maintains a moral standard. The disheartening part, is that the publishing house that accepted my novel'Without Reproach', used POD as a means to print. They are relatively new and had little capital for large print runs. However they DO have a large number of house readers for submissions, an editing team of about six and a jacket design team. I felt my particular editor was very good. Gently suggesting and guiding me until we both agreed on the finished product. The fact still remains that my book is POD even though it was professionally finished. So where does that leave me? I found the post heartening, yet disheartening. I agree and applaud your high standard approach. People trust someone who maintains a moral standard.

The disheartening part, is that the publishing house that accepted my novel’Without Reproach’, used POD as a means to print. They are relatively new and had little capital for large print runs. However they DO have a large number of house readers for submissions, an editing team of about six and a jacket design team.

I felt my particular editor was very good. Gently suggesting and guiding me until we both agreed on the finished product.

The fact still remains that my book is POD even though it was professionally finished.

So where does that leave me?

]]> By: Carter Jefferson http://www.bloggernews.net/118250#comment-709230 Carter Jefferson Wed, 22 Oct 2008 17:41:09 +0000 http://www.bloggernews.net/118250#comment-709230 Unfortunately, you're dead right about POD. We at the Internet Review of Books have reviewed a few POD's, and probably will review e-books, but we're very careful. People send us POD's all the time, but we review practically none of those--they aren't worth a mention. Smarter authors send queries and sometimes the book seems worth a look, but we never promise a review. We started out a year ago reviewing only serious non-fiction (not including self-help or inspiration) from name publishers, in hopes of replacing the slowly disappearing print reviews. Now we also review literary and mainstream fiction. We'll add other genres as we grow. Some blog reviews are fine, but most are not--they're badly written or way too long, and they leave out info readers need to know about a book. A couple of our best reviewers I've recruited because I read excellent reviews on their blogs and saw very few comments, which told me not many people were reading those reviews. Some of our reviewers are veterans who are excellent critics; some are good writers we've trained to the job right. Our readership grows with every issue. We're pros, and we're here to stay. We don't pay reviewers yet, but will as soon as advertising revenue permits it. Take a look. http://internetreviewofbooks.com Carter Jefferson, editor Unfortunately, you’re dead right about POD. We at the Internet Review of Books have reviewed a few POD’s, and probably will review e-books, but we’re very careful. People send us POD’s all the time, but we review practically none of those–they aren’t worth a mention. Smarter authors send queries and sometimes the book seems worth a look, but we never promise a review.

We started out a year ago reviewing only serious non-fiction (not including self-help or inspiration) from name publishers, in hopes of replacing the slowly disappearing print reviews. Now we also review literary and mainstream fiction. We’ll add other genres as we grow.

Some blog reviews are fine, but most are not–they’re badly written or way too long, and they leave out info readers need to know about a book. A couple of our best reviewers I’ve recruited because I read excellent reviews on their blogs and saw very few comments, which told me not many people were reading those reviews. Some of our reviewers are veterans who are excellent critics; some are good writers we’ve trained to the job right.

Our readership grows with every issue. We’re pros, and we’re here to stay. We don’t pay reviewers yet, but will as soon as advertising revenue permits it. Take a look.
http://internetreviewofbooks.com

Carter Jefferson, editor

]]> By: Thank you, Simon http://www.bloggernews.net/118250#comment-707573 Thank you, Simon Tue, 21 Oct 2008 19:02:02 +0000 http://www.bloggernews.net/118250#comment-707573 You're right on the money when it comes to POD publishing companies that are nothing more than a "fast food" quick print enterprise that gives aspiring writers the perception that they are published authors. Dandelion Books is a co-publishing company. We opened our doors 9 years ago and we were one of the first traditional POD companies, (we make all investments ourselves). Although we changed our publishing model and we now charge pre-press fees, we accept only about 85 percent of the manuscripts we receive. As a professional ghostwriter, editor and published author myself, no book is set up for printing until it has been thoroughly edited and proofed. I will not change my standards, even though most writers may be unwilling to pay more for quality... it's too easy to get the work done quickly and inexpensively by Lulu.com, iUniverse, AuthorHouse.com, etc. Is it a profitable business? Not really. But I care about books and writing too much to conduct business otherwise. All the best, Carol Adler, MFA President & Ceo, Dandelion Enterprises, Inc & Dandelion Books, LLC Official Guide for Publishing Expert, SelfGrown.com You’re right on the money when it comes to POD publishing companies that are nothing more than a “fast food” quick print enterprise that gives aspiring writers the perception that they are published authors.

Dandelion Books is a co-publishing company. We opened our doors 9 years ago and we were one of the first traditional POD companies, (we make all investments ourselves).

Although we changed our publishing model and we now charge pre-press fees, we accept only about 85 percent of the manuscripts we receive. As a professional ghostwriter, editor and published author myself, no book is set up for printing until it has been thoroughly edited and proofed.

I will not change my standards, even though most writers may be unwilling to pay more for quality… it’s too easy to get the work done quickly and inexpensively by Lulu.com, iUniverse, AuthorHouse.com, etc.

Is it a profitable business? Not really. But I care about books and writing too much to conduct business otherwise.

All the best,
Carol Adler, MFA
President & Ceo, Dandelion Enterprises, Inc &
Dandelion Books, LLC
Official Guide for Publishing Expert, SelfGrown.com

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