tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post4925791285987629715..comments2024-03-06T05:24:11.328-05:00Comments on Kelly Hashway: Writer Wednesday: Amazon's New Review PolicyKelly Hashwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13936313159809041986noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-24791407706598514362015-07-18T16:58:14.026-04:002015-07-18T16:58:14.026-04:00I feel bad too when my readers tell me their revie...I feel bad too when my readers tell me their review was deleted or they weren't permitted to review my books. There has to be a better way to weed out fake reviews.Kelly Hashwayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13936313159809041986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-59798709640409048792015-07-18T09:27:36.058-04:002015-07-18T09:27:36.058-04:00All very well said, Kelly. And it has been a strug...All very well said, Kelly. And it has been a struggle for me. I have had fans of my books take the time to write a review and then ask me why it got deleted from Amazon :/ It is very saddening that their voices can't be heard. Hopefully over time Amazon will develop a better policy. In the meantime I absolutely agree with your plan to stay engaged with readers. Thank you for bringing up this topic. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10656368340547599511noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-27456125328648255522015-07-11T11:56:00.761-04:002015-07-11T11:56:00.761-04:00Exactly. I'm not sure how Amazon doesn't s... Exactly. I'm not sure how Amazon doesn't see thisKelly Hashwayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13936313159809041986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-67833497465229988252015-07-11T11:50:12.648-04:002015-07-11T11:50:12.648-04:00I agree, Dianne. There has to be a better way to w...I agree, Dianne. There has to be a better way to weed out fake reviews.Kelly Hashwayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13936313159809041986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-32966271613669411192015-07-11T11:48:48.346-04:002015-07-11T11:48:48.346-04:00That's a great idea! I like it.That's a great idea! I like it.Kelly Hashwayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13936313159809041986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-20280090444575350882015-07-11T10:55:15.827-04:002015-07-11T10:55:15.827-04:00It's kind of silly, honestly. The rules of the...It's kind of silly, honestly. The rules of the game today say authors must be virtual, engage their readers, be available. Of course, in the process connections are formed. A reader looks forward to the reading the author's book. How can they not know 'us', and then because they want, write a review. Go figure.brendahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05480258485472568272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-43976622816796003552015-07-11T10:19:11.809-04:002015-07-11T10:19:11.809-04:00I wonder what Amazon is doing to determine how you...I wonder what Amazon is doing to determine how you "know someone personally?" As you and others have pointed out, in the professional community of publishing, you may interact with other authors, reviewers, and readers. And what the heck happens when, for instance, I get a starred review from SLJ -- and then the reviewer follows me on Twitter, we interact, then we start to follow each others' blogs and end up in the same Facebook group (because she writes as well as reviews?) I mean, Amazon can't pull a SLJ review -- but I'm sure the situation comes up a lot with blog reviewers. FIRST they read the book and write the review. THEN they make contact through social media and you become "friends."<br /><br />I appreciate Amazon trying to eliminate the shill reviews -- but figuring out who is "friends" with who is overstepping their bounds.<br /><br />I'd rather they find the sock puppets.Dianne K. Salernihttp://diannesalerni.com/blog/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-11315454508768830862015-07-10T16:42:56.363-04:002015-07-10T16:42:56.363-04:00Simply knowing someone should NOT disqualify...
h...Simply knowing someone should NOT disqualify...<br /><br />hahaAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15901684621715980573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-77949472773003055642015-07-10T16:41:50.835-04:002015-07-10T16:41:50.835-04:00I think as more and more authors go to self-publis...I think as more and more authors go to self-publishing, there's going to be a need to focus on less bias reviews in order to keep the quality maintained, but I think there is a better solution than removing the reviews. Why provide a selection field to allow reviewers to tell the audience how they know the author. Simply knowing someone should disqualify them from being able to write a review, but if they were to indicate they were family or a close friend, then the audience can make a determination on how much credence to give the review.<br /><br />To me that would be a much better feedback system.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15901684621715980573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-9198332629950485182015-07-10T13:03:47.232-04:002015-07-10T13:03:47.232-04:00I agree. I know there are people who have friends ...I agree. I know there are people who have friends post fake reviews and that isn't right, but this is taking it too far and punishing people who are legitimately reviewing.Kelly Hashwayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13936313159809041986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-4461624753334662342015-07-09T20:35:54.862-04:002015-07-09T20:35:54.862-04:00I won't stop interacting with anyone either, K...I won't stop interacting with anyone either, Kelly. It's crazy. Our writing community is just that - a community, which includes readers. How does Amazon know one's relationship with another? This sort of judgement doesn't make sense to me. I also feel as though it's a blow to reviewers' intellect. Amazon is underestimating these people. JMHO ... S.A. Larsenッhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06241633272588383935noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-25726359806864506052015-07-09T17:39:08.815-04:002015-07-09T17:39:08.815-04:00Same here, Medeia. Will returning fans be viewed a...Same here, Medeia. Will returning fans be viewed as "knowing the author?" That would be awful.Kelly Hashwayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13936313159809041986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-57367496656175439172015-07-09T17:37:09.894-04:002015-07-09T17:37:09.894-04:00The only time I had a review rejected was when I t...The only time I had a review rejected was when I tried to review a bindup edition I didn't buy, trying to combine the three reviews from the singles--technically, I did read the whole book, but I see how they don't want duplicate reviews. But this new policy is not something I can agree with. How do they know we personally know the author? Many times I review books from the same author because I know them in person or from online and I genuinely enjoy their books, whether I bought them from Amazon or elsewhere. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-82485812350475520212015-07-09T13:01:39.353-04:002015-07-09T13:01:39.353-04:00I hope that's all it is. I can understand that...I hope that's all it is. I can understand that. But I have some reviewers who always get my books on NetGalley to review and I do talk to them online. They leave honest reviews, so I hope they aren't affected by this new policy.Kelly Hashwayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13936313159809041986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-88779271303531640142015-07-09T09:07:34.064-04:002015-07-09T09:07:34.064-04:00I've been reading about this, and it seems tha...I've been reading about this, and it seems that they're more concerned with stamping out people who're getting payed to leave positive reviews. <br /><br />It's hard to tell, though, because the algorithm seems to be inconsistent (according to what people have been saying.) <br /><br />But I agree. Interacting with my readers are way more important than getting them to review my books. Misha Gerrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06364173848456424521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-16084657118310458172015-07-08T18:21:23.117-04:002015-07-08T18:21:23.117-04:00Personally I don't see why Amazon can't ta...Personally I don't see why Amazon can't take reviews from Goodreads since they own Goodreads now. I think this new policy may change how important reviews are for the success of a book though. Kelly Hashwayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13936313159809041986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-88488647120713123112015-07-08T18:20:07.703-04:002015-07-08T18:20:07.703-04:00I think that's where the problem lies, Sherry.... I think that's where the problem lies, Sherry. In this day and age knowing someone is very different. Facebook, twitter, etc. are all ways to know someone, but that doesn't mean you know them personally. Kelly Hashwayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13936313159809041986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-76708955815655073822015-07-08T18:18:57.028-04:002015-07-08T18:18:57.028-04:00I can too. There are those who have their friends ...I can too. There are those who have their friends review just to get good ratings. I don't do that, but I do talk to a lot of book bloggers and they do review some of my books. My hope is that Amazon won't pull their reviews.Kelly Hashwayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13936313159809041986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-18786310424505942362015-07-08T16:46:12.480-04:002015-07-08T16:46:12.480-04:00I can kinda see where Amazon's coming from. Au...I can kinda see where Amazon's coming from. Authors tried to game the system by having fake reviews posted so Amazon took the nuclear approach. It sucks that all authors/reviewers have to suffer though. I also heard you can't review a book unless you bought in on Amazon. Don't know if that's true. There must be a happy medium.Auden Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13484527377996130004noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-5914716265680854062015-07-08T14:07:04.465-04:002015-07-08T14:07:04.465-04:00I can't see how they will know when a reviewer...I can't see how they will know when a reviewer "knows" the author personally except if the reviewer has the same last name. I "know" a lot of authors through their blogs, fan pages, books, columns, and sometimes email exchanges, but that does not mean I know them personally. Plus true friends who write reviews are usually pretty honest- if they like the book, they say so- the same goes when they don't like it. Then there is the whole issue of paid reviewers.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03489752015396663963noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-11947948198442610642015-07-08T10:59:39.596-04:002015-07-08T10:59:39.596-04:00This is the first I've heard of it. I think I ...This is the first I've heard of it. I think I can understand both sides of the issue.William Kendallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00331324250821836822noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-2758818060383723242015-07-08T07:32:11.946-04:002015-07-08T07:32:11.946-04:00Yes, that I can understand, but so many authors ta...Yes, that I can understand, but so many authors talk to reviewers. If Amazon views that as "knowing the author," the amount of reviews that get removed is going to be crazy high.Kelly Hashwayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13936313159809041986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-27409746454894246892015-07-08T00:10:22.220-04:002015-07-08T00:10:22.220-04:00wow I had no idea about this! On one hand it's...wow I had no idea about this! On one hand it's harsh b/c reviews definitely help authors, and just b/c someone knows an author doesn't mean the review is only glowing b/c they know them...but at the same time i know some people who self-pubbed too soon and I know for a fact the books needed considerable work, and they were getting friends/fam to post raves. In cases like that it's not fair to dupe potential readers like that when the books are so far from polished. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07181207761130079393noreply@blogger.com