Its often mentioned in the blogging community that publishers/authors like to see reviews of their titles go up either right before or right after the release date and usually all within a 2 week period. So my question is: Does it matter to you how close to the release date a review, for an upcoming novel, is posted? If so, why?
For me it doesn't really matter when a review is posted. I've found some really wonderful books from blogs that posted a review for a title months in advance. Also if I've never heard about the book before and the premise sounds intriguing, I'm more likely to read the review. In fact I really get turned off when I see a million reviews for one title so close together, it's nice to see them more spread out instead of them all posting the week of release. Obviously you never know when others bloggers/readers will post their reviews and I can definitely understand wanting to post a review closer to the title's release to help generate interested and sales for the novel. For me though, I think the ideal time is a few weeks before the title's release or a few weeks after (2-3 weeks either way). I try to apply this to my own reviews, but if I'm asked to posted it closer to the release then I will.
For me it doesn't really matter when a review is posted. I've found some really wonderful books from blogs that posted a review for a title months in advance. Also if I've never heard about the book before and the premise sounds intriguing, I'm more likely to read the review. In fact I really get turned off when I see a million reviews for one title so close together, it's nice to see them more spread out instead of them all posting the week of release. Obviously you never know when others bloggers/readers will post their reviews and I can definitely understand wanting to post a review closer to the title's release to help generate interested and sales for the novel. For me though, I think the ideal time is a few weeks before the title's release or a few weeks after (2-3 weeks either way). I try to apply this to my own reviews, but if I'm asked to posted it closer to the release then I will.
I think it also depends on the how many reviewers a book had. If there are a lot of them, having reviews starting a couple months in advance may be useful. Otherwise, during the month before and after the release makes sense.
ReplyDeleteI've always wondered about when to post the review and have heard close to release date.
ReplyDeleteI personally like to know well in advance, as long as the book is available to pre-order. If it's not, then I will probably forget about adding it, but if it is, I tend to pre-order if it sounds good.
I've also heard if you miss the window it's good to post the review when the paperback release comes out, which makes complete sense.
There are some pubs that now have requirements when you can post if you get it from NetGalley so I try to follow their guidelines.
Great post, thanks for the info, it's something I always wonder about!
Interesting question. I guess it depends really; if you've been given the book specifically for review then I can understand publishers having a preference for when you put the review up. However, I'm not sure The Goddess Test for example would have this level of hype about it if it weren't for all the early reviews of it. If we went by the 2 week rule; none of these reviews would be out before tomorrow. If a publisher does have guidelines I do follow them; but otherwise I just post reviews when I've read the book.
ReplyDeleteWhen Wither came out my blogger reading list was flooded with reviews for it, it was insane, and I found it annoying. I had posted mine a few weeks earlier and was among the first to post it. I thought it was a good time. I did the same for Stay by Deb Caletti, posted it a couples weeks before release day. If I get a book for review I try and have it read and reviewed before release day. Who knows if that's the way to do it. But it's the way I do it. Great post!
ReplyDeleteI can understand why authors like their upcoming books to be reviewed so close to the release date, because a market flood can really drum up sales sometimes.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, I prefer reviewing books as soon as I've read them, and if that happens to be 6 months before the release date, then so be it. Unless I've been specifically requested not to review it until a certain date, then I'll review it when I'm done reading it.
I know the reason for it is entirely personal and a little weird. It's not so much that I'm worried about my review getting lost in the flood so much as my OCD makes me really twitchy if I read a book in one month but don't review it within that same month. If I've been requested not to review something until a certain date, usually then I'll just try to time my reading of said book to at least within the same month that the review will appear; makes it easier all around!
I'm the same! It doesn't matter to me, as long as every other blog are not reviewing the same book the same day.
ReplyDelete