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| Bet he doesn't need to worry about getting reviews:) |
As an author I like to see reviews anyone has done of my
books. I appreciate anyone who takes the time to read my books. Last night, I
noticed some reviews had absconded.
I did a bit of checking and I found out that in response to
a petition by 400 authors, Amazon had decided to remove any reviews from
customers who were registered with Amazon Author Central - anyone who has a
book published, whether it's traditionally published or self-published can set
up an account so people can click on an author's name and see a
list of their books.
I think this unfairly penalises authors like me who are with
small publishers and those who are self-published.
This is unfair for a number of reasons -
1. Authors rely on peer reviews from other authors to get
reviews. Readers say they'll do reviews, but they don't always find the time.
2.Authors read books too. They also buy books from Amazon.
Why shouldn't they be allowed to leave reviews like anyone who's not an author
can?
3.The reviews I did for books by the big publishers were
left alone. In other words, Amazon operate a two tier system - if you're an
author with a big publishing house you appear to be protected from review
removal, but if you're not stuff you. Amazon can do what they like.
At the moment, I don't think the same applies to the UK
Amazon, but it's only a matter of time. So, if your reviews start to go missing
you know what's happened. You could always complain to Amazon, but I've heard
about people who have who've been warned that if they don't shut up and go away
they're books will be taken off the site.
Better go now, off
to see if Stephen King will endorse Hell To Pay I already have some
amazing authors who've read it and agreed to endorse it. Watch this space...
Just plain crazy and unfair - the "solution" is lots worse than the original problem. I wonder if they will follow through with the logic of this one and banish reviews by families and friends of authors.
ReplyDeleteThis seems all wrong to me. It's right to get rid of false reviews by 'sock puppets' but real reviews by real people should stay. Those with author central accounts are real people - it's the reviews by people who have nothing to sell and who've bought nothing who seem suspect to me.
ReplyDeleteI agree Robert and Patsy, they seem to be penalising authors unfairly. Patsy, I think what they've done encourages sock puppets.
ReplyDelete