How to Nicely say No Thanks

[Kelli Wheelwright]

I am sure you have all received books from authors and publishers or Requests to reveiw a book you weren't excited to read...

 

How do you say NO without completely turning those publishers and authors off from sending you books in the future?

 

or if your an author, what is the best "No Thanks" you have received?

 

KW

http://www.ekfamilybooks.blogspot.com

 

[Kimberly Hulst]

I've waited till I've been established with them before turning anything down.  Honestly, I think I might have been working with the main publishers I do reviews for, for about 8 months before I turned anything down.  And at that point, I just did not reply to the email that was sent out with that month's list for review. 

At one point last year, I even put up a post on the blog saying I was not going to take anymore between certain dates. 

[Kelli Wheelwright]

I have felt like I needed to be appreciative of anything sent to me so I have accepted EVERYTHING... but now as the books pile up, I am overwhelmed! I need to limit down the intake a bit, but dont want to tell people to try again later if even later its a no thank you...

[Kathy Maxwell]

Have your review policy state you reserve the right to refuse a book due to subject matter or time constraint.  Then, they've been warned.  I've gone so far as to let them know that I won't read paranormal or horror!

[Kelli Wheelwright]

Kathy,

You seem to be one I often go to for great advice! I will have to re read my review policy!

[Joseph Arellano]

Yes, post your book review policies and make sure they are very clear and specific.  This gives the publishers and authors "fair warning" in terms of what types of books you do and do not review.  You should also indicate that you never promise to review a specific book, but you do carefully look at all of those you do receive. 

[Kathy Maxwell]

Love the wording, Joseph!!!

[Kelli Wheelwright]

I think that is a great idea, I also LOVE the wording!

[Evangeline Han]

I'll be including this wording in my review policy!

[Ashley Wiederhold]

Do you have them sending books directly to your house, or are you recieving an email when there's a book going on a blog tour or up for review?

 

The calls for blog tour stops and reviews can be ignored if the books don't coincide with your interests or you don't have time to read them. The point of contact doesn't expect every person on the email list to respond with a request for a book. If they are sending them to your house first, without you knowing about it, then I don't know what to tell you. Maybe email them and let them know that you are temporarily not accepting new books for review? Or further clarify the genres that you are interested in?

[Kelli Wheelwright]

The mass mail blog tours, I just ignore when I am not interested :)

 

I am mostly curious how to say no thanks to those emails personally sent requesting for review or the random book that shows up on my doorstep :)

[DG Publishing]

I would go with Ashley. Most authors will assume you are too busy to respond back.

[Christine Amsden]

As an author, I can tell you we're quite used to hearing "No, thanks." Before I ever got my books published, I sent them to agents and publishers and received countless versions of "No, thank you." I don't take it personally, and those who do are going to have a lot of trouble in the biz, IMO. :)

 

I'm trying to remember if I've ever gotten a "No, thank you" for a review request. Mostly, they just don't write back if they're not interested. I think getting any response might be preferable, so I don't wonder if I'm over here talking to myself!

 

What I'm finding harder, now that I'm also a reviewer, is the books I do accept, but after reading (either the whole thing or part of it), I don't want to review it. (I don't like giving bad review to unknown authors. If it's popular, I figure it's got more to do with me, and it's a part of the conversation. If nobody's heard of it, then by weighing in, I'm shutting down conversation.)

 

But if you haven't even read it...don't worry about it so much! It's nice that you care, and I suspect most people do, but you can't read every book. I get that.