Book Bloggers Code of Ethics

Comment

Comment by sheistoofondofbooks on November 17, 2008 at 8:38pm

I'm just joining and saying "hello" tonight.

I'll be back to read all the comments and dicussions. This is a great idea. We might not all agree on each point, but the open forum is welcome!

Comment by Toni Gomez on November 17, 2008 at 3:03pm

I agree with Sally (and her momma) ... minding manners is key. Back to my original thought on this whole thing....our blog is our personal space out there in the world and we deserve and owe it to ourselves first, and our readers second, to present our true opinions and recommendations. Handing out free books, movie passes, free taste test or what not does not buy a creator of a product a great review.

But it has to be about mutual respect.

Professionalism and politeness is always required when dealing with the public and the authors. I have to say, for an author to work so hard and await a review on their effort, oh it must be grueling. I am so thankful that authors support this magnificent obsession of mine.

I am really enjoying the comments here. I have been reading and thinking. I happened to be watching a movie producer being interviewed and he was talking about his successes and failures and so many of his "projects" were shredded by reviews but ended up doing well.. some projects tanked. His comment was that he was thankful for the feed back and he was able to come to a conclusion from the feedback. Now he says he produces stuff that he would want to watch and people can like it or leave it. So the feedback helped him to produce what he wanted and be true to himself. I am also thinking of Jo March in Little Women. (corny maybe?) but she encountered feedback and it helped her find her true story. Okay, that is a fictional heroine. But come on a review, good or bad, is a fact of life for authors. It is part of the "Biz"

Back to the controversy and my first knowledge of Mr. Joe Blow leaving derogatory comments on a blog. What a waste of an opportunity to get feedback and ask question. He used getting a free book as a reason to lash out instead of stating some critical analysis or providing some insight into why he wrote this or that. It could have been a good bit of healthy banter on the book and created some interest... instead he tried to drum up sympathy and make the reviewer look like an ingrate for getting a book. That is a low blow. The reviewer had respect... Joe Blow did not.

I don't write the kind of in depth review that is going to help an author find themselves. (oooo maybe some day.. I can dream can't I?).... I review for fun and to help my friends and blog readers become acquainted with a particular piece of literature/fiction, and to spread the word about books. I really enjoy getting to preview and review books. Boy Howdy it is fun, but also it takes a lot of my time and a commitment and I want to be real.

I am so happy to get the arc's and have chances to blog tour and have fun, and it has added a very exciting element to my enjoyment of books and blogging.

I will continue reading these comments here and getting . I have already learned some really great tips and wording to use in blog world.

As a lifetime book consumer, I will reiterate this, I buy books that have had bad reviews and even books that close friends had said they don't like.

Comment by Sally on November 17, 2008 at 11:22am

Mama taught me to mind my manners, and as a book reviewer, I remember that lesson. How hard is that--to be polite? If you are going to write up a code of ethics I feel that it MUST be short and simple--not a list of restricting rules.

Comment by Anna Balasi on November 17, 2008 at 10:40am

Thanks for the invitation! I've found the comments very useful, already. I think as someone looking in from the publishers' point of view, we're very glad that book bloggers are--for the most part, professional and polite. From a readers' point of view (for I am a reader, first of all), I understand that the professional and polite attitude comes from our respect, as readers, for the authors who have written so many of the books we love.

As a publisher, I try to keep that reader view in mind all the time, so indeed, when a reviewer tells me that they did not like a particular book, I know that the opinion comes from an open and informed mind--that there is nothing to be offended about in a negative review--just a rude one. I am yet to encounter a rude reviewer in the blog circuit. Everyone has been respectful and thoughtful, no matter how negative their review is, so from my perspective, we value honest reviews first and foremost, and we always appreciate the time a blogger puts into reading a book so they can write about it.

Comment by Bobbie Crawford-McCoy on November 17, 2008 at 9:39am

I've only been reviewing for a few months and I LOVE IT! :-)
I have a few 'guidelines' for my reviews and my blog:

* When I accept a book I am making a commitment to review it.
* I do not sell or giveaway the ARC’s which are sent to me for review.
* I state that any or all of my reviews may contain some teasers and/or spoilers.
* I cannot promise a rave review, but I can promise an honest one.
* If I decide not to review your book, I will tell you before you send out a copy.
* If the book(s) have been sent to me specifically for review by the author, a publicist or a publisher, these books will have priority over all books that I have purchased, won, been given as a gift, etc.
* I only accept bound, paperback or hardback editions (ARC’s are welcome). I am sorry, but I do not accept e-books.
* I post positive and negative reviews though I try my best to find at least one good thing, even about a really ‘dreadful’ book.

I am still learning and evolving as an Independent Book Reviewer, so my reviews are changing a little as time passes and hopefully for the better.
While pointing out a few constructive criticisms for a book, I still try to point out many positives.
I also rate my reviews on a system of 'how much I personally enjoyed the book'. When I don't rate the book itself, which I find very difficult, I feel that I am leaving the rating portion up to the new reader. I don't want to discourage anyone from buying a book so I do my best to let them know what they are buying in the written part of the review.

When I write a review I also summarize the book in my own words. I usually use the book jacket or the description as a gentle guideline.

Well I think I’ve blabbered on long enough. :-)

-Bobbie

Book Reviews By Bobbie
http://bookreviewsbybobbie.wordpress.com/

Comment by Stacey @ book:thirty on November 17, 2008 at 8:24am

I found this article a couple of days ago, and feel it's very relevant to this discussion. Maybe you'll enjoy reading about this topic from an author's perspective...
NY Times article, "Enough With the Sweet Talk"

Comment by Marcia on November 17, 2008 at 3:05am

I've finally gotten a chance to read the comments posted here and find them all very interesting and enlightening.

From a purely personal standpoint, mine, the level or type of reviewing that's being tossed around is starting to stress me. My blog started out as a personal reading journal and to this day that's still how I think of it. It was place to track my reading and my thoughts about the books I've read. Even though it's developed a small following that was never my intention. Heck I wasn't even aware of what the blogging world was really about before jumping in.

I don't write what I consider full blown book reviews or 'professional' style as I think of them. I merely jot 'notes' to myself and move on. I write first impressions and don't spend a lot of time stressing over the ins and outs of plot lines, character development, proof reading, editing, etc. I guess what I'm trying to convey is I read a book purely for enjoyment whether it's one I've purchased or has been sent to me for 'review'. I've read hundreds of reviews on blogs and find those that write detailed, truly informative reviews great but it's not me or my writing style.

Some books inspire me to write a lot, some inspire me to write a few lines and some don't inspire me at all, some I don't even finish. For my DNFs I title the post 'Reading Journal' with book title and author name instead of 'Book Review'. I don't portray it as being a book review.

I've always written exactly how I feel about the book because I needed to know whether I'd spend time reading works by this author again or whether they were to be skipped. I'm honest to a fault and believe that integrity is the backbone of what goes in my blog. 95% of the books I read I love. I'm a reader. It's my passion. But if I don't like something you'll know.

I'm starting to ramble so I suppose it's time to end my musings for the night.

Marcia

Comment by Amy on November 17, 2008 at 2:13am

Wow Sheri! You've put a lot of thought into this.

I think for the code of ethics, we should keep it as simple as possible. Something along the lines of promising to be honest but fair. But I don't know...it seems we all have such a different take on it....

Comment by A Novel Menagerie on November 17, 2008 at 1:14am

I think that we should suggest that, in the event we have a not-so-fabulous review, that we let the author/publisher know ahead of time. I mean, we can't only review great/good books... there have to be some that we just don't care for.

I think that we can suggest to readers... if you like "this" type of book, this read might be right up your alley.

Let me give an example. I love Tori Amos. Whenever she puts out an album, everybody trashes it... but, I love it, every time. It's my thing... I like it. Not everybody does... in fact, it takes a certain kind of person to love Tori Amos. Now, I don't let that deter me from purchasing the music.

Look at my review of Being Written on my site. I really did not care for this book, but I still wrote a review that I think didn't trash the book. I sent a copy of the review to the author and the publisher. The author wrote me back and thanked me for the review. He told me that, as a first time published author, it was difficult to even get a review and that he was thankful. Never once did he get upset at me for my review.

I think the general outline of "The Golden Rule" should apply to our ethics. We should do unto others as we've like done to us. There's always a polite way a dinner table to honestly communicate that you don't eat liver and onions... "I'm sure it's fabulous and it smells really delightful... however, it's just not my taste and I'm going to save room for the chicken." You know what I mean. They are polite ways to say "it sucked." That's what we should focus on. Because, we will discredit ourselves if everybody gets a good review. There have to be mediocre reviews, poor reviews, and good reviews. Otherwise, the good has no comparison line.

What I'd like to bring up is this feeling of guilt that I cannot read any of the books I bought because I have to do the review books first. And, I'm stuck in a review book that I don't like (some of you did like this particular one). I feel like I have no choice but to complete the book and review it... and, so many great books are just waiting for me to read them! How do we state that we will prioritize the review books into our regular reading rotation? Because, if they want a certain date... I believe they should pay for a book tour. In a book tour, people are volunteering for the date and will be able to get it prioritized correctly. If they don't pay for a tour or a review, it should be at our convenience, but within a reasonable time frame.

Also, there are some GREAT authors out there who are really actively involved with the reviews, have blogs, and are supportive of what we do. They are really quite appreciative for the free press.

Also... not to "poo poo" on already established Book Tour Businesses... but... the organizers are the only ones making money for the scheduled reviews. What if a publisher/writer just wants your site, in particular for a review. Is it unethical to state that for a standard fee of $50, or whatever, I guarantee a posted review?

Another thought... one thing that I notice is that some people really put time and effort into their thoughts on the book. Do we want to guarantee, or ensure, that our group of bloggers/reviewers present a review that reads longer and more personal than a duplication of the inside cover? i.e. Should we define reviews in categories: Comprehensive Reviews, Summary Reviews, Book Plugs? The reason why I am asking is...

I'll give the example of Anna of Diary of an Eccentric. There is this one review that she wrote that I loved. It was totally comprehensive and showed much about the story and her thoughts on it. That "review" should not be the equivalent to a 125 word post with a picture of the cover, some facts about the book and a few lines about the story (i.e. a "plug.") What I'm driving at is us also guaranteeing a level of quality in the reviews we provide.

Well, that's enough brainstorming for the night.

Keep me in the loop!

Sheri

Comment by Shelly Burns on November 16, 2008 at 11:42am

I posted while Amy was posting, so I want to say, YES! I would be willing to post that on my blog. I already have the BookBlogs button, so authors and publishers know that I belong. The Code of Ethics (COE) button would let them know what to expect from me.

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