Are Review Pools Safe?

[Cabbages and kings]

Video removed.

[Cephus]

It's a violation of Amazon's TOS. You can't pay for reviews or do anything in exchange for reviews. You can provide free copies to people who CAN provide reviews if they wish, but you cannot require it. Amazon wants honest reviews from actual readers, not people just saying nice things about each other for a buck.

[DmGuay]

Steer clear.

I do need to ask you this--so that you can ask yourself:
Why is this tempting? Why is this appealing? Why would you want to do this? What is your goal?

I see a lot of writers doing a lot of crazy/ expensive/ time consuming things hoping it will get them reviews. Some still believe the myth that if you get to 50 reviews, Amazon will start promoting your book. This is not true.
Some think a lack of reviews is why their book isn't selling. That is also probably not true.

If you want reviews, focus on getting sales. Sales lead to reviews. REAL reviews. So sell more books and you will get more reviews. It doesn't work the other way!

[writeway]

Have you read the Amazon TOS? It's clear as day what is and what isn't accepted for reviews. Review pools seem a heck of a lot like swapping to me.

Legit Ways to Get Reviews:

1. Give out ARCs either yourself or through a company
2. Do a blog tour
3. Do a free book giveaway and hope people review
4. Put a review team together for honest reviews
5. Sell a lot and hope readers review
6. Do a review tour with a company

Swapping, swap groups on FB, Using Pubbly, having friends and family write fake reviews, nope. That's not legit no matter what someone says.

[She-la-te-da]

I do need to ask you this--so that you can ask yourself:
Why is this tempting? Why is this appealing? Why would you want to do this? What is your goal?

These are good questions!

There's a lot of misinformation out there, mostly touted by those people trying to make money off people who don't know any better. People really need to learn to research anything they see that tells them how to make money.

That fifty reviews and Amazon will sell your book thing is on par with the old "dirty 30" erotica thing, that once you had thirty books out, you'd be rolling in the dough. Or stuff 500 envelopes a week and earn a good income. Or the old real estate things that used to be the favorite infomercials of the day (these days it's house flipping, we have commercials around here from people wanting to rip off homeowners).

Nothing is ever as easy as it seems.

[Cephus]

I do need to ask you this--so that you can ask yourself:
Why is this tempting? Why is this appealing? Why would you want to do this? What is your goal?

These are good questions!

There's a lot of misinformation out there, mostly touted by those people trying to make money off people who don't know any better. People really need to learn to research anything they see that tells them how to make money.

That fifty reviews and Amazon will sell your book thing is on par with the old "dirty 30" erotica thing, that once you had thirty books out, you'd be rolling in the dough. Or stuff 500 envelopes a week and earn a good income. Or the old real estate things that used to be the favorite infomercials of the day (these days it's house flipping, we have commercials around here from people wanting to rip off homeowners).

Nothing is ever as easy as it seems.

Sadly, people are looking for a way around the hard work and there isn't one. Anyone who is writing solely to make a buck is going to be disappointed. It can be done, but the road there is very long and most people who try, fail miserably. This is not the romanticized lifestyle that a lot of people think it is. It's grueling work that goes on for long periods of time and if you want a quick buck, go get a job at McDonalds because you'll probably make more in the short term.