Running this website is an interesting form of management because every contact is a virtual relationship. Communications is 100% email. Of course, it doesn’t have to be this way – I could talk to reviewers on the phone — but this style suits me and my limited time and has not failed me yet. The only downside is that every once and awhile a reviewer falls off the face of the virtual earth and I have no idea what happened to them. Fortunately this haunting event is rare. And I hope the explanation, if I ever learn it, is far more mundane than my imagination would have it.
How many books do you review a month?
I try to post at least twenty reviews a month, but when I fall short it has more to do with my “real job” work schedule than the number of reviews available to post. Fortunately, I never run out of reviews. Considering the number of books that are published in a month, to review 200 books a year is just a drop in the literary bucket. I try to mention new releases and forthcoming books for authors who are already featured on the website and for authors that are getting industry buzz, but again, this usually proves to be a more ambitious project than I have time for. My priority is to post book reviews, thus everything else takes a back seat. Despite never catching up, I would still take on more reviewers if there writing style warranted it.
How many staff reviewers do you have?
Currently, we have sixteen volunteer reviewers for MostlyFiction.com. Some frequently contribute, others are more sporadic. I manage the group very loosely because I understand that people get busy in their lives and can’t always commit to a deadline. But I do have some guidelines to help people stick to their commitments. Regardless, it is a big time commitment to say that you want to be a regular reviewer. If someone just wants free books, I recommend that they visit their local library.
From the start I have been amazed that people want to review for no pay, except maybe a free book. What motivates them? For some, it is a stepping stone to getting a “real” job writing. Others are already writing books and reviewing is both a way to study other people’s writing and to get their name out there. Many of the reviewers, especially the more prolific ones, are top Amazon.com reviewers. For them, MostlyFiction.com gives them an opportunity to write longer, more in depth reviews or if not that, at least a chance for the review to “stay.” I never take down a review/author page – and every reviewer has a list of the books that they have reviewed on the site if they need to send a link of their reviews. And finally, some people have discovered that reviewing does let them enjoy reading more.
Article comments
1 - c hoare
Some interesting differences in the way MostlyFiction works. I like the idea of having links to other review sites and author sites. It suggests someone visiting the site will find more detailed information on both book and author -- and the author will have more substantial exposure than a few quick paragraphs vying with hundreds of others for reader attention.
Chris H.
2 - A. F. Stewart
Great interview, it sounds like you are doing a wonderful job with your website. I loved the thoughts on including the "where" in a review, along with the "how", "what", "who" and "when." I hadn't really considered that.
3 - Margay
Wow, what an in-depth interview! Thanks, Judi, for sharing your thoughts with us. It was very informative.
4 - RG
If bad reviews are discouraged, what's the point?