If you write good stuff then don’t be surprised that people want to tell others about it.

In the course of one of my reviews, I quoted a line from the afterward of a book I was reviewing (actually, the quote may have been the title of the post, but it was definitely in quotes) which included the phrase that was also the title of the book. Since the quote says a flattering thing about the phrase that is also the title, it sounds like a positive comment on the book, but is actually just a line written by the book’s author.

So, the publisher’s website has the author’s words, using a phrase in a way that sounds like praising the book, with my name underneath.

I did actually like the book, so it doesn’t feel dishonest in that sense, but the sentiment of the phrase is so different from the way that I write that it was strange to visit the site and see these words attributed to me.

Just as critics can review whatever they want and use portions of comics for review purposes, so can comic makers do the same with critics.

Notification isn’t the norm unless the blurb is solicited (obviously); I’ve been asked before, but only once.

Expecting a comp in return is a littel weird…I mean, you’ve already read the work, right? So you don’t need to see it again. On the other hand, if you raved about the first volume of a book, and they blurb you on the second, then, obviously, it’s smart marketing to get that raving credit future volumes, should they rave again.

Heidi, so is the best reviewer an Emily Dickenson-like recluse interacting only with the work? Sorry, I’m exaggerating, only because I’m really surprised to see you, of all people, argue for no social contact of any kind. I don’t think that’s feasible, let alone good for the reviewer. But then, I prefer to take the “I’ll interact, but I also don’t give a shit what you think of me and I’ll say whatever I think I need to.” Maybe I’m just fooling myself.

[...] a continuing blog conversation! David Welsh answers my question about promotional quotes and then asks another good question: I’ve been wondering lately if I might write more negative [...]

>>>am curious how a nice “I liked your review, I’d like to use your quote that says ‘–’ on my next book” counts as conflict of interest in Heidi’s opinion, though.

Because as a reviewer I am not supposed to give a shit about how the target of my review feels about it. And friendliness means that I may be more kindly inclined towards that person in the future.

In the real world, forget about it. Not long ago I was thinking of doing reviews but the first two I started had so many questions and caveats regarding the creators — I felt like I didn’t want to blindside them with negative reviews — that I never even got around to writing them.

The best reviewer will have NO contact with any of the creators. In the real world that’s practically impossible, but I believe there should be a certain line which I am personally way over. The reviews in PW are unsigned – this allows both a freedom from worrying about what someone will perceive as a conflict of interest, or any blowback.

And it also allows publishers to constantly quote our reviews.

But I do think that there is a distinction between picking stuff up for reporting and picking it up to use as part of your marketing.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7271348.stm

However, I think if you run a review site or journal, that publishers expect to be able to pull those quotes without asking, especially publications like Booklist, PW, or The Library Journal, which are expected sources for quotes and reviews.

I also didn’t realize that other people don’t notify creators that their works have been reviewed. How else are you going to get talked about? (That’s a joke, son.)

Dan G., I’ve been asked to allow use of bad reviews before. I’ve gingerly asked what they intended to excerpt, and it’s usually a factual description (“this is like X meets Y”) that they liked. So I shrug and say fine. I’m mostly curious about what they want to say, just to prevent misquoting.

Nat, that’s a sneaky strategy you mention, it’s true. But there’s a more pleasant motive to reviewing less talked-about works — standing out in a crowded field by covering something missing from the general blog-verse.

I am curious how a nice “I liked your review, I’d like to use your quote that says ‘—’ on my next book” counts as conflict of interest in Heidi’s opinion, though.

Marc, I like your summary of “accurately and within the spirit”.

Something to keep in mind too is that artists are often the ones who ask for quotes on their material, but they don’t always get that many comp copies themselves from their publishers!

In one case, I had given a rave to the first issue of a book, as it was quite excellent, but soundly panned the four successive issues as having wasted the potential and goodwill from issue one. But when the trade came out… there were my words about issue one in big letters on the back cover, completely ignoring how I felt about the rest of the material in the book. And that, to me, was not good.

Still, like Heidi, I worry about the appearance of conflict of interest and quid pro quo.