Why books don't get reviewed

In an effort to find out why books don't get reviewed (and why they do), I convened a meeting of the Critics Cabal, that super-secret organization of book reviewers that actually controls the publishing world. Cabal members in attendance included myself, Carol Memmott, Oline Cogdill, Sarah Weinman, Tod Goldberg, Hallie Ephron, Dick Lochte and Clea Simon.

I posed to them a two-part question: Why do books get reviewed? Why don't books get reviewed? Here are some of the responses to the second question. (The first question was dealt with in a separate post.)

• NOT ENOUGH BOOK REVIEW SPACE.
• Too many books are published. "Little" books in particular get lost in the shuffle.
• The book is mediocre. Most critics aren't looking to write ho-hum reviews of so-so books.
• It has a lousy beginning. (Critics tend to stop reading books soon if the first 50 pages or so don't grab them.)
• Weak writing. (One-dimensional characters, reliance on clichés, hackneyed dialogue, profligate use of adverbs, muddled POV, etc.)
• Unappealing subject matter. (This varies from critic to critic, but such topics as serial killers, children-in-jeopardy books, and novels featuring torture were cited.)
• The author's last book wasn't very good or very popular. (Although if the book was spectacularly bad, the new one might get reviewed.)
• Series novels in which the protagonist doesn't change/develop over time. (Robert B. Parker's Spenser novels were cited.)
• The author or publicist is annoying. (Constant pestering, phone calls, bad b.o., etc.)
• It's a PBO, POD or some other set of initials; it was self-published, vanity-published, not-really-published. (Note: These factors vary somewhat from critic to critic. For example, I review PBOs, as do some of the others.)
• The book received no publisher support. If nobody's heard of it, it probably won't get reviewed.
• There's no art available for the book. (Virtually every newspaper runs art of either the book or the author with a review. If none is available, the review gets scrapped.)
• And that oldie but a goodie...The reviewer never received a copy of the book.

Comments

[John M .]

By "art," I assume you mean as a file? Presumably you e-mail the completed review along with that file. Nor, I imagine, is the newspaper interested in scanning a print of the author or the cover of the book?

[David Montgomery]

Right, digital art. Usually the publicist can provide an author photo or the editor can pull the jacket image off of Amazon or wherever. Ordinarily they handle this at the newspaper and the reviewers aren't involved.

But one time I actually had to scan the book jacket myself and send it to my editor in order to get the book in the paper. The publicist was no help. (It's not always easy dealing with small presses.)

I've also had to rustle up author photos at the last minute when the publisher couldn't supply them. (Again, small press.)

If this stuff can't be produced by deadline, the review is scrapped.

[victor gischler]

So nothing to do with Karma at all?

VG

[David Montgomery]

Karma, no. B.O., yes.

[Cameron Hughes]

You forgot a good one:

You get the book...right before publication, so you either write about it late or not at all

[Clea Simon]

Or after publication!

Yes, if authors are looking to increase their chances of getting a review, they can make sure their book/ARC is mailed to the relevant book review editors at least three months prior to publication. If there will be a local reading or event, have your publisher send ANOTHER copy at least six weeks in advance, with a note about the local appearance (date, street address, time, local contact at bookstore to confirm), and an author photo. Note that there are also high-res JPEGS available - of the author, not the book cover.

There, something authors can have some control over!

[CLARK23Sonja]

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