I want to state for the record that I have never accepted payment for any review. I have received free books for review, but that’s an accepted practice. Most of the reviews I post here are positive. That’s because I have a good idea of what I like and tend to pick books that I’m predisposed to enjoy. Some bloggers seem to take great pride in tearing a book apart. That’s not my intention. Usually if I can’t find some positive things to say about a book or story, I probably won’t review it. That’s a personal choice I make.
Which is not to say I won’t write a negative review. I’ve written a few, but they tend to be the exception rather than the rule. As I said, I have a good idea what I like and tend to choose things for review I think I’ll enjoy.
The difference between anonymous product reviews and reviews on blogs such as this one is that with a blog, the readers can comment, take part in discussions, and develop relationships with the reviewer. This allows a degree of trust to form over time. Even when the reader doesn’t agree with the reviewer, the relationship can be beneficial. There are certain reviewers who help me select reading material by the fact that we are so opposite. If they love a book, I know it’s one I probably want to avoid, and vice-versa. Hopefully, the reviews I post here will be helpful, whether to point you to books/stories/films you might like or to warn you away.
From what I can tell, there’s been an increased interest in reviewing on the internet over the last month or so, an increase that just spiked with the Times story. I wanted to toss my two cents in. I may visit this topic again when my schedule settles down and the semester is fully underway.