Attn Publishers: New Review Policy from Psion

[Psion]

Recently, a number of publishers have started sending me material to review. In the past it has been my policy to try to review every complimentary product that I receive unless I have a good reason not to (frex, I won't review books for which I do not have a setting book for, for a line that I have no knowledge of, or every small adventure I recieve.)

This is no longer practical. I am receiving too many products for me to review with the depth of detail that the readers are accustomed to, and am devoting too much time reviewing to keep up with my other obligations. So effective immediately, I will review products I receive at my own discretion.

If you have concerns about the idea of sending me a product that I might not review, please feel free to send an inquiry to me before sending the product: reviews@d20reviews.com

Generally speaking, small/cheap products (mini-adventures), adventures, ESDs, and setting specific products of settings I am not familiar with are the most likely to be bypassed. I will still consider such items on a case-by-case basis.

 

[Morrus]

Alternatively, publishers can make use of the other staff reviewer, Simon Collins.

Psion, do you think a third staff reviewer is perhaps needed?

 

[Khan the Warlord]

Psion, do you think a third staff reviewer is perhaps needed?

Taking any applications?

 

[Morrus]

Well, if we do feel we need a new one, I'll do the same as I did when I invited Simon on board - look through the reviews page for people who have consistently written a decent number of quality reviews and then drop them a mail and see if they're interested.

 

[Khan the Warlord]

ACK... I just adopted a new system of reviewing that I wanted to implement, as my old one was horrid.

Oh well... lol.

 

[Psion]

Psion, do you think a third staff reviewer is perhaps needed?

I don't know. To what effect? Is "having everything reviewed by a staff reviewer" a goal? Then probably, yes. But if you are just concerned about keeping overall volume of reivews, I am not so sure that it is really necessary. I probably won't be reviewing less products than I was at the beginning of the year.

This post has more to do with the fact that I have problems saying no to free product, but in terms of my time, the product isn't really free to me. Last month, I was reviewing 3-5 products a week. As it takes me 2-6 hours to put a review together, that meant that most of my free time was spent reviewing, and it was really cutting into my family time, gaming time, and other obligations. To be honest, I was really getting burned out. 1-3 reviews a week would be a lot more comfortable to me.

More than anything else, this is a notice to publishers. I don't think it would be fair to them to have built up an expectation of seeing almost everything that they send reviewed as I have in the past, and then suddenly betray those expextations without notice.

 

[trancejeremy]

Well, if any publisher wants to send me the piddly stuff no one else wants to review, feel free. I have depressingly large amounts of free time.

 

[Psion]

Well, if any publisher wants to send me the piddly stuff no one else wants to review, feel free. I have depressingly large amounts of free time.

Where do you live. Maybe I'll forward some to you.

 

[FullTinCan]

trancejeremy has my vote

Psion, I second your recommendation of sending trancejeremy material for review He is prolific to say nothing else (#4 @ EnWorld). His reviews are detailed and provide me with information about whether I may want to purchase the product.

So, if we start voting, I vote for trancejeremy.