The PDF Review Project

[Crothian]

A follow-up question: When we do post a new review, should we post a new thread here (or in another forum) about it? It would certainly draw attention to the review, which could otherwise be quietly posted and missed, but on the other than, this might spam the forums here with notices that new reviews are up.

Use your best judgement here. At times people do start threads about a review they have written. But most of the time people don't. I'd love to have a review forum to discuss revewing in general and reviews in particular. Right now though unless there is really something about the review that you want other people opnions on don't start a thread on it.

 

[HellHound]

Can you expand on this? What are "trustworthy" reviewers? Why do publisher stopped sending copies to review?

RANT ALERT!

We actually produced a 'black list' a few years ago, of sites and organizations we will not send review copies to any more.

A few years ago, my daughters wrote and illustrated a book. They then spent their savings to print 100 copies of the book to bring to GenCon with them and sold them through the Mystic Eye Games booth (thanks MEG!). Now think about it, Gelfling #1 was only 10 years old, and Gelfling #2 was 6, and they spent their own money to print and bind these for GenCon.

In addition to a few people just grabbing copies of the book and not paying for them, we had several people ask for review copies, and the girls agreed to it.

Of them, NONE became actual reviews. Not one.

 

[Crothian]

Can you expand on this? What are "trustworthy" reviewers? Why do publisher stopped sending copies to review?

Take this with a grain of salt, I hear things I put things together. But I am not a publisher and never have been so my viuew on thigs is dsifferent.

A Trustworthy reviewer is someone who will write a review of the book they get sent. They will not be all fanboyish and will be honest about the review good or bad. Some companies stop sending out review copies becasue they never see any reviews. I've heard companies that used to send out 50 review copies and get maybe 3 reviewis. I have no idea if those numbers are accurate, but I feel that people who get review copies have a responsibility to get them reivewed.

Now, I have to admit I am one of those that does not review everything I get. So, I'm part of the problem and I don't want to be part of the problem.

 

[PJ-Mason]

Interesting. Why do you think that's so?

I think its because:

1) the reviews are right there, you don't have to go to another website to read a review. Just click and read. So the ones on RPGNow are more convient. Convience = usage = effect.

2) The reviews are short! One or two paragraphs is all you need. Maybe even a handful of sentences as long as you are concise. I think the average person does not want to read through a review thats as long as the pdf itself! Oy. This notion that reviews have to be a certain length is poppycock! After 5 or 10 minutes of reading a review the words start to blur i start to feel like charlie brown talking to one of his teachers "Wah wah, wah,wah,wah"
Sure one sentence reviews like "This sux" or "The greatest book evar" are next to useless. But going to the other extreme is just as bad. I think Long winded reviews often get ignored halfway through.

 

[PJ-Mason]

RANT ALERT!

We actually produced a 'black list' a few years ago, of sites and organizations we will not send review copies to any more.

A few years ago, my daughters wrote and illustrated a book. They then spent their savings to print 100 copies of the book to bring to GenCon with them and sold them through the Mystic Eye Games booth (thanks MEG!). Now think about it, Gelfling #1 was only 10 years old, and Gelfling #2 was 6, and they spent their own money to print and bind these for GenCon.

In addition to a few people just grabbing copies of the book and not paying for them, we had several people ask for review copies, and the girls agreed to it.

Of them, NONE became actual reviews. Not one.

Thats pretty brutal. How do you take a free book from a couple of little girls and break a promise to them to give it a review? Damn.

 

[Crothian]

I always wonder whether PDF reviews help sales.

I've reviewed a few PDF products for the German D&D-Gate (so far, 26 reviews in all), but I don't know whether people have bought any book I reviewed good (for example, the Kaser's Bazaar series, or Hot Pursuit, or the wonderful Poisoncraft).

It should be noted that geenerateing sales is not our primary goal. Our main object is to review trhe book and tell people what we think. We can't force people to buy, we can just give them infomraiotn and then it is up to them to do with it what they will.

 

[philreed]

It should be noted that geenerateing sales is not our primary goal. Our main object is to review trhe book and tell people what we think. We can't force people to buy, we can just give them infomraiotn and then it is up to them to do with it what they will.

Exactly. Reviewers and publishers have drastically different goals for -- and expectations from -- reviews. It's best when the two groups can work together to help everyone achieve at least partial success from a review.

 

[Aus_Snow]

1) the reviews are right there, you don't have to go to another website to read a review. Just click and read. So the ones on RPGNow are more convient. Convience = usage = effect.

(Colour mine, to paraphrase some local shorthand).

Point being, RPG dot net was the other site being referred to.

2) The reviews are short! One or two paragraphs is all you need. Maybe even a handful of sentences as long as you are concise. I think the average person does not want to read through a review thats as long as the pdf itself! Oy. This notion that reviews have to be a certain length is poppycock! After 5 or 10 minutes of reading a review the words start to blur i start to feel like charlie brown talking to one of his teachers "Wah wah, wah,wah,wah"

I think you might be right there. But I'm not sure. Is that a good thing to put to the poll, do you think?

Sure one sentence reviews like "This sux" or "The greatest book evar" are next to useless. But going to the other extreme is just as bad. I think Long winded reviews often get ignored halfway through.

Probably, much of the time. If not before. So there goes all the work I've just put into those 20-page (after painstaking editing and proofreading) mini-reviews . *sigh*





.. j/k

 

[Berandor]

It should be noted that geenerateing sales is not our primary goal. Our main object is to review trhe book and tell people what we think. We can't force people to buy, we can just give them infomraiotn and then it is up to them to do with it what they will.

It's just why I don't ask for review copies, and only review what I bought (or where the site itself got a review copy). I'll certainly continue writing reviews, but if I solicitated for a review copy, I'm not sure providing me with one would be a good idea for a publisher (even though I'd certainly write a review, and could point to the ones I've already written as reference), and so I don't ask for one.

If I think a product is worth its price, I'd also be happy to know my review generated sales for it, because I'd want that publisher to succeed. But that's a side effect, and works the other way round with products I don't like.

Oh, and for the ongoing question, my reviews tend to be on the extensive side, i'm afraid. But they're reasonably well-written, and I hope reading them is not a chore that makes your eyes bleed.

 

[jgbrowning]

I wish I knew!

I wouldn't be surprised that it's because there's a large demographic of gamers at rpgnet that aren't as aware of d20 products. Or in other words, a review for a d20 product at ENworld is reaching an already more informed audience so there's less of a chance of getting the "Man, I didn't even know that was out there! I could rip it for my [insert non-d20 game system here] campaign!" responses that often lead to increased sales.

Or, it could be the little green men have better mind rays (and less tinfoil hats) to combat at rpgnet than here at ENworld.

joe b.