editorial

Defacing Books Prior to Sending Out For Review

Irene Watson

I got this email a few days ago:

Is it still "very bad form" to put info onto a review book that might hurt the resale value? Right now I paperclip my business card in but I'm thinking of getting a stick-on business card holder and attaching it to the inside front cover.

I addressed this issue in a previous editorial but would like to chat about it again.  I'm not going to regurgitate everything I said but will address some of the concerns: reselling and donating to libraries.
I know there are still many authors that will deface a book because they fear the reviewer will sell the book.  There is no doubt that reviewers do sell the books. This is an excerpt from a self-publishing forum to prove it:

According to an email I received from Midwest boss Jim Cox, the reason Midwest wants finished/final copies is that the reviewers "get paid" with books that they can sell after writing the reviews.
Michael N. Marcus
-- author of "Become a Real Self-Publisher: Don't be a Victim of a Vanity Press"

Perusing the guidelines I find Midwest Book Review requires two copies of the title. I'm not sure why other than selling one or both copies because it only takes one book for one review. Many reviewers feel the sale of their review copy is compensation for time spent reading/reviewing the book and I certainly can't disagree with them. 

Pete Masterson, Author of "Book Design and Production: A Guide for Authors and Publishers" on the same forum recently said:

Review copies you send out are considered "gifts" to the reviewers (whether they review the book or not). So there is nothing practical you can do about review copies that end up being offered for sale online... When review copies show up for sale, it's best to have a positive attitude about it and hopefully the buyer of such a copy will be pleased and recommend it to several friends.

It boils down to a two-way street called "Give and Receive."

But, let's take a look at another reason not to deface, or in the case of the person writing the email above putting a stick-on business card holder inside the cover.

Many reviewers, after the books are read/reviewed, donate them to their local library.  We, for one, donate books that have not been reviewed to local libraries.  According to the librarians I talked to, the chance of the book ending up on the shelf in a library is much greater if it's not defaced or has stickers on it.  Those that are defaced or have "review copy" on them are rejected.

There was a rumor going around one time that libraries will not shelf autographed books because they get stolen.  I called two libraries we donate to and was told they don't have this concern.  I also asked several of my reviewers if books they donate get rejected because the book is autographed and the answer was no.  However, what I did learn is they are apt to keep the book in their personal library if the book is autographed to them personally.

What are your thoughts about defacing a book before sending it out for review? I'd like to hear from you here.

PS - Books for Soldiers Update
as of Sat. Oct. 1st we received:
1408 books
24 music CDs/6 movie DVDs
33 pounds of candy for packing
15 t-shirts with book logo
$10 donation to buy candy

Thank you to all the doners! And, yes, we are still accepting donations on an ongoing basis.

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