Fake reviews on-line

[HelenaWojtczak]

Maybe it's the pain pills talking, but I can't imagine feeling so passionate about a book to write a review, positive or negative.

I do occasionally leave reviews. Negative to warn people before they buy that the book is full of nonsense or badly-written etc; positive if I want to congratulate the author.

Authors do read their Amazon reviews, so it's a way to give them feedback direct rather than going through the tedious business of writing to them snail mail via the publisher.

[Errata]

Maybe it's the pain pills talking, but I can't imagine feeling so passionate about a book to write a review, positive or negative. I think I've always viewed online reviews as a little suspect, assuming them to either be the product of the authors friends, or the product of a bunch of people who honestly believe I give a crap what they think. And that can't be sane. Right?

[Cogidubnus]

I've only ever reviewed one book on Amazon, and that was Chris Scott's recent novel, The King Sword...I gave it a four star rating (which may even be a tad ungenerous) because I thought the book thoroughly deserved it...If I thought otherwise I doubt I'd have bothered reviewing it...

I don't see the point in publishing a fake review...it discredits both the reviewer and the website as much as it does the auuthor concerned...and longer term who's fooled by it?

All the best

Dave

[007]

Who told you that myth?

I've heard it and read it many times from many folks over the decades. I generally just chuckle to myself when hearing it. It's a nice sentiment, but not reflective of reality, IMHO.

[HelenaWojtczak]

How sad that these fake reviews happen. Once again, the "goodness" of mankind proves itself a myth.

Who told you that myth?

[007]

I've only put two reviews up on books in the past, and both times I knew the authors. But I gave my true feelings about the books, and it never even occured to me to put up negative reviews on "competing" books. How sad that these fake reviews happen. Once again, the "goodness" of mankind proves itself a myth.

[HelenaWojtczak]

Sadly, it's becoming the norm. There are dozens of writers in facebook groups who spend all their time 'swapping reviews',

Hi guys

I was invited by a member of a Yahoo group to which I belong to do a 5 star review swap. I declined, not only because of the moral dimension, but because she only wanted me to write an excellent review, not a critical one. I'd have felt just as much a fraud leaving her book a review it didn't deserve as I would receiving one.

But the trouble now is, IF it's the norm, those of us who aren't doing it look like we are producing bad books!

I hope I get lots of fake good reviews of my Chapman book

[JDow]

Sadly, it's becoming the norm. There are dozens of writers in facebook groups who spend all their time 'swapping reviews', many of them with identical wording. The problem is, that there are an equal number of incensed readers in fracebook groups who hunt down anyone who looks a bit shifty and leaves a 1 star review (again, usually identically worded).

One of my own books (and one I happen to think is reasonably good) had two (genuine) 5-star reviews. It now also has a 1 star review.

Personally, I don't really care. I write the damn things for people to read, not for people to write about.

[Fisherman]

Thatīs just so sad, Don. Thanks anyway for telling me something I didnīt want to know, if you take my meaning..!

The best,
Fisherman

[Supe]

Christer,

"I know from experience it is pretty much the norm."

OK, maybe norm was too strong, but certainly prevalent -- and close to the norm among those who self-publish. And no, I have not checked every book against reviews but base my opinion on those authors I know. Indeed, I have just recently seen several authors flogging their books with the line "Write a review on Amazon" knowing full well anyone thus solicited is not going to say "An utter waste of wood pulp."

But then anyone who puts any faith in Amazon, or other on-line, reviews is likely a believer in Nigerian legacies.

Don.

[Fisherman]

Don:

"I know from experience it is pretty much the norm."

Please tell me youīre kidding ...? Sounds too pathetic to be true.

The best,
Fisherman

[HelenaWojtczak]

If you really want to see some spectacular fake reviews, look up How to Avoid Huge Ships.

Very funny!

[Errata]

If you really want to see some spectacular fake reviews, look up How to Avoid Huge Ships.

[Supe]

Helena,

Hey, what if I'm the only mug on Amazon with no fake reviews!

Nope, I don't do it either. But I know from experience it is pretty much the norm.

Don.

[HelenaWojtczak]

Helena:

"for what? Vanity or greed?"

Must we choose ...?

The best,
Fisherman

Ha! yeah, got me there. But it could be one or t'other. Did he do it to increase sales, or to get the star ratings up?

I bet thousands do it. He just got caught. Hey, what if I'm the only mug on Amazon with no fake reviews!