This week’s Blog Hop question is: How do you turn down a review request?
I try to respond to emailed requests even if I’m declining. I don’t always, if it’s an obvious mass-email, but if a publisher or author sends a direct email offering me a copy of their book for a review, I think it’s polite to respond. Besides, even if I don’t want this one, I might want their next one, so I’d like to have them think of me positively!
It’s actually pretty easy to write a quick email, because I end up declining books for one of two reasons. First, I don’t accept ebooks because I don’t have an ereader and can’t focus on a novel-length work on my laptop screen–so I can’t really give a fair review to that. Second, books I decline are mostly pretty wildly outside the genres I read. It’s not that hard to explain refusing a non-fiction memoir about war (for example) when my blog generally covers YA and fantasy…
I’m not sure there’s a lot of variation in how review requests can be refused, but anyone else have thoughts or tips? 🙂
I am very similar to you Cheryl. If an author or publisher has taken the time to email me with a request I will take the time to reply too. I also mostly turn books down if they are genre I don’t usually read. One because I factor in my enjoyment but also because it wouldn’t necessarily be a fair review if its a genre I know little about.
I don’t respond unless I’m accepting the review. I feel bad about it, but I get a lot of requests, and if I responded personally to all of the ones I turned down, it would take a lot of time away from reading and participating in the blogging community.
Carl, I’m, with you. Unless it is someone with whom I have a relationship, I don’t respond unless I want the book. I can’t imagine that I’m all that special to most authors/publishers/publicists and so I figure if I got the email so did hundreds of other folks and who wants to read hundreds of “no thanks” emails?
I always answer whether it is yes or no. It is polite.
Declining is tricky, but it can be done graciously as I have seen from many answers today including mine. 🙂
Stop by for my full answer if you like.
Happy Hopping!!
Elizabeth
Silver’s Reviews
My Blog Hop Answer
I do the same if it’s a book I don’t want to read and it’s sent to lots of bloggers and not just me.
I like what you said about keeping your options open with some publishers by writing a polite e-mail declining to review. If they later want to consider you again as a reviewer of a different book, it’s good that they have a favorable opinion of you. Always wise not to burn bridges!
I used to be good about doing this but so often now they appear to be canned emails with just my name put in and I get so many that I’ve stopped responding. I figure the request was unsolicited so there is no etiquette that says I must respond to something I did not request. I do feel bad about it sometimes.