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About the author and blogger ...

Anne Goodwin’s drive to understand what makes people tick led to a career in clinical psychology. That same curiosity now powers her fiction.
A prize-winning short-story writer, she has published three novels and a short story collection with small independent press, Inspired Quill. Her debut novel, Sugar and Snails, was shortlisted for the 2016 Polari First Book Prize.
Away from her desk, Anne guides book-loving walkers through the Derbyshire landscape that inspired Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre.
Subscribers to her newsletter can download a free e-book of award-winning short stories.

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Ostriches, elephants and Amazon reviews

30/5/2015

12 Comments

 
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Following last month’s post on reading for my reviews, I thought I’d share a little of what I do with them once they’re written. Obviously the appear on Annecdotal, but where else? Well, there’s Goodreads which drew me in initially as an attractive way of keeping tabs on my reading. Another way I keep track is through the listings on my reading and reviews page although, because I’m better at remembering the book than the author, the alphabetical ordering doesn’t always help. Then there’s Twitter (along with the myriad hashtag days) which can generate some lively discussion and Facebook which, probably because I still don’t know how to work it properly, tends not to. Also, because most of the books I review come from the publishers, I tweet and email them the link; if it’s from one of the Hachette companies involved in Bookbridgr, I also log the review there. That’s quite a lot of admin, but there’s still one glaring omission that troubles me somewhat; it’s not exactly the elephant in the room, but the huge empty space where that elephant should be.

A couple of authors asked me recently if I’d post my reviews of their novels on Amazon. I was gratified that they liked my analysis sufficiently to want it to be more widely available (and, while honest, engaging and respectful, neither were gushing outpourings of adoration), but squirmed at the conflict my desire to be helpful and my reluctance to engage with what looks like a behemoth monopolistic bookseller that exploits a legal loophole to avoid paying a fair amount of tax on its UK income.

To me, leading a moral life entails, not just treating other people decently, but caring for the environment too. It also means not passively colluding with unfair practices and, as Norah Colvin said in her #1000Speak for Compassion post, being attentive to the hidden ecological, public health, social and economic justice consequences of our actions, including what and how we consume. Yet our human limitations, as well as the sociopolitical context of the modern world, militate against this. We make compromises and trade-offs, constantly juggling conflicting priorities, constantly failing to live up to our ideals. The right path isn’t always clear. Should I boycott the organisation that legally contributes a miniscule proportion of its profits to our tax revenue or campaign against the government that enables this to happen? Should I support a fellow author or relieve my own cognitive dissonance, head in the sand, pretending the only Amazon that matters is the female warrior or the 4000 mile South American river.

For many of you, this will be a non-issue. Authors, small-press and indie authors in particular, have little option but to engage with Amazon to bring their words before the world. Readers who support those authors understand the importance of posting a review where it has the best chance of being seen. When my own novel is published in July, I’ll be grateful for the exposure that comes from an Amazon review. Can I be so hypocritical as to refuse to post there myself?

Writing a little while ago about her own Amazon discomfort, Claire King points out that authors aren’t responsible for the struggles faced by bookshops; nor for where readers choose to shop. As readers, we can make an ethical choice about where we spend our money; as writers and as reviewers our power to make a difference is much less. So I’ve decided to start sharing some of my reviews on Amazon. I’m still trying to get to grips with the star rating system (it’s different to the one on Goodreads, but I’m a little uncomfortable with both – expect more on this later!) and with whether I can use the same headers there as I use my posts, so I can’t yet commit to doing it for all my reviews. As I’m also still unsure about the extra admin, it makes sense to prioritise books from small presses that need it most.
Picture© Charli Mills
My leap to this week’s flash fiction prompt won’t seem so clunky if you revert to thinking of Amazon as a powerful woman or a mighty river. In a lovely post, Charli Mills describes attending a garden party in her neighbourhood with a bunch of admirable older women and invites us to compose a 99-word story inspired by this photograph from her own solitary birthday cruise. My contribution has slipped away from the garden but hopefully pays tribute to those older women living life to the full, with a nod to the more melancholy theme of my Valentine’s Day compassion flash:

They eyed me suspiciously as we queued to embark. Evening cruises are for lovers, according to the young. My binoculars dangling from a strap around my neck were meant to place me above all that. But spotting birds holds no appeal without you.

The youngsters scurried below deck to the bar. I wrapped a scarf around my hair, found a seat in the prow. Beyond the jetty, the breeze made my eyes water. Or was it the sunset gilding the mountainside across the lake? I leaned back, contentment washing over me. Absorbed in nature’s romance, the decades rolled away.

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As this will be my last post this month, I thought I’d finish off with a reminder of the twelve novels I’ve reviewed in May. If you’ve missed any, just click on the image and you’ll see the full list.

Look forward to catching up with you again in June!


Thanks for reading. I'd love to know what you think. If you've enjoyed this post, you might like to sign up via the sidebar for regular email updates and/or my quarterly Newsletter.
12 Comments
geoff link
30/5/2015 03:35:36 pm

Just before you said it I wondered about your own book and Amazon and there you have it. As an author now desperately keen for any reviews I find the fight against Amazon as a reason not to post a review rather galling but far be it from me to question your solid principles !! (I know you don't review indie authors anyway, so why should it matter hey!?) And btw, I think I'm right in saying the administration signed up to the first of the double taxation treaties that are the backdrop to Amazon's tax dodging was Callaghan's (I wholly agree with you Amazon's dodging is egregious in the extreme, and while I'm with you that this government should seek to review the treaties however hard it will be and do more than the diverted profits tax which is more than the last labour administration did - did you hear on Friday that Amazon will be re registering in the UK so it will be paying tax in future and avoid the 25% charge http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tech/news/a649125/amazon-is-finally-paying-corporation-tax-on-sales-in-the-uk.html#~pecPavyk5VJkRH A voluntary move apparently, though arguably brought on by, well would you believe it, the Tory tax laws!! It may be the last good thing they do, but credit I think where it is due).
The truth is, of course, that your reviews are so good anyone would want them, even if you aren't fulsome in your praise. I think they are so beautifully forensic that they help the undecided reader. Last week I met fellow blogger and indie author Dylan Hearn and we discussed giving stars. I said I was, like you, not happy with them and finding them difficult to line up against a review that was, as with a lot, good in parts. I'll be interested on your approach when you post it. It might shed some light on my current muddled thinking

Reply
Annecdotist
1/6/2015 07:49:29 am

Thanks, Geoff. I didn't know it was the Callaghan government that started this tax nonsense but totally agree that the left-wing governments (if that was perhaps our last one?) don't always get it right. And thanks for that link – I had heard about that in the news on Friday, but couldn't find anything about it when I did a Google search before posting. Yes indeed, the Tories aren't 100% bad and I haven't forgotten that they did bring in gay marriage.
Of course I knew I'd have to adapt to Amazon when my own book was published, but just wanted to bury my head in the sand and not think about it – but I'm quickly adapting!
Thanks for your and feedback about my reviews. You'll see that Terry Tyler has also left a helpful comment about the stars.

Reply
Norah Colvin link
30/5/2015 11:00:24 pm

I enjoyed reading your thoughts and their processes as you found your way to a decision re posting reviews on Amazon. Sometimes the wave seems so high and the tide so strong that there is little we can do but to give in and let it engulf us. Where is the voice most heard, where is the help most given? Is a lone voice railing against the tide effective in stemming it's flow? Does a hand reaching out with support for others also caught in the tide contribute more to survival within it than drowning from it? Standing true to one's beliefs, and making those moral and ethical decisions, is never easy; and, as you say, there are always compromises and trade-offs to be made. I am comfortable with your decision. Your reviews show support for the author. I guess if the review is on Amazon, then future readers may purchase there, but that is their decision. No doubt they are already there if they are reading your review! I wasn't sure that you could review books not purchased on Amazon - I have only ever "reviewed" two I purchased there - Geoff's and Lori's, so I've learned something new.)
Often when I have mentioned a book in one of my posts I have linked the the book on Amazon (prefer to link to the the Author's website if possible). I had not thought about some of the issues you have raised so appreciate that you have given me more to think about.
I continue to be amazed at the number of books you read and the admin that is required to keep track of them and your reviews.
I enjoyed your flash too: the mix of emotions; the wish for a connection with the past, the medium for doing so and the refusal to let the attitudes of others impede its occurrence. If this episode follows on from the Valentine's flash to which you linked, which it seems to,then it is a very beautiful conclusion to a sad and tragic event. What a strong woman.
Great post.
Oh, and thanks for linking to mine. It makes me sound more wise than I really am. :)

Reply
Annecdotist
1/6/2015 07:54:44 am

Thanks for your detailed and supportive comment, Norah. I particularly like this line:
Does a hand reaching out with support for others also caught in the tide contribute more to survival within it than drowning from it?
And yes, the Amazon reviews are particularly useful in influencing those who have already gone to the store and browsing around, or for people who like to compare. I also found it interesting that you don't need to have made an Amazon purchase to post a review of there, you just have to have an account (which I hadn't used for awhile but hadn't deleted).
Thanks for your feedback on my flash. I was inspired by Charli's voyage (I know she's not old) and the vitality of her friends. It's nice to think of the woman with a husband suffering from dementia managing to move on.

Reply
Terry Tyler
1/6/2015 01:48:13 am

Anne, EVERYONE is unhappy about the Amazon star rating system. It's why I use .5 stars, too, and round up or down! And yes, it's different from Goodreads - I've been asked before why I'll give 4* on Amazon but 3* on Goodreads! It's because they mean the same thing...

As far as Amazon reviews goes, I respect your point of view, but, yes, to be honest it's the place that matters when it comes to getting your books seen, so it's where writers want their reviews. I very much agree with what Clare King says! The retail world changes all the time, and this is how it has changed in the 21st century. I'm not saying it's a good thing, it just IS. I think you've made the right decision!

Reply
Annecdotist
1/6/2015 09:35:38 am

Thanks, Terry, and you're right about Amazon – it's a matter of adapting to the world as it is rather than how we'd like it to be. As for the ratings, I'm sure I'll get my head round it one day!

Reply
Ariel link
1/6/2015 05:45:12 am

A very thoughtful post on reviews and Amazin and congrats on your own book being published soon! I love your flash fiction piece too! I feel I'm right there with the character.

Reply
Annecdotist
1/6/2015 09:36:24 am

Thanks, Ariel, lovely to have your feedback here.

Reply
Charli Mills
1/6/2015 11:12:41 am

The world is so full of complexities that it's hard to be pure with our ideals. Having worked as a marketer for what is considered to be an ethical industry (cooperatives, local farmers, organic food) I have seen compromises made in order to do business. I loathe Wal-Mart and everything it stands for, yet living in a remote area I often need to go there.

Amazon is definitely one of those complex compromises for both readers and authors. I support independent book dealers when I can. But I've had to switch to reading a Kindle. I researched other reader options and felt Kindle was the best for me. I actually read more indies now than before. The marketplace for authors is such that Amazon Reviews will improve a book's visibility. The publishing industry is a chaotic marketplace and it's hard to deny that Amazon paves many paths smooth. I'm glad you take a stand for your business ethics while also weighing that against the support you want to give authors in an industry they don't have much control.

I like your take on the prompt and how it ties to your Valentine's Day story. It explores what our notion of romance is -- can we have a romantic dinner out or a romantic evening cruise alone? If we have had a loved one pass or suffering in a way that the other can't be present, it is a bold stand to go on a romantic outing alone. After all, romance is tied up in our emotions and perhaps memories. Carrying on, doing something both used to share, or taking time to reflect might be all the romance one has left.

Reply
Annecdotist
3/6/2015 03:28:37 am

Thanks, Charli. You make a good point about ethical businesses still having to engage with the marketplace as it is – we all make compromises every day.
Thanks too for your lovely commentary on my flash. One of the (many) things I like about getting older is how much pleasure I can get from seeing young people expressing their love (no, not in that way! – I'm not a pervert – just kisses and cuddles) in public. And, while I'm not big on romance, I hope I'll be able to take my share of it if/when I'm without a partner. Actually, your comments remind me of a scene in my novel where the main character goes for a meal alone in the restaurant where she used to go with her partner (who's now abroad) and has a lovely time, enhanced by a surprise phone call from him.
(Oh dear, I hope that's not a spoiler!)

Reply
Irene Waters link
1/6/2015 10:54:58 pm

Amazon is an interesting beast and one that I think the majority of authors now cannot avoid -- even if they have a mainstream publisher. The rating system is an interesting one and one that really can't be used for much purpose. I presented a paper and discussed why the stars can't be used as a guide to what the book is like until there are possibly many reviews (and most books don't reach those numbers) Stars can be bought with the most famous being Todd Rutherford who was making $28,000 a month selling reviews. His web site didn't last long but he isn't the only one selling them and there are many other ways of cooking the stars also. I'll be interested to hear what your take on the star system is. However, for the majority of authors this is what is available and to sell books you have to go with it.
Moving flash.

Reply
Annecdotist
3/6/2015 03:32:31 am

Thanks for sharing this perspective, Irene. I'm interested in your paper and wonder if it was based on statistical analysis? Have you posted a summary on your blog? I think – but it's a long time since I studied statistics – the star system would be more useful if it followed the "normal distribution" with the bulk of ratings in the middle of the scale and the extremes reserved for unusual cases, but there seems to be a big emphasis among writers about getting a body of 5* reviews. Oh, yes, and such potential for corruption in the system but, as you say, we're probably stuck with it.

Reply



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