More goings on at Amazon

Misfit · Post by **Misfit** » Tue November 30th, 2010, 2:42 am

Spotted mention of this linkover at Amazon today,

Hi. I am looking for an English speaking, good article writer to write 25 Amazon product review style articles for me within about 2-3 days at most. If you are good, I will have lots of future work for you too.

Budget on this job is $65. I will send you the links to the products and a video explaining how they are to be written. Looking for someone who is dependable and will do what they promise.

PM me your samples and information if interested.

CC

Margaret · Post by **Margaret** » Tue November 30th, 2010, 3:24 am

OMG, Misfit - that is just brazen! The pay is hideously low, too, even though the "reviewer" is obviously not expected to read anything. (It's possible the products to be reviewed may not be books.)

michellemoran · Post by **michellemoran** » Tue November 30th, 2010, 9:31 am

$65 for TWENTY-FIVE reviews?! Not only is it unethical, it's incredibly stingy. I hope this was a joke.

michellemoran · Post by **michellemoran** » Tue November 30th, 2010, 9:32 am

WOW - just clicked your link Misfit. Sadly... not a joke.

Misfit · Post by **Misfit** » Tue November 30th, 2010, 12:14 pm

[quote=""michellemoran""]WOW - just clicked your link Misfit. Sadly... not a joke.[/quote]

I am wondering if that's where Harriet gets all of her assistant reviewer elves

LoobyG · Post by **LoobyG** » Tue November 30th, 2010, 5:54 pm

After reading this thread and seeing all the shenanigans that go on at Amazon and places, I'm eternally grateful for this wonderful forum. With all the recommendations and seeing what everyone else is reading, I don't have time to look elsewhere! I don't know what I did before I stumbled across HFO

fljustice · Post by **fljustice** » Tue November 30th, 2010, 5:59 pm

[quote=""Libby""]I think that when you're a first time author it's an uphill struggle to get your book noticed...My problem is that if I didn't try to help publicise the book by bringing it to the attention of bloggers and mentioning it on forums I belong to (though that is never the reason for joining a forum) how would anyone hear about it? And should I say to my online friends 'please don't review my book because some people don't believe reviewers who don't have a track record'?[/quote]

A clear problem for first time/small press/self-published authors. When I look at my Amazon.com reviews, there is one from a friend, two from complete strangers, and the rest are from people who received review copies in hopes that: 1) they would read the book 2) they'd like it enough to review it and 3) they would post their reviews on their own sites. When the 5-star reviews started pouring in, I was tremendously conflicted. "Yeah! They liked it! Oh, no! Everyone will think they are fakes!" I was so happy when someone finally gave me a 3-star review, it was pathetic.

And as a reader/reviewer, I tend to only review books I like. So like several others on HFO, if anyone looked up my Amazon profile, they would find only a handful of reviews and all 4-5 stars. No friends and no lists. More critical reviews and reading lists are saved for "cataloging" sites like Library Thing and Bookcrossing.

michellemoran · Post by **michellemoran** » Tue November 30th, 2010, 6:06 pm

I know exactly what you're saying, fljustice. Whenever someone reviews one of my books and it's their first review, I actually cringe. Which isn't right, of course, since everyone has to start somewhere, but that's how it is.

And as a reader/reviewer, I tend to only review books I like. So like several others on HFO, if anyone looked up my Amazon profile, they would find only a handful of reviews and all 4-5 stars.

Same here.

Libby · Post by **Libby** » Tue November 30th, 2010, 9:43 pm

[quote=""Misfit""]Spotted mention of this linkover at Amazon today,[/quote]

I know that this is for real. I've done some copywriting and one of these people sent me an email asking me if I was interested in doing this. And I also had one asking me if I was interested in writing essays for students to buy.

Misfit · Post by **Misfit** » Tue November 30th, 2010, 10:20 pm

[quote=""Libby""]I know that this is for real. I've done some copywriting and one of these people sent me an email asking me if I was interested in doing this. And I also had one asking me if I was interested in writing essays for students to buy.

[/quote]

You see why everyone is over at HFO and Goodreads these days? The few reviewers I've come across and trust are already at one or both of those sites so I only go to Ammy to browse or to amuse myself at the latest Antics