NetGalley... was it worth it?

Going to dive right in with the bullet points,

I paid $63 USD for a month ebook slot on NetGalley via Victory Editing.

I received 67 requests

28 people liked my cover & 4 did not

In the end I approved 58 of those 67 requests and to date I have 9 reviews total from NetGalley.

Now, how do I feel about this?

Well there are two initial reactions I had. The first was that I was disappointed in how many people actually shared reviews vs how many people requested and did in fact download a copy or two of my book.

The second was probably a more reasonable reaction. A lot of those people who did download chose the option where they would not lose their copy when the NetGalley month ended. So that means all hope is not lost for reviews to still pop up before launch. (Although even if they post after launch that will still be a win in my books)

Another part of NetGalley is that actual librarians and bookshop owners did also request my book. These kinds of accounts likely won’t review at all but its a huge opportunity to get my book out in front of buyers well before it’s out in the world. Hopefully that will increase my chances of getting it into libraries and bookstores at launch.

All-in-all, I found NetGalley extremely easy to use and Victory Editing did a fantastic job answering questions and providing instruction for areas that may have been a little more difficult to navigate.

Regarding the quality of reviews. I do think they were well constructed and gave clear indication for their rating. I do think they more resembled a critic score vs an audience score. But I am very happy with everything I received, even the negative. It is actually funny reading through all the reviews because what one person complains about another said was their favorite part. It really puts things back in perspective and reminds you that readers are judging your stories coming from a place of pure bias. And that’s a really great thing because it allows future readers to know if it’s truly for them or not.

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My final verdict is that I do think this was worth it for my book. It might be low numbers to some, but for me it’s a great start for my book. And hopefully the book will keep getting more and more eyes on it as time rolls on.

I think I would consider it again for a bigger book launch. Not anything I have on my current docket. Mainly because my next release is trying to be as close to free as possible. I might have gone a little overboard with my Requiem budget.

It will be interesting to see if anything else comes of this NetGalley campaign as time goes on since it is now closed. I will definitely keeping tabs on the updates going forward and see if any new reviews pop up! Likely will do another update here if you are interested in hearing more of my experience.

Comment

Getting reviews can be so daunting, but it’s critical for your books success. So while it's uncomfortable and sometimes painful, just remember you aren’t alone and just because a few people hate your work doesn’t mean a few more will think it’s their favourite book. <3

And if you have any questions regarding NetGalley and the Co-op please let me know! I just tried to hit the main points here but can definitely offer more insight if you have any specific questions.

Stay spooky,

That blonde goth wannabe that writes