Maybe this should be in the reviews section and if someone moves it, I wouldn't mind. But this isn't a review.
If you have a new RPG product out, how do you get people to review it? I wouldn't want to be sent an unsolicited PDF, so I thought I'd ask some people who do reviews. Pundit won't review a PDF but will look at the hard copy when it comes out. That seems quite reasonable. I'm not going to name names in these other cases. A FB friend who does Youtube videos is going to review it.
Another Youtuber says on his FB page that he only looks at messages from people who contribute to his patreon.
Another Youtuber asked for $2,500
When I worked on a newspaper, we did reviews for the benefit of our readers. I did not think reviews were favors for the producers of the movies or books, so I didn't consider soliciting payment.
There are other reviewers that don't let anyone know how to get in touch with them.
Anyone who does reviews here can have the PDFs I just released.
You hope Melan & Prince don't think it's a heartbreaker.
Just package the hardcopy; along with some premium coffee and tobacco, when you send it to Pundit. Great review, guaranteed!!!
Quote from: bryce0lynch;1115708You hope Melan & Prince don't think it's a heartbreaker.
Do you imagine that the OSR isn't 99% heartbreaker. The term was coined when you had to convince a publisher to put out your work and I'm sure the rejected stuff then was as good as most of the things that get on drivethru today. Who the Fuck are Melan and Prince.
Quote from: WillInNewHaven;1115736Do you imagine that the OSR isn't 99% heartbreaker.
You missed a percentage.
Quote from: WillInNewHaven;1115707If you have a new RPG product out, how do you get people to review it?
Have sex with reviewers, then act shocked and offended when you're caught.
Apparently that's how the pros do it.
Quote from: WillInNewHaven;1115707I wouldn't want to be sent an unsolicited PDF, so I thought I'd ask some people who do reviews.
I used to work in a literary agency. Never send unsolicited anything. It goes in the junk file.
Find reviewers, read their reviews, determine if they would be a good fit and then communicate with them.
That way you respect their time and introduce yourself. If the reviewer is decent, they will be upfront about their schedule, needs and interest so you know if they should be sent a copy.
Also, I'm unsure if anyone with reach wants to review a PDF. Everybody likes presents.
Quote from: WillInNewHaven;1115707Another Youtuber says on his FB page that he only looks at messages from people who contribute to his patreon.
That's a good gatekeeping scheme.
Might be worth it, but research their reach.
Quote from: WillInNewHaven;1115707Another Youtuber asked for $2,500
Now that's pay for play bitches!!! LOL.
You will have to determine if that YouTuber has enough reach to be worth that price. Definitely do your math and research before agreeing to any Pay 4 Play arrangement.
If I was launching a Kickstarter I was trying to get to $100k, I'd pay $2.5k if I knew that YT channel had direct reach into the kind of people who buy games like what I was selling on KS. BUT even then, I'd double check to see if a Facebook campaign might be a better use of the dollars for a direct campaign. It's all about balancing the ROI.
BTW for those who might not know, Pay 4 Play is how the entire music industry operates. It's how Instragram stars make their cash. It's so laughably unethical, but its how the sausage is made in the real world.
Quote from: Spinachcat;1115761BTW for those who might not know, Pay 4 Play is how the entire music industry operates. It's how Instragram stars make their cash. It's so laughably unethical, but its how the sausage is made in the real world.
Well that explains the dearth of good music and why Instagram is an unknown void to me. If I were a reviewer I would review anything that looked interesting to me and then lay out the good, the bad and the ugly, along with my enthusiasm or disappointment with the product. I am sure that would create enemies reviewing products that way. How could you possibly be unbiased and give an honest review if the producer was paying you? That would be a worthless review IMO.
"Payola" schemes have been with us since the 1950s.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Payola
Quote from: WillInNewHaven;1115736Who the Fuck are Melan and Prince.
Knowing who (http://beyondfomalhaut.blogspot.com/) some of the prominent reviewers are (https://princeofnothingblogs.wordpress.com/) is also a helpful step (http://endzeitgeist.com/) in securing reviews. You're also posting on a board of someone who reviews many items, if sent a hard copy in Uruguay.
Quote from: WillInNewHaven;1115707If you have a new RPG product out, how do you get people to review it?
Find YouTubers that do reviews of RPGs on their channel. There are plenty of them. Some will want to play a game session first before doing their review, which makes sense. Of course work with a YouTube channel that has your intended customers as its viewers.
And there are DriveThruRPG reviewers that give out 5-star ratings for everything, without really reading the books, that you can try.
I been meaning to start up my bitchute channel. Hell I review your pdf for free even though I am a no name, but I will put it on video and send it to various rpg groups. Maybe they will listen to me.
Quote from: WillInNewHaven;1115736Do you imagine that the OSR isn't 99% heartbreaker. The term was coined when you had to convince a publisher to put out your work and I'm sure the rejected stuff then was as good as most of the things that get on drivethru today. Who the Fuck are Melan and Prince.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]4012[/ATTACH]
Hello, it is indeed nice to meet you. Review standards are here (https://beyondfomalhaut.blogspot.com/2016/08/review-standards.html). I mainly review old-school modules and the occasional supplement; rulesets only occasionally (I usually have little to say about them*). I review things I have an interest in, and buy with my own money. I accept neither money nor review copies - if someone mistakenly sends me one, I either say no, or buy it myself. Suggestions are welcome.
[edit] * Now that I remember, Ynas Midgard (https://ynasmidgard.blogspot.com/) does system reviews, and he is pretty good at it.
Quote from: Spinachcat;1115761Have sex with reviewers, then act shocked and offended when you're caught.
Apparently that's how the pros do it.
I used to work in a literary agency. Never send unsolicited anything. It goes in the junk file.
Find reviewers, read their reviews, determine if they would be a good fit and then communicate with them.
That way you respect their time and introduce yourself. If the reviewer is decent, they will be upfront about their schedule, needs and interest so you know if they should be sent a copy.
Also, I'm unsure if anyone with reach wants to review a PDF. Everybody likes presents.
That's a good gatekeeping scheme.
Might be worth it, but research their reach.
Now that's pay for play bitches!!! LOL.
You will have to determine if that YouTuber has enough reach to be worth that price. Definitely do your math and research before agreeing to any Pay 4 Play arrangement.
If I was launching a Kickstarter I was trying to get to $100k, I'd pay $2.5k if I knew that YT channel had direct reach into the kind of people who buy games like what I was selling on KS. BUT even then, I'd double check to see if a Facebook campaign might be a better use of the dollars for a direct campaign. It's all about balancing the ROI.
BTW for those who might not know, Pay 4 Play is how the entire music industry operates. It's how Instragram stars make their cash. It's so laughably unethical, but its how the sausage is made in the real world.
I think you've hit on some good points. More people may be like Pundit and not want to review from a PDF. When I get the paperback setup, I'll see if that helps.
Fair enough. You know where to find my stuff if you develop an interest. I'm going to check out this Midgard.
Quote from: Spinachcat;1115774"Payola" schemes have been with us since the 1950s.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Payola
"I'm going to sell you 50 tickets that cost $20 each, you can then sell them and play at this battle of the bands."
This is the exact reason I'd rather just play for beer tickets at dance halls than even attempt to get into a bigger venue. It's fucking criminal.
Quote from: WillInNewHaven;1115707Maybe this should be in the reviews section and if someone moves it, I wouldn't mind. But this isn't a review.
If you have a new RPG product out, how do you get people to review it? I wouldn't want to be sent an unsolicited PDF, so I thought I'd ask some people who do reviews. Pundit won't review a PDF but will look at the hard copy when it comes out. That seems quite reasonable. I'm not going to name names in these other cases. A FB friend who does Youtube videos is going to review it.
Another Youtuber says on his FB page that he only looks at messages from people who contribute to his patreon.
Another Youtuber asked for $2,500
When I worked on a newspaper, we did reviews for the benefit of our readers. I did not think reviews were favors for the producers of the movies or books, so I didn't consider soliciting payment.
There are other reviewers that don't let anyone know how to get in touch with them.
Anyone who does reviews here can have the PDFs I just released.
Do not pay 2,500 dollars to get a review for an RPG (you
will lose money). That is an insane amount of money. I have never paid for a review and never would. I can't believe someone is asking for that.
It seems a little harder lately to get reviews (or at least get reviews that are not a drop in the bucket because stuff is so fragmented). Send Pundit a hard copy of the book. He is fair (full disclosure I published one of his books).
I think, you other bets might be a place like Enworld (just check out the review section and look for reviewers who seem like their style might match your game and try contacting them).
Also it doesn't hurt to put the word out that you are looking for reviewers on facebook and twitter.
Also if you are up at Drivethru RPG you can send comp copies to the reviewers they have there. I have had less luck lately getting reviews from them but it doesn't hurt to send them.
I wouldn't pay $2500 either, but ...
Text reviews, especially of old school & non 5e/Pathfinder, are so niche. I recently did a one off review of RDR2 and it generated three times as much traffic as I get on a good day.
Youtube has SUCH a far reach, especially for 5e/Pathfinder. I wonder if it's worth it for marketing reasons? I have no idea how much a facebook/Google ad buy costs.