In Search of the Long Tail: Crowdsourcing the Book Review Process

Today I received an amusing email:

Dear Mr.Howe,
How are you today? I hope you are doing great! I just saw a copy of your book at Barnes & Noble. I read the inside cover and thought you're really onto something and would like to buy it, however I'm getting laid off at the end of the week. I was wondering if you had an extra copy you don't need that you can mail me one to my house. I would really appreciate it a lot.
I hope to find a job soon.
Signed, Christopher Aguirre

My initial thought was, "Sorry about your job buddy, but actually, well, no. I sell these books of mine. It's how my publisher makes money." But as it happens I just received a few dozen copies of the Crowdsourcing Book on Tape. These come on top of a few dozen copies of the UK edition of the book, which arrived on top of my stack of unused galley copies and finished hardbacks of the US edition. In other words, I'm swimming in copies of a book bound for the pulping machine. Which gave me an idea.

The whole point of giving away advance copies is to generate buzz and, ideally, press. We identify individual writers and bloggers we think will be interested in reviewing the book. Then we send them a book, unbiden, and hope for the best. But if you think about it, this is a pretty antiquated system, and neglects the long, long tail of reader-bloggers that are really responsible for driving a book's popularity. Why not turn this equation on its head, and ask the crowd whether they'd like to review the book?

So that's what I'm going to do. While supplies last, I'm willing to send you a copy of the US, UK or audio version of the Crowdsourcing book. All you need to do is post a comment containing your address, a link to your Website and your good faith testament that you do intend to read and review the book, and I'll zip one off to you. **UPDATE: You must provide an URL to an existing blog, or otherwise specify what forum in which you'd like to review the book. We’re crowdsourcing the book review process, not the book reading process, which is, if you think about it, pretty crowdsourcey already.**

And yes, I did send a book to Christopher. Let's all wish him luck with his job search.

Comments

[Tara Nelson]

I would like a copy of your book, please, on audio cassette. I may even publish the review in our community newspaper. But definitely, I will write something on your web site.

Thank you,

Tara Nelson
Managing Editor
The Northern Light
225 Marine Drive
Blaine, WA
98230

[Chris Michaels]

I would love a book and would not only be willing to write it up, but will post it to my twitter, 3 blogs, e-mail distribution, and social networks.

Chris Michaels
1748 Hedon Circle
Camarillo, CA 93010
www.chrisamichaels.com
chrisamichaels.blogger.com
fusionpr.blogger.com
fusionpr.com

[Cathy Johnson]

Thank you for your offer. I would like a copy of the U.S. version of your book as I am intrigued by your statement that "passion is the currency of the 21st century." I planned to get your book from the Seattle Public Library, but it is not in their holdings.

In exchange for the copy of Crowdsourcing, I'll request that the library purchase copies, publish a review on amazon.com, and tell friends and family about the book (I don't have a Web site).

Cathy Johnson
711 Belmont Pl E
Seattle WA 98102

[Sam LaRoe]

Hi Jeff,

I would appreciate the chance to be a part of your experiment - we launch a new version of our site this week so a review will go up on my blog page as well as be twittered.

In the spirit of scientific inquiry, how are you going to measure success?

3600 SW Cedar Hills Blvd. #266
Beaverton, OR 97005

[Andrew Cronk]

I would love to review the book, since our company lives in the crowdsourcing/crowdfunding world. I am not too keen on leaving my personal info in comments, so I emailed you.

Thanks!

[Mattias Persson]

It would be great to have a copy of your audio book. I am sitting at an "entreprenour house" in Sweden where lots of young entreprenours sit. I would love to listen to the book and tell everybody about it. It is a lot easier for me to listen to it on the way to work instead of reading it. Maybe you also want to send a copy for everyone else to read.

Mattias Persson
Svensk Trädgårdsdesign
Umestan företagspark
903 47 Umeå
SWEDEN

[Erno]

Hello Jeff,
Listened to your keynote at eDay last week. Would like to receive a UK version of the book. In return I will put a review of it on my blog www.enthousiasmeren.nl (in Dutch)
Erno Hannink, Seine 10, 7007 MR Doetinchem, the Netherlands.
Thank you so much.
Kind Regards
Erno

[Matt]

Hi Jeff,

I'd be happy to review the book, it's a topic I'm very interested in. I'll post it either on my current blog or - possibly better - on a new blog I'm planning to set up. This could be the impetus for me to actually do it!

60 Leicester Road, LE15 9SD, England.

Any format would be fine. Cheers,

Matt

[Matt]

p.s. happy to look at more creative ways of getting the review read than just posting on a blog, after all it'll have an interesting backstory...

[Daren C. Brabham]

Of course, I already bought my copy...now I just need it signed! When are you coming to the Provo River to fish?

Have you sent a copy to David Silver at the Resource Center for Cyberculture Studies? I would offer to review it for RCCS but I think I'm so immersed in crowdsourcing it would be a conflict of interest to review it rather than a use of my expertise. But maybe Alan, Karthika, or someone else could approach Silver to review it?

Hope all's well.

[Joel McDonald]

Jeff,

What an amazing way to connect with potential readers and reviewers! I'd love to read your book and review it on my website/blog. I prefer reading books in hard copy, so you can mail one, either US or UK, to the following address:

Joel McDonald
1009 Autumn Woods Lane #112
Virginia Beach, VA 23454

I enjoy having authors autograph their works, so if possible, I'd love you to autograph before sending.

Looking forward to reading your book!

- Joel

[Frank Robertson]

I would love to read and review your book (US version)

Frank Robertson
35 Butler Parkway
Summit, NJ 07901

What a great idea!

[Chuck Schmitt]

I would love to have a US copy of your book to review. We are hoping to use crowdsourcing on our website to determine what would help the majority of people have the best relationship possible and then offer it to everyone. Thanks

Chuck Schmitt
Relationship Specialists
1453 NE Orenco Station Pkwy
Hilllsboro, OR 97124

[Perry Schaffer]

With a demonstrated 10 year interest in social networking,etc., since, well, before the term existed (!), I'd be interested in a copy. Happy to read and review...
Perry
SchafferRogers
145 Ave. of the Americas, fl 7
NY, NY 10013

[Carl Morris]

Hi Jeff, this is fantastic and I will be reviewing the book on my new blog http://www.quixoticquisling.com
Carl Morris
33a Despenser Street
Riverside
Cardiff
CF11 6AG
United Kingdom

[Charles Jamieson]

Great idea, Jeff. I was holding out for the paperback...!

Charles Jamieson
c/o Liam Kelleher
12 Keighley Close
London
N7 9RT
United Kingdom

Thanks!

[Tony Schmidt]

Jeff
Please send me an audio copy. I bought a copy, had only thumbed through it and a friend borrowed it. I could listen to it more efficiently anyway. At first glance, I think your views on crowdsourcing are amazing and clear. There is so much talent out there and so few ways to give it voice. My companies current project is trying to do just that. I'll post reviews on Eons and HomeBusinessOnline. Great Stuff Thanks

Tony Schmidt
President
CoolProducts.com
1617 St. Andrews Drive
Lawrence, KS 66049

[mike rochlin]

Hi Jeff, I heard the last bit of an interview with you on NPR and found the wired article. Please send me an electronic copy to my e-mail, above, and I'll review it for Amazon, thanks!

Note: if only hardcopies, then please e-mail & I'll respond with my home mailing address, as I do not want my personal info psoted on the internet.

Mike

[Luke G.]

Hell Jeff,

I would very much like a copy of your UK book please, if you still have one. If not, the US version would be fine, too.
I've followed your crowdsourcing blog from its inception with interest and commented as few times in the early days, as your theme developed.

I will willingly review the book on my blog and talk about it to my friends and work colleagues here in the UK.
I will email my personal address details to you if that's OK.
Thanks.

[Luke G.]

Apologies! Not Hell, Jeff. But Hello Jeff....

[Valentin Bufolin]

Hi Jeff,

this really is a great idea. I've already bought your book but didn't read it jet due to lack of time. If it could be possible to recieve the UK audio version it would be great. I'll definitely speak about your book on my blog, writting a review and my taughts.

Valentin Bufolin
Znidarciceva 32
5290 Sempeter pri Gorici
Slovenia

Thank you and gregards,
Valentin Bufolin

[Jim Casper]

Please send audio version, if possible:

Jim Casper, editor
Lens Culture
8 rue Saint Antoine
75004 Paris
France

http://www.lensculture.com/bookreview.html

Just heard about your book last night in a cab ride back to our hotel from the PICNIC conference in Amsterdam.

Cheers,

Jim

[Steffen]

Hey Jeff,

we would appreciate it a lot to be one of the lucky ones to receive your book ! - we are about to launch a small crowdsourcing startup in berlin so a review will go up on our coming blog page.

shirtfilms
Bürknerstrasse 5
12047 Berlin
Germany

Any format would be fine.
Thanks a lot,
steffen

[Robert Story]

Hi Jeff,

If I'm not too late, I'd enjoy the chance to read (and review) your book.

Best regards,
Robert

Robert Story
Oracle Corporation
7453 T.G. Lee Blvd.
Orlando, FL 32822

[Tim Windsor]

I will review your book on my site, gladly. I'm looking forward to it whether I get a free copy or not.

Tim Windsor
4415 Sedgwick Road
Baltimore, MD 21210