Review Policy: What I Won't Review and Why
Almost every book blogger has a review policy. It is an important part of how reviews will be accepted and conducted. All authors planning to do submissions should always be sure to read the guidelines stated for the best possible result.
But what exactly does the review policy mean? Most review policies follow the same kind of structure. First you have the contact info, next the set of rules, and finally the preferences. Today I want to talk about what I WON'T review because I think it's important to make clear for all those wondering why I won't go near some genres with a ten foot pole.
1. Christian Fiction: Before I start I want to say that I have nothing against the religion itself. My family is predominantly, okay entirely, christian and I have been a sporadic follower of the religion - though now I lean more toward agnostic.
The reason this is here, is because I have a slight issue of belief when it comes to certain aspects of the genre. One of them, among others, is usually the way faith is typically found or presented. And let me say that I have nothing against the writers of the genre or people who identify with these aspects. It just isn't for me and because of that I don't think I could give a fair review.
2. Scifi: Okay, after christian fiction this should be easy enough to explain. I just don't have any interest in scifi. I've never found the book that would make me fall in love with the genre. Maybe this will one day change but as of now it's on the list of genres I won't review.
3. Horror: Anyone who knows me knows that me and horror don't mix. Ever since I was a teen I've had an aversion to horror movies and books. They have always disturbed me and still do to this day. The closest I ever get to it is mystery/thriller.
Anyways, aside from all that, the short answer is that horror scares me. I refuse to read anything featuring strong horror themes because of my inability to consume media containing it. The genre will keep me up all night with fear and paranoia so I figure it best to stay clear.
4. Non-Fiction: I have never particularly enjoyed much non-fiction and when I do it has to be something I expressly have the desire to pick up on my own. I adore certain aspects of non-fiction but it has to be on a topic or person I am extremely invested in. Previous deep dives into non-fiction have been with books regarding Cleopatra, True Crime, and Admired Celebrities. It's just how I am with this particular genres.
5. Middle Grade: I seriously appreciate middle grade. I love seeing my nephews gush about their favorite MG novels and show me them. It's so important for kids to see themselves in bodies of work, this is especially true for POC.
That being said, MG has never been for me. Even when I was in the primary target audience I never really paid much attention to it. I tended to lean toward YA or Adult, New Adult having very few pickings the the time, even then. There was only one series I can really recall having gotten into with MG but otherwise it wasn't something I paid much attention to - which is the same for me in regards to reviews.
6. Novellas: I actually love a good novella, whether it be a standalone or extra fluff at the end of a series. This being said the reason I won't review it is because I usually can't gather enough notes to write a full review. It just never comes together the way I want so I figure it best to leave it to other reviewers.
No matter what genre an author writes in, their work is still valid and important in some way to the market. These just designate what is and isn't for me. I always love to support writers when I can. However, for most of the listed genres I don't feel like I would enjoy them as a default which would be unfair to the author.
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