Amazon KDP — Prohibited
- Buying reviews from any service
- Review exchanges (I'll review yours if you review mine)
- Family/friend reviews from same household or IP
- Incentivised reviews — offering anything in exchange
- Asking for specific star ratings
Amazon KDP — Safe Practices
- Soft asks to genuine readers who purchased
- ARC distribution to legitimate reviewers (disclosed)
- Book blogger outreach (no quid pro quo)
- Professional services (Kirkus, Publishers Weekly)
Anti-Obsession Protocol
- Rule 1 — Scheduled Check-ins Only — Monday mornings only. Check reviews once per week maximum. No midnight review checking. No checking during writing time.
- Rule 2 — Time Limits — 15-minute maximum per review session. Set a timer — when it goes off, close the browser. No "just one more platform."
- Rule 3 — Response Protocols — Wait 24 hours before responding to any review. Draft responses offline first. Never respond when emotional.
Negative Review — 4-Step Response
- Close browser immediately.
- 24-hour cooling off — do not return.
- Re-read with distance. Is there useful feedback?
- Decide: ignore, learn from, or rarely respond professionally.
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