Review Group discussion

I was pointed in the direction of StoryOrigin by my publisher last year. The idea is that authors network and trade slots on each other's mailing lists. You make your book available for review copies, and have the option check the reviewer's profile (and archive of reviews) before you send the comp copy. In my experience, around half of the reviewers don't actually leave reviews...so I'd advise against accepting requests from new accounts.

Your book will be listed with others in a promotion, and you share the link around. For example, this is the group I'm currently in https://storyoriginapp.com/to/lRlKkuD

There's also a paid version of the site, but I'm not sure what the added benefit would be. So far, using the plain vanilla has been useful in getting a few reviews, and inspired me to try harder with a mailing list. Anyone else tried it out?

This is the first time I’ve heard of this. I’ll check it out . Thanks

I've been using it for a few months and have found it useful. I haven't really had much luck with reviews (only got 1 so far) but it's been great for collecting newsletter sign-ups (I offer my novella up for free to those who sign up for my newsletter and I've got a decent amount of sign-ups so far). You can also be in group sales through it and I've also sold a few copies from those so far. I'd recommend checking it out based on my few months of experience!

I've used it for a couple of years now and agree with Noor - it's worth checking out.

The features I use the most are the group promotions, swapping mentions in other authors' newsletters (by mutual agreement), integration with several popular email distribution services, and direct ebook downloads. The last may be completely open to anyone with the link or controlled by a subscriber list, e.g., your beta readers or your newsletter subscribers.

The group promotions can be aimed at giveaways of reader magnets to build your email list, publicizing KU reads, sales of ebooks or audiobooks, or reviews of ebooks or audiobooks. For the reviews, Story Origin gives your the history of the potential reviewer, so you can pre-qualify the individual if you wish to.

Story Origin is amazing!!! - Have used it for over a year and can't praise it enough!!! - Having said that, anyone expecting loads of reviews needs to go elsewhere.

At the moment, unless you strike lucky on NetGalley maybe nowhere...

Where StoryOrigin EXCELS is in connecting writers with fellow writers in the same genre, and in enabling newsletter trades and promos to build your email lists. Its owner is unfailingly helpful, and always on hand... I couldn't do without it now. Evan Gow is amazing. Anyway. Strongly recommended.

I've been using StoryOrigin as a reviewer since August 2021. I will say, go easy on the new people. It's difficult to get established as it takes 2 weeks for your reviews to even reflect on your stats.

As a reviewer, you can have 10 titles unreviewed before you're no longer allowed to request more. But I just request (audiobooks) in bulk and almost all of them get approved. It takes a minute to work through the backlog.

I've discovered a lot of amazing authors and series through that site.

I've been using this for a few months now (Since May) as simply a reviewer, I didn't have any idea it was a author review for review site OOPS.

So everything I say is from a reviewer's POV.

I will say, had people not granted me access to their book because I was a new account - I wouldn't have found most of my new favorite authors! So I suggest, you have nothing to lose, so there's no point in denying review request. Very glad they took the chance on me with no stats.


I prefer indie to bestsellers, as most writers on story origin are incredibly underrated and WAY better writers in general in my experience. I always share my reviews all over and cross promote. I am surprised to learn it's actually rare to get reviews? The site sends reminders consistently and a weekly wrap up to anyone who downloads your book - so there should be no reason why anyone is forgetting to leave reviews.

The owner of storyorigin - Evan - is a sweetheart, and VERY attentive - he replies personally to each email he gets and has helped me out a lot if I have any issues. (Usually regarding audiobook codes - they're the bane of my existence)

Story Origin helps me build a mailing list. It's difficult for me to be out there on social media and even harder to post unsolicited ads about my book. The connection with subscribers feels more genuine and personal.
It's a good place to do newsletter swaps with other writers. To get reviews, I agree with other posters; I can't expect much.

The beta reader function is great. We can really control and check the progress. And just like what others had said, I believe Evan is some sort of Superman; he is always there to help personally, especially on weekdays.

Gene wrote: "I was pointed in the direction of StoryOrigin by my publisher last year. The idea is that authors network and trade slots on each other's mailing lists. You make your book available for review copi..."

I use StoryOrigin

really? I am recently using it, but found it no use to me at all except delivery file to reader. I am a children's picture book author, maybe I used it in a wrong way?

It looks like most of the functions have been moved to the paid version. Review copies, reader magnets, etc. are all part of the upgrade.

I'm about to try a KU promo on Story Origins. I had to pay but it's only $10 a month. If this goes well, I'll be using it more.