Last week I gave a few people copies of books that I had read and thought they would also love. Over the weekend I got many messages saying how much they loved the books.
When I asked them to go to Amazon and do a book review, the answers I got were mainly, “Oh I couldn’t do that. I don’t know how to write a review.”
I asked them, “Well, did you like the book? What was it about it that you liked? Was it well written? Did you enjoy the characters?” If you know the answers to those questions, then you can write a review. Why is this so important? Well, reviews are one thing that help an author push the book forward. This is most important when it’s a first book or an indie author who is doing double duty as a writer and probably has a full time job to support their family. Every review makes a difference and every author is grateful for each one.
Your review could be the reason someone takes a step out of their reading comfort zone, and introduces them to a new author, a new story or an entirely new genre.
So the next time you read something that makes you laugh, makes you cry or is that rare combination of entertainment and education, just go to Amazon or Goodreads and just use your own words to let the author and other readers what you thought about their work.
P
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One response to “Book Reviews”
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Patricia, thank you so much for posting this public service announcement. As an independent author who’s given up his comfortable day job to pursue his passion as a writer, I can’t reiterate how important public (especially Amazon) reviews are to both the author’s success and browsers’ purchase decisions. Insiders reveal that after the book genre and book description, the number and quality of reviews attached to a book is the most important factor in swaying an online browser’s purchase decision.
Unfortunately, only about one in a hundred readers/purchasers of a book purchased online take the time to leave a review, even though both the author and Amazon generally asks the reader at the end of the book to do so. A direct link is provided to make this process as simple as possible for someone reading the book on any Kindle-enabled electronic device.
If people are hedging because they don’t know how to give a review or are worried about not appearing articulate, all you really have to do is give a 3-4 word ‘headline’ description such as: ‘Smart, fast-paced, and witty’, click on the star rating (1 to 5), then add a few sentences about what they liked, or didn’t like about the book. This not only helps an online browser better understand if the book’s style, subject, and content will appeal to their own reading preferences, but also helps the author better understand what elements of the book resonated or not. This helps every author continually improve their craft, which helps all readers in the long run.
Please, please – if you take the time to read a book purchased online, all it takes is a few minutes of your time to help authors and readers alike optimize their writing and reading experience!
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