The answer to that question is as varied as the
people asking it. The bottom line is, a review is not only gold to an author,
it is a valuable nugget for the reader as well. They provide the author with
validation that someone besides friends and family appreciate their efforts.
Even if the review is less than three stars, it is still beneficial, because,
one, not everyone is going to like a specific book, and, two, maybe there is an
area to improve upon.
There are literally thousands of new books released
each month. When a reader wants something new, they typically start with authors
they know, then move to someone they haven’t read before, relying on
recommendations from friends, social media or suggestions from online retailers
like Amazon to tempt readers with new selections.
Fine, but how do they know what selections to tempt
them with? Simple: Algorithms. A fancy word for numbers. Numbers that are
derived from multiple places, one is which is reviews. And it’s numbers only;
not what you said or how many stars you rated it; just the fact that a review
was posted. The more reviews a book receives, the higher up the food chain it goes
and Amazon will then boost it with promotion.
While Amazon is not the only spot to place a review,
it is the largest. Others like Barnes & Noble, Books a Million and
Goodreads are also great places to post a review. Reviews don’t have to be a dissertation; they can be
as simple or as in depth as you want them to be. Below are some tips to help
you the next time you go to write a review:
1. It
is not necessary to purchase a book from Amazon (or any other retailer) to
leave a book review.
2. Reviews
can be posted at any point, months or even years after you read it. There is no
deadline to post.
3. Reviews
can be long or short; doesn’t matter. You can say something like “I loved the
book and can’t wait for the next one” or go into detail about what you loved.
4. By
the same token, if you really didn’t like the book, take a moment to let the
author know. Contact info is pretty much standard today and an email to say what
you didn’t care for could help the author going forward.
5. When
leaving less than 3 stars, Please. Be kind, not hurtful. “I couldn’t get into
the story” or maybe “didn’t care for this or that character” versus something
like “this is crap.”
Writing is hard work.
Rarely does it flow like a mountain stream. It takes months or even years to
get a quality, finished product to market. And once it’s there, it takes more time
and effort to promote. Most readers, myself included, rely on reviews to help
us select our next favorite book. Are they the final determining factor? No,
but they are extremely important.
So, the next time you
reach ‘the end’ and sigh a contented breath because of the joy you found within
those pages, take two minutes to post a review. Who knows? That may be the
reason the next person picks up that book.
On behalf of writers
everywhere, “thank you for your reviews.”
Awarding winning
author Dana Wayne is a sixth generation Texan and resides in the Piney Woods
with her husband of 39 years (and counting), a Calico cat named Katie, three
children and four grandchildren. She routinely speaks at book clubs, writers groups
and other organizations, and is a frequent guest on numerous writing blogs.
Her debut novel, Secrets of The Heart, was awarded Best
in Texas, Contemporary Romance, 2017 by Texas Association of Authors, was a
finalist for the 2017 Scéal Award for Contemporary Romance, a Reviewers Top
Pick and on the Top 10 Books to Read This Winter from Books & Benches online
magazine. Her second novel, Mail Order
Groom was released in April, 2017, received 5-Star Reviews from Readers
Favorite and Books & Benches online magazine.
Affiliations include Romance Writers of America, Texas Association of Authors, Writers League
of Texas, East Texas Writers Guild, Northeast Texas Writers Organization, and East
Texas Writers Association.
