Believe it or not, Christmas is coming. This holiday seems to spring upon us with no warning, and it will apparently always take us by surprise. Regardless of where we are at in the course of a year, I know with absolute certainty what the author in your life wants for Christmas.
Book reviews.
While these are the best gifts in the world for every author, it’s awkward to keep asking for them. I’m here to tell you that writers never ever think, “You know what? I think I want to be a writer so I can ask readers to leave book reviews.” I promise. But we cannot help ourselves.
And here I am, like Julia Roberts in Notting Hill – just a girl, standing in front of a reader, begging for a book review.
Why Authors Want Book Reviews
Readers may imagine that there are rooms where writers sit around, reading their book reviews out loud to each other and feeling great about themselves.
While this sounds fun, it doesn’t happen. Some authors read book reviews and others don’t, but they just read the reviews alone. Usually in a quiet room, slaving away on a project and wrestling with the right words to use. And while authors didn’t get into the publishing game to beg for book reviews, every single writer wants them.
Book reviews give work credibility. I always tell readers that I don’t read my book reviews, and this is true. I don’t want readers to just “be nice” or say things they think I might want to hear. Honest reviews show that books resonate with some readers and not with others, even when the book is of good quality. There is no way that any book can get perfect reviews all of the time.
Book reviews help authors reach their audiences. Consumers read reviews about everything, and books are no different. Reviews help prospective readers take a taste of the book before deciding whether or not to invest time and money into it. Book reviews let readers know the gist of the story without giving anything important away, and helps build an audience of interested readers.
Book reviews open doors to broader marketing opportunities. Book marketing companies want to build and maintain good reputations by promoting high-quality work. When a book has several reviews – the magic amount seems to be 25 – it shows that the author is serious about presenting herself and her work to the public.
How do I Even Leave a Book Review?
Readers think that leaving a book review has to be involved and time-consuming, but it doesn’t. A book review can be as simple or as in-depth as the reader wants it to be.
This graphic gives suggestions about how to write a more comprehensive book review. To write a shorter book review, you can include:
- What drew you to read the book
- What you liked about it
- What you didn’t like about it
- Your favorite part
- Who you would recommend this book to
That’s it!
Where Do I Leave a Book Review?
The best places to leave book reviews include where books are sold online. Start with Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and iBooks. Another good place to leave a book review is on Goodreads. You can also leave reviews on various social media outlets or on blogs. Find the book and the author on these outlets and leave book review, it’s that easy!
Regardless of where you decide to leave book reviews, you can be sure of one thing.
You will make an author insanely happy.
______________________________
Bio: Kelly Wilson is an author and comedian who entertains and inspires with stories of humor, healing, and hope. She is the author of Live Cheap and Free, Don’t Punch People in the Junk, and Kelly Wilson’s The Art of Seduction: Nine Easy Ways to Get Sex From Your Mate. Her book Caskets From Costco has been chosen as a finalist in the 18th annual Foreword Reviews’ INDIEFAB Book of the Year Awards, the 10th annual National Indie Excellence Book Awards, and the 2016 Readers’ Favorite International Book Award Contest. Kelly Wilson currently writes for a living and lives with her Magically Delicious husband, junk-punching children, dog, cat, and stereotypical minivan in Portland, Oregon. Read more about her at www.wilsonwrites.com and on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.