You just finished a great book. It was riveting, engaging, unique. The witty dialogue, the well-developed characters, the vivid setting…something about that book made you eagerly turn the pages. What happens now? You go back to the library, or bookstore, or online to see what else the author has written or if another title is coming out soon. Hopefully, you find another good read, or two, or three. Then, start reading again!
Except that you forgot a critical step, the step that makes that author able to release a new book for you to love: leaving a book review.
Book reviews are so helpful in finding a new book to love! I'm sure you peek at a few yourself. But reviews aren’t only useful to potential readers; they’re helpful to authors as well, especially the indie ones.
Reviews raise the visibility of a book, and they’re great marketing tools for authors to quote in ads and social media. They help new readers find my books (yay sales!) but they also help me make my next book better.
Star ratings on Amazon or Goodreads are great, but what really makes an impact is a written review.
Did you just have flashbacks to school book reports and punishing homework? There’s no grade, so don’t worry. I know, you’re thinking, “Heather, you do the words, and then I read the words. I don’t wanna write.”
Reviews don’t need a synopsis of the book and it's horrible to give away the ending or the twist . What other readers want is what YOU thought of it and WHY. A few sentences with your honest thoughts makes a big difference to prospective readers and to the author. Share what you loved.
I firmly believe that readers are under no obligation to leave a rating or a review. Not ever. It’s simply a nice way to say thank you. But if you want to support indie authors in niche markets, then reviews are essential. Authors like me need reviews in order to bring out another fabulous book for you to enjoy.
You have the power to make that happen!