One Author's Relationship with Reviews

 

TOMORROW my newest book releases! #39!! The Indebted Earl, book three in the Serendipity & Secrets Regency series officially comes out, though review copies went out a few weeks ago and some retail places have shipped early. I’m so excited for this book to get into readers hands, and to find out what people think about it. Which got me to thinking about reviews and my relationship with them.

There are lots of things to say and think about book reviews, and I’ll try to bullet point them here for clarity. I apologize for the long post, but there are so many things to say!

What is a book review?

• Simply, it’s a reader’s thoughts on a book. What they liked or didn’t like, felt, or enjoyed about a book. Would they recommend this book? Why or why not?

• It often includes a rating…one to five stars, one being “BLECH, hated this,” five being “BEST book ever!” Amazon now allows you to rate a book without leaving a review...but the written review means more and is more helpful to both the author and the consumer than just a star rating.

• Posted on social media, often in a variety of places. Book sellers, blogs, Instagram, Facebook, or other social platform. The wider the dispersion of reviews, the more people can be reached with word about the book!

 

What does a book review do for an author? (This is not an exhaustive list, but it should cover most of the basics.)

• Increases visibility in different ways. The more written reviews a book has on retail sites like amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Christianbook, the more these platforms will spread the word about the book. It will be seen in the “Also bought” ribbon across the middle of other book listings, it will appear as suggested for you on people’s amazon home pages and it becomes a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy. The more popular a book is, the more it will be promoted, and thus become more popular. In addition, a book that is shared on Instagram or FB is seen by thousands as it gains momentum. In one three day ‘Social Media Takeover Tour’ I participated in, my book cover was seen by nearly 90,000 people who otherwise wouldn’t have known about my story. I received word from several people that they "just had to buy the book, because they were seeing it EVERYWHERE!" Yay! Just the result for which I hoped!

• It gives the author feedback. Reviews are a good way for an author to get feedback on their stories. When our books go to press, we have very little way to know if the story is resonating with readers other than by reviews and feedback. We can judge whether we've hit the mark with our story, is it being well received, is there anything we should change in the next one based on what readers are saying?

• Encouragement (and discouragement upon occasion) Writing is a solitary existence. Authors are in their heads, creating story worlds, and not knowing the impact our words will have, until we hear through reviews that we’ve nailed it…or not. (More about that later.)

• Gives a good metric to our publishers on how the books are doing. If you’re getting lots of good feedback through reviews, the publisher is more likely to sign you to another contract than if there are terrible reviews or worse…crickets.

• The number of reviews a book has can edge it into promotional goldmine territory such as BookBub. In order to qualify for some promotions on sites like BookBub, a book needs to have already gained a certain amount of traction via reviews.

• Positive book reviews increase sales. People are more likely to buy a book that has many positive reviews than one that has very few. People are more likely to see a book on a retail site if it has positive reviews. There are certain benchmarks that the amazon algorithm has that increases visibility for books that have 50, 100, 200 reviews.

What does a book review do for a reader?

• Saves time and money. Reading reviews, especially well-crafted reviews, helps a consumer know whether they will like a product.

• Introduces the reader to unknown-to-them authors. Through increased visibility, it’s easier for readers to find you on the retail sites.

• Gives comparisons so readers can identify easily the style of book they're thinking of buying. Often a book review will state “Readers of _____________ will enjoy this book.

• Word of mouth is still the best way to sell something, and by leaving reviews, it’s like word of mouth advertising that allows you to reach WAY more people than if you just stood on a street corner and talked to passers by!

What makes a good, well-written book review?

• A good book review will include what you liked and didn’t like. It’s okay to say you didn’t LOVE everything about a book. Was the middle a bit slow? Did it take you some time to get into the story? Did you want to smack the heroine at the beginning? But also include what you DID like. Was the action exciting? Was the romance swoony? Did you relate to the characters’ struggles? A balanced review is more trustworthy than a hit job or a book gush.

• Keep your review focused on the book, not the author. No personal attacks, please! If you didn’t like the book, it’s okay to say, this turned out not to be to my taste, and to say why, but don’t say something like “This author couldn’t write her way out of a wet paper bag.” That’s just mean.

• Don’t give away the plot/spoilers. Keep the secrets of the book. You can say, “I never saw the ending coming!” or “The plot twisted more than a rattler slipping through a prickly pear patch!” but don’t give away all the secrets of the book. Knowing all the plot twists and surprises ruins the experience for the next reader and also deflates an author who worked so hard to surprise readers only to have the gaff blown by a reviewer.

• Please don’t leave a review for something that is outside the author’s control. If the book arrived damaged in the mail, don’t give it a one-star review. The author can’t help what happens in the USPS, and your one star review will bring down the book’s rating average like a cinderblock in a lake.

• If you received the book through a review program from the publisher, note that at the end of your review, and state that all your opinions are your own. You’re not obligated to leave a favorable review just because you were gifted the book. But you do have to let people know if you received a free copy.

The relationships of authors and reviews:

• · I’ll say it up front. It can be difficult when someone says your baby is ugly. Especially the first time you hear it. You can walk in the humiliation of it all day. And for some authors, they never get over reading an unfavorable review.

• It is LOVELY to read a review that not only is positive, but one where you KNOW the reader totally got what you were trying to say in telling your story.

• Both the total number and the number of positive reviews can be so encouraging to an author (for the reasons stated above.)

• There are dangers for authors reading reviews. If you are sensitive to comments about your work that are less than praiseworthy, my advice is to not read them. Let a friend read them and report back if there are any trends or common issues. A trusted friend, not a frienemy who will delight in your pain! Don’t let negative comments derail you, keep you from writing new words, or make you want to answer back…and also…NEVER answer a reviewer back. Ultimately, Reviews are for Readers! Authors can certainly use them, but reviews are for helping potential customers decide whether to buy your book. It’s a bad look if you come spitting out of the gate to contest every review you don’t like. On the flip side, don’t let your ego become inflated by positive reviews praising your work. Certainly enjoy that readers are liking what you wrote, be encouraged, but also remember, the results of your work are in God’s hands, and He deserves the praise. 

Tips for when you get a bad review:  

• Stop. Take a breath. Walk away from the computer/phone/screen if necessary.

• When you can be objective, consider if there is any truth to the review. Is there something you need to take under advisement.

• Remember that art is subjective, and not everyone is going to respond the same way. You have likes and dislikes when it comes to fiction reading, so allow others to have the same preferences.

• Take a peek at that person's other reviews. Do they consistently leave bad reviews and slate people? Is your book an outlier, or is this a pattern? If it's a pattern, write it off as someone else's problem, not yours.

• Remember that there is not a single troll out there leaving mean reviews who is living a better life than you. They might be having a bad day, a bad patch, or just be a negative person, but you don't need to give them the power to turn you into the same.

• If a review is particularly nasty, there are a couple things you can do. If it's on Goodreads, and the review violates their community guidelines, you can flag the review and Goodreads will take a look at it and see if it needs reviewed. If it's just a star rating, there isn't anything you can do about that. Readers are welcome to rate your book however they like, but they are not welcome to attack you in a written review in a way that violates the guidelines. When I checked amazon, here's what they had to say: "If a Product review is in violation of any of those outlined on the link above, simply click the 'Report Abuse' link found just below the review (near the helpful vote buttons), and report it. When it comes to product reviews, Amazon provides a bit of anonymity for buyers who wish to leave Product Reviews." Another site suggested this: "Go to the product details page of your product, find the questionable review, and click “report abuse”. Alternatively, you can send an email to community-help@amazon.com and indicate the ASIN of your product, the date and time of the review, the name/pseudonym of the reviewer, and, ideally, a link to the review." Both Goodreads and Amazon strongly suggest you not respond to the negative review yourself, as this just tends to escalate things, and you never come off looking very good.

So there you have it. As reviews come in for my newest release, I’m trying to take my own advice! And if you have read/are reading/will read The Indebted Earl…help a girl out! Leave a review and tell your friends!



My question for you….Do you write and post reviews? Do you read reviews before buying a book? If you’re an author, do you read your reviews?

Can Captain Wyvern keep his new marriage of convenience all business--or will it turn into something more?

Captain Charles Wyvern owes a great debt to the man who saved his life--especially since Major Richardson lost his own life in the process. The best way to honor that hero's dying wish is for Wyvern to escort the man’s grieving fiancée and mother safely to a new cottage home by the sea. But along the way, he learns of another obligation that has fallen on his shoulders: his uncle has died and the captain is now the Earl of Rothwell.

When he and the ladies arrive at his new manor house in Devon, they discover an estate in need of a leader and a gaggle of girls, all wards of the former earl. War the new earl knows; young ladies and properties he does not. Still wishing to provide for the bereaved Lady Sophia Haverly, Charles proposes a marriage of convenience.

Sophie is surprised to find she isn't opposed to the idea. It will help her care for her betrothed's elderly mother, and she's already fallen in love with the wayward girls on the Rothwell estate. This alliance is a chance to repay the captain who has done so much for her care, as well as divert her attention from her grief. When Wyvern returns to his sea commission, she'll stay behind to oversee his property and wards.

It sounds so simple. Until the stalwart captain is arrested on suspicion of smuggling, and Sophie realizes how much he's come to mean to her. Now she'll have to learn to fight, not only for his freedom but also for his love.

Best-selling, award-winning author Erica Vetsch loves Jesus, history, romance, and sports. When she’s not writing fiction, she’s planning her next trip to a history museum and cheering on her Kansas Jayhawks and New Zealand All Blacks. You can connect with her at her website, www.ericavetsch.com where you can read about her books and sign up for her newsletter, and you can find her online at https://www.facebook.com/EricaVetschAuthor/ where she spends way too much time!