Dear Writer: Free Reads Generate Bad Reviews

So, you're a writer. You've been published. By New York. By Podunk Small Press. By You. You or your publisher have decided to get your name out there by offering your book for FREE. Hooray! It's one of the best promotional tools an unknown author can use.

Be aware that people who normally wouldn't buy a book in your genre will download it because, hey, it's FREE. So you are going into this thing at a disadvantage. You'll really have to blow their minds for them to about face and embrace your book. And chances are, you probably won't. Some may have never read a book in your genre and just won't 'get it' at all.

When you see the number of free downloads racing into the hundreds and thousands, give yourself a reality check. Many people download anything free and won't ever get around to reading them all. Some avid readers will eventually get to your book, but it may be months down the road. But that's good. You'll have a spike in your backlist and new release sales for a long time.

If you have at least one other book published, include an excerpt of it in the back matter of the free book. If you only have one book published, there isn't much point in giving it away. The logic behind a free offer is to introduce new readers to your voice. Some will like it and buy your backlist and new releases.

But there are readers who will hate it. And they'll leave one star reviews. Yes, they sting. Yes they sometimes don't seem to be talking about the book you wrote at all. Yes, they can be mean. Yes they can give away the plot. Yes they can be honest, and a reader has every right to hate your book. And that means you've touched a hot spot inside the reader. You've reached them on an emotional level. You've done your job.

Don't have a knee-jerk reaction and pull your book. If the reviews state formatting issues, correct them and reupload. If they state plot holes, that really aren't filled, get your shovel and fix them. Other than that, you can't please everyone and if you try, you'll come up with a generic story that nobody enjoys. Especially you. Write the book of your heart.

I had a free run of my Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Best Paranormal Romance Award winner for The Immaculate Deception. I received four 1 star reviews, one 4 star review and 66 Likes at Amazon. Go figure.

Nook readers left five 1 star reviews and four 5 star reviews.

US Apple readers didn't write reviews but I received twenty-five ratings averaging 3 stars.
Canadian Apple readers left six ratings averaging 4 stars.
British Apple readers left seven ratings averaging 3 stars.
Australian Apple readers left seventeen ratings averaging 3 stars plus one 1 star review which I enjoyed:
"Too far out of the box"

Bad reviews bring down your ratings. But that doesn't mean nobody will buy your book.  When my book went back to paid, I enjoyed a honeymoon of sales again for about a month. I'm supposing it's because the free run garnered a bunch of 'also boughts' which gave my book visibility on other pages. I did get a spike in my sales of other books, especially the one excerpted in the back of the freebee. Some readers bought my whole backlist.

Do you use reviews and ratings to decide which books you'll buy?

Warmest Regards,
Sherry Silver