The Newly Obsessive Reviewer: How Five Minutes Could Help an Author

I’ve always been a huge bookworm. Ever since I could read, I’ve had my nose in a book. As an English teacher, the amount I read has only increased.

However, I have a shameful secret.

I never, ever reviewed books.

Until I became an author, that is.

Like many, I never realized what a difference a review could make. What did it matter? I told myself it didn’t.

And then I became an author and realized reviews are EVERYTHING.

Reviews on Amazon help determine if a book is recommended to other buyers on Amazon and how noticeable a book will be. Without reviews, it is almost impossible for an author to build a following, get their name out there, and get noticed.

Since entering the publishing world, I’ve gained a new appreciation for reviews. Thus, I now review EVERY book I read.

Five minutes of your time can truly save an author’s career. Seriously.

So please consider reviewing any book you read, whether it’s a big author or not.

Worried about people noticing your bad grammar? Don’t worry. Your semi-colon struggles or comma mishaps can remain your secret…you can remain anonymous in your review.

Have no clue what to write?

A few lines about what you thought will suffice.

If you want to go more in-depth, here’s the formula I use.

Start with a favorite quote from the book.
Give a basic summary of the book from your perspective (no spoilers)
Talk about things you liked (style, characters, plot, setting, theme, etc).
Talk about things you didn’t like (even if I give a book a 5 star rating, I list one thing I would change. It shows you are genuine, and no book is absolutely perfect)
Summarize your overall thoughts of the book, the author, and who you would recommend it for.

Happy reading, and happy reviewing!