Goodreads Authors/Readers discussion
Author Resource Round Table
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How Can I Get Reviews On Amazon?
The Goodreads review groups are excellent, as Ali pointed out. You can also post on the bulletin board asking for reviewers here: http://www.goodreads.com/topic/group_... and it looks like this link http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1... will also get you to a review group. You might also find some reviewers here: http://www.theindieview.com/indie-rev... Good luck with your book!
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There really is no tactful way to solicit reviews.My humble advice is to simply focus on getting your book "out there." Reviews are the product of readers, and (of course) the more readers, the greater likelihood of a review.
I once offered 5 paperback copies of my book for a book-blogger's giveaway. As a result, within a couple of weeks, I received two 5 star reviews both on Amazon and Goodreads. Two of the five readers left a review. That doesn't imply the other three didn't enjoy or appreciate the book, merely that the majority of readers do not write and post reviews.
Again...get your book out there, and good luck.
Hello Rachele,Sounds like your getting good advice and doing the right things. I've managed to get a few reviews posted on Amazon following the above suggestions, it just takes time.
All the best with your book!
Bill Rolfe
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...
Rachele wrote: "Hi,I just published my first book, Eighteen Months To Live, on Amazon. I have asked all of my friends and professional contacts to read my book and review it on Amazon but so far I have only rece..."
Hi Rachele I wish you would have put a link to your book, I would be delighted to review it!
Rachele wrote: "Hi,I just published my first book, Eighteen Months To Live, on Amazon. I have asked all of my friends and professional contacts to read my book and review it on Amazon but so far I have only rece..."
Also remind yourself daily to be patient. Getting your book noticed is more like a marathon than a sprint! But persistence will pay off in the long run.
Seriously though, reviews aren't the be all and end all. I have 11 reviews on the UK Amazon site and I sell next to nothing.
I would also point out, in addition to the above, that your book has only been out a month (I looked it up on Amazon and "liked" it for you). Reviews take time. Be patient and focus more on writing the next book than getting reviews for this one. Which isn't to say you shouldn't ask, but as Andrew said, reviews aren't everything. Another book is one of the best forms of promotion there is.
Mhairi wrote: "I would also point out, in addition to the above, that your book has only been out a month (I looked it up on Amazon and "liked" it for you). Reviews take time. Be patient and focus more on writing..."Wonderful advice Mhairi,very helpful to me, as reviews were my main focus. You have given me food for thought! thanks
I'm not sure about reviews yet but I've only released two parts of a serialized novel on kindle in the last 2 weeks. I have just a handful of Amazon reviews (all 4 or 5 stars) and yet over 1200 copies have been 'sold' (I had a free promotion with the first one for two days). Most people don't bother to review but I know that mine are being discussed on different threads/sites so I think it is word of mouth sales. I wish Amazon would just let people rate out of 5 stars (as on here) because I think that people are put off by the thought of reviewing or perhaps they just don't have time. I must admit that before writing, I didn't review. On here, I have 2 reviews and 12 ratings (all 4 or 5).
Yesterday, my second ebook was at #71 in its genre's bestseller ranking at Amazon.co.uk. It was only published on Sunday night and has no reviews on there yet. So that didn't need reviews to sell a few copies but would it have reached a better ranking if it had been reviewed? Who knows. It was the second part and there were some people waiting to buy it who had bought part one. It also triggered faster selling of part 1. The more you sell, the more that book is suggested by Amazon. So I agree with Mhairi 100% about a second book.
Good luck.
Hi Rachele, What's worked for me has been to book review-only "Blog tours" -- most book bloggers are willing to cross-post their reviews to Amazon. I used Enchanted Book Tours, which specializes in my genre (fantasy). You can google them to see what I mean, and perhaps find a blog tour operator who specializes in your genre. This has a double benefit of (a) getting reviews up but also (b) getting those reviews before the bloggers' audience, who are your potential readers. This does require a little funding. I've done blog tours for as little as $40 for a week, or $100 for a month. You can also try googling book bloggers plus your genre and contact bloggers directly--this is time consuming, and you MUST make sure to check their review policy before contacting to make sure it's okay. I did this as well, but found it a better use of my time to write.
Good luck with it!
Intisar
Dan Poynter's newsletter has a section where you can solicit reviews. http://parapublishing.com/sites/para/ - Sign up for the newsletter (it's free). It comes to your e-mail once a month and is chock-full of great information. He also lists the requirements for review solicitation ... and those solicitation posts in the newsletter don't cost you a dime. It might not net you anything; I had one response (I was very specific that I was only sending eBooks and the reviewer only wanted hard copy). However, you might find yourself besieged. You never know unless you try.
As an author,I find this an issue as well! Giving away free books does help especially thru GR giveaways and LibraryThing. I always send a nice note with the book and my biz card and ask if they like it to please leave a review. Readers seem to appreciate this!Another great place to get reviews from (best avenue I've found) is thru book bloggers. A good place to find them is thru book FB groups and googling similar authors to you + 'review' as you will find many book blogger sites with their review (so may be a good fit for you!). Book bloggers can also post their reviews in many spots online, and that's great. See my post on it here: The Review Dilemma and dont forget to check out the comments for addl tips!
http://thethrillbegins.blogspot.com/2...
Stephanie Chandler published an article on this matter just today: http://authoritypublishing.com/book-m...
Rachelle;Here are some things I've learned. Never put out a review request without specifically mentioning that you would appreciate the review also be entered on Amazon, B&N and Goodreads. For the best ranked Amazon reviews, look for highly rated Amazon reviewers in your specific genre. Make sure that the reviewer would enjoy your book, then check out their profile. Many offer contact info or submission directions. It's always better to select a reviewer rather than simply do a freebie offer shotgun style. Publishers have always sent new titles for review to specific reviewers they know will appreciate the writer's work, not just to anyone out there doing reviews. When you see a rave in the mainstream media, rest assured, it wasn't by chance. That's not to say that if a chosen reviewer at this level, hates something, they're not going to pan it. They have a reputation to protect; but if it is in similar style, voice and subject to other books they have enjoyed and reviewed well, then the chances are good. The pressure is really on the author to be very selective when approaching reviewers, not just going for the biggest number. Good luck with your work.
Richard wrote: "Rachelle;Here are some things I've learned. Never put out a review request without specifically mentioning that you would appreciate the review also be entered on Amazon, B&N and Goodreads. For th..."
Sound avice. Thank you for that.
I'm glad my own experience has given some help. It took me some time to realize that outside of most professional reviewers and other writers, someone who reviews a book they enjoyed, does so from the personal perspective of helping other readers find it and letting the author know they liked it. It is a personal thing. The idea of a review providing a marketing tool or conversely, as a thorn in the writer's flesh never occurs to many online reviewers. Sometimes we need to state the obvious.
Andrew wrote: "Seriously though, reviews aren't the be all and end all. I have 11 reviews on the UK Amazon site and I sell next to nothing."How true!
No kidding! I've got 16 on my first book. They say it's all about discoverability. I wish I could discover it!
If you don't, you should regularly check out IndieReader.com. They've got a lot of good articles and insight.One thing someone mentioned in an article yesterday that struck a chord with me is that most new authors spend the whole first year promoting one book, when they should continue writing. It makes sense. Instead of promoting one book, keep writing, and put promoting on the back burner for a bit, as if you have something people like, they'll want more, and if you don't have it, they might lose interest, if that makes any sense. That last bit is something another blogger shared with me awhile back. Her name wasAndrea Pearson.
Keep on writing and doing what you're doing. Consistency is key.
You've condensed it to the kernel: Writers, write. You can pick the marketing up in between trips to the refrigerator.
Haha! That's it exactly, Richard!I don't know about anyone else here, but if I wanted to shove something down someone's throat, I would've been an agent. As a writer, I am perfectly happy sitting in my room, laptop at the ready, creating my world of characters. Hooray for Introverts! :-)
Sadly, if I want this to be my fulltime job, I have to take time out once in awhile to market. Blah. :-(
This is all great information! Thanks for sharing - I've had trouble with the reviews, too.Has anyone tried Bookrooster? http://www.bookrooster.com/
I'm curious about experiences with them, since ours wasn't the greatest.
Thanks!
Sounds like a good plan, but $67 to review a book is a bit steep for me. But I'm cheap that way. I'd rather give someone a free book to get a review.
Hi, I'm Uzuri and I'm glad I found this thread. I was wondering today if I should be soliciting reviews from bloggers for more exposure. Of course I'm nervous about whether it'll be a negative review but is the effort worth it? I agree that writers should write (which I do) but it's only me when it comes to publicity so I feel that I need to get more reviews so that others will know about my books. I do interviews and blog posts but it doesn't seem like enough. Actual book signing/selling events help A LOT but I don't have a ton of money. Ugh, anyways, my original question was: is going through book bloggers for reviews as beneficial as it seems?If I do decide to go that route, I'll take some of the advice from this thread, that's for sure.
Thanks guys.
Reviews are hard to come by, especially for a new author. But new authors have got to keep things in perspective. No one knows you outside of friends/family! So you're not only marketing your book, but yourself as well. So mind your P's and Q's. Don't hound people for reviews. Don't spam threads looking for them, or you'll have the opposite effect.Giveaways are one way we can get our name out there. One place is, of course, here at Goodreads. You need a physical book for that though (they don't do ebooks). Ebooks, however, can be given away at LibraryThing, with the hope that those that ask for a free copy will give a review. I'm sure there are plenty more, I just haven't found them yet. :)
I am looking for people to review my book, "Jew in Jail."Here is my website.
http://www.jewinjail.com/
Here is my Amazon.com link.
http://www.amazon.com/Jew-Jail-Gary-G...
Please email me at Gman18NYC@aol.com if you are interested.
Thank you.
Gary Goldstein
Author of "Jew in Jail" and Motivational Speaker
On thing, you should be wary of friends reviewing it. Sometimes Amazon takes them down if they feel the reviewer has a personal interest in the book. What the definition of "personal interest" in is rather vague.Goo luck getting them, they will come but might not be for a while.
Gary wrote: "I am looking for people to review my book, "Jew in Jail." Perfect case-study. Gary, How many Jewish reader groups have you approached about your memoir? Are you targeting these groups both online and through the mail? What have you done to research who your target reader is, and how have you approached them? These questions are important ones to answer in order to secure reviews. You need to figure out who exactly, is going to be your reader, in order to find a way to market to them.
Richard wrote: "Gary wrote: "I am looking for people to review my book, "Jew in Jail." Perfect case-study. Gary, How many Jewish reader groups have you approached about your memoir? Are you targeting these group..."
Richard, I am not new at this, but thank you for your concern, and for taking time out of your obviously busy day to offer your feedback.
I was going to add a thread on here asking a review question, but this one pretty much covers what I was looking for. My only other question (for, well, anyone who wants to answer) is: Is there a tactical way to let friends/family/acquaintances know that their reviews are important? I understand that your mother or BFF reviewing your book and gushing something like "good job honey, I'm so proud of you," in a review is not what we're going for. But I get private messages/text/FB mssgs, etc from people I haven't seen in 20+ years who have no loyalty to me, telling me how much they love the book. Praise galore from people I would have never even expected to buy it, let alone tell me how much they enjoyed it. I've tried posting some 'semi-related' updates on my FB page for the book, leading into a 'if you've read Trading Poisons and liked it, please consider reviewing it on Amazon, Goodreads, etc.' I don't want to solicit reviews, but at the same time I feel like it would be nice if some of these private accolades I keep receiving could be shared out there where they might translate into more sales/exposure. Anyone have a better suggestion for at least reminding people that if they've read & enjoyed a book (any book for that matter) that reviews really are valued and important? Is it OK to just flat out say as much on your blog, website, FB page or other site where you contact readers?
Good morning everyone. Here is the latest 5-Star review of my book, "Jew in Jail" by Fran Lewis.
If you haven't read my book yet, then maybe you just can't understand how it can help others, but there is always time to learn!
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
By the way, I am always interested in more reviews, and can be reached at Gman18NYC@aol.com.
Angel wrote: "I was going to add a thread on here asking a review question, but this one pretty much covers what I was looking for. My only other question (for, well, anyone who wants to answer) is: Is there a t..."Angel - Yes I agree. I have had a couple of emails from people I know who, to be honest I didn't even know bought the book and even if they did didn't have to tell me they liked it. Many people don't like to leave reviews.
As someone pointed out on Amazon author's can't review other author's in same genre but they can review here and other sites. :)
I notice now you have some good reviews. I liked, pinned and shared as well. Hope that helps.
Angel wrote: "I was going to add a thread on here asking a review question, but this one pretty much covers what I was looking for. My only other question (for, well, anyone who wants to answer) is: Is there a t..."
Hi Angel,
You are NOT alone. Getting review? Really hard. My debut novel came out in October and I received my first official review last week. The kicker is, the review was a rewritten synopsis of my book. And it was incorrect! I was very confused. My friends and family have been supportive and have written reviews. I specifically request my friends to stray from the five star reviews. But, most have given me five stars. My new novella came out Jan 21st and I've again received reviews from those who know me and some who are connected in some way and like you, have no allegiance or purpose to rave about my book. My publisher loved it and offered me a contract right away. I guess it takes a lot of time and patience to sit back and let it happen. It's like a slow and steady leak. Drip, drip, drip! Eventually, you'll have a full bucket. At least I hope so. I also wanted to comment of the Amazon review policy hence the reason I ask for an honest rating. They make me suspicious. Authors are supporting other authors by doing this sort of thing but I stay away from it. It will take longer, be harder but in the end I think you have to let your work stand for itself.
Hi Angel,
You are NOT alone. Getting review? Really hard. My debut novel came out in October and I received my first official review last week. The kicker is, the review was a rewritten synopsis of my book. And it was incorrect! I was very confused. My friends and family have been supportive and have written reviews. I specifically request my friends to stray from the five star reviews. But, most have given me five stars. My new novella came out Jan 21st and I've again received reviews from those who know me and some who are connected in some way and like you, have no allegiance or purpose to rave about my book. My publisher loved it and offered me a contract right away. I guess it takes a lot of time and patience to sit back and let it happen. It's like a slow and steady leak. Drip, drip, drip! Eventually, you'll have a full bucket. At least I hope so. I also wanted to comment of the Amazon review policy hence the reason I ask for an honest rating. They make me suspicious. Authors are supporting other authors by doing this sort of thing but I stay away from it. It will take longer, be harder but in the end I think you have to let your work stand for itself.
Alexandra wrote: "Angel wrote: "I was going to add a thread on here asking a review question, but this one pretty much covers what I was looking for. My only other question (for, well, anyone who wants to answer) is..."I don't understand the logic in Amazon's thinking. Just because another author reviews a book that is similiar to theirs does not mean that they know that particular author. A lot of people purchase books on Amazon--authors/readers as well as just readers. And as for "a verifiable purchase", that doesn't mean much, either. I've sold books to people on the street. I don't know them but they purchased the book and so they should be allowed to review it, if they choose. Amazon is not always correct in their assumptions.
... the foremost being that most twisted or phony reviews on their sites were written by Indie Authors! Amazon seems completely unwilling to acknowledge the legions of trolls and other macabre denizens of the listings. Here's an idea: treat authors reviewing other authors' work with the same respect the mainstream media does. Mainstream publishing presses hard to get back cover blurbs from recognized authors, especially for debuts.
I used BookRooster. I paid $67 and they guaranteed 10 reviews. I got one. When I contacted them about how many other reviewers were scheduled to review my book, they told me none. None! I asked for a refund and they sent me back my money. Go figure.
I forgot to use the tongue in cheek emoticon -- I was being sarcastic!
I can't bash indies literally when I R one -- four books down; more to come. I was pointing out how prevalent the idea was that all bad/phony reviews come from indies, when in fact, mostly they come from idiots and others who have finished their homework and are bored, etc. Amazon needs to be more proactive and responsive to this issue, instead of hoping it will blow away in yesterday's eNews.
Mhairi wrote: "I would also point out, in addition to the above, that your book has only been out a month (I looked it up on Amazon and "liked" it for you). Reviews take time. Be patient and focus more on writing..."Hi, I was just reading through. I have the same problem like Rachele with my first book and I really wanted to have at least one review, so I would know if I'm even good at it. It's kind of discouraging :( .I have this idea in my mind for a series and really think to follow your advise and focus on it instead of fixating on sales and promotions. Writing meant to be fun, the reason I've started in first place. I don't have much time for it, because I do have a full time job, which I find dull and boring. So, thank you, I will start to write again!
Fighting The Impossible
Richard wrote: "Rachelle;Here are some things I've learned. Never put out a review request without specifically mentioning that you would appreciate the review also be entered on Amazon, B&N and Goodreads. For th..."
I think that's great advice. I just published my first romance and all is looking really discouraging. Thank you for the help!
Here's something that also works on Amazon -- look up their top 100 reviewers, then see which of them seems to review mostly books in your genre. Of those, some will show contact information in their profiles, and you go from there. The key is trying to really narrow the field of potential reviewers to those who you are confident would enjoy reading your book. Getting a review is not the same as getting a critique, although when it happens, it can be very helpful, although embarrassing! Good luck.
Richard wrote: "Here's something that also works on Amazon -- look up their top 100 reviewers, then see which of them seems to review mostly books in your genre. Of those, some will show contact information in the..."That's an amazing idea right there.
Thomas wrote: "Richard wrote: "Here's something that also works on Amazon -- look up their top 100 reviewers, then see which of them seems to review mostly books in your genre. Of those, some will show contact in..."
agreed
agreed
Rachele wrote: "I read the reviews on Amazon for a very popular book that was similar to mine and contacted the reviewers who had posted favorable reviews for that book to see if they would read and review my book..."Hi, this LibraryThing page looks really interesting. I will check it out and explore the options. I won't be able to have a Giveaway, because I sign up for KDP Select, but still it looks very promising. Thank you for sharing your experience.
I just signed up. It looks like some people on there have already discovered my book! Thanks for the suggestion Rachele. This site looks very promising.
Rachele wrote: "I read the reviews on Amazon for a very popular book that was similar to mine and contacted the reviewers who had posted favorable reviews for that book to see if they would read and review my book..."Thanks for the insights, Rachele. Sorry to hear you had a bad experience with Amazon reviewers.
Richard wrote: "Here's something that also works on Amazon -- look up their top 100 reviewers"Not having much luck looking up the reviewers. How about a linky? thanks
Goodreads Authors/Readers
Books mentioned in this topic
Blinders Keepers (other topics)Voices in Crystal (other topics)
Voices in Crystal (other topics)
Fighting The Impossible (other topics)
Authors mentioned in this topic
Andrea Pearson (other topics)Stephanie Chandler (other topics)
Reviews will always be hard to come by. You could try looking at the profiles for people who have reviewed other books in the same genre as yours - some of them will have a contact email address, and will be willing to review it in exchange for a free copy.