Reviews: The Bread & Butter of Indie Authors

How often do you write a review for the books you read? If you do, where do you post them? Do you manage a personal blog for reviews, or do you share them on Amazon & GoodReads, etc?

How much do you rely on reviews on those websites for a book you want to purchase? Do negative reviews influence your purchasing decisions for books?

Before I became an author, I was an avid reader (still am). But in my hectic life, I didn’t get around to writing a review about a book I loved. Definitely a shame. In fact, I was one of those readers who only posted a review if the book irritated me. As a way to ward off other readers from purchasing the book and feeling the same way. Honestly, I didn’t write that many negative reviews at all. But it was the only time I felt compelled to write one.

Now as an author, I realized my method of writing reviews was completely wrong.

Positive reviews were far more powerful than any negative one I ever wrote. I should have written many more to thank the author for such an awesome and compelling story.

Little did I know at the time that was the best way to thank an author.

For Indie authors like myself, getting our name out there is extremely difficult, especially with so many other awesome writers out there. It’s hard to set ourselves apart. Don’t get me wrong, I love that there are so many incredible stories and characters out there. It’s never been a better time for readers. Each book you pick up is more and more likely to amaze you. You have so many ‘favorite’ authors in your book piles now.

The coveted 5 Star review

But how can we entice readers to pick up a book written by an unknown author?

The resounding answer I keep getting is:

Reviews.

Theoretically speaking, the more reviews a book has, the more likely a reader is willing to buy it (trusting the positive reviews.) Therefore, the more it plays into Amazon’s secret algorithm for visibility. The more reviews, the more 3^rd party promotional sites are willing to display your covers. The better placement novels get on website rankings such as B&N Nook, iBooks, etc. Thereby equating to more sales. Then generating more reviews on top of it. It's a beautiful circle.

I’m not going to touch on Amazon’s new review policy or the controversy around it, because that’s a whole monster on its own.

But I want to hear from you. How much stock do you put on reviews? Are there some sites you trust more than others for reviews?

Let me know your thoughts.

Susan Sheehey writes romantic suspense, contemporary romance, and women's fiction. Her latest series features royals on the run, in Royals of Solana. Water plays a crucial element in all of her stories, and she's a strong advocate for Autism Awareness and acceptance. Forced to give up Diet Coke, she now functions on massive amounts of french vanilla coffee. Susan lives and laughs in Texas with her husband and two boys. Follow her at www.SusanSheehey.com, as well as Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

Negative Reviews: The Painful Way to Improve

The most important statement today must come first:
Happy Mother's Day!!

Now, onto another obvious statement: no one likes negative reviews, especially authors. It’s a kick in the gut to something we’ve poured hours of energy into, spilled sweat, tears and sometimes blood into creating, and it hurts to hear that someone didn’t like the ‘babies’ we’ve made.

In addition, so much of this industry is subjective. What one person loves, someone else can’t stand. Which is why so many authors hear so many different kinds of ‘suggestions’ from various editors and Beta Readers. It’s the old adage: you can’t please everyone.

But from the reader’s perspective, if they spent money on a book, then they want to truly enjoy it. They feel cheated if they’ve spent time reading a novel that they weren’t fully engaged in, especially when there are so many great novels out there to read. It’s important to respect the reader and their buying power.

I choose to look at the ‘negative’ reviews a different way.

I use them to help me improve.

First of all, the reader took the time to tell me what they thought. Most readers who don’t like a novel don’t even bother doing that. They just never buy one of my novels again. And that’s the real tragedy. So the fact that they put forth the effort to provide an honest review is a good thing.

If someone says they didn’t like one of my characters because they came off too negative or temperamental, that tells me perhaps I need to work on the initial likeability of the character. Yes, characters need to have development arcs and improve over the length of the story, but sometimes I can start them off too far left. So that’s something I can pay more attention to in the next novel. Hopefully I haven’t turned the reader off so much that they won’t purchase the next story because of the last one.

If someone says they didn’t believe the plot, well that’s a huge red flag to me. Clearly I need to focus more on fleshing out the details.

Even with the many beta readers I use prior to submitting to my publisher, and the various editors who tweak the story at the publisher (all supposed to help me ‘catch’ those issues), some things fall through the cracks. No one is perfect.

But believe that I pay attention to those reviews. They don’t go unheard. And some other authors I know who respond negatively to those kind of harsh reviews let it get the better of them. They stew in it, delay their next releases because their minds are in a funk, or worse—stop writing all together. Probably the worst response is a retaliation of some sort: verbal bashing or defensive posts. All of which are completely unprofessional.

I don’t do any of that. I work to improve my writing with each story. Hoping that the next one is better than the last.

So thank you for your honest reviews. Keep them constructive, and I’ll keep improving.

Bringing the next great story to life.

And if you truly loved a story, the best thing you can do is go online (Amazon, GoodReads, or if you bought a print copy in a bookstore), and leave a review. It’s the best way to thank a writer. That, and purchase the next one!

Susan Sheehey writes contemporary romance and romantic suspense.

http://www.SusanSheehey.com

#REVIEW OF WINTER BRIDE -- #WESTERN #HISTORICAL #ROMANCE

By Mary Adair

Winter Bride is Caroline Clemmon’s latest addition to her Stone Mountain Texas Series.  I read this book in one sitting. Winter Bride is not a short story, it is just that absorbing! I could not put it down!

The story opens with Sheriff Butch Parrish rushing to the livery to save a woman from a brutal beating by her husband. Her husband is gone by the time Butch arrives to find a gruesomely battered Glenna Tucker. Despite the poor woman’s seriously injured condition, she manages to tell him her husband is likely on his way home where her sister and children are trapped with no transportation and without food. She begs the sheriff to help them.

Sheriff Parrish packs supplies and hurries out to the small farm the family is leasing from Zach Stone. If you have read the Men of Stone Mountain stories, you will remember handsome Zach Stone from Book Two.

 Okay… I digress! Back to the story.

The sheriff is unable to track down the scoundrel on his way to the farmhouse and is shot by the villain. In spite of his injuries, he does rescue Glenna Tucker’s sister, Kendra, eight-year-old Caleb, and his two younger sisters, Mittie, and Abby.

Every man in Kendra’s life has been no better than her brother-in-law. This lack of fatherly support, though it molded her into a strong, dependable, independent woman, sadly also caused her to have a distrust for all men. Kendra loves her nieces and nephew and is determined she will open her own business and provide for her family. Her fear is her brother-in-law will return to steal away his son and murder anyone standing in his way. Sheriff Parrish is there to give her the support she needs and unbidden her trust for the handsome sheriff grows. 

Butch Parrish still mourns the loss of his wife. He is not ready to love again. Yet the three children touch a place in his heart that he cannot ignore and his attraction to Kendra is simply undeniable. As he supports Kendra in purchasing a business and home for her family as well as watching over the family’s well-being and keeping the peace in town, his admiration and love for her grows.

I do not want to put in any spoilers, but I do have to say if you enjoy Caroline’s books, you will love this one. Ms. Clemmon’s writing style is unmistakable. Her stories are filled with a love and warmth that leaves you running to Amazon to look for more of her work, and there are many to choose from. 

Author Caroline Clemmons knocked another one out of the park with Winter Bride. This story is filled with personal growth, budding love and the hometown and family interaction that I so enjoy in her books.

I would give Winter Bride an easy 5 Stars.