[Michael R. Hicks]

Hey, I'm not sure if this has come up already in the bazillion posts flying around, but I wanted to bring up a topic near and dear to the heart of authors in general: reader reviews.

Basically, I just wanted to encourage folks to consider leaving reviews on books that they read, particularly for newly released books or books by non-big-name authors <ahem>.

If it's a book that already has five hundred reviews, I - as a reader myself - wouldn't worry so much about it. But if a book doesn't have a lot, please consider taking a few minutes and letting other readers know what you think. If you liked the book and believe others would like it, tell them why; if you didn't like it, or were somewhere in between, ditto.

The reason this is important is that - as I'm sure many of you realize - reader reviews can have a huge impact on sales. If you see a book (or any other item) that has a lot of good feedback, people are much more inclined to buy it than if it doesn't have any, or only a few. And, alternatively, they're much less likely to buy something if it has negative feedback. So you're opinions there can have a very direct impact.

Anyway, I just wanted to bring that up for folks to keep in mind!

Cheers,
Mike

 

[Linda Cannon-Mott]

Hey, I'm not sure if this has come up already in the bazillion posts flying around, but I wanted to bring up a topic near and dear to the heart of authors in general: reader reviews.

Basically, I just wanted to encourage folks to consider leaving reviews on books that they read, particularly for newly released books or books by non-big-name authors <ahem>.

If it's a book that already has five hundred reviews, I - as a reader myself - wouldn't worry so much about it. But if a book doesn't have a lot, please consider taking a few minutes and letting other readers know what you think. If you liked the book and believe others would like it, tell them why; if you didn't like it, or were somewhere in between, ditto.

The reason this is important is that - as I'm sure many of you realize - reader reviews can have a huge impact on sales. If you see a book (or any other item) that has a lot of good feedback, people are much more inclined to buy it than if it doesn't have any, or only a few. And, alternatively, they're much less likely to buy something if it has negative feedback. So you're opinions there can have a very direct impact.

Anyway, I just wanted to bring that up for folks to keep in mind!

Cheers,
Mike

Hi Mike,
I was leery to write a review since I am not a writer so to speak. I swallowed my pride, and fear of being ridiculed and wrote a review on Amazon yesterday for Distant Cousin. Don't think I will be offered a job as a review writer for books anytime soon but it was heartfelt and genuine.

I will gladly write one for In Her Name also.

Linda

 

[Jeff]

Hi Mike,

Let me jump in and hijack your thread to mention video reviews. Some people, like our very own Verena, are experts at making movies on their computers and they can turn into terrific tools for communicating the "feel" of a book where a few words can't. Here's a link to the review that Sondi Miller did for one of my books:

http://www.amazon.com/review/R3NOEL92FLM8T/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm

Maybe folks, like Linda, who are uncomfortable with writing a review, would like to give video reviewing a try. Sondi uses Microsoft's Windows Movie Maker, which ships free in XP and Vista.

Jeff

 

[Linda Cannon-Mott]

Sounds great Jeff, I will check it out.

Thanks 
Linda

 

[Leslie]

Let me second what Mike said. Reviews are tremendously important to the authors and publishers, especially when they are not "famous" or published by the big houses. I have been trying to be more diligent about writing reviews in recent months. It is really gratifying when you get an email from the author thanking you for your comments!

They don't have to be long or detailed. Just a few words on whether or not you liked the book, what audience it will appeal to...something to clue potential readers into finding a good book.

L

 

[Mikuto]

As a reader (and so-far unpublished author), I want to chip in that I think reviews are important to readers too. I'm very dubious to read a book with no reviews.

 

[Michael R. Hicks]

Hi Mike,
I was leery to write a review since I am not a writer so to speak. I swallowed my pride, and fear of being ridiculed and wrote a review on Amazon yesterday for Distant Cousin. Don't think I will be offered a job as a review writer for books anytime soon but it was heartfelt and genuine.

I will gladly write one for In Her Name also.

Linda

Linda -

Don't *ever* worry about being a great writer or whatever when it comes to reviews! What is important is just what you highlighted - being heartfelt and genuine.

 

[Michael R. Hicks]

Let me jump in and hijack your thread to mention video reviews.

Jeff - Bad boy!

Yeah, those are cool, too, for the technically savvy among us! I've been toying with the idea of doing a little video trailer thing (not a review, per se, but a little promo spot) for In Her Name, but haven't gotten around to it. All my video editing software is on my Windoze machine, and I'm not sure I can bring myself to go back to it. D'oh!

Well, maybe I can do something with iMovie...

 

[Jeff]

Well, maybe I can do something with iMovie...

If you do send me the link and I'll host it for you in my Windoze server.

 

[Michael R. Hicks]

Coolness!

 

[Leslie]

Reviews of The Amazon Kindle FAQ are always welcome 

L

 

[BrassMan]

First, let me say unequivocally that Linda's review of Distant Cousin at Amazon was heartfelt and completely excellent, and I really appreciate her trouble. You shouldn't be self-conscious about that, Linda. It was a wonderful review.

Second, I second what Mike said about the importance of reviews to us lesser authors...uh, lesser KNOWN authors. I agree: if a book has 200 reviews already, then another probably won't make much difference, unless to the reviewer. Volume 1 of Distant Cousin only had 10 reviews, I think, so Linda's mattered, especially since she had different things to say about it. (Volumes 2 and 3 don't have that many reviews yet; I'd consider them more "needy" than Volume 1, actually.)

I review other stuff at Amazon. I reviewed a gizmo that picks fruit off trees way high up (that worked like a charm) and I heard from the guy who made them. We struck up a neat friendship in fact.

Reviewers are just about my favorite people, good OR bad! Take a look at any volume of Patrick O'Brian's sea novels. They are arguably the greatest ever written, but they've got some stinko reviews. Doesn't matter: Book X is not for everybody, and often, the reasons why someone doesn't like a book are just as informative as the reasons they do.

Best!
///Al, aka Brassman

 

[Michael R. Hicks]

Reviewers are just about my favorite people, good OR bad! Take a look at any volume of Patrick O'Brian's sea novels. They are arguably the greatest ever written, but they've got some stinko reviews. Doesn't matter: Book X is not for everybody, and often, the reasons why someone doesn't like a book are just as informative as the reasons they do.

Yeah, what Al said!

It's true - the folks who take the time to write a review (good or bad, as long as it's informative) are real treasures to authors, folks who make tree-picking gadgets, or whatever.

And it's absolutely true that even the best books are going to get at least some bad reviews along the way. I haven't hit any of those yet, but that's just the nature of the beast. And I'll cry when it happens! LOL!

 

[Bacardi Jim]

I've written several Amazon reviews and made both a Listmania entry and a "So You Want To..." entry.

But only one was for a book.  And it's buried pretty deep.

 

[Lizzy]

Okay ive never done this before and im so bad with grammer and spelling and punctuation so i hope i didnt mess things up to bad but i finished the third Distant Cousin book last night and had to say something so i went to Amazon and left a review for each book. I didnt actually review them because other people had i just told how much i liked them. I hope they came out all right.

 

[BrassMan]

Kreelanwarrior called it, Lizzy. The proposal is passed unanimously: you are a treasure!

Mwah!
////Al

 

[Michael R. Hicks]

Okay ive never done this before and im so bad with grammer and spelling and punctuation so i hope i didnt mess things up to bad but i finished the third Distant Cousin book last night and had to say something so i went to Amazon and left a review for each book. I didnt actually review them because other people had i just told how much i liked them. I hope they came out all right.

Lizzy -

Don't worry about the grammar and all that - taking the time and making the effort to do a review is the important thing.

 

[Lizzy]

Wow. Thank you both so much. Kreelanwarrior i bought your book a day or two ago but its about third in line to read so it will be a week or so before i get to it. Its so good to see good authors on this board. I really appreciate you guys being here!

 

[Michael R. Hicks]

Wow. Thank you both so much. Kreelanwarrior i bought your book a day or two ago but its about third in line to read so it will be a week or so before i get to it. Its so good to see good authors on this board. I really appreciate you guys being here!

Cool! And actually, that timing would be good - come join us in the In Her Name book club at the beginning of February! I'm going to be leading that - i don't have a clue what to do, so it should be quite entertaining - then Al's heading up the Distant Cousin club in March. So come and join the party!

 

[Lizzy]

Cool! And actually, that timing would be good - come join us in the In Her Name book club at the beginning of February! I'm going to be leading that - i don't have a clue what to do, so it should be quite entertaining - then Al's heading up the Distant Cousin club in March. So come and join the party!

Wow thats really neat. I dont normally do this kinda thing but as long as nobody knows what there doing i should be able to fit right in. Thanks!