Why Are Book Reviews Important?
They not only help others to find my books (i.e., sales), but more importantly, they help me to improve my craft so the next book I write will be even better. Authors basically pour their heart and soul, not to mention time and talent, into a project only to wait in frustration to find out the honest opinions of their readers. I mean, don't get me wrong, a positive and supportive email, text, or call from someone telling you that they enjoyed your book is GREAT! But reviews are different. Reviews can be read by anybody and everybody! Reviews can increase an author's readership and fanbase, especially reviews on Amazon. Yet many readers, even if they profess to love the author's work, do not go the extra step of leaving a review. It's possible that the reader is intimidated by the idea of leaving an opinion of an author's work in a public forum. Well, they shouldn't be. The person writing the review should understand that they are doing the author a tremendous favor! Reviews can even wind up being an author's bread and butter in a way, by letting potential readers know about their work before they make up their mind about purchasing or reading it themselves. And a review doesn't have to be an essay, far from it! Three simple words are all that's needed, "I loved it!" "I liked it!" or even, "Not that good." Three little words can bolster an author's confidence, keep them informed, help them make future writing choices, or just let them know what you thought of their work.