If you’ve ever visited a fiction author’s website or social media page, you’ve likely been asked or encouraged to leave a book review if you’ve read one or some of their books. This is an interesting debate in writing circles. Many authors are in the “ask for reviews” camp, while there are others who are firmly planted on the other side (do I sense another blog post coming???).
But if you’re a reader who would like to start leaving a review and don’t know where to start, you’ve come to the right page.
WHY READERS SHOULD LEAVE A REVIEW
Firstly, your opinion matters.
Readers often look to other avid readers to find that next great gem. Who better to recommend that obscure title about a former Hollywood starlet who turns into a secret agent during The Great War than another avid reader? Who else would be able to list other books with a similar theme or subject matter?
Your review helps other readers find these books, whether you leave a review on a bookseller site, your personal blog, your local library’s site, or a forum where readers gather.
Then, there’s this little thing called algorithm. I won’t even pretend to know how it all works, but by leaving a review on a seller site like Amazon, books get exposure. The more positive reviews left on a book’s Amazon listing, the more visible a book becomes on the ranking list. This is good news for the author (meaning they may just make enough to buy a carton of milk or loaf of bread this month). Which in turn, is also good news for you – the reader. An author who is receiving visibility will be encouraged to continue writing new books for you.
Some authors read these reviews to help understand the strengths and weaknesses of their story. Your opinion matters because an author can learn from it and sharpen their craft for the next novel.
WHAT IF THE STORY IS BAD?
In all fairness, there are those books that are terrible. You know, the ones that you’d rather have a second root canal done than read the next page, or finish the chapter. No editing. Flat characters. Cheesy dialogue. Unrealistic plot (even if it is supposed to be a fantasy).
So do you still leave a review?
There are valid reasons for still doing so. And just as many for not.
But let’s focus on why you should still leave a book review.
Mainly, your opinion matters.
Other readers will appreciate your honesty – especially if they follow your book reviews. If you’ve become a reliable source of book recommendations for a certain reader, it’s likely they won’t enjoy the same books you don’t. So don’t cheat them.
If an author has done a terrible job (like creating a scenario that is impossible in the real world – not talking fantasy, paranormal or similar genres), your CONSTRUCTIVE feedback will aid the author in narrowing down those crafty elements needing improvement for the next novel. Remember, the keyword is CONSTRUCTIVE.
And I should add, KIND.
There’s a reason why some authors call their books, their book babies.
WHAT TO WRITE IN A REVIEW
You don’t have to write paragraph upon paragraph (unless you are a book blogger who is part of a book blogging program with a minimum word count requirement). A simple sentence with a starred rating will suffice.
Here are some simple steps to use to write a book review:
- TELL readers what you liked about the story (DO NOT regurgitate the story – this is why there is a book description on the back of the book):
- “I visited Hawaii once and let me tell you, the author’s description is spot on! I could totally picture myself there again as I read this story.”
- “It is one of those books that kept me reading well past my bedtime.”
OR, if you didn’t like the story, tell readers why you’re giving the story two stars instead of five.
- “It was really hard getting into the story.”
- “I didn’t connect with any of the characters.”
- Develop your own system for starred ratings. For example: Five stars could mean it’s the best book you’ve read to-date, four stars is an awesome book that you’d probably read again, three stars is a good read, two stars means there were issues, and one star is not a recommended read. Be consistent with your own rating system so other readers will become familiar with it (if they follow your reviews).
- DO NOT include grammatical or print errors in your review. This is not the place to do it. However, if you are desperate to tell someone about the errors you found, carefully consider a private correspondence with the author. If it’s an indie-published book, the author can easily fix the error (IF it is in fact an error). But if it’s a traditionally published book, quench the urge to correct. There’s not a thing the author (or publisher) can do about it.
WHERE TO LEAVE YOUR REVIEW
Ready to leave a review? Here are some places to post a review:
- GoodReads
- Library Thing
- Bookseller site: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Chapters-Indigo, IndieBound, Kobo, AppleBooks
- Pinterest or Instagram
- Your local library’s website (if option available)
What other advice can you offer readers who want to leave book reviews?