PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
I’m here to talk to you today about a very sensitive subject
– book reviews. Please be sure to sit your authors down and have honest,
forthright conversations with them about book reviews. Your author may think
the hardest thing she had to do was write the book; edit the book; publish the
book; but sadly, she is mistaken. She now has to market the book. And an
important element of marketing, one that I cannot stress enough, is the holy
grail of book reviews.
Even bad ones.
Relax! Breathe! It’s going to be alright. Your author can
survive some bad reviews. Just remind him that not everyone likes spinach, some
people detest spinach, that doesn’t make spinach bad. And in that same vein,
not everyone will like his book – that doesn’t make it bad. Taste is
subjective. And reviews are not personal; including the ones that feel like
they are. Don’t address them, don’t respond, and don’t throw your typewriter in
the recycling bin either. REMEMBER – YOU ASKED THEM TO SHARE THEIR OPINION!
How do you get these really important reviews?
Begging may seem beneath him/her but it’s a necessary skill
for a purveyor of the literary arts. You will beg, and frequently, for
everything from an agent, to publication, for tweets, for sales. So don’t go
getting self-righteous when it comes time to beg for reviews because the more
reviews you have the more attention your book will get. From all the people
you’ve been begging to sit up and take notice anyway.
In short, reviews are important. You need them. Now get them!
Are you still here? The G.I. Joe thing was my corny farewell. Well, if you're not busy I've got a few books that need more reviews... (see what I did there? shameless begging)
When you're lucky, and really fucking talented like Juli Page Morgan is, you get a review like this one [P.S. I loved this book so much that when I reached 'The End' I started it over.] http://www.readsandreviews.com/rock-and-roll-week-review-3-sister-golden-hair-by-juli-page-morgan/
ReplyDeleteSuch an awesome post, Becky! I can't express how much I hate asking for reviews. Of course, with that said, I walk around with a silly grin on my face for days after one of your reviews. So thank you!
ReplyDeleteThanks for popping in Nancy. I'm glad you enjoyed the post. WIth all the anxiety the review process inspires, and the recent negativity between authors & bloggers, having a little fun with this seemed like a good thing. Your books are always such a joy to read, hon; the reviews nearly write themselves =D
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