They say that any publicity is good publicity. I am wishy washy on that concept. Sure, it’s true to an extent. But an author still wants to produce the best product possible and hopes for great reviews. More people are going to purchase a book that others like than one that they harshly and negatively criticize.
I’ve had a lot of book reviews—probably over 100. And I notice that few reviewers seem to really delve into the meaning or concept of the book and give a really profound review. Some reviewers do no more than simply copy the back cover matter or pluck something from the Introduction or from your website and call it a book review. That’s okay—at least the review is positive.
Have you ever had a negative review for one of your books? I’d also like to hear about your positive reviews. I do not recall ever having a bad review, although I did have someone refuse to review one of my books because they found a typo. And I’ve had reviewers reject my books because they are self-published through my own publishing company. (This was before the onslaught of pay-to-publish companies).
What good are book reviews? Depending on where they are posted, they can definitely alert your particular readers to the fact that your book exists. A lot of positive reviews stacked up at Amazon.com looks good to potential customers. People who love or need books like yours often look for them at various sites related to this topic/genre. For example, someone seeking a book on astronomy or astrology will visit sites dedicated to these subjects in hopes that there will be a recommended book page. People who are interested in a particular topic or genre will read magazines and newsletters in kind and may respond by purchasing books reviewed in this venue.
I’ve found pointed book reviews to be most beneficial to the sales of my books. Book reviews for my writing/publishing books published at writing/publishing sites and in writing/publishing publications definitely attract customers. But I’ve discovered that book review sites do nothing for my bottom line. It could be that readers of fiction check these sites for new book recommendations. But this is no way to sell targeted nonfiction—at least that has been my experience.
Catscapades Update
I got my first book review for Catscapades, True Cat Tales. Check it out at http://www.theproblemcat.com/misc/catscapades.html.
So I am pleased to have a review that is so insightful and thorough. RJ Peters at The Problem Cat site did a lovely job. Visit her site to see what this cat lady is all about. And get help for your cat problems.
http://www.theproblemcat.com
I also have a new blog post at
http://www.matilijapress.com/catscapades Visit the Catscapades blog and meet our 5-year-old grandson as he interacts with our kitten, Lily. It’s a match made in heaven.
I’ve had some inquiries, lately, from authors in need of assistance with their book proposals. The book proposal can be a puzzle the first time around. Let me help you make sense of it through my online Book Proposal Course.
http://www.matilijapress.com/course_bookproposal.htm