Save an Author, Write a Review

My new book, Affliction, was recently published and now appears on all the usual retail sites. Amazon, of course, is the biggie with millions of titles available for readers to order. So, the burning question in my mind as well as my fellow authors is: how do I make my book stand out? Other than spending a great deal of money on promotions, money with no guaranteed return, what’s an author to do?

Reviews. We all want reviews. Reviews are a writer’s lifeblood. If you type How To Get Book Reviews into a search engine, a dizzying number of articles pop up. I’ve read most of them and actually followed through on some of them. Join Goodreads and do a giveaway. Run a contest. Look for book reviewers on Twitter and Facebook.

Most writers, myself included, would much rather spend time writing rather than marketing our books. But, with the glut of books on the market, we have to be proactive, whether we like it or not.

So, my reader friends, you probably have no idea how important you are to all of us who spend endless hours writing our books. We need you desperately. If you have an opinion about a book you’ve just read—and I’m sure you do—take a few minutes, write a review and post it where it will do the most good. It doesn’t have to be perfectly worded or a prolonged re-hashing of the plot. A single paragraph will do. What will you get in return? The undying gratitude of the author!

If you’re a writer, do you have any tips for the rest of us? If you’re a reader, do you write reviews for the books you do (or don’t) enjoy?