This may not be a shock to you, or it could be, or you’re tired of hearing me say it, but #ReviewsMatter.
It’s not just a hashtag, but a hashtag that means something, and I hope you use it as well, when you not only write a review, but you share that review on social media.
Authors. You need reviews. I know, because I am/was an author, and because I spend my time reviewing other’s books, I don’t go out and seek reviews. So, yes, you need reviews. They can be used for promotion of your book, and someone who wants to buy your book may look at the previous reviews (if there are any), and decide to buy or not buy your book. If you’re an author, you probably read as well. Do you leave reviews for the books that you read? I leave a review for any book that I read, whether I chose to buy it myself for my own read, or the books that I have been sent to review. (Under a 3 gets sent back to the author).
When I write a review, I let the author or the author’s representative know that I did. Even if I buy a book for my own read, I let that author know as well, even if they don’t care or don’t answer. If I can, I tag authors when I post my reviews.
Readers. If you read a book, and whether you like it or hate it, leave a review. It doesn’t matter if it’s a paperback, hardcover, mass production paperback, Kindle or another type of book. Even if you don’t purchase a book on amazon, you can leave a review. I do that with books that I buy elsewhere, such as a local bookstore or second-hand store, where you can get a lot of books for a small cost, even those hard-to-find books, or books you never knew existed.
Yes, #Reviewsmatter If you read, write a review. It doesn’t have to be pages long, just a few short lines will do.