How to Actively Get Book Reviews

July 3, 2017

I hope everyone is having a safe holiday week!

Last week I suggested exchanging guest posts with other authors for getting traffic for my blog. This week, I am going to discuss how I am now working to get reviews for my books. Last week a company offered to get me reviews if I paid them a fee for the reviews. That is

Last week I suggested exchanging guest posts with other authors for getting traffic for my blog. This week, I am going to discuss how I am now working to get reviews for my books. Last week a company offered to get me reviews if I paid them a fee for the reviews. That is

Last week I suggested exchanging guest posts with other authors for getting traffic for my blog. This week, I am going to discuss how I am now working to get reviews for my books. Last week a company offered to get me reviews if I paid them a fee for the reviews. That is thing that I never do, buy reviews. I refuse to pay any company who even offers to assist me with getting reviews. I had one claim the other day that they weren’t selling reviews, but were making review sites aware of books so that they could make honest reviews. I don’t know what you think, but as I see it, if I were to fall for their line, I would be buying reviews. A lot of better ways exist for finding individuals to review my books.

Why do Authors Need Reviews?

Authors need reviews because reviews demonstrate to potential readers whether or not others enjoyed the book. It’s one thing for the author to tell you the book is good. It’s another when someone else says that something is good. In addition to the publicity, book reviews give an indication of what others think of the quality of the book. Readers do rely on reviews to inform them about which books are worth their time. In addition, once one reviewer writes about your book, more will be sure to follow. As you rack up reviews, you will gain more readers.

Getting Family and Friends to post on sites like Goodreads

First, of course, I can get my friends and family to write reviews. There isn’t anything easier than asking friends and family to read your books and then review them. An easy way to accomplish this is by offering them a pdf copy of your book or by offering your book for free for a few days and telling them that it will be available for free as an ebook for several days.

The problem with getting family and friends to write reviews, however, is that they do not always know how to write a review, so it never hurts to show them how. Ask them to summarize your book without spoiling the plot for those who have not yet read it. Ask them to write their opinion about you book based on a few specific questions.

Some of these questions can include 1. Who is your favorite character in this book? Why? What was your favorite scene? What did you like about the book’s plot? Did the book end satisfactorily? Were there any surprises?

Offer to Exchange PDF Files with Other Authors for Reviews

Remember last week when I suggested getting to know other authors to help promote each other’s blog posts through guest posts? The same can be done with reviews. Authors know how to write reviews so you shouldn’t have to explain how like you had to do for your family and close friends.

One thing that often happens when authors review other authors is that we tend to be more critical. Most of us are more aware of spelling and grammar errors than the average reader.  As an author, I have learned that for courtesy’s sake, I never offer less than a three-star review on a live site. That doesn’t mean though that you should write a favorable review on a book that is not good. Instead, go back to the other author and explain to that person exactly why you cannot offer a good review.

Getting Reviewers through Amazon

Find reviewers on Amazon and ask them to review your book. Here’s how to. Go to https://www.amazon.com/review/top-reviewers and you will find the top reviewers on Amazon. Don’t just go through and start asking every single reviewer to read and review your book. Amazon reviewers review everything from toilet paper to diamond jewelry, so this reviewer might not review books at all. Instead, go through the list and find reviewers who review your genre. A good time to do this is during a free promotion period of your book that way you can give the book to this reviewer for free. You can also may be able to get a few of them to review one of your books while your book is in presale status.

 

Getting Reviewers through LinkedIn Contacts

Start building a list of LinkedIn Contacts who are reviewers who review your specific type of book. Get to know them on a professional level. Offer to help them in any way possible. If they have a blog, subscribe to it. Follow them on Twitter and Facebook. Once you have developed a professional friendly relationship, then ask for a review of your book.

 

Getting Reviews from Twitter

Finding people who will eventually agree to review your book is fairly easily done using twitter. Connect with other authors and reviewers. Create a list for authors and another for reviewers and add each author and reviewer to your site. Retweet and comment on things that they have posted on Twitter. When it comes time to ask for a review, you can quickly and easily go through your list and ask via direct message for each to respond.

 

Getting Reviews from Facebook

Create a list on Facebook that you can also use to keep track of who your friends are who are authors or reviewers. Develop a friendly relationship with these people. Help these people with their promotions by sharing their posts so that when it comes time to ask for a review.

 

Going to Free Review Sites

In addition to seeking out reviews on your own, you can also go to book review sites that cater to Independent authors. Here is a link to The Indie Reviewers List http://www.theindieview.com/indie-reviewers/

 

Make Review Getting a Regular Activity

I must confess that actively seeking reviews for my books was something that I have not been doing on a regular basis. This was definitely a mistake that I have been making and my book promotions have suffered because of it. I have started scheduling my review getting activities and am trying to improve my methods of review getting. This, of course, has been a generic blog about how to obtain reviews. If you follow the advice that I recommend here, you will be far ahead of where you would be if you left your reviewing to a passive process.

When God Turned His Head is Free July 1-5

When God Turned His Head is Free until July 5, 2017 on Kindle If you don’t havp a copy, get yours now by clicking this link https://www.amazon.com/When-Turned-Head-Locket-Saga-ebook/dp/B007RHXTTI/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr

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