Giving Book Reviews

Over the years I’ve gone to more “parties” and spent money I didn’t have to buy something I didn’t really need at an inflated price just because a family member or friend ask me or invited me to attend. Premier and Lia Spohia jewelry parties, Pamper Chef, Party Lite, Tupperware, and the list goes on. You get what I’m saying.

As I’ve joined more writing groups and become friends and acquaintances with other writers, I have a tendency to buy books by authors I know, or have become acquainted with. I do it to be supportive of other writers, but mostly to check out their writing style.

So far, I’ve only come across a couple of duds. I have to ask myself, “How do I handle giving this writer a review on Amazon or Goodreads?” The answer for me is simple. I don’t give a bad review. If I don’t like the book, I just don’t give a review, period.

Then I ask myself, “Is that fair?”  If someone didn’t like my book, wouldn’t I want to know the reason? Until I find a solution, or the courage to be honest, that’s my game plan and I’m sticking to it. Sometimes it’s hard to be honest when the mercy side of you doesn’t want to hurt or offend someone.

“To market, to market, to buy a fat pig. Home again, home again, jiggity jig.” Yeah, I know, it’s a silly, childhood rhyme. Marketing is a must for authors. Much like all the parties I’ve mentioned above, sometimes we can feel pressured to buy someone’s book and then give a five star review. I, as a writer, feel the marketing pressure to pressure (I know. It’s an overuse of the word pressure) my friends and family to buy my book and give a good review.

The difference between those parties and buying books? I absolutely love to read. To me it’s not like buying a piece of jewelry I’ll never wear, or a pan or bowl I’ll never use. (sh! I turn around and sell some of that overpriced stuff I just bought on eBay. At a loss, no less. Grrr)

But if I’ve read your book and don’t give a review, it’s probably because I didn’t care for it. Maybe it’s not my favorite genre, and I wouldn’t count anything off from that, but did it get and keep my attention? Was the writing good?

We only get one shot to draw a reader in, so make it good. **sigh** The things I’m learning as I go along. Titles, opening lines and chapters and their importance. Be fruitful and multiply, dear writer friends.