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by Sarah Noffke (TopShelf Columnist)
Twitter @RealSarahNoffke | SarahNoffke.com
The book review. It is often the instrument
used to spear the author’s dinner and then also
spear the author. It is the author’s bread and
butter and also the mold that rots the bread. It
is the elevator to the top and the escalator to
the basement. Are you tiring of my analogies
yet? My point here is that authors heavily rely
on reviews for their books, although they are
definitely a mixed bag. Okay, no more clichés,
I promise. Reviews make and break books,
but nothing breaks a book harder than no
reviews. So let’s start there.
I always extend gratitude to readers for
supporting my books. However, they are also
hounded regularly to write reviews for my
books. When they tell me they read one of
my books, I’m slap down the review link so
fast that I almost break my mouse. Yes, I
could be taking that moment to enjoy a bit of
pride that someone read one of my books. I
could also be savvy enough to push the next
book in the series at this reader who has
taken the time to contact me. However, a
review is a prized Pokémon and if you collect
as many as you can, well, you kind of win.
That number next to the review count is
more important than the one after the dollar
sign. In my experience, readers see high
review counts as an indication that the book
is enjoyed by most, regardless of the overall
rating. Strange, I know. But think about it.
From a reader’s perspective, if over a
thousand people reviewed a book then there’s
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genre. One star reviews are for books
that are awfully written. They are for
books that have no storylines. The best
reviews are ones that point out what
worked and what didn’t. They are ones
that aren’t abusive or insulting. Reviews
that offer the reader simple pros and
cons, give them a chance to make an
informed purchase. Was the story
executed in a way that was enjoyable?
Was it a fast read? Did it stay with you?
Would you recommend? And if not,
why? Give something that your fellow
readers can work with. My point here is
that reviews need to be constructive, not
abusive. I won’t even tell you about the
review I got that involved memes of
into a ravine, never to be seen again. And I
hope the reader is okay after that natural
disaster. However, a book not fully read, or
really at all in this case, isn’t one deserving of
such a low grade. Reviewers need to put things
in perspective. Why couldn’t the reader finish?
Did they not connect with the character? Was
it just not to their taste? That may be more of
a two or three star review. So grading
accurately is important here.
The reviewer who gave my book a one
star went on to say the book wasn’t their people getting sick. Oh wait, I just did.
Reviewer, you hold an important power.
The opportunity to share your experiences
while you were in the company of a book. It
won’t always be a pleasant account.
Hopefully often it is full of entertainment.
Regardless, share your experience in order to
benefit all. Reviews matter. They matter for
the author and the reader.
REVIEWS: THE GOOD,
THE BAD, & THE UGLY
got to be something about it worth checking
out. So ask readers to review books, both
yours and books that you want to succeed.
Now, I’d like to turn my short and often
strained focus on how reviews should be
written in order to benefit the reader. Yes,
authors need reviews to be successful with a
book, but readers need them to decide if they
are going to purchase. For a review to offer
valuable information, it does need to be
somewhat objective. Reviewers are free to say
whatever they like, but unfortunately I’ve met
a few who take the power to their head.
I once received a one star review that said
they couldn’t finish the first chapter of my
book. I’m hoping that’s because an earthquake
knocked the book from their hands and it fell
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OCTOBER2017 11