Why Should You Review a Book, and How Should You Do It?

​Have you ever read a book that you love? You can’t stop reading it, even if it’s time for bed. You HAVE to read the next page, the next chapter. When you finish, you HAVE to read it again. It might make you laugh, or cry, or both. It might even turn you topsy-turvy! If you have, then you should review that book. 

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​Why should you write a review? You loved the book. Isn’t that enough?
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It could be, but if you take the time to write a couple of sentences, you’d help the book. You’d help its author. You’d help someone on the other side of the world find this book too. 

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I’ve heard that writing a good review for a book is like chocolate for an author. Imagine, you, giving your favorite author, your favorite book a box of chocolate just by writing a review. It doesn’t cost you anything but time, and authors love it. What a great thing to do!

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​Are you wondering why I put the number 50 in this post? If you have a book coming out, 50 reviews is a magic number. It gets the attention of online book sellers like Amazon or Barnes and Noble. Your book will get a higher rating on their website. It will show up more often when someone is searching for the perfect book. Wouldn’t you love to do that for your favorite book, your favorite author? 

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 I hope I’ve convinced you to write a review. The next step is to write it, but you’re probably wondering HOW? 

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​Start by writing it online. If you don’t feel comfortable, write it on paper or on your computer first. Then go into Amazon or Barnes and Noble. Cut and paste your review into their link. Actually, confession time, that’s what I do. I write them first for My Reads, my website book review. I do it in My Newsletter form. Then I cut and paste them to My Reads, and then into Amazon. It’s easy peasy because I’ve worked out my words in advance. ​

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​Still worried? Here are some tips . . . ​

1. 1.  Be nice. If you don’t have anything nice to say don’t say it! If I don’t like or love a book, I won’t write or post a review. I keep my opinion to myself. No one needs a bad review, unless it’s about something you use, like vacuums or shoes.

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​2.  Make sure you’re accurate about what you write. I know an author who got a bad review. It said there was a walrus or seal in her story. There wasn’t. Writing something that’s false isn’t fair to you or to the author. You might not read the story, and the author may not sell books because of bad information.

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3. If you post a review on Amazon, be ready to grade the story. Fours are good. Fives are great. Those are the only books I review. 

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​4. Next think about why you liked or loved this story. It’s an easy place to start. It’s also what I’m looking for if I read your review. What’s so great about this book?

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5. Think about the characters. Was there something that made you want to read about them? When I choose a new book, I look at characters and how they’re developed to make my decision.
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Think about the plot, how the story moves from the problem to the solution. What kept you reading? I want to know that too. Make sure you tell me what you liked/loved about the plot and the characters, and I might buy the book you reviewed.

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6. Finally, what makes this book special? How is it unusual? What caught your attention? When you proofread your review, you want to make sure it’s there. If you’re good at writing reviews, you might even become one of Amazon’s top reviewers.

BTW, I’m not a top reviewer, but in the last couple months, I’ve had 2 people reach out to me to review their books. I guess they liked how I write reviews.

Beach’s Best Tip – I just discovered this a month or two ago. When I edit ANYTHING, I click on narrator in Microsoft Word. It makes it so easy to hear my mistakes and improve them.
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For me that’s the best part about writing, always pushing to write my very best. Good luck! Happy Reviewing!

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