Guilty as charged. Out of the 100+ books that I have downloaded on my Kindle and/or have on my bookshelf, I have only left a review for maybe 10%. My reviews, or lack thereof, does not attest to the quality of the book, and there are not any excuses that I can make for not taking 1-2 minutes to let these authors know my thoughts about their works of art. I'm guilty, guilty as charged.
So as an author, now that reviews matter, it is almost hypocritical of me to go into an uproar about the fact that out of 2000+ downloads, only 40 readers have left a review on Amazon. So before I ask for change, it is imperative that I also begin to make changes by practicing this sermon that I'm about to preach. Reviews are critical to the success of an author, especially a new, unestablished author. It is reviews that help readers decide whether their $5 will be best spent buying a copy of Fashionably Deceptive or at their favorite fast food restaurant indulging in what they know will be satisfying.
The old adage, "When you know better, you do better," is only fitting for this situation. Until I became an
author, I never realized the importance of leaving feedback, especially positive feedback. It is easier to voice a complaint about a negative appeal to your emotions than sometimes just writing in to say, "Job well done." It is those job well dones that hold the key to sometimes lifting insecurities and validating that a person has chosen the right path. I have a confession: Even to this day, I still check the reviews for Fashionably Deceptive multiple times per week, and it was those 4 and 5 star reviews that helped me keep my head up, when I got my first 1 star review. That 1 star review was a blow to my ego and caused a lot of insecurities to attempt to resurface about whether I should continue writing and striving to become a best-selling author. Yet, I did not allow negativity to prevail, and allowed the 4 and 5 star reviews that came before and after that to be my motivation. And when I finally gained the courage to look at other reviews that had been left by that reviewer, I was able to breathe a sigh of relief when I saw that just about every review that she has ever given has been low. I can't please everybody, and I try to remain mindful of the fact that my book has sensitive topics that may not appeal to all readers.
I say all of this to encourage my readers to leave reviews. As I push for a publishing contract from a reputable publishing company, I would like for the reviews from readers to make my voice even louder. If you have read Fashionably Deceptive, please leave your review. If you have not read Fashionably Deceptive, read it and leave your review. If you know someone that would enjoy Fashionably Deceptive, please encourage them to read it and leave their review. Help me spread the word, and let's push for 100 reviews. I can not do it without you! Numbers don't lie.
Get your copy here:
Amazon
My favorite reviews go on Pinterest:
Follow Tonia TheAuthor's board Reviews Fashionably Deceptive on Pinterest.
- Tonia
No comments:
Post a Comment