Reader Reviews and the Self Published Novel

It is now estimated that one out of every three books purchased is bought from an online retailer like Amazon, Barnes and Noble or Borders. There has also been a sharp increase in the number of small print publishers, distributors and retailers making it possible for aspiring writers to reach their audience in ways that were never possible before. Published works, offered to readers through traditional publishing, still have advantages over smaller publishers and print companies, but the internet and a growing demand for diversity within genres can make self-publishing a viable option--if the aspiring writer and the potential reader know what to expect from each other.

Readers play an extremely important role in all successful publishing, but it is even more crucial to success for the aspiring, self-published writer. The benefit of reaching out to new writers, even self-published writers, is that readers can choose from a diverse list of plots and characters, themes and styles, settings and moods. Online price differences between traditionally published books and self-published books are not yet competitive, but the list of books available in every category is growing; many retailers offer categorized search engines, critic reviews, reader reviews, and more. Readers may actually become overwhelmed by the number of choices, but it is obvious that online book sales offer lower prices, a large selection, and an ability to influence other readers, and even book sales.

These reader benefits can also be challenges for the new writer. Self-Published writers must still produce a quality novel--free of grammatical errors, containing a great plotline and believable characters. New writers must also figure out how to reach potential readers (most of whom have never heard of the writer or his/her book).

Supporters of a new writer are a boon to any successful marketing plan, but they are crucial to a new self-published writer. Reader Reviews are one of the most important tools that an audience has that can influence the online book market. This blog will discuss how Amazon’s Reader Review tool can be used by both self-published writers and their supporters to increase awareness, and hopefully, increase sales.

Just about anyone can leave a reader review by establishing an Amazon account, which requires an active email account. Readers can search for the books they have read by typing in the name of the author, or the title of the book, in the Amazon main page search window.

Below the general information section of the book, readers can select to “Leave a Reader Review”. These Reader Reviews can be as short and succinct or lengthy and detailed as the reader chooses, but the essential topics that a reader needs to focus on include the following: Star Rating (out of five stars), what the reader liked most about the book, and how the reader would categorize the book.

Reader Reviews: Three Things to Remember

• Choose a Star Rating
5 - One of the best you’ve ever read!
4 - Above average for the genre, entertaining and thought provoking
3 - Entertaining, worth the read
2 - Plot or editing errors that made the book difficult to read
1 - Implausible, not worth reading

• Describe the Book
- Eye catching opening phrase like “I couldn’t put it down!”
- What did you think the book was about?
- What did you like best about the book?
- Why do you recommend this book to others?

• Pick Some Key Category Tags
- What genre does this book belong in?
- What key words would you use to look for this book?
- What key words describe what you love most about the book?

Star Ratings matter because most people want to know that a book has the “stamp of approval” from other like-minded readers. I recommend supporters of new self-published writers consider the following rating scheme: Five Stars for one of the best books you have ever read--a must have book, Four Stars for a book that was above the rest of the genre, entertaining and thought provoking, but left room for some improvement--a highly recommended purchase, Three Stars for a book that was entertaining and worth reading, but perhaps contained some errors--a recommended read if the price is right, and Two Stars ... well, you get the idea. If it comes down to a Two or One Star rating, then I would recommend the reader not leave a review but contact the writer directly. Many new writers want honest feedback and are happy to discuss the book with their readers. This gives writers a chance to both face their challenges and improve future works without a permanent stigma. Of course, if the book is so deserving of a poor rating that the reader cannot let the matter go, because other readers need to be made aware of the book’s faults, then a concerned reader always has the right to rate a book as they see fit.

A brief description of what the book is about, without adding major spoilers, is a good way for other potential readers to decide if the book fits what they are looking for. It also helps for reviewers to tell other potential readers what they liked most about the book. This adds interest and excitement to a review that could be skipped over because it re-hashes what others have already written. A good formula for Reader Reviews includes an attention getting sentence about why the reader liked the book, a few sentences about what the book was about (from the reader’s perspective), a sentence about what the reader enjoyed most from the book, and a sentence about why other readers should also buy and read the new book.

Finally, one of the most overlooked aspects of a Reader Review on Amazon is the “Category Tag”. Category tags give readers the opportunity to associate the books they like with key words that are easily searchable within the online retailer’s vast list of titles. This is very important for the new writer--without key word tags linked to reader reviews, it is difficult for potential readers to know the book is out there. If a new reader browses for new books based on genres, sub-genres, plot elements or personal interests but the writer’s book only has star ratings and a narrative review, then the book will likely not be seen by others. Readers and new writers should consider “tags” a way to link the number of quality reviews available on a book to other similar books. The concept is to make the new book “pop-up” during advanced searches and on other similar book’s pages.

The Star Rating, Reader Review narrative, and Category Tags are three important ways supporters of new writers and self-published writers can make a book stand out from the rest of the list. A writer’s dream would be to have a quality review from every reader--an unrealistic expectation. However, it is not unrealistic to aim for fifty or even one hundred Reader Reviews. With a hundred reader reviews, and associated tags, other potential readers and new writers have a better chance of finding each other.