When I am interested in a book, the very first thing I do is go online and read reviews. I pass over most of the reviews the publisher may post online and instead head right for the reader reviews. I want to know what other people have to say about a book before I make a purchase. I’ll read both the positive reviews and the negative reviews. I’ve been swayed against buying a book from negative reviews, and I have been persuaded to buy a book because of a positive review.
As an author, I pay attention to reviews for my books. As much as I would like to add a comment about a review where they may have missed the point entirely or said something that isn’t true, I have to restrain from that impulse. The one type of review I hate the most is the one from people who didn’t actually read the book. Below are two examples for my book 35 Miles From Shore. A recent positive review from a reader prompted me to write this post.
My favorite book of 2024 so far. Fascinating, captivating, well written.
Amazon review for 35 Miles From Shore
Here is a negative review for the same book.
This story which should have been very exciting read more like a high school term paper. I was disappointed in it.
Amazon review
It’s the same book, but two different impressions. If I were thinking about buying this book, I would definitely think twice after reading that last review.
I am a top reviewer on Amazon thanks to reviews I share from my site everythingnonfiction.com. If I can’t give a book three or more stars and have something positive to say, I don’t publish a review. I know what a negative review can do to book sales.
The point is that reviews make a big difference in sales. I know from experience that writing a well-thought-out review takes time, but even a short review like the positive review above can make a huge difference.
Long-Tail-Marketing
Before Amazon and online book sites, a book’s shelf life was six months to a year. After that, it had no chance of continuing sales. Now, however, books, reviews, and content about a book are online forever, allowing a book to sell years after its release. That recent positive review for my book 35 Miles From Shore was for a book that was released in 2008. The book has been out for sixteen years, but it was new to this reader.
A Quick Update on I Will Ruin You
Shortly after my book, I Will Ruin You, came out, several documentary filmmakers expressed interest. I spent several weeks talking to various producers and industry people. After those discussions and some pitching on my part, I learned that four different projects had been given the greenlight to proceed. I didn’t know and did not find out until after the fact, that Kit’s new legal team had told Kit and others not to cooperate or participate in any media projects, including documentaries. As a result, all of the previously greenlit projects have been put on hold.
The good news is that Kit does have people working on his behalf. Should there be any new developments, I’m sure that all of the projects on hold will ramp up quickly. In the meantime, I will continue to spread the word about Kit’s wrongful conviction. My book I Will Ruin You will continue to reach new readers, and when the time is right Kit’s story will once again be making headlines.
One last note. Before everything came to a screeching halt, I did an interview with one documentary project that is still on schedule to air sometime in the fall. Stay tuned for that project.
