Reviewers #RRBC

Published on by Jan Sikes

write-a-review

As an author, there is nothing more encouraging than receiving a rave review for one of your books.

But, reviewers must maintain credibility. And that is my topic today.

I am an avid reader. I love nothing more than to sink my teeth into a good story. And, I never hesitate to leave a review once I finish.

However, what happens when a reader picks up a book that leaves him lacking? Does that reviewer leave a false review to make the author feel better or tell the truth?

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I think the answer to that should be crystal clear. First of all, you are doing that author no favors by saying the book is better than it was. An honest but KIND review can help the author grow and get better at his craft.

We never stretch or reach for more, when we think we already have it. 

So, I call to ALL reviewers – authors and readers – to stay true to yourself when it comes to writing reviews. If there are 20 five star reviews on Amazon for the book and you only feel like it deserves four stars, give it four stars!

If you stay true to yourself, then you build credibility as an honest reviewer. That being said, the word KIND must stay in your vocabulary. You only want to offer constructive not destructive criticism.

Read away! Review away! Be honest!

Author, Beem Weeks, who is in charge of the Review Department with the RAVE REVIEWS BOOK CLUB offers a short concise guide to “Writing the (Almost) Perfect Review.” Click HERE to watch.

37 thoughts on “Reviewers #RRBC”

  3. Thank you, Jan. Lovely to read the comments and advice on reviews and at times it is hard, to be honest. Like others have said, you can be honest but kind. You can alway put something positive even if you score 3 stars. If I felt the book was less than that I wouldn’t review.

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  4. Thanks Jan,
    This is very useful. Only about 1 in a 1000 post a review – so each one is valued. The more constructive, the better, to help an author grow or to realize the importance of editing and proofreading before publishing.

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  5. Thanks for the excellent advice. I make it a policy NOT to review books I don’t like. Since I don’t accept free books from authors for “a fair review” I have this option.

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  8. Thanks for this. I was recently considering reading one of my friends books and recommending it if it’s good. But then I thought, what if I read it and don’t particularly write it? I suppose this gives me a bit assurance. 🙂

    So I suppose it’s best not to tell them you will post about it but to say that you will review it and tell them if you like it enough to promote it (and offer them constructive feedback if it’s not up to mark).

    How would you handle telling someone you can’t promote their book since it’s not up to standard? Seems like it could be a bit awkward. I mean, they are sending you the book or the e-version (or the manuscript). So it feels a bit bad to refuse. What do you think?

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    1. That’s a tough one. I recently declined to promote a book because there were formatting issues. Any book that I promote on my blog is #1, one I’ve read, #2, one I enjoyed, #3, well-written and free from errors. So, I did a review of the book on Amazon, but didn’t promote it here. I owe it to my readers to always be honest in my book recommendations. So, I think the best thing for you would be to read the book and if it’s great, promote it. If not, put an honest review on Amazon and move on. It’s always harder when it’s a friend, but if you have a good relationship, you can criticize with kindness if that’s what the book warrants.

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      1. Okay, thanks a lot, Jan! Makes sense. You are still helping them with the review but only reserving good quality content for your site or blog. I like that. Thanks again 🙂

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  10. A great subject and also a tough one, Jan. As a writer, I think we never stop learning and reviews certainly help us to polish our prose. As you said, the reviewer should offer kind constructive feedback not destructive criticism.It helps to know what worked for a reader and what didn’t!

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    1. So true. There’s always a fine line and either word, Honest or Kind are subject to interpretation. I appreciate you stopping by and leaving a comment, D.E. Haggerty.

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  16. Jan- what a wonderful blog, I tell my friends all the time how important reviews are for you author’s. I love that you stated that constructive NOT destructive critisium is loved. Thank you for sharing, you have a great day Miss Jan, I can’t wait to read your new book. Love Always: Tonya

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