“Is an Amazon Book Review on Your List of Gifts Writers Like to Give and Receive?” by Joan Y. Edwards

This is December – a month noted for giving and receiving.  What are gifts that writers like?

10 Gifts Writers Can Give Themselves

1. Confidence
2. Faith and belief that your stories will be self-published or published by traditional publishers
3. Investment of  time, talent, and/or money to educate, write, critique, and revise
4. Materials to write: pencil/pen and paper, computer and backup protection, writing software
5. Life Experiences to notice emotional impact in yourself and others
6. Read best-selling books in their genre
7. Study books and/or expert blog posts on the craft of writing; take workshops online or in person
8. Study the pitches of best-selling books and movies
9. Study possible markets
10. Submit work often (Pubsub)

7 Gifts Writers Like to Give and Receive

1. Encouragement
2. Support
3. Education
4. Critique
5. Hope
6. Publication
7. Do a Book Review on Amazon

I read that an author needs 25 book reviews on Amazon to influence buyers.  If you’re willing to do a review of Flip Flap Floodle on Amazon for me, please email me at joanyedwards1@gmail.com. Tell me you’re willing to do a book review on Amazon and give me your snail mail address. I’ll send you a paperback copy of Flip Flap Floodle.  You can keep the copy or give it away as a gift to a child you believe will enjoy it.

Below are many resources with information about reviews, how to write them, why are they important, and where to get them. Be sure to get permission to use the review in your marketing materials: book blurbs, brochures, blog posts, podcasts, webinars, etc.

Resources:

1. Amber in Blunderland. “Do Book Bloggers Sell Books?”http://amberinblunderland.blogspot.com/2011/05/saturday-discussions-7-do-book-bloggers.html
2. Book List Online. American Library Association. http://booklistonline.com
3. Christian Children’s Book Review. Review of “Many Waters by Madeleine L’Engle http://ccbreview.blogspot.com/2010/03/many-waters.html
4. Dana Lynn Smith. The Savvy Book Marketer. http://bookmarketingmaven.typepad.com/
5. Dana Lynn Smith. BookBuzzr.  “7 Reasons Why Reviews Sell Books:” http://www.bookbuzzr.com/blog/book-marketing/7-reasons-why-reviews-sell-books/
6. Darcy Pattison. “How Many Reviews?”  http://www.darcypattison.com/marketing/how-many-reviews/
7. Evan Morrison. “Why Social Media Isn’t the Magic Bullet – Don’t Tweet, Just Write: http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/jul/30/tweet-about-cats-just-write
8. Good Reads.com “How Does Goodreads Work:” https://techboomers.com/t/how-does-goodreads-work
9. Gwen. “Why Write Amazon Reviews:” http://gwenperkins.wordpress.com/2012/04/07/qa-why-write-amazon-reviews/
10. Jeanie Fritz. Review of “The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving by Jonathan Evision” http://2manybooks2littletime.wordpress.com/2012/09/13/the-revised-fundamentals-of-caregiving-by-jonathan-evision/#comments
11. Library Thing. “How do you decide how many stars to award?” http://www.librarything.com/topic/113348
12. Morris Rosenthal  “Do Book Reviews Sell Self Published Books?” http://fonerbooks.blogspot.com/2007/10/do-book-reviews-sell-self-published.html
13. M. Louisa Locke. “Categories, Key Words, and Tags, Oh My: Why should an Author Care?” http://mlouisalocke.com/2011/10/24/categories-key-words-and-tags-oh-my-why-should-an-author-care/
14. Patrick. “Goodreads Stats Show Which Media Outlets Really Sell Books:” http://www.goodreads.com/blog/show/232-goodreads-stats-show-which-media-outlets-really-sell-books
15. Patrick. “How do books get discovered? A guide for publishers and authors who want their books to find an audience:” http://www.goodreads.com/blog/show/343-how-do-books-get-discovered-a-guide-for-publishers-and-authors-who-want
16. Rachel Toor. Chronicle of Higher Education.”Why Bother Writing Book Reviews?” http://chronicle.com/article/Why-Bother-Writing-Book/131360/
17. Ruth Harris “Amazon Reader Reviews: 12 Things Everybody and His Grandmother Needs to Know” http://annerallen.blogspot.com/2011/11/amazon-reader-reviews-12-things.html
18. Writing Center. University of North Carolina. “Book Reviews:”  http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/book-reviews/

Thank you for reading my blog. I appreciate you very much. I plan to polish and send off two manuscripts before December 31, 2012. My gift to myself. Each time I finish revising one. I can post a blog.  Each time I submit one, I can post a blog.

Let me know what your goals for December are. I’d like to hear them. Comment again when you reach your goals…You accomplish big goals or small goals one step at a time. You can do it. I can do it. We can all do it.

I told stories to my family when I was a little girl. When I was five I bought hot dogs for my sister’s class thinking they’d let me in her class.  Did it work? Find out here: Joan Y. Edwards on Linda Andersen’s blog.

Copyright © 2012 Joan Y. Edwards