A Very Basic Primer for Reviewing Favorite Books Online

If you are an author you are an avid reader anyway, why not review books. Amazon and other online bookstores like BN.com that allow voluntary posts. If you come to TheNewBookReview' to find good reading, this review site is open to publishing your reviews (see the submission guidelines in the left column!)  but so are most online bookstores.  It only takes a few moments to add a thoughtful review on Amazon and other readers’ sites and it's fun to spread the joy of books.

Here's a quick study of how to go about it:
 Click on Amazon’s link that gives review guidelines. There is no point in wasting your time because of a minor infraction.

 Use a jazzy or thought-provoking title for your review.
 Type in your byline before you start your review.

 Type in a brief tagline (like a mini bio) at the end of your review but, unlike other sites, do not use your Web site address in it. Your review will be rejected if you use a Web site address—yours or any other.

 If you are an author, your When your review will automatically include a link to that lovely little Amazon feature, "Your About You Area" or your Author's Profile. That is, of course, if you've installed it using Amazon Connect.

 Edit your review. Copy, paste, rewrite and add one to BN.com as well.

 Amazon readers are more likely to click to learn more about you or your book if your Amazon reviews are attention grabbers.

 When possible, let the author know that you posted a review of her book on Amazon. It’s more than a courtesy. She will feel honored.

 If you cannot recommend a book, consider not posting. That doesn’t mean, of course, that we must post only rave reviews nor that noting weaknesses aren’t valid. It’s just that there is no point in slashing and burning a book an author has invested herself in.

I advise that authors use reviews to network with authors and publishers in The Frugal Book Promoter: How To Do What Your Publisher Won't. There are a slew of other ways to promote and make connections in TFBP, too. Some that will help you get professional reviews.

MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG

 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Of particular interest to readers of this blog is her most recent How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically (http://bit.ly/GreatBkReviews ). This blog is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.