The New Book Review

This blog, #TheNewBookReview, is "new" because it eschews #bookbigotry. It lets readers, reviewers, authors, and publishers expand the exposure of their favorite reviews, FREE. Info for submissions is in the "Send Me Your Fav Book Review" circle icon in the right column below. Find resources to help your career using the mini search engine below. #TheNewBookReview is a multi-award-winning blog including a MastersInEnglish.org recommendation.

Showing posts with label book reviewing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label book reviewing. Show all posts

Thursday, October 9, 2014

The Secrets to Great Reviews

I usually post only reviews on this blog (see the submission guidelines in the left column!). It is open for authors, publishers, reviews, and readers who want to spread the word about the books they read. Today, I'm republishing a note I wrote to the subscribers of my SharingwithWriters newsletter because it deals with reviews--and, I believe, can be helpful to all those who contribute and visit these pages. Here it is:

Dear Subscribers:

Perhaps the hardest job I have is to convince my clients that a critical review can actually be beneficial to the sales of their book. (The other is convincing them that marketing a book is not selling a book but an act of consideration—that is identifying their readers so they can be helped or entertained in the way they like best!)

Back to reviews. I was reading a review for The Small Big: Small Changes That Spark Big Influence by Steve J. Martin and Noah Goldstein with Robert Cialdini in Time magazine. And there! Right there! Was the clincher. It leads with, "At first glance, little differentiates Berkshire Hathaway stockholder reports from those of any other major corporation. But look closer. Even in years when Berkshire has been unimaginably successful, [the Berkshire Chairman draws attention] to a snag or strain in the company."

"What," you may ask, "does that have to do with my book, or reviews for my book?"

The review amplifies a bit: "Researchers who study persuasion know that messages can be amplified when people present a small weakness in them, which in turn garners a higher level of trust."

As those of you who have read my The Frugal Book Promoter know, I don't advocate slash and burn review tactics—for authors who review books or authors who take the lowest road and denigrate their competitors' books. But a review that is honest, one that tempers praise with a little helpful critique, can be of far more value than one that looks as if it were written by the author's mother.

Apparently this book also suggests that those with something to sell might "arrange for someone to toot your horn on your behalf." It gives an example of the old switch tactic that I've had car salespeople use on me when they turn me over to someone who is "more experienced," or "in a better position to cut me a deal."

Another lesson: Use potential. Facebook users introduced to "someone who could become the next big thing" were more convinced than they were from a mere list of his or her credentials, however stellar.

And while we're at it, one of the first "lessons" I learned about endorsements (they're sort of like mini reviews, right?) is that you can write them and present them to someone in a position to influence your particular readers in the query letter you write to them. You tell them that if they prefer they can chose one one of your prepackaged endorsements--edit it or not--or write one of their own. It's a way of keeping control over the aspects of your book you'd most like to have at the forefront of readers' awareness and—at the same time—being of service to the person you are querying. You will also up your success rate for getting an endorsement because many movers-and-shakers aren't necessarily writers and the idea of writing an endorsement from scratch scares the beejeebees out of them!

You can do the same thing with a review. Write one the way you would like to see it (using some of the techniques outlined in this note to you), and let someone else—someone with tons of credibility--sign off on it. If no one does, you can use the review in your media kit with a note that it is a "sample review." That's honest and sometimes needed when you're finding it hard to get that first review! By the way, that's another tip you'll find in The Frugal Book Promoter along with ways to avoid paying for a review and why you should avoid paying for one.

Happy writing, editing, and promoting,
Carolyn


PS I’d love to see those of you who live in the LA area at the coming Digital Conference (http://www.wcwriters.com/dasp/program.html) for sure, though hotel accommodations are available for out-of-towners. I’ll be speaking on “Using Createspace as a One-Stop Shop for Digital and Paper” and “Digital Marketing Made Simple.” Get more details by scrolling to the bottom of this newsletter for my coming presentations. 

----- 
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It 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.

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Review Blog Benefits Writers and Readers

It's amazing how one learns about wonderful new places that can make a difference for writers and readers. "Never proprietary" is my marketing manta (see the list of other spots for reviews by scrolling to the bottom of this blog), and I just learned about this one:
http://newbook-releases.blogspot.com/

I know many subscribers to this blog are past participants as well as readers who will want to follow the books featured there.

Again: http://newbook-releases.blogspot.com/ Go for it!

-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It 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 loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index 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.
And while you're at it, as a courtesy to the author, please retweet this post:

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Get Reviews or Review: Opportunities for Writers

This seemed like an opportunity my subscribers and visitors would want to know about. I haven't tried the program, but I am familiar with the owners of the organization. They are reliable and principled. Having said that, it it important that each writer carefully research any service to be sure it suits their needs.

As the current economic slump causes several reviewers to close up shop, and print reviews become much less frequent, savvy authors are embracing the Internet as the place to market their books. An innovative, newly launched online site, “Review the Book,” is ready to meet the challenge.

“Review the Book,” a new online book review service, has just been launched, and already hundreds of authors are signing up to get their books reviewed. The new service has assembled a team of quality reviewers; many have been reviewing books for other review publications for many years. “Review the Book” provides a simple and effective way to provide a much-in-demand review service for authors to find and connect with their readers.

Authors who wish to submit their books for consideration by “Review the Book” can go to www.ReviewtheBook.com, create a username and password, and then list their book titles. Once titles are posted, reviewers select the books that interest them, and the author is contacted to request a review copy. This process insures review copies are not sent and ignored, and the author is guaranteed a review within three weeks once the review copy is mailed. While a small fee is required per title for administrative costs, discounts exist for listing multiple titles.

Book Reviewers agree to post a 300- to 600-word review to “Review the Book,” Amazon and Barnes & Noble’s websites, as well as seven additional websites of their choice. As many as five reviewers may choose to review the same book, which means the possibility of 50 book reviews across the worldwide web for one book in places where the reviews will gain the attention of interested readers. Studies show that reviews posted online are now a deciding factor for readers in choosing books to read. A good book review can propel book sales for an author, and well-written reviews by the experienced reviewers at “Review the Book” will ensure that quality books get the attention they deserve.

Because reviewers at “Review the Book” receive no compensation, other than a free book, but write reviews from a love of reading, impartiality and honesty are trademarks of the reviews. Reviewers are forbidden to resell books and must pay a deposit to “Review the Book” to ensure they will post reviews. And because reviewers choose the books they want to read, their reviews serve as a fair representation of a book’s reading audience. Interested potential reviewers can apply at www.ReviewtheBook.com

“Review the Book” is the brainchild of Reader Views, based in Austin, TX. Reader Views has been reviewing books and offering author publicity services since 2006. With the decline of many other review services, Reader Views decided to launch a new book review site and assemble a fresh team of reviewers to provide more book review opportunities for authors. More information about Reader Views can be found at www.ReaderViews.com
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It 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 loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index 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.
And while you're at it, as a courtesy to the author, please retweet this post:

Sunday, June 8, 2008

Author of Slipper Art of Book Reviews Interviews Carolyn How This Blog Works and More!

Carolyn Howard-Johnson is the founder of Authors' Coalition, an award-winning author and poet, a columnist for My Shelf, and an instructor for the UCLA Extension Writers' Program. Her books include the popular titles The Frugal Promoter and The Frugal Editor, both USA Book News' Award winners. Carolyn is also the editor of The New Book Review, a book review blog with a different twist: authors may submit reviews which have already been written about their books, thus extending the life of the reviews. In this interview, Johnson discusses the influence and effectiveness of reviews in terms of book promotion, among other things.

Thanks for being here today, Carolyn. How long have you been reviewing?

I've been reviewing for about eight years. Now I really only review movies occasionally for the Glendale News Press and even more infrequently for my series called Reviews for Riters (tm). The latter are reviews written for well-known books but rather than recommending a book (or not!) they are examinations of how master authors tackle specific elements of writing. Thus they are directed at writers--really--more than readers. They're really tools for learning our craft.

Please tell us about The New Book Review. How and when did it get started?

The New Book Review is unusual in that it does not offer review services (either free or paid) to authors. Rather it is a place where authors can submit reviews that have already been written for their book, thus extending the life of the review. Readers are welcome to submit, too. The New Book Review is a blog rather than a site and the submission guidelines may be found in the left column. Of course, writers must have permission from their reviewers to republish the review and must give the reviewer full credit for their work.

What makes The New Book Review different?

Probably just that it is simple and easy to remember. THE NEW BOOK REVIEW. Its concept may be more original than the name. The "new" means that I take a the "new' view to books. Reviews for all books (other than pornography) are welcome. If someone loved a book enough to write a review for it, it belongs at THE NEW BOOK REVIEW. By the way, I will accept critical reviews but not slash and burn critiques. If the reviewer can't recommend a book, then why would my readers want to know about it?

What is the most challenging aspect of running your blog?

As you can see, I make it easy. If people don't submit material in a way that I prescribe in the guidelines, it doesn't get published. That's a good lesson for all. To promote well, authors (and others) must make it easy on the editor.

Do you have staff reviewers?

I suppose every person who submits a review is on my staff. Kind of a neat concept, don't you think?

How should an author contact you about a review request?

Just follow the guidelines on The New Book Review

How do you determine which reviews to post on your blog?

As long as a review meets the guidelines (found in the left column of the blog), I accept them. When needed, I edit them. Sometimes there is a wait. I try to never post more than one review a day. All those who submit are asked to do a little promotion of the fact that their review has appeared. That helps all the participating authors get more exposure.

How effective are reviews in terms of book publicity?
Reviews are very important to an overall book campaign.  I do think that authors need to put them into perspective, though. They are part of a campaign. A vital part but still only a part with every part working together.  The Frugal Book Promoter gives authors and publishers information on how to get reviews but also about those other essential parts of a promotion effort.
How influential are reviews on consumers?
For some consumers, they are very influential. My daughter-in-law (she helps me nominate books for my Noble (Not Nobel!) Prize that appears on MyShelf.com) buys her books almost exclusively on the basis of reviews. But different people buy their books differently.  I believe that word-of-mouth is more influential and most studies uphold that view.  By the way, winning a contest can be a big influence, too. And what a wonderful opportunity a win is to get the word on a book out there.
Do you think reviews can make or destroy an author's career?
They say there is no such thing as bad publicity.  I also think that many authors view reviews as bad reviews when they aren't.  A review will have more credibility if it isn't all raves and rose petals.  A balanced review is more credible. And like everything in our culture, reviews are short-lived.  Everyone forgets them in short order. Except maybe the author.

Do you think there’s a lot of ‘facile praise’ among many online review sites?

Facile praise. Quite a term. Yes, I do. But if someone loves a book, who out there should tell them that they are wrong. I'd just prefer reviews to be a little more even-handed. After all, the review process is about learning for the author and credibility for the reader, too.

There was a lot of controversy last year between print publication reviewers and online bloggers. In your opinion, what defines a ‘legitimate’ reviewer?

It is very hard to draw a line, isn't it. Weren't the reviewers for the New York Times at one point beginners. Does one have to have a BA in English Lit or an MFA in writing to be considered an expert. I think the point here is that people should always be aware of where the material they read is coming from. What is the reader's standard for credibility? Apply those standards. No one should believe everything they read. On the other hand, opinions of others should be respected. Just because a reviewer doesn't agree with us, doesn't mean that their opinion is not valid. This is one of those arguments never to be won, one of those problems never to be solved.

What is your stand on paid reviews?

I'm against them. Paying for something undermines its credibility. And, yes, that even applies to the paid reviews that Kirkus does.

Do you think it’s okay for reviewers to resell the books they review? What about advance review copies?

No, reviewers should donate their books to libraries. It is a fine point of ethics but an important one.

In your opinion, what are the most common mistakes amateur reviewers make?

You named it! Facile reviews.

With so many major newspapers getting rid of their book review sections, how do you see the future of online review sites?

I think there is a place for shorter, quicker reviews online regardless of what the LA Times does with their pages. Still, one hates to see lovely old review sections in journals and newspapers deteriorate.

Do you keep the author’s feelings in mind when you review?

Absolutely. But I also keep the future of her craft in mind.

Have you received aggressive responses from authors or publishers because of a negative review? If yes, how do you handle it?

Not so far. I did quit reviewing for a newspaper who demanded that I write only good things because it was a "family newspaper." This is a freedom of the press issue. Reviews--once committed--get to say what they want. Only their own standards should affect what they say.

What does your blog offer readers?

The New Book Review offers readers a variety of review for books that they might miss if they only peruse the major journals.

What promotional opportunities does your blog offer authors?

Oh, you know me. All publicity and exposure is good publicity and exposure.

What is the most rewarding aspect of being a reviewer?

Well, I am an author's advocate--at least with some of my writing. Therefore I'm always interested in helping authors reach readers with what they are passionate about. That's certainly why they write, right?

Is there anything else you would like to say about you or The New Book Review?

Just please come to The New Book Review. To find new and different material to read. Authors should come to reach new readers, cross-promote, and grow their footprint on the Google search engine.

Thanks, Carolyn! It was a pleasure interviewing you! 




 


-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, founder of Authors' Coaliition (www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com). It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love--and that includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews and reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page.