What’s in a Review?

One of the ways it’s said that books sell is to have reviews.  Lots and lots of reviews!  Of course, you probably want good reviews to sell your books.

But how do you get them?  You can do what I do with some authors - it’s called a review swap!  It’s where we swap books and review them for each other.  Hopefully if you try this you will have a positive experience with it.

It’s a great way to read books in genres you wouldn’t normally read.  Plus you will make some nifty author connections as well.

It’s probably no surprise that as a writer, I also like to read.  My favorite genres to read are poetry, mysteries, sci fi, adventure and non-fiction.  I find out about books I like to read from reviews usually in articles, email book clubs or updates from bookstores, or in magazines.

I started thinking, though, about all the books these places must come across or receive for review.  How can anyone review that many books?

Many times the blurbs in a magazine sound really good, but when I get the book to read I don’t like it at all.  It’s like a movie tag line or an elevator pitch - you may not like the product as a whole or in this case book as a whole, but then again you may love it.

Now, I’m sort of an unconventional writer and poet.  I work in sales and marketing in my day job and I simply do things differently.  I do the same thing with my writing as I don’t really seek to get my books reviewed, and I know I’m not selling them so much based reviews.  I don’t truly worry about it.  It’s nice if someone gives my book a 4 star or 5 star review but it’s okay if they don’t!

What’s in a review?  A review is something you have to read with an open mind (as hopefully the reviewer did as well) and realize the reviewer might love, like, or hate the book and you as a reader might not feel the same way at all.

So by all means, go after those reviews or review swaps if you want, but don’t worry if you don’t.  I have had great success with my e-book and book sales with reviews and without!

It’s the writing that is important after all, and if your piece is meant to be read, it will be!

The Comfort of Poetry

Poems, poetry, and poets tend to be on the front line when it comes to writing for change.  During this time of worldwide crisis, with the Corona virus, we now need the comfort of words more than ever.

Why?  Reading something unrelated to the crisis at hand, can give you momentary relief while reminding you of the good things in life.

Or write about what you are feeling or experiencing during this trying time, this scary time.  Never could I have imagined such a thing happening.  It’s like the movies:  for me, “Outbreak” comes to mind.

Use a journal to jot down your ideas and notes.  Carry a notepad for doodling and special words.

You can read many poems and other works online for free or via ebooks.  Of course, there are books available to you to by ordering online or checking them out from the library.  I can go online even in my small town and reserve books I want from the library, then get a text when they are ready to be picked up and go inside to the checkout desk and check them out.

Write what you feel, or read!  I wrote my first poem about this crisis today - it’s an awful place to be, but it made me feel better and made me feel like I was doing something at the same time.

You can also try visual ways to consume the written or poetical word by looking at YouTube or maybe a fun movie while you write.  Blogging, such as I’m doing here, is another outlet for your written works.

I hope the next time I post, about this or simply in general, that there will have been some improvements to this crisis!  Take care and be well and safe out there!