What Reviewers Want: Get Inside One Reviewer's Mind
Author: D.L. Graham
Publisher: Twisted Rose Publishing
Date: October 9, 2011
Length: 24 pages
About The Author
D.L. Graham is a book reviewer and self-published author.
Book Reviews Are Subjective Opinions
This booklet was written by an author/reviewer to help self-published authors make informed decisions on how to spend their money wisely, in order to produce
a quality e-book and avoid costly mistakes.
There are several things this book reviewer advises a self-published author to consider before publishing their ebook. Good editing is at the top of the list of requirements for a quality product that will attract reviewers and readers. Grammatical errors, typos and poor writing style is a big turn-off to any reader and should be avoided like the plague. This might seem like common sense but it is a fairly common problem in self-published books.
This booklet contains two chapters that deal with how to get a reviewer to read your book and how to respond to a review. There is good advice for contacting and communicating with reviewers. The reviewer has many opportunities to read good books and they must make a choice. The author must "sell" their book in a short query email that grabs the reviewer's attention and makes them want to read this book more than the others.
The last section of this book contains an "Author's Toolbox" that provides links to resources that will be helpful to self-published authors.
My Thoughts
This booklet gives some good advice to authors who are seeking reviews for their self-published book.
There is really only one chapter in this booklet about how to get a reviewer to read your book. I would like to see more information about choosing reviewers, writing query letters and communicating with the reviewer. There are many resources available that deal with good writing, editing, etc., but few books advise authors on how to work with book reviewers and get the kind of reviews that will persuade others to read the book.
As a book reviewer, I enjoyed reading this booklet and I agree with everything that was written. I just wish the author had gone a little deeper into the subject of how to get reviewers to read your book.
My Rating: 4 Stars Out Of 5
FYI ~ I ordered this ebook from Amazon when it was offered as a free download. Please check the current price before purchasing.
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Zoe Winters details her first-hand experiences with self-publishing in "Smart Self-Publishing: Becoming an Indie Author". She shares the secrets of her success and she tells of difficult lessons learned the hard way. Her writing is candid, honest and entertaining.
This book will serve as a blueprint for self-publishing from beginning to end.
About The Author
Zoe Winters has sold over 50,000 ebooks independently. She's taught self-publishing techniques along with April L. Hamilton at Publetariat.com with their Vault University series.
Zoe independently produces a series of quirky paranormal romance books, called The Preternaturals Series. The first book, Blood Lust, is a compilation of her three previously-released novellas: Kept, Claimed, and Mated. Blood Lust is available in ebook and print. The second installment in the series, Save My Soul, is now available.
The Life Of An Indie Author
This book is a crash course on self-publishing. It begins with discussing the meaning of self-publishing and determining if it is going to be right for you. Ms. Winters lists the following "success predictors" in indie authors;
- You need to be a good writer.
- You need to have the ability to separate yourself from your work.
- You have to be a self-starter.
- You have to be organized.
- You have to be in it for the long haul.
- You need the ability to blaze your own trail and forget the naysayers.
- You need to be a good money manager.
- You need the ability to determine the difference between quality and crap.
- You need to have passion.
- You need to be a self-promoter.
- You need to know what you hope to gain from all of this.
If you are still interested in self-publishing after reading this chapter, the rest of the book explains the steps that you must take to get your book into the marketplace. She explains her method of writing and editing. The information that she provides about finding critique partners, beta readers and editors is very good.
She provides valuable information about choosing the correct format for your book. Ms. Winters tells of her personal experiences with producing books in print, ebook and audio formats. The author states that "digital is where the money is for indies." She explains the process of publishing ebooks at Smashwords, Barnes & Noble and the Amazon Kindle Store.
Ms. Winters offers detailed information about creating the cover art for your book. She gives advice for working with artists and also explains how you can do-it-yourself (if you have to).
Ms. Winters provides step-by-step details on formatting your book and publishing it. She offers many tips that will help the newbie self-publisher succeed. She is not shy about warning authors to avoid expensive and non-essential services.
The final part of the book deals with marketing. The author provides details on platform building and Internet marketing. She discusses blogging, social media sites and forums. She advises authors on how to approach book reviewers and how to interact with readers. She also offers good advice on contests, giveaways and book trailers.
My Thoughts
I saw this book mentioned in several book reviews on Amazon. The reviewers all noted that this was "one of the best" books on self-publishing. I purchased the book and was not disappointed. This book is a "must read" for indie authors.
This author is the real deal. She writes about experiences and processes that she has actually done...and her unique personality comes shining through. Great reading!
Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.
I recently read My First Ninety Years by Mary Jane Baird. This book was published by Murder Creek Publishing at Smashwords on August 22, 2010. I downloaded a FREE copy of this book in .mobi format and transferred it to my Kindle
to read.
Smashwords is an ebook publishing and distribution platform, serving authors, publishers, readers and major ebook retailers. Smashwords is ideal for publishing novels, personal memoirs, poetry, short and long-form fiction, and non-fiction.
This is a short memoir (approx. 3300 words) that Mrs. Baird wrote as a keepsake for her children and grandchildren. Mrs. Baird was born in Kansas City on October 10, 1919, in a home for out of wedlock mothers. She was adopted by Mary and William Murray from Kingman, Kansas. Mary grew up in Kingman along with an adopted brother who was seven years her senior.
Life in Kingman was difficult during the Depression Years, but Mary took piano lessons and was soon playing the piano for services at the family's church.
When Mary's father was 61 years old, he fell off a fire engine and broke his hip. Since her mother could not drive, young Mary was instrumental in helping her father keep up with his job's responsibilities while he was recovering. She graduated from high school and enrolled in the College of Emporia, a Presbyterian sponsored school.
During her freshman year in college, she met Bill Keesecker. They were immediately a "couple" and were engaged for five years. Bill graduated from Emporia College and then went to the McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago. Bill and Mary pastored several Presbyterian churches in the MidWest during the next 50 years. They raised three daughters and had a very happy marriage. Bill retired at the age of 70 and the Keeseckers moved to Kansas City. Rev. Keesecker died after heart surgery in 1992 and Mary moved to a retirement community. There she met Jack Baird and married him in 1995.
Mary wrote From Kansas Farm Boy to Moderator A Short History of the Life of Rev. William Francis Keesecker about her late husband's life. This book is also a FREE download at Smashbooks.
I wish more senior citizens would take the time to write memoirs for their friends and family to read and cherish. It is now possible for anyone to write and publish a book with very little money required. Mrs. Baird is a real inspiration to me. YES, I will write a book!
