Reviews
Reviews build confidence and potentially increase sales and that is what all authors want. Right? Sales mean someone cared enough to buy your book and hopefully they will recommend it. But reviews for new Indies are getting harder to come by.
We receive a significant amount of requests to review books and have always declined because we simply did not have the time. In the past we could direct inquiries to blogs focused on indie reviews or other authors willing to exchange honest reviews but times have changed. More and more of the reputable blogs are swamped or no longer accepting solicitations from independent authors/publishers.
I stress honest because the reading public can generally see through the five star promotions written by well-meaning family and friends. Too much sugar can make you sick.
As I said earlier we get a significant amount of requests to review books and have always declined in the past because we simply did not have the time. That too has apparently changed.
We currently have a few prolific readers that are willing to take on the task (and sometimes pleasure) of reviewing but buyer beware they do not sugarcoat opinions. They aren’t cruel but they are direct and they don’t do it for free.
Why? You may ask. This is what they told me: “You are asking me to spend my time and money on a book I may or may not have eventually found on my own. I’m asking you to make an equal commitment.”
Some prefer to let their books be discovered naturally and that is perfectly fine but for those who feel they need a little boost that’s fine too. I believe candid reviews are definitely effective in gaining fans and exposure.
Surely there are some reputable blogs that will still review an independent book for the benefit of journalism? By all means ideas are welcomed.
If you are interested in the review service we have two people who usually work as proofers offering candid reviews for $35. Yes that is thirty-five dollars per e-book. They purchase your e-book and write an unbiased review. The price seems steep to me but they are offering this service as one possible solution. For now this is all I’ve got. Sorry.
**Suggestion: Always make sure your book is the best it can be before asking for reviews.
Simpklu 