I’ve been thinking about book reviews lately.
Having just published my latest illustrated children’s book, ‘Brilliant
Mr Badger’, I’ve been waiting for a particular review to emerge which could
have a significant influence on what I do next. It’s sometimes difficult to
persuade someone to read one’s work and comment on it, let alone buy it, read
it and review it.
Then, after the review the re-appraisal of what to do next. Write
another book in the same genre? Drop writing altogether? Try one’s hand at
another genre?
And what use are they anyway, these reviews? Traditional wisdom has it
that they’re an essential marketing tool but who buys books on the strength of
a review?
Quite a number of people, apparently. At least, that’s what publishers
and retailers would have us believe. So, a poor review and it's all downhill
from there. Particularly if the reviewer is a well know personage. Double
misery!
So I opened the latest newsletter of the Scottish Badgers (circulation
about 2000!) with some trepidation, guessing that it might contain a few words
about, ‘Brilliant Mr Badger.’
It did and fine words they were too. I could have hugged and kissed the
reviewer. She had caught the theme of the book exactly and had been generous in
her praise.
Insightful people these Scots! Och aye.
Make mine a double whisky while I start work on my next Mr Badger book!
Well done, Rodney. A good review is balm to the soul. I had a marvellous review of my book "The Lives of Alice Pothron" (see it on www.amazon.com). Of course I had to promise the reviewer my first-born but it's there for others to see and, hopefully, it will encourage them to buy, buy, buy.
ReplyDeleteThere has been talk in writing circles of Amazon deleting reviews by other authors. Has anyone had this experience?