Wednesday, February 8, 2012

For Authors and Readers

Here is an excellent article, especially if you are a would be best-seller author in your heart of hearts.. Tells you about Amazon’s Top Reviewers, how crucial it is to find the ones who are passionate about your genre of writing. 
It is called Get your book reviewed on Amazon and boost your sales

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To hear the radio interview about my published work click here.

8 comments:

  1. Looking forward to reading something written by you on this topic... :)

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  2. As an Amazon Top 1000 reviewer, I thought the article was interesting. However, I'd disagree that we compete "furiously" to stay in the top. I didn't even know I was until someone pointed it out...competition doesn't even enter my mind.

    I am getting inundated with queries as stated in the article, but seriously, so many of the titles offered are not in my niche, it's sort of a waste of time for the author. They really need to research!

    But I do agree and like what it says about our reviews: yes, amateur. I admit that, but also, those of us who take the time to review aren't reading the same four books that seem to get rotated around the mass media and professional reviewers. Often, what we read are books (as mentioned) that get no interest at all, so it becomes almost a personal cause to help expose them. For example, I didn't bother to write a review for Franzen's Freedom, as a gazillion people already did. But for a little known Russian translation? Oh, heck yeah! If I loved it I want to help it succeed against the giants.

    Great link....

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  3. I agree with your comment about 'furiously', I guess I was carried away a bit...

    And I have nothing against 'amatuer' at all. I appreciate the big name reviewers but sometimes its a small comment that touches me the most. The other day a girl in my art class, who bought Apart From Love almost a month ago, approached me, book in hand, for my autograph. To my surprise the book looked aged and rumpled, as if she rolled in bed with it and used it for a blanket! I noticed the book mark, about half way through, and asked her where in the story she was at the moment. Her answer? She said, "I read it as slowly as I can... because I don't want it to end!"

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  4. Great article and really helpful. Plus, as an amateur reviewer, it's nice to feel useful.

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  5. I think that as a top reviewer you have a great influence on decisions made by other readers; so I take your role with the utmost respect!

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  6. I think that an elite group of reviewers in a closed group "Invitation Only" controlled by Amazon is a bad thing and should be discouraged. This is just another ploy by Amazon to control the ebook market. All reviews posted should be viewed on their own merits and not by some rating created by Amazon of which we know nothing. By what criteria is a reviewer chose to be top rated by Amazon or even in the Vine program? Does anyone know? Is there a newsletter for Vine Voices? I'd sure like to see it.

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  7. It is NOT AT ALL 'by invitation only'--you should read it carefully

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