In Search of The Lost Ones: Reviews and Other Matters of Publishing and Writing

It is easy to get people to buy your book, but to get them to review your book is a different matter.

It is not as easy, because to many readers this is extra effort unless they feel strong enough about a book.  Publishing your e-book for free is one thing almost anyone can do if they have some computer experience.  Kindle allows you to use a preview and will put up a book within 48 hours of you submitting your files to them.  If you are not sure of formatting hire some help.

Most people love to read a good book, and I’ve had a number of people comment that they like the book.  I think for them to sit in front of a computer screen and comment is somewhat daunting.  I’ve told people on several writing sites that if they are willing review my book, I am more than happy to send them a copy — either a pdf or a paperback.

Some of them want to know where they should put the review?  I am a bit divided. I’d love to have a review on amazon.com or amazon.ca or whichever amazon site you’re willing to review it, but a review on a blog with a link to the book on amazon is also okay with me.  However there is always good reads, and there are many people who go there to find and purchase books. (You can email me or, if you really want to, you can take a look at the reviews on amazon.com here)

Sell your books for free?

I am all for the idea, if it draws readers, and if it helps you to receive reviews– but only if you have a following before that. If you have other books people can find and in return purchase this is a good idea to do as well.

I am against the idea that you should simply give a book away for a verbal promise of a review; I believe you should give a free copy to the person and ask the person to review it.  I found most people are more than grateful to get a free book, the only trouble I have found is that most will not go and review it, or won’t mention and give it to others.  Personally, if the Kindle edition price is low, I will likely buy a book to read it, and I will also put a badge on it as a Amazon verified purchase.  To me, this can help your Kindle book sales, as other readers can see a person has bought a book and wasn’t simply given it.

I think that having both a paperback and a Kindle edition of my book ‘In Search of the Lost Ones‘ presents both a benefit and a challenge; either way the important thing is that even though I have sold enough books to get paid for my Kindle sales, I’ve only received three reviews.  Still, that’s a good step.  People can like a review, and that helps long term.

Is writing reviews easy?  Not really, but it is rewarding.  Reviewing other authors’ books also helps sales of your book in the long term.  They can see you and trust that over time you have their best interest at heart.