Erika M Szabo: Author, Artist, Publisher
  • HOME
    • ART
    • PUBLISHING
    • NATURAL HEALING >
      • ASTHMA
      • BIZARRE SYMPTOMS
      • Natural Skin Care
      • Healing crystals
      • Aromatherapy
      • Pets and Fleas
      • Detox Your Body Naturally
      • HIGH CHOLESTEROL
      • Természetgyógyászat
    • Photos
    • Privacy policy
  • CONTACT
  • ABOUT ME
  • BLOG
    • My Thinking Board
    • JUST FOR FUN
    • Magyar Könyvek
  • CHILDREN'S BOOKS
    • Be Careful What You Wish For
    • Pico, the Pesky Parrot
    • The Chunky, Dumpy, Spunky Monkey
    • Look, I Can Talk With My Fingers
    • A Basketful of Kittens
    • Who Stole Terry's Music Box?
    • Terry and the Number Fairy
    • My Book-My Stories
    • Me Too
    • Creepy Hollow Adventures
    • Mira, ¡puedo hablar con los dedos!
  • FICTION NOVELS
    • 7 COZY SHORTS
    • Evil Will Out
    • The Ancestors' Secrets
    • Restless Heart
    • The Ghost of Prince Akhmose
    • Messenger
    • The Potion
    • Bittersweet Memories
    • The Worthless Painting
    • Alone
    • Unbroken Curse
    • Fake It
    • OMEN
    • Rainbows and Couds
    • The Curse
  • Libros ​españoles
  • MAGAZINES
    • VIDEOS-POSTS
  • AUDIOBOOKS
  • MAGYAR OLDAL
  • STORYTIME

My Thinking Board

Thoughts about this & that...

Book Review Craziness

11/20/2019

0 Comments

 

Makes me wonder

Picture
According to the author grapevine:
  • If the book has no review, it's not shown in search.
  • If a book has over 50 reviews, it might be shown to potential readers and included in the selling site's email campaign.
Pressured, desperate authors are willing to do anything to get reviews and it's getting pretty nasty.
  • They beg and send "friendly reminders" to friends and family.
  • Humiliate themselves with constant begging.
  • Give out hundreds of books for free hoping someone might write a review.
  • Pay a lot of money to shady services.
  • Write "glowing" exchange reviews for each other.
  • Their minions write nasty reviews on books in the same genre.

A monster has been created! 
Reviews were meant to be a tool that readers could use to give their opinion freely and without pressure.

I did a reader survey recently:
  • 65% of the readers said they don't bother writing reviews. They enjoy the story and move on to the next book.
  • 4% said they only write something if the book is crap. Either has a bad story line, or badly edited.
  • 22% said they never read the reviews. They look at the cover and read the synopsis, or someone recommends the book to them.
  • 9% said they watch for free books on social sites, but rarely write reviews.
​
Personal note:
I would love to have hundreds of reviews on each of my books, which author wouldn't? For me, this is the only feedback I get on my stories besides my editor's notes on what I did wrong. Grammar mistakes, sentence structure and so on.

However, realistically, I can't expect the opinion of every reader. But when a rare review pops up on my books, it makes me happy.
I appreciate every single feedback, good or bad (lucky me, so far I only have good reviews)

But...
I will not beg or pay for reviews. I've been giving out ARC copies or run promo days on selling sites, but I don't go crazy over not getting reviews for the free or discounted books.
Hopefully, my books remain to be noticed by readers even with only a few, or no reviews. 
0 Comments

    RSS Feed

    Picture
    Erika M Szabo, author of epic fantasy, romantic suspense, cozy mystery novels, YA and children’s books

    Categories

    All
    10 Self-publishing Tips
    About Free Books
    A Dear Friend Wrote A Poem For Me
    Alone
    Anger Addiction
    Animals Always Find Me
    A Or B?
    A Sweet Christmas Tradition
    Audiobook Recorded By Children
    Best Books For Toddlers
    Blood In The Syringe. Is It Dangerous?
    Book Promo Fees Gone Too High
    Book Review Craziness
    Can You Recognize Narcissistic People?
    Cats Love Stories Too!
    CHILDREN LEARN HATE AND INTOLERANCE FROM US
    Children's Books
    Children's Books For Halloween
    Critique Or Criticism?
    Decades Late Apology
    Did She Deserve It?
    Discrimination
    Dude
    Emotional Stages Of Becoming A Writer
    Empty Promises
    Every Life Is Precious
    Favorite Internet Pastime
    Garage Sale Surprise
    Genderless Characters In Books?
    Good Old Fashioned Romance
    Got Money? Buy Votes!
    Halloween Stories #1
    Have I Been Really Granted A Blessing?
    Hearing Loss
    Hidden Messages
    High Hopes And Deep Disappointments Of A Writer
    How Did I End Up Here?
    I'm A Better Person Today Because...
    I'm Better Than You!
    Inferior Or Equal?
    Is The Lovely Shade Of Romance Turning Dark?
    It's Easier Than You Thought
    It's Monday!
    I Would Love To Have A Shiny Sticker On My Resume!
    I Write Children's Books Because...
    Just 16 Minutes A Day
    Listen!
    Little Tree Walking
    Lucy's Baby
    Makes Sense Or Batshit Crazy?
    Mask Or Muzzle?
    MBR Bookwatch Review
    Message From A Pissed Off Reader
    #metoo
    Mommy
    Mom's Scary Dolls
    My Green Thumb
    MY SHORTS
    Nightmares And Witching Hour
    Oh No!
    Picture This!
    Prejudice
    PRESS RELEASE: AUTHOR ERIKA M SZABO
    Rainbows And Clouds
    READING IS GOOD
    Re-blogged: 5 Reasons Why Authors Should:
    Re-blogged: Full Moon Dare
    Sign Language
    Sneak Peek Into The Ancestors' Secrets
    Social Site Animals
    SPOOKY
    Stuck At Home?
    The Birth Of An Audiobook
    The Danger Of A Quiet Simile
    The Joy Of Getting Old
    The New Kind Of Book Hoarder
    The Quiet Smile Of A Wise Woman!
    There Is So Much More To Communication Than Just Speaking
    The Scammer Swallows His Own Medicine
    The Warning Signs Of Vanity Publishers
    Those Dreaded Negative Reviews
    Uncle Frank Looks At Me Funny
    Uncle Frank Looks At Me Funny 
    Unusual Signs And Symptoms
    What Is Happening To Prince Harry?
    When The Raven Calls
    Why Does Chocolate Make You Happy?
    Why Do I Tell Stories?
    Why Do People Lash Out In Anger At Others?
    Why Should I Write Book Reviews?
    Women Are Not Smart Enough
    Write A Book They Said
    You Make A Hungarian Flinch When...

    Picture
    Picture
    Historical fantasy series, book 1
    Picture
    Historical fantasy series, book 2
    Picture
    Romantic historical fiction
    Picture
    Humorous, heartwarming short story collection
    Picture
    7 novelettes in one
    Picture
    Sweet romance
    Picture
    Historical ghost story
    Picture
    Cozy supernatural mystery
    Picture
    Cozy mystery
    Picture
    Supernatural thriller
    Picture
    Futuristic romance short story
    Picture
    Unconventional family short story

    Children's books

    Picture
    Heroic fantasy for kids 6-14
    Picture
    Bilingual storybook for kids 4-12. Friendship, compassion, acceptance
    Picture
    Storybook for kids 4-10
    Picture
    Spooky adventure for kids 5-12
    Picture
    Storybook for kids 4-12. Kitten rescue, dealing with bullies
    Picture
    Storybook for kids 4-12. Compassion toward others with disability
    Picture
    Spanish edition
    Picture
    Fantasy storybook for kids 4-12. Bad elf turns good
    Picture
    Picture book for kids 2-8. Learning numbers
    Picture
    Picture book for kids 2-6. Sibling rivalry and love

    Spanish books

    Picture
    Spanish fantasy
    Picture
    Picture

    RSS Feed

Copyright author Erika M Szabo, 2012 Read the privacy policy and disclaimer HERE If you find a picture and you recognize it as your own and not a public domain photo, please let us know ​CONTACT
  • HOME
    • ART
    • PUBLISHING
    • NATURAL HEALING >
      • ASTHMA
      • BIZARRE SYMPTOMS
      • Natural Skin Care
      • Healing crystals
      • Aromatherapy
      • Pets and Fleas
      • Detox Your Body Naturally
      • HIGH CHOLESTEROL
      • Természetgyógyászat
    • Photos
    • Privacy policy
  • CONTACT
  • ABOUT ME
  • BLOG
    • My Thinking Board
    • JUST FOR FUN
    • Magyar Könyvek
  • CHILDREN'S BOOKS
    • Be Careful What You Wish For
    • Pico, the Pesky Parrot
    • The Chunky, Dumpy, Spunky Monkey
    • Look, I Can Talk With My Fingers
    • A Basketful of Kittens
    • Who Stole Terry's Music Box?
    • Terry and the Number Fairy
    • My Book-My Stories
    • Me Too
    • Creepy Hollow Adventures
    • Mira, ¡puedo hablar con los dedos!
  • FICTION NOVELS
    • 7 COZY SHORTS
    • Evil Will Out
    • The Ancestors' Secrets
    • Restless Heart
    • The Ghost of Prince Akhmose
    • Messenger
    • The Potion
    • Bittersweet Memories
    • The Worthless Painting
    • Alone
    • Unbroken Curse
    • Fake It
    • OMEN
    • Rainbows and Couds
    • The Curse
  • Libros ​españoles
  • MAGAZINES
    • VIDEOS-POSTS
  • AUDIOBOOKS
  • MAGYAR OLDAL
  • STORYTIME