Book Reviews: What You Give Is What You Get

I used to think that writing a 300-page novel was the hard part. But have you ever tried getting strangers to buy, read, and review your book?

I’m one week into promoting my novel and let me tell you, writing a book is fun—marketing it? Not so much. I have the utmost respect for successful indie authors like R.S. Grey because getting to her level takes incredible effort, willpower, and persistence.

Since I didn’t follow authorpreneur Seth Godin’s advice to promote my book while (or even before) I was writing it, I have to start at zero. Actually more like below zero, because most people have at least a network of friends, relatives, and coworkers eager to spread the word. I do have a network, but most people I know are either guys (not my target audience), are not on social media (which I also use reluctantly), or they don’t speak English.

Social proof is what makes your book rise from obscurity, so getting reviews is key. I’m ashamed to admit it, but until I published my own books, I’ve never written a review for another author even though I read several books a month. That’s at least a hundred reviews a year that don’t get written. It should go without saying: I can hardly expect other people to give me reviews if I’m not doing it either.

To boost my good karma, I’ve decided to write more reviews from here on out—and I hope you’ll consider doing the same. Writing a review for a book you enjoyed is one of the easiest ways to support your favorite authors.

If you are a published or aspiring author and would like me to give you an honest review or feedback, let me know. I prefer romance and detective stories, but I do occasionally read nonfiction, especially anything that has to do with writing, personal development, parenting, health, and minimalist living. I will post my reviews on Amazon and Goodreads.

Alex Benkast