Why Do Authors Ask for Reviews?

If you’re an avid kindle reader and don’t shun away from indie books, then you might have seen the same request at the end of almost every book by an indie author: please leave a review. 

Many readers find this off-putting, but trust me, we don’t have much choice. Indie authors have to make that request, because indie authors need reviews. A lot. It’s not that we are review maniacs, or that we are star addicts. I couldn’t care less for reviews, and if I am going to read a book, instead of reading the reviews I’ll download the free sample and decide for myself if the book is interesting and needs to be purchased and read. I haven’t checked my reviews for a while, because, as wise people say, reviews are for other readers, not writers. That’s true. The book is out already, and the writers shouldn’t waste time trudging through the reviews. But indie writers need reviews like air. And here’s why: 

1. A writer writes a book. Now a writer needs to sell that book.
2. The book has to be promoted to have more or less good sales.
3. The best way to promote the book is with popular sites like Bookbub and Ereader News Today.
4. Popular sites do not accept books without reviews. 
5. The writer needs to ask their readers for reviews to be able to promote the book and make a living and write more.

 

 Seriously, the only way to help an author today is leaving reviews. If you don’t like long reviews, just make it a sentence or two about what you liked/disliked about the story, whether you’d recommend it to other readers, and if you’d like to read more from the author. Also, if you are a very supportive reader and want to read more by that author, you can always share the book on your social media. We are grateful folks and promise to write more for your enjoyment ;)