Book Reviews: God's Gold
If a Christian writer inspires and encourages you through their works,
your book review is God's gold. Booksellers pay attention to honest,
unbiased evaluations. You have the power to persuade a Bookseller to
keep life-changing books on the shelf. Your opinion has weight and value just like
gold bars. The greatest difference is gold bars are locked up in a vault out of reach
or view to common people. Book reviews disseminate God's truth, placing His gold into the hearts of anyone who reads your reviews and chooses a Christian book.
Writing book reviews to support the message of God's love is a very cost-effective means to engage in a ministry alongside your favorite authors. Posting a review is free. The only cost is time. This blog intends to help you by giving exact details for posting on-line on Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and Books-A-Million.
Read on and learn!
Why post a book review?
This provides evidence of interest to the booksellers. They call it traction and the first few months after publication is critical. If a book receives 20 reviews after the publisher launch date, this shows a degree of interest. But if that number grows between 50-100 posts or more, this points to a higher degree of credibility and sustainability.
In other words, the bookseller is more apt to purchase and keep the book on the shelf to meet the needs of buyers. How often do you read comments of products prior to purchase? Based upon reviews of people you have never met, you make decisions, so do readers.
Key Points to understand:
You are allowed to post a review on any site that sells the book you want to evaluate, even if you did not buy it from that particular bookseller!
You do not need to get permission from the author to post a review.
Every on-line Bookseller makes specific guidelines available.
One frequently asked question provides an overview of most Booksellers ethical expectations.
What constitutes removal of reviews from the bookseller?
Ethics are vitally important to booksellers. Be aware of bias.
An example of bias is when a family or friend sings praises over the relationship with the author, instead of focusing on the message of the material and how it can change a reader's perspective or life. What impact did the book have for you?
It is also unethical to be paid to give a review.
Honesty reigns in the arena of book reviews. A balance of negative and positive comments are welcome. Providing potential readers with a truthful assessment is most helpful.
Also, multiple reviews should never be sent from one device. That practice sends red flags of inappropriate posting. Sadly, some may try to increase review numbers by soliciting false posts from people who never read the book.
Please note bookseller guidelines state major ethical breaches include libel, profanity, and hateful comments. Booksellers check the posts submitted and in the event they find a breach of ethical standards, the review will never be displayed on their website! Booksellers protect their authors, enforce guidelines, and in doing so, maintain very high standards of ethical and moral character.
Where and how can I post a book review on-line?
Please note you must have an Amazon account prior to submitting a book review.
If you have an account you will need to input your email and password.
Go to Amazon.com
Search for the book (Example: "A Life Just Like Mine")
Click on the picture of the book and scroll down. You may see the following sub-headings on the left side menu:
Products related to this item
Editorial Reviews - About the Author
Product details
Videos
About the Author
Products related to this item
How would you rate your experience shopping for books on Amazon today?"
CUSTOMER REVIEWS today I have two. Please read them for ideas for they are very well written.
Then the place to review this product
Write a customer review
The template for creating a review is very easy and self-explanatory.
You are able to input the number of stars and add a headline phrase answering the question "What is most important to know?"
Think about the headline as a newspaper hook. A phrase that captures what the book is about.
Example: Enjoy a Cup of Hope
You are able to add a photo or a video if desired. Usually this is picture of the book on a table or in someone's hand.
Then a text box is provided for you to Add a written review.
Answer the question: What did you like or dislike? Consider potential readers as you craft your review. What touched you or gave you peace and comfort? Feel free to post your favorite phrases or rationale.
Go to Barnes & Noble.com
Enter "A Life Just Like Mine" into the search bar.
Click on the book cover.
Subheadings include:
Overview
Product Details
Customer Reviews NOTE: To leave a review click on the blue box labeled Write a Review. This is found on the right under the Customer Review section.
A new window opens and the ability to provide a star rating by clicking the number of stars you believe the work deserves. Then make a review title, give the written review and again you have the ability to add a photo! They specifically ask if you would recommend the product to a friend. They also ask you to identify which type of reader describes you. The drop down menu gives you options. Boxes are provided to input your pen name (if you want to use a nickname), email and where you live. A huge selection of tags are provided to further identify the book category according to your assessment.
The question is posed "Does your review contain spoilers?" (This usually refers to fiction when a reviewer reveals crucial information which spoils the climax or ending for the reader). A check box at the bottom is for you to agree to the terms & conditions.
Go to Books-A-Million
Enter "A Life Just Like Mine" into the search bar. Scroll till you find the book cover and click. Once on the book page, under the title is an underlined phrase: Write the First review. (No one has posted a review on this site, yet!) Click on the phrase and then you have a very simple page with a box for your review and the ability to click the number of stars.
An info thank you box includes the verbiage of what not to include as previously discussed.
The Thanksgiving Holiday is approaching quickly. As an author and your friend, I am most grateful for the kindness and overwhelming response you have provided to me through all of my writing endeavors.
Please take this information and apply it to anyone's work that has blessed your life. Many people do not know about book reviews. I didn't know when I wrote my first book. Over 3,000 copies of "I Never Walk the Halls Alone" sold years ago and it is still touching lives. If you have read and loved that book, it is not to late to provide a review no matter where or when you purchased it. I know of friends who have read this book multiple times! But I never asked for reviews. I didn't know it was important. That book is now available as an audible book. Reviews for that book adds credibility that Christian books are valuable. It was self-published, but reviews still matter!
(Please note that whoever is selling that book for outer-space prices is not me! I still have that book for sale on my website at a reasonable price.)
So know, life is such an adventure and we need to learn something new and then teach someone! Feel free to pass this blog to anyone who loves to read and support their favorite authors! And for those of you who write reviews for the works God has blessed me with, my sincerest thanks. Never about me, always about the One who loves me most! His name is Jesus! Oh, How He loves us! Live in the humility of what the Lord can do with broken lives, just like mine! Together let's ensure that Christian books are maintained on-line and in brick and mortar stores. Please know how important you precious readers are to Christian authors. We need God's gold on the shelves. Without your love, support, and prayers the vault would be empty!
Links
I've included 3 links you can use to review my new book.
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-life-just-like-mine-dr-donna-d-
kincheloe/1143136843?ean=9781636981604
https://www.booksamillion.com/search?filter=&id=8958367255328&query=9781636981604
Blessings and Love,
Your thankful friend and Sister,
Dr. Donna