Every creative endeavor has a ladder of success attached to it. In the writing world, it is exceedingly rare for an author to achieve notoriety right out of the gate. It’s not as simple as writing the next great novel. There are thousands of fantastic books out there that linger inside a dark well of obscurity. Authors are forced to farm their own acclaim by spending a lot of time in the marketing trenches. It’s an exhausting effort that can often feel demoralizing, especially when happy readers whisk away in silence.
Ratings and Reviews have become the currency by which authors gain visibility (especially on Amazon). In fact, most promo companies require authors to meet a ratings threshold in order to use their service. To make matters even more challenging, Amazon will only feature authors who have reached a certain ranking. It’s a frustrating catch-22 that has many of us queuing up at the liquor store.
Happy readers are quite literally the gatekeepers to an author’s success. If you enjoy a book, then posting a rating and review is the single greatest way to thank the author. They provide much more than visibility. They are gifts of positive reinforcement, the light by which we keep writing the stories you love.
So if you are willing to toss your favorite authors some much-needed kudos, I have provided a handy instruction guide below.
Side note: Amazon is the preferred target due to its high visibility, but please feel free to post reviews on your outlet of choice, be it Kobo, Nook, Apple, or Google. They are all valuable and your time is greatly appreciated.
Posting an Amazon review is a quick and easy process, and you don’t need to have purchased the book through Amazon. If you got it from a book store, an event, or just borrowed it from a friend, you can still post a review. All you need is an Amazon account (and a minimum annual spend of $50).
How to Post Ratings and Reviews on Amazon
1) Log into your Amazon account.
2) Find the book’s product page, scroll to the reviews section, and click the “Write a customer review” button.
Below are some helpful links for my own esteemed readers. “Click to Review” will save you a few steps and take you straight to the review form.
Immortal Wake:
Click to Review : Transient
Click to Review : Thursday Midnight
Click to Review : The Mortal Vestige
Click to Review : The Bone Maiden
Click to Review : Immortal Wake Box Set
Max and the Multiverse:
Click to Review : Max and the Multiverse
Click to Review : Max and the Snoodlecock
Click to Review : Max and the Banjo Ferret
Click to Review : The Item of Monumental Importance
Click to Review : Nibblenom Deathtrap
Click to Review : Sparkle Pirate
Click to Review : Hiss Bot Hank
Click to Review : Max and the Multiverse Box Set
Puki Horpocket Presents:
Click to Review : Roy
Click to Review : Nimi
Click to Review : Phil
Click to Review : Boo
Click to Review : Max
3) Click the “Overall rating” star.
Authors love to receive those five-star ratings from happy readers (if we’ve earned it, of course). They’re the closest we get to actual trophies.
4) Enter a review title in the “Add a headline” box.
Headlines can be simple and subjective. “I loved this book” is perfectly acceptable.
5) Enter your review text in the “Add a written review” box.
Unless the book has sparked a whirlwind of emotion, there’s no need to overthink this one. You’re not crafting an opinion piece for the New York Times, you’re just telling other readers what you enjoyed about the book. Did you like a character? Did you enjoy the setting? A brief sentence or two is more than enough.
6) Click submit. Done!
Now pat yourself on the back because you just helped an author further their dream.
As always, thank you for reading!
