how to do an amazon book review

How to Write a Book Review On Amazon: 10 Approved Steps

• February 20, 2024

Table of Contents:

How to write a book review on amazon, 1. choose a book you enjoyed, 2. understand the genre, 3. read attentively, 4. personal reflection is key, 5. structure your review, 6. be honest and balanced, 7. keep it concise and engaging, 8. edit your review, 9. post your review on amazon, 10. share your review, final words:.

Writing a book review can be an enjoyable and rewarding experience, especially if you love sharing your thoughts about books. This guide is here to help you learn how to write a book review on Amazon effectively. Whether you’re reviewing fiction vs nonfiction or any other genre, these steps will ensure your review is insightful and helpful to others. Remember, a great review doesn’t require you to be an experienced critic or to have the skills to write a book with no experience . Let’s Jump in!

The first step to writing a book review is picking a book you love. It might be a novel, a memoir, or an exciting non-fiction work. Think about a book that made you smile, kept you turning the pages, or even changed your thoughts. This could be from a range of top story writers  or twitter ghostwriter you admire. When you write about something you enjoy, your words come alive. Your readers can feel your joy and excitement. This makes your review not just informative but also a pleasure to read. Your enthusiasm can inspire others to pick up the book, too!

Knowing the genre you are reviewing is important. This knowledge shapes your review. Like fiction, look at how the story unfolds, who the characters are, and what happens in the plot. It’s about the journey, the twists and turns, and the emotional ride. In nonfiction, focus on how clear and strong the information and arguments are. Ask yourself: does this book teach, persuade, or inform effectively? Understanding the genre helps you highlight the right aspects of the book, making your review more useful and insightful for your readers. It’s like choosing the right tool for the job – it makes everything more effective and fitting.

To write a book review full of insights, reading with full attention is crucial. Go deep into the book’s themes, the writer’s unique style, and how the story moves. Notice how the book makes you feel or think. Are you excited, curious, or moved? Write down these feelings and thoughts. These notes are precious. They help you remember your initial reactions and impressions. When you start writing your review, these notes will guide you, helping you share a genuine and engaging perspective. Reading attentively is like being a detective, looking for clues to understand the story better.

Think deeply about how the book touched you. Did it open your eyes to new ideas or keep you entertained from start to finish? Sharing your personal experience is crucial. It adds a special, relatable quality to your review. Your reflections show how a book can impact a reader. They make your review a list of observations and a story of your encounter with the book. When readers see your journey with the book, it helps them connect more with your review. It’s like sharing a part of your reading adventure with them.

A good book review has a clear structure. Start with a brief book summary like Haunting Adeline , followed by your analysis and personal reflections. Finally, conclude with your overall thoughts and recommendations.

Being honest is vital when you write a book review. If certain parts didn’t catch your fancy or seemed off, it’s important to say so. But remember, balance is crucial. Even if the book wasn’t to your liking, try to spot the good bits. Maybe the writing style was excellent, or some chapters were engaging. Sharing both the ups and downs makes your review trustworthy. It shows you’ve looked at the book from all angles, which is helpful for other readers. They get a full picture, not just one side. So, while being honest, also be fair. It’s like giving a complete map, not just a part of it.

Make your review short and sweet. Long reviews might lose your reader’s interest. Aim for clear, straightforward points. Mix up your sentence lengths – some short, some a bit longer. This keeps your writing lively and easy to follow. Using simple, everyday words helps, too. It makes your review easy to read and understand. Everyone appreciates a review that gets to the heart of the matter without wandering off into too many words. It’s like giving a clear, quick snapshot rather than a long movie.

Before posting, spend some time editing your review. Look for any spelling mistakes or grammar slip-ups. Consider hiring a book editor if needed. Read it aloud to hear how it sounds. Does it flow nicely? Are your points clear? A well-edited review stands out for its clarity and smoothness. It’s like polishing a gem – the extra effort makes it shine. Remember, a few minutes of editing can greatly enhance your review’s impact and readability.

Once your review is polished and ready, it’s time to share it on Amazon. Browse through the page of the book you’ve reviewed. Look for the ‘Write a Customer Review’ button – it’s usually easy to find. Click it, and then paste your review into the box provided. Don’t forget to also give the book a star rating. This rating helps others get a quick sense of your overall opinion. It’s a simple yet important step, like putting the final stamp on your thoughts about the book.

Don’t keep your review to yourself – share it with friends and on your social media platforms. Your thoughts and insights on the book might be what someone else needs to find their next great read. It’s like spreading a bit of joy and knowledge. Your review could spark interest or start a lively book discussion. It’s a simple action, but your opinion can influence and guide others in their reading choices. Sharing is caring, especially when it comes to great books!

Writing a book review is not just about summarizing a book. It’s an opportunity to express your thoughts, feelings, and insights about your reading. Whether you’re discussing books from professional book writers , your review can be a valuable guide for other readers. So, next time you finish a book, take a moment to share your experience on Amazon. Your review could be the one that inspires someone to pick up their next great read!

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How to Write Book Reviews on Amazon That People Will Read

With so many titles available on Amazon, it can help to leave book reviews. Here's how to write ones that people will actually read.

Amazon has almost a quarter of a billion titles in popular demand. A good review can help spread the word about great titles and best-selling books.

Writing book reviews on Amazon can help readers find the perfect matches for their book lists. It's also one of the best ways to show readers that you're an experienced and knowledgeable person who can provide valuable insights into a book.

Here, we share some tactics you can use to write book reviews on Amazon that people will want to read.

1. Carry Out Thorough Research

If you're going to write a book review, it's important to know what you're talking about. Consider doing some research on the book itself, and the author's overall body of work.

There are plenty of books out there, so you'll need to convince readers what they're missing out on by not reading them. The more familiar you are with the content of the book and its author’s other work, the more credible your opinions will be.

Read up on the author's background and reputation to get a sense of their writing style. Doing so will help you understand the author's perspective, and you'll be able to make an informed decision on whether to recommend the book.

2. Use Correct Keywords and Active Voice for Your Target Audience

The next step is to identify who your audience is and what they want from your review. Do they want advice on how to improve their business? Do they want information on how to use technology in their daily lives? Or do they just want an entertaining read that makes them laugh?

Once you know who your audience is, it's time to start thinking about how exactly you'll address their expectations from a book. We recommend writing in an engaging tone and using real-life examples from the story so that everyone can relate easily with what you're saying.

3. Stay Up-to-Date With Amazon's Community Guidelines

You should make it a point to adhere to Amazon's Community guidelines while posting book reviews on the site. To be eligible for reviewing a book or product, you would have to spend at least $50 on Amazon.

Make sure your views are informative and constructive. These must be genuine and reflect your honest opinion of the book you've read. That said, they should not contain spoilers or excessive promotion for other products or services that are unrelated to the original content.

4. Use Appropriate Headlines

A key aspect of a book review on Amazon, or any other platform for that matter, is to craft an appealing headline. This should be short, sweet, and catchy.

You'll also need to make sure that you have a strong introduction before diving into the main body of your review. It's tempting to just touch upon the points in the blurb from the back cover, but that's not going to work.

A compelling introduction should grab the reader's attention with a powerful hook or an interesting fact about the book. Take a moment to think about what makes this book unique. What makes it worth reading?

For instance, you can try and highlight in a sentence how their life will change if they read this book, or by explaining why they need to read it in order to accomplish something important in their life today or tomorrow (like improving their career).

5. Apply Proper Formatting and Include Images or Videos

Book reviews go a long way in helping potential readers decide whether they want to buy a book or not.

Make sure your review is informative, not promotional. Readers should have all the information they need to decide whether that book is for them. You can include at least one quote or fact from the book, if you need to, but don't overdo it.

Use bullet points and bolded letters or italics to highlight key points in the text. You can also try doing a video review if that is something you're comfortable with. Use appropriate images or videos that may be helpful.

Given the huge sea of content on the Internet, you should exercise caution when it comes to reading others' reviews or doing your own research. We recommend checking tips to spot fake reviews online .

6. Give an Insightful and Unbiased Opinion

Follow up your introduction with your unbiased opinion or analysis. Talk about the best parts of the book and explain why you feel so.

You can also mention any issues that may come up while reading the book. You can talk about them in terms of how they affect your understanding of the story, or how they impact your ability to connect with characters (in fiction) in some way or another.

Your reviews might vary with genres, such as fiction or non-fiction. When reviewing nonfiction titles, your review should consider the author's writing style, accuracy and clarity, structure, and logic.

In the case of fiction books, it all comes down to a compelling plot, characters who are memorable, and an ending that leaves readers wanting more. Your review should look at the characters, setting, and plot. It should also consider whether there were any significant flaws in these areas.

For example, if you're reviewing a fantasy novel, you might discuss how well its characters were developed and how convincingly they interacted with each other. You might also comment on whether there were any plot holes or inconsistencies in the narrative.

You should include what you liked or disliked about the book. You may mention whether you agree with the author's point of view. Reedsy recommends using an appropriate tone and style for note-worthy bestseller reviews.

7. Assign Star Ratings Wisely

Reviews are a great way for you to share your opinions on what you read, but star ratings are the first touchpoint where readers often decide whether to go for a purchase, so you should assign your star rating wisely.

The ratings you give your reviews carry distinct persuasive weight and can either make or break a book. Reviewers who write three-star and four-star reviews with honest, constructive criticisms are more likely to be read than reviewers who write very brief one-star reviews, which are often unconstructive rants.

8. Use a Book Review Template

You can always start off with a book review template to help you get started. You can find them for free on sites like Sample Templates, which will give you a basic outline of everything that needs to go into each book review.

Use them to submit a well-structured and readable review. It will help you focus on the most important aspects of the book.

Download: Sample Templates (Free)

9. Feel Free to Provide a Recommendation

You can leave a recommendation if you found a book extremely engaging and helpful. Consider if the book is something that would interest your target audience. While this is by no means necessary, reviews which include recommendations are more likely to be read by others.

If you're a new or experienced author, here's a list of tips on how to get positive reviews for your book .

Make Your Reviews Stand Out

Writing book reviews can be rewarding and fun, but it's also very hard to write them well. In order to get people to read your reviews, you have to ensure they're good.

And that means maintaining both a consistent level of authority and clarity in your reviews—no easy feat! With some practice, however, you should be able to take your reviews from average to outstanding by playing off the elements mentioned above. And there are other platforms for you to take your love of reading to as well.

• GET YOUR BOOK REVIEWED
• GET AMAZON REVIEWS
• SPR BOOK AWARDS
• BETA READERS
• BOOK MARKETING SERVICES
• BOOK REVIEWS
• PRIVACY POLICY

How To Write A Good Book Review – The Amazon Review

In this series, we take you through the anatomy of a book review..

What does it take to write a book review? What are the different types and uses of book reviews? What is a Beta review anyway, and do you need one?

This second installment looks at how to write Amazon Customer Reviews.

How To Write An Amazon Book Review

Eligibility.

An Amazon Customer Review must be written by someone who has read the book and has an Amazon account. You don’t have to have bought the book from Amazon.  You can only review on Amazon if:

• You have spent more than $50 on Amazon in the last twelve months and have an Amazon account
• Your account on Amazon is in good standing, i.e. you have not been banned from writing reviews on Amazon previously for any of the reasons below.

The review will only show up as a Verified Purchase if you bought the book on Amazon and you review it on the same account.

Before You Start

• You cannot write a review for another author as ‘swapsies’ as this counts as a biased review situation. Nobody is going to give a one-star review in a reciprocal situation, so Amazon does not allow this scheme.
• You cannot earn tokens or credits of any kind writing book reviews to trade for other authors to write reviews for you. There are new ‘book review services’ that claim it’s OK to do this. No, it is not. These services are acting against Amazon terms and will likely be shut down soon. Don’t get involved with any service that tells you it’s OK to earn reviews by writing reviews, nor any that sell tokens to trade for reviews.
• Writing reviews for friends or family is not allowed either.
• There was a craze where people would write that their review was ‘in exchange for a free book’, and thought that if they mentioned this exchange, it would be seen as legitimate behavior by Amazon. Na-ah. Leave out any wording about ‘exchange’ or ‘swap’ or ‘I wrote this review for…’ – It’s the easiest way to get your account blocked.
• If you review an ARC, there is no need to declare it in your review. An ARC should be exactly like the book on sale, so review it as such. However, unless you buy the book on sale, it will not be a Verified review on Amazon.

You can read the Community Guidelines for Amazon Customer Reviews here.

Why Should I Write Amazon Reviews?

• Other authors deserve your feedback, as you would deserve it if it were your book. Just make sure they didn’t ask for it in return for anything.
• Building up a critical armory when you read is essential for a writer. Reading books by your peers and seeing if you can see the cracks is a really great way of understanding story, even when it’s flawed. One way to do this is to write your thoughts in an Amazon Review.
• The Amazon community is full of readers and writers. It’s a good place to share tips and ideas with others interested in books.

Structuring Your Amazon Review

Remember you only have 5000 characters to give your opinion, with the best reviews coming in between 70 – 100 words.

I bought this book as I am interested in cozy mysteries set in beach communities, like this one.

I found the character of Marcy very well-written. She is a protagonist anyone can cheer for, with many issues, but also a lot of strength and hope. The setting is meticulously described, and the murder case itself is exciting and emotional in equal measures.

I wish that we had learned more about why the murderer did it in the brief time we spend after the case is solved.

However, this book ticks all the boxes in this genre and will please fans of Big Little Lies and Patricia Fisher.

• The photo upload is not an opportunity for you to add a photo of yourself! You should only add a photo of the book, or you holding the book. Reviews with videos and photos get the most traffic, so if you want to build your profile on Amazon, this could be a good way of doing so.

If you would like to promote to a list of readers who review on Amazon, browse our services here: https://www.selfpublishingreview.com/spr-bestseller-book-packages/

Read Part 1 of this series “How To Write An Editorial Review” here.

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What if I dislike the book? I normally don’t post a negative review, and simply resolve to never buy another book from that author again. But every now and then I come across a book with so many inconsistencies, or characters that are Too Stupid To Live, or one too many historical anachronisms, or secondary characters that exist only to be plot points, that I simply have to warn readers. I know I’ve appreciated it when other reviewers give well-written and thought-out negative reviews.

Good question. I think constructive criticism can be helpful to an author in a review. We often have authors come to us to get their book looked at after receiving reviews mentioning problems with editing or story, so we recommend honesty in your reviews!

How long should it take you to get 100 reviews, if you are traditionally published? ( http://www.maryhill-wagnerauthor.com )

That really depends on what advertising and promotion efforts you are making, and how large your mailing list is. It takes quite a big push to get any reviews at all, which is why we offer the mailer promo service to help authors get exposure, where we have an extensive reader list who like to review books.

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How to Write a Book Review on Amazon (or anywhere)

October 6, 2020 at 12:01 pm 4 comments

One of the most helpful things readers can do to help writers (and publishers, and everyone else who works with writers to create and produce books) is to write reviews of books on Amazon, GoodReads, and elsewhere.

Most readers are not aware of just how helpful this simple thing can be. (And it really is simple, as I’ll explain in this post.)

I really love the fact that thanks to the democratizing effect of the internet, readers no longer have to rely only on professional reviewers to tell them what they think about a book. I think it is absolutely wonderful that this information can be shared reader to reader.

How easy is it to write a brief review? It really is easy, and you don’t have to necessarily have bought your books on Amazon to write reviews there. (It depends. It seems that sometimes you do, and sometimes you don’t.) In any case, all you have to do is go to the Amazon page of the book you want to review, scroll down the page (past Product Details, past More About the Author), and click on the bar that says “Write a customer review.” A window will open up and invite you to choose from 1 to 5 stars and then write a headline and a brief review–and it really can be brief! Remember, all most readers want to know is did you like the book or not? And if so, why? This can be said in just a few simple words, no need to be fancy, though if you want to elaborate, that’s up to you, and that’s fine.

You don’t have to use your own name to review books if you don’t want to. You can make up a name. Some people prefer to do that, and that’s fine too.

I will say, I really don’t like the star rating system. The only thing I dislike about teaching literature in college classes is having to assign letter grades to my students. It doesn’t make any sense to me. To me letter grades are strictly (and narrowly) judgmental, and they don’t really provide my students with very useful information: it is my comments that hopefully will do that.

Likewise, I don’t think the star rating system is really very helpful to readers, and it can be quite harmful to writers if reviewers aren’t fair. But sometimes you have to work with the system that exists, not the one you wish existed. And the fact is that those stars can apparently be quite important for some people when they are trying to decide whether or not to buy a book.

In my honest opinion there are very few books that merit either five stars, or just one star. But I often award five stars even when I think a book is less than perfect. (I mean, how many perfect books are there in this world? NOT MANY!!! But there are SO MANY very good books, and they deserve to be bought, and read!)

Likewise, it’s hard for me to imagine ever assigning a one-star review. I would have to really hate a book and think that everyone should know how awful it is in order to do that. I personally would be much more inclined to just not review such a book.

So I would suggest, as you choose the number of stars to award, maybe try not to think so much about whether you loved, liked, kind of liked, kind of hated, or absolutely hated this book. Try to give at least a few seconds of thought to how much effort the author put into writing the book, and allow that to help you decide. It’s important to also remember that how you liked the book is not necessarily the most important thing about it: is it a book that someone who is very interested in this topic would love, even though you found that you were not all that interested in the topic? If so, then why would you give it only one or two stars?

In my opinion, the reason for writing a book review should really be just to help readers find books they will enjoy, and writers to gain new readers. And that’s a wonderful thing to be able to do! Janet Hulstrand  is a writer, editor, writing coach, and teacher of writing and of literature who divides her time between the U.S. and France. She is the author of  Demystifying the French: How to Love Them, and Make Them Love You,  and A Long Way from Iowa: From the Heartland to the Heart of France .

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Entry filed under: About Writers and their Work , Neither Here nor There... . Tags: Amazon reviews , book reviews , books , writing book reviews .

The Other Bonjour Effect… Demystifying the French, via Zoom!

4 Comments Add your own

[…] whether or not to buy (or read) a book we should be fair about it. Here is a post I wrote about how to be fair when writing a review. (Most people don’t know HOW MUCH these reviews help writers: they help […]

Definitely a great read, Janet! I really liked the tips you listed here. Truly, people need a post like this one, since trashy Amazon reviews really aren’t helpful. Thanks so much for sharing!

3. Got Salt? – The Writing Bug  |  September 2, 2021 at 7:28 pm

[…] Write a FAIR book review […]

4. Write a book review on Amazon in a simple, fair and easy way - Private Finanzen  |  September 2, 2021 at 10:22 pm

[…] How to Write a Fair (and Helpful) Book Review on Amazon (or anywhere) […]

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How to Write a Book Review: The Complete Guide

by Sue Weems | 23 comments

If you've ever loved (or hated) a book, you may have been tempted to review it. Here's a complete guide to how to write a book review, so you can share your literary adventures with other readers more often! 

You finally reach the last page of a book that kept you up all night and close it with the afterglow of satisfaction and a tinge of regret that it’s over. If you enjoyed the book enough to stay up reading it way past your bedtime, consider writing a review. It is one of the best gifts you can give an author.

Regardless of how much you know about how to write a book review, the author will appreciate hearing how their words touched you.

But as you face the five shaded stars and empty box, a blank mind strikes. What do I say? I mean, is this a book really deserving of five stars? How did it compare to Dostoevsky or Angelou or Dickens?

Maybe there’s an easier way to write a book review.

Want to learn how to write a book from start to finish? Check out How to Write a Book: The Complete Guide .

The Fallacy of Book Reviews

Once you’ve decided to give a review, you are faced with the task of deciding how many stars to give a book.

When I first started writing book reviews, I made the mistake of trying to compare a book to ALL BOOKS OF ALL TIME. (Sorry for the all caps, but that’s how it felt, like a James Earl Jones voice was asking me where to put this book in the queue of all books.)

Other readers find themselves comparing new titles to their favorite books. It's a natural comparison. But is it fair?

This is honestly why I didn’t give reviews of books for a long time. How can I compare a modern romance or historical fiction war novel with Dostoevsky? I can’t, and I shouldn’t.

I realized my mistake one day as I was watching (of all things) a dog show. In the final round, they trotted out dogs of all shapes, colors, and sizes. I thought, “How can a Yorkshire Terrier compete with a Basset Hound?” As if he'd read my mind, the announcer explained that each is judged by the standards for its breed.

This was my “Aha!” moment. I have to take a book on its own terms. The question is not, “How does this book compare to all books I’ve read?” but “How well did this book deliver what it promised for the intended audience?”

A review is going to reflect my personal experience with the book, but I can help potential readers by taking a minute to consider what the author intended. Let me explain what I mean. 

How to Write a Book Review: Consider a Book’s Promise

A book makes a promise with its cover, blurb, and first pages. It begins to set expectations the minute a reader views the thumbnail or cover. Those things indicate the genre, tone, and likely the major themes.

If a book cover includes a lip-locked couple in flowing linen on a beach, and I open to the first page to read about a pimpled vampire in a trench coat speaking like Mr. Knightly about his plan for revenge on the entire human race, there’s been a breach of contract before I even get to page two. These are the books we put down immediately (unless a mixed-message beachy cover combined with an Austen vampire story is your thing).

But what if the cover, blurb, and first pages are cohesive and perk our interest enough to keep reading? Then we have to think about what the book has promised us, which revolves around one key idea: What is the core story question and how well is it resolved?

Sometimes genre expectations help us answer this question: a romance will end with a couple who finds their way, a murder mystery ends with a solved case, a thriller’s protagonist beats the clock and saves the country or planet.

The stories we love most do those expected things in a fresh or surprising way with characters we root for from the first page. Even (and especially!) when a book doesn’t fit neatly in a genre category, we need to consider what the book promises on those first pages and decide how well it succeeds on the terms it sets for itself.

When I Don’t Know What to Write

About a month ago, I realized I was overthinking how to write a book review. Here at the Write Practice we have a longstanding tradition of giving critiques using the Oreo method : point out something that was a strength, then something we wondered about or that confused us, followed by another positive.

We can use this same structure to write a simple review when we finish books. Consider this book review format: 

[Book Title] by [book author] is about ___[plot summary in a sentence—no spoilers!]___. I chose this book based on ________. I really enjoyed ________. I wondered how ___________. Anyone who likes ____ will love this book.

Following this basic template can help you write an honest review about most any book, and it will give the author or publisher good information about what worked (and possibly what didn’t). You might write about the characters, the conflict, the setting, or anything else that captured you and kept you reading.

As an added bonus, you will be a stronger reader when you are able to express why you enjoyed parts of a book (just like when you critique!). After you complete a few, you’ll find it gets easier, and you won’t need the template anymore.

What if I Didn’t Like It?

Like professional book reviewers, you will have to make the call about when to leave a negative review. If I can’t give a book at least three stars, I usually don’t review it. Why? If I don’t like a book after a couple chapters, I put it down. I don’t review anything that I haven’t read the entire book.

Also, it may be that I’m not the target audience. The book might be well-written and well-reviewed with a great cover, and it just doesn’t capture me. Or maybe it's a book that just isn't hitting me right now for reasons that have nothing to do with the book and everything to do with my own reading life and needs. Every book is not meant for every reader.

If a book kept me reading all the way to the end and I didn’t like the ending? I would probably still review it, since there had to be enough good things going on to keep me reading to the end. I might mention in my review that the ending was less satisfying than I hoped, but I would still end with a positive.

How to Write a Book Review: Your Turn

As writers, we know how difficult it is to put down the words day after day. We are typically voracious readers. Let’s send some love back out to our fellow writers this week and review the most recent title we enjoyed.

What was the last book you read or reviewed? Do you ever find it hard to review a book? Share in the comments .

Now it's your turn. Think of the last book you read. Then, take fifteen minutes to write a review of it based on the template above. When you're done, share your review in the Pro Practice Workshop . For bonus points, post it on the book's page on Amazon and Goodreads, too!

Don't forget to leave feedback for your fellow writers! What new reads will you discover in the comments?

Sue Weems is a writer, teacher, and traveler with an advanced degree in (mostly fictional) revenge. When she’s not rationalizing her love for parentheses (and dramatic asides), she follows a sailor around the globe with their four children, two dogs, and an impossibly tall stack of books to read. You can read more of her writing tips on her website .

23 Comments

The Ice Dragon by George R.R. Martin is about a girl that shows no emotion befriending a ice dragon.

I chose this book based on the cover that had a little girl riding a ice dragon, and wondered what is about.

I really enjoyed the interaction the little girl had with the dragon.

I wondered how how the girl’s bond with the dragon.

Anyone who likes a coming of age story set in a fantasy will love this book.

Thanks for sharing your practice, Azure!

You’re welcome.

A interesting, at times perplexing, subject! And one on my mind lately,as I’ve agreed to do a few. I do enjoy giving reviews and am delighted when I can say, “This was a great book!” Or even, “I enjoyed this book.” It gets perplexing when I agree to review a book — and simply don’t like it. Then what to say? I hate to disappoint the writer but I’ve promised to give my honest opinion.

I’ve found some books mediocre and yet I see a dozen other reviewers saying “A great story!” Tastes do vary. But when there are obvious flaws I tend to skip all the best-friend-and-cousin reviewers and find the first person who says, “This writer has a problem with…” Usually there’ll be a number of reviewers who spot the same problems I do.

I like upbeat main characters, but not aggressive, belligerent, and/or self-centered ones. I like to meet in a story the kind of people I’d like to meet in real life— not people I’d avoid if possible. I recently read a book where the main character came across as insipid and the story only mildly interesting. Other reviewers said it was great and I know for this specific audience — readers who want a certain slant to a story — it was quite suitable. So I tried to cut the book some slack. Everyone has their limit as to how much blood and gore, smooching and snuggling, they are willing to read about.

Once I agreed to review a book and would have tossed it after the first chapter — for several reasons. A lot of “writer inserting facts for reader’s benefit”; teach/preach paragraphs; excess of description; attitudes of MCs. Once it’s live on seller’s sites like Amazon, what can you say? The one thing good it had going for it was the story line or theme. With a pro editor’s help it could have been a great story.

As for a review, one book I read lately was “A Clue for the Puzzle Lady” by Parnell Hall. It’s one of those “Stayed up half the night to finish it” books; I think anyone who likes a compelling cozy mystery would probably like it. Downside: I didn’t care for the “Puzzle Lady.” She’s a lush, hangs out at the bar getting sloshed. The upside: her sensible niece has a starring role —trying to keep her aunt on the straight-and-narrow and the mystery keeps you guessing until the end.

Christine, Thanks for sharing your insight! It sounds like you are approached often to review new books. It does make it tricky if it’s a request, especially outside your own preferences. Thanks for chiming in about your process, as I’m sure others will appreciate the perspective too. I’ll have to take a look at the Puzzle Lady– I do enjoy cozy mysteries. Sue

Here’s another cozy mystery book review in case you’re interested. I’m not approached by writers that often, but there are the Story Cartel, Book Bub and Goodreads, all sites where authors ask for review volunteers.

Reel Estate Ripoff by Renee Pawlish

The detective Reed Ferguson is a fan of Humphry Bogart, movie memorabilia of that era, and fancies himself a bit of a Sam Slade. Though not your super-sleuth, rather inept at times, he’s a likeable character. Told in first person, the story has a Philip Marlowe tone to it, but much tamer. Dialogue and story line are well done, the story well plotted and believable. I’d gladly read more stories about this particular gumshoe.

If you like cozy mystery books, I’ll send you a list later, Sue. Love them too and I’ve met many authors who write in this genre. Back on topic– you inspire me again to add some reviews to my Blog. I have been reading and writing many middle grade mysteries for a project! My latest favorite: “The World’s Greatest Detective” by Caroline Carson (who I hope to meet tomorrow in Arlington, VA!) My 12 year old grandson borrowed it and finished it before I could. “It’s the best mystery I ever read, Grandma! You’ ll never guess the ending with unpredictable twists!” What better review could we read. The target audience and I both highly recommend this 2017 mystery.

Adding it to my stack, Beth. Thanks!

Not wanting to sound life an idiot, but willing to risk it here among friends: What exactly is a cozy mystery?

Glad you asked! It’s a subgenre of mystery. The best examples of cozy mysteries are those by Agatha Christie. They usually avoid profanity, excessive gore/ violence, and sex. They focus more on the puzzle, sleuth, and their smaller world. Hope that helps!

Thanks, Sue.

Wonderful article. The first I have read by you. It especially gets those of us who don’t feel we have the formula down for review writing to be introduced to a form we can build upon with experience. You’ve kept it simple but you have given us the main ingredients needed for a good review. I printed this one off to look at the next few times I write reviews. Thank you.

Glad you found it helpful. Thanks for reading and commenting!

I haven’t gone into all this. It’s a matter of time, Joe. I gad about all over the place, not knowing where I am or where I’m going. Within weeks, I’ll be 87. I’ve books of my own that I’d like to see reviewed. Even sorting them out, however, even finding where any of them are, would be a time burden. You see the fix?

Hi Dave, You aren’t alone in feeling the press of time for getting your stories out into the world. May I gently offer this: start with finding and sorting one. If you can’t find it, write it anew. You’ve probably grown in time and perspective since you wrote the first draft, which will make for a stronger story. Good luck. I’m cheering you on!

This is an article for me, because I am happy to receive a rating. I haven’t sold many books. But, at least some thinks that it was worth the time to read. That was refreshing. And, I think I wrote two reviews, so far. It was on Amazon.com. Thank you.

You’re welcome!

Hi, Sue. Thanks for the helpful advice. I did a review on Amazon for the first of a 7-part thriller titled ‘Mosh Pit (The Rose Garden Incident)’ by Michael Hiebert. [Here it is.]

“5.0 out of 5 stars Advance copy review. By A fellow author on September 18, 2016 Format: Kindle Edition I Recommend This Book Strongly

I enjoyed reading this first part of the thriller. The author’s opening chapter/prologue was fast paced, and set me in the middle of the inciting incident along with two of the main characters. After that thrilling opening, I felt the ensuing chapters moved at a more leisurely pace, and was about to grade them as less praiseworthy when I watched a lecture by Brandon Sanderson on YouTube about building three dimensional characters and realised Michael Hiebert had done exactly that by introducing the reader to the minutiae of other characters who had parts to play in the development of the story. So, instead of cardboard cutouts of bland stock characters, the author shows us real people with real concerns that the reader can relate to.and actually care about. I look forward to reading the rest of this intriguing thriller, and highly recommend it to all lovers of well-written, and well-crafted thrillers.”

I also reviewed Part 2 of the series, but that review is too long to post here.

Footnote: The author, Michael Hiebert, was so pleased with my reviews, he recently asked me to beta-read a short story collection he plans to publish in November.

Great review, John! I like how you shared a bit of your process as a reader too, in recognizing what the writer was doing with their characterization. Thanks!

Thank you, Sue.

Five out of five stars When I picked up a copy of “The Girl with All the Gifts,” by M R Carey, at the used book store, I somehow had it in my head that it was a YA dystopian novel along the lines of “Divergent” or “The Hunger Games.” While I would definitely say that I was not right about that, I wouldn’t say that I was completely wrong. I was, however, completely unprepared for a zombie novel–which is a good thing, cause I wouldn’t have read it, and I’m glad I did. Think “The Walking Dead” meets (why do I want to say ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night”?) “Peter Pan.” I really enjoyed seeing things from, the main character, Melanie’s point of view. Her limited knowledge of her own situation was intriguing, to say the least (and probably why I thought of “The Curious Incident”). I was a bit disappointed when the POV changed to another character’s, but, as the novel progressed, I found myself sympathizing with nearly all the characters–with one exception, and I’ll leave that for you to ponder when you read it. I wondered how much of the science was real, but not enough for me to research it myself. Although, based on other reviews, I guess most of the science about the fungus is real. I also wondered about the fate of the remaining ‘lost boys’ of the cities. If you liked…. well, I don’t know. I’m not typically a fan of things zombie, so I don’t have a comparison, but the book was somewhat similar to “Divergent” and “The Hunger Games” in that the main character goes through a hellluva time and comes out the other side with a plan for her future.

“Tuesdays with Morrie” by Mitch Albom is a true story about how one man found meaning in life when his doctors gave him a death sentence. Morrie was a college professor who passed on his new found wisdom in the last year of his life to a favorite student, the author, who chronicled his professor’s perspectives on death and dying.

I chose this book because of its philosophical topic, and because it is so well written that the words just jump off the page.

Knowing we are all mortal beings, I especially liked the insights, the tidbits of wisdom imparted by the dying man. Death is a subject that few, if any of us, ever talk about seriously with friends and family. The subject of death is verboten. We deny its existence. And, if we are religious, we pretend we will not really die, but we deceive ourselves and think we will live on in some afterlife existence for all eternity. But the professor, Morrie, learns some valuable life lessons from his impending death, and Mitch Albom was gracious enough to capture them in this short but eminently readable book.

I really liked the book because it is timeless. This true story will impart serious life lessons for all future generations, and will help us gain perspectives on our lives and the relationships with those we love the most.

R. Allan Worrell

Sue, I’ve been meaning to come back since this was first posted to tell you thanks for a great article. I seldom review books for alllllll the reasons you listed. This is a perfect tool and I’ll surely use it. Cathy

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How to Get Book Reviews on Amazon the Quickest and Easiest Way

Book reviews and sushi restaurants have a lot more in common than you might think. Discover the secrets to getting book reviews on Amazon!

Would you risk getting sushi from a restaurant with a 1-star average and a dozen bad reviews talking about getting food poisoning? Didn't think so. 

The thing is, Amazon reviews function the same way. They warn readers about books that might not be worth their hard-earned money or precious time. So, how do you convince someone you've never met that your book is worth taking the chance?

In this blog post, we'll walk you through a ton of budget-friendly and compliant ways for how to get book reviews on Amazon, and skyrocket your sales (and royalties).

Are you tapping into all of Amazon's potential? Check out our free webinar that shows you exactly how one publishing method has already generated a collective $50 million in revenue for thousands of students of all ages all over the world with no publishing or tech experience required.

Why Do Amazon Book Reviews Matter?

A dozen 5-star reviews can usually offset a single bad review, but a single 5-star review won't always offset a dozen negative reviews. It's just the nature of the game and human psychology. We tend to gravitate toward what's safe and comfortable.

Here are some more reasons that a book's review matters:

Credibility and Social Proof

Let's knock the obvious one out of the way. When potential readers are browsing Amazon for a new book to read, they are more likely to choose a book that already has previous other readers. Positive reviews act as social proof and give credibility to your book. They show that others have enjoyed your book and that it’s worth reading.

Sales and Ranking

Amazon book reviews can also impact your book's sales and ranking. Books with a higher number of positive reviews tend to sell more copies. Additionally, Amazon's search algorithm takes into account the number and quality of reviews when ranking books in search results.

Momentum and Feedback

Positive reviews just feel good. They're a good boost to your confidence and can motivate you to keep publishing. Even a negative review can help you improve your work by providing constructive feedback to implement in your future work. 

A Breakdown of Amazon's Review Policy and Algorithm

Amazon's review policy is designed to ensure that reviews are genuine and unbiased.

That means they prohibit the following:

• Reviews that are fake
• Reviews that are incentivized or come from a bribe
• Reviews that are written by the author or publisher of a book or their family and friends
• Reviews that include profanity, hate speech, and personal information

Note: Violating these policies can result in the removal of reviews and even account suspension.

Amazon's algorithm uses various factors to determine the authenticity and relevance of book reviews. The algorithm considers the number of reviews, the rating, and the recency of reviews as well as the location that the reviews came from. They can typically tell when friends and family are leaving reviews by checking whether you've ever sent each other gifts through Amazon or shared an address.

Most people can get away with one or two close friends leaving a positive or leaving a review too, but is it worth it? For one, it’s unethical. And secondly, it throws off the algorithm. If you wrote a book about bulldogs and none of your friends even have dogs, then they wouldn't be your target audience anyway. Their data would then affect the types of readers Amazon suggests your book to, and this can skew your marketing plans. Just something to keep in mind!

How Many Reviews Is Enough?

When it comes to the number of reviews you need on Amazon, there's no magic number that will instantly turn your book into a bestseller. Good reviews can essentially sell the book for you, so the more positive reviews you have, the better.

A good goal to aim for (and what we teach our Publishing.com students ) is at least 50 reviews for every new book that you publish. This may seem like a lot, but we've found this to be the sweet spot for gaining traction, and this blog post is full of ideas to help you get started.

Another pro tip? The timing of your reviews can have an impact on your book's success. Ideally, you want to have as many reviews as possible around the time of your book's initial launch to help it get more visibility.

Identifying Your Ideal Readers

There's no use reaching out to people who won't get any value out of reading your book. Sure, they may leave you an honest review, but it might not be a good one. Here's what to consider when trying to connect with the readers who are most likely to leave you a positive review:

What genre does your book fall into? You can use Amazon's categories and subcategories to help you identify your genre. Maybe you want to target fans of romance or hobby books, or you want to tap into the children’s book market. These categories will help you when you're looking for various social media groups to connect with reviewers (more on that later).

Keywords are the words or phrases that readers use to search for books on Amazon. By including relevant keywords in your book's title, subtitle, and description, you can make it easier for potential readers to find your book. You can use tools like Google Keyword Planner or Amazon's keyword tool to find relevant keywords.

Demographics

Think about who your book is intended for. Is it for young adults or older readers? Is it for men or women? Is it for people who enjoy a certain type of hobby or interest? If you're publishing children's books, you'll need to remember that the parents are the ones who will be purchasing your book and deciding whether to leave reviews. 

How to Ask a Reader to Leave an Honest Review on Amazon

There are plenty of ways to get free book reviews, which we'll talk about here. The best strategy to find reviewers usually comes from a combination of these tactics. So, don't be afraid to experiment and see what method works best for you!

Let's dive right in:

Leverage Your Mailing List

One of the quickest and easiest ways to get reviews is by leveraging your mailing list. That is...if you already have one. Many authors and publishers take the time to create their own websites and collect readers' emails to keep them up to date with their latest book launches.

If you don't have a mailing list yet, you can start building one by offering a free sample chapter or some kind of bonus content in exchange for someone's email address. You can then follow up with emails that have the link to purchase and review your book. 

Pro Tip: The more steps something takes, the less likely people are to follow through, so you want to make it as easy as possible for them. Always include direct links so they don’t have to go searching for them!

Email Template to Ask for a Book Review

Need some book marketing inspo? We've got you covered.

Here's a handy email template you can tweak to your style and voice for launch day!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Email Subject Line: 🌟 It’s Finally Here! Want to Help Other Readers? 📖

Hey [Reader's Name],

Big news: “[Book Title]” is out today! 🎉 I’m super excited (and a bit nervous) to share this story with you. It’s been quite the adventure bringing it to life.

If you enjoy the read, I’d be over the moon if you could take some time to drop a quick review on Amazon. Your honest thoughts really help—both me and other book lovers.

Here’s how:

• Pop over to [Insert Link].
• Scroll to "Customer Reviews" and hit "Write a Customer Review."
• Share what you think about the book—there's no right or wrong answer!

That’s it! Short and sweet does the trick. 🌟

Thanks a million for your support. It means the world to me, and I can’t wait to hear what you think of “[Book Title].”

Happy reading and happy reviewing!

Cheers, [Your Name]

Connect with Book Bloggers and Top Reviewers

Book bloggers and full-time reviewers can help you get the word out about your book by engaging their audiences. 

Here are some tips on how to connect with them:

1. Do Your Research

Not all bloggers and reviewers are the same. You want to target those who are interested in your genre and have a following. Look for bloggers and reviewers who have already reviewed books similar to yours.

2. Personalize Your Pitch

When reaching out to bloggers and reviewers, make sure to personalize your pitch. Address them by name and mention why you think they would be interested in your book.

3. Follow Up

After you've sent your pitch, follow up with the blogger or reviewer. Politely ask if they've had a chance to read your book yet and if they have any feedback. Following up shows that you're interested in their opinion and can help build a relationship for future reviews. 

Just be careful not to cross into begging territory. If someone doesn't want to read your book, there are millions of other potential readers out there who might!

4. Be Genuine

When engaging with bloggers and reviewers, be genuine. Focus on their experience rather than the review itself. Be open to their feedback, even if it's not what you were expecting. It can help you grow and connect with future readers.

Pro Tip: The only real failure in the publishing world is giving up!

Create a Call-to-Action Inside Your Book

A Call-to-Action (CTA) is simply a marketing term that means giving your intended audience a very specific action to take. You've probably seen a ton without realizing it, like "click here," "sign up now," or "order now!"

Another simple way to increase reviews for your book on Amazon is to create a call-to-action (CTA) inside your book. This is a message that encourages readers to leave a review immediately on Amazon. By doing this, you're taking advantage of the fact that readers are more likely to leave a review while the experience is still fresh in their minds.

Here are some common locations for CTAs:

• Your author bio
• In the middle of your book, at a natural stopping point between two chapters
• The end of your book

Many authors and publishers include a QR code that takes the readers to a website. This website can be a simple landing page that thanks the reader for their support and encourages them to leave a review on Amazon. Make sure to emphasize the importance of honest reviews and how they help other readers make informed decisions about whether or not to buy your book.

Other CTA tips:

• Be clear and concise
• Focus on only ONE action you want the readers to take
• Use strong action verbs
• Offer up your gratitude even if they choose not to take the next step but still took the time to read your work

Create an ARC Team

An ARC Team stands for an Advance Reader Copies Team or Advance Review Copies Team. The idea is simple: You build a dedicated team of people who are ready to give all your new books an honest customer review.

To build an effective Advance Reader Team, start by reaching out to your email list, social media followers, and other fans of your work. Let them know you are looking for readers who are willing to read and review your book before your book is live. Be clear about what you expect from them, including the timeline for reading and reviewing the book.

Once you have built your Advance Reader Team, provide them with a full copy of the book of your book in a format that is easy for them to read, such as a PDF or Kindle file. Follow up with them to make sure they have received the book and are on track to finish reading it by the agreed-upon deadline.

Note: Participating in ARC review methods isn't against Amazon KDP's terms; however, posting your full manuscript online would be if you were planning on making your book available through Kindle Unlimited.

Take Advantage of Social Media

One effective way to use social media is to create a Facebook page for your book. This page can be used to share updates about your book, interact with readers, run ads, and, most importantly, request book reviews. You can also join Facebook groups that are specifically designed for authors and reviewers.

Goodreads is another social media platform that can be used to request book reviews. Goodreads has a large community of readers and reviewers, making it an ideal platform to promote your book and request reviews.

Pro Tip: No one likes spam, so stick to the golden rule. Treat readers how you would want to be treated.

Leverage Free or Low-Cost Book Review Sites

Some popular free or low-cost book review sites include Goodreads, Pubby, and Online Book Club. These sites have large communities of readers who are eager to discover new books and provide feedback.

When submitting your book for review on these sites, be sure to follow the submission guidelines carefully. Some sites may have specific requirements for the format of your book or the information you need to include in your submission.

Remember : Amazon doesn't allow incentivized reviews. 

Here's how these platforms tackle compliance:

Pubby operates on a book review exchange model. Authors who join Pubby agree to review other authors' books in exchange for reviews of their own books. This peer-to-peer system is designed to increase the number of reviews without direct financial incentives or specific demands for positive reviews.

This differs from review swaps, where both parties leave a "5-star" review regardless of their true opinions about the work.

Goodreads is a community platform for book lovers. It allows users to leave reviews, rate books, and engage in discussions about books. Reviews on Goodreads are user-generated and are not part of a paid or incentivized system.

Although Goodreads is owned by Amazon, the review system on Goodreads operates independently of Amazon’s review system. Reviews on Goodreads are generally not subject to the same strict guidelines as Amazon's product reviews, but there are still ways to go about asking for reviews ethically and unethically. 

Consider Ethical Paid Services to Get Reviews

While it's always best to get book reviews on Amazon organically, sometimes it's necessary to use paid services to get your book reviewed with the attention it deserves and to scale your publishing business more quickly. Ethical services offer legitimate ways to connect with reviewers and get more reviews on Amazon without violating any rules.

A quick word of caution: Some UNethical services may violate Amazon's terms of service by offering to buy reviews directly, so always be sure to do your own research!

• Authentic reviews for their services
• A proven track record with the genre you're publishing in
• Transparent pricing and policies
• Access to support (whether through email, chat, or phone) in case you ever need it

Some legitimate services offer a variety of a la carte options, such as running a review campaign or connecting authors with reviewers who are interested in reading their books. Some services may also offer to promote your book to their audience, which can help increase visibility and generate more sales.

Overall, using ethical paid services to get reviews can be a great way to boost your book's visibility on Amazon and get more readers interested in your work. Just be sure to choose a reputable service and always follow Amazon's publishing guidelines to ensure that your book stays in good standing on the platform.

What Are Editorial Reviews on Amazon?

Editorial reviews are essentially "bonus" quotes and reviews housed on your Amazon book page through your Author Central Account . They may be written by professional reviewers, such as book critics and editors, or they may simply be quotes you want to highlight about your books from others.

To get editorial reviews for your book, you can submit your book to publications and websites that review books, or you can hire a professional reviewer to write a review for you. Once you have an editorial review, you can then submit it to Amazon to be published on your book review page.

Editorial reviews can be a great way to get exposure for your book and build credibility with potential readers, but customer reviews are just as important for building out your review page.

Avoiding Fake Reviews and Ensuring Genuine Feedback

Your reviews set the stage for your reputation as a self-publisher.

Here are some tips to avoid fake reviews and ensure genuine feedback:

Seek Verified Purchase Reviews

Amazon marks reviews from customers who have purchased your book on their platform with a “Verified Purchase” label. These reviews carry more weight as they are more likely to be authentic. You can encourage your readers to leave such reviews by reminding them to buy the book directly from Amazon.

Aim for Balanced Reviews

Genuine reviews often provide a well-rounded perspective of your own book. They don’t just heap praises or pile on criticism; instead, they offer a nuanced view, discussing various aspects like plot, characters, writing style, formatting, and pacing. Be on the lookout for reviews that offer specific, balanced insights into your work.

Stay Alert to Fake Reviews

Be cautious of reviews that may not be legitimate. These can be overly effusive or excessively negative, exhibit repetitive language or phrasing, or appear in an unnaturally large number within a short span. Amazon allows you to report suspicious reviews by using the “Report Abuse” option.

Sabotage is rare, but it does happen. If you suspect that a competitor has given you a false review, flag it and keep moving forward. You can rest easy knowing that you’ve put in the work and you’re running your publishing business from a place of integrity. 

Foster Authentic Engagement

Encourage genuine feedback by interacting with your readers. Express gratitude for their reviews and engage with their comments. Addressing their thoughts and concerns not only shows your appreciation but also demonstrates your commitment to putting out quality content.

Although you cannot respond directly to Amazon comments, you can interact with your mailing list and social media following. 

Optimize Your Book Launch for Reviews

Getting book reviews on Amazon is crucial for book sales, traction, and visibility.

Here are some tips to help you get the most reviews from your book launch.

1. Set a Launch Date

Setting a specific launch date helps you plan your book launch, coordinate your promotion plan with your publishing team (if you have one), and start your PR campaign two to three months before the launch date. It also enables you to coordinate book signing events with local bookstores three to four months before the launch or publication date.

Pro Tip: Some niches are more profitable during particular times of the year. See what your competitors are doing to get a better idea of what works and what doesn't.

2. Create a Pre-Launch Checklist

Creating a pre-launch checklist helps you explore your book launch to-do's at a glance. It might even include a marketing and PR plan tailored to each social media platform.

3. Stay Up to Date with Amazon's Review Guidelines

It doesn't hurt to check Amazon's guidelines every quarter or so to make sure there aren't any updates that might impact your plans. The truth is this industry is constantly changing—especially as AI becomes more and more common!

4. Don't Be Shy Asking for Reviews

Asking for reviews can be uncomfortable at first, but this is just another one of those skills that take time and practice, like strength training and weightlifting.

5. Think Outside of the Box

You're in charge when it comes to marketing your Amazon book , and within reason, the sky is the limit. Virtual events like Q&As can help your audience get to know you, but there are thousands of other ideas out there to help your book stand out in a crowded market.

Here are just a few:

• Collaborative Storytelling Event : Host an online event where readers contribute to a live, interactive storytelling session based on your book's universe.
• Interactive Web Series : Produce a short web series or interactive videos that explore your book's characters or setting, inviting audience participation.
• Flash Fiction Contest : Organize a writing contest where participants create short stories inspired by your book, with the best entries featured on your website.
• Podcast Series : Launch a podcast discussing themes, background stories, or characters from your book, possibly including guest speakers or experts.
• Themed Cook-along or Craft Workshop : If your book involves unique cuisines or crafts, host a live cook-along or crafting session teaching these skills.
• Charity Event Partnership : Tie your launch to a charity event, where aspects of your book's theme help raise awareness or funds for a relevant cause.
• Book Playlist Release Party : Curate a playlist of songs that captures the mood of your book, hosting a listening party with discussions about how each song relates to the story.

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How to Write a Book Review: A Comprehensive Tutorial With Examples

You don’t need to be a literary expert to craft captivating book reviews. With one in every three readers selecting books based on insightful reviews, your opinions can guide fellow bibliophiles toward their next literary adventure.

Learning how to write a book review will not only help you excel at your assigned tasks, but you’ll also contribute valuable insights to the book-loving community and turn your passion into a professional pursuit.

In this comprehensive guide,  PaperPerk  will walk you through a few simple steps to master the art of writing book reviews so you can confidently embark on this rewarding journey.

What is a Book Review?

A book review is a critical evaluation of a book, offering insights into its content, quality, and impact. It helps readers make informed decisions about whether to read the book.

Writing a book review as an assignment benefits students in multiple ways. Firstly, it teaches them how to write a book review by developing their analytical skills as they evaluate the content, themes, and writing style .

Secondly, it enhances their ability to express opinions and provide constructive criticism. Additionally, book review assignments expose students to various publications and genres, broadening their knowledge.

Furthermore, these tasks foster essential skills for academic success, like critical thinking and the ability to synthesize information. By now, we’re sure you want to learn how to write a book review, so let’s look at the book review template first.

Table of Contents

Book Review Template

How to write a book review- a step by step guide.

Check out these 5 straightforward steps for composing the best book review.

Step 1: Planning Your Book Review – The Art of Getting Started

You’ve decided to take the plunge and share your thoughts on a book that has captivated (or perhaps disappointed) you. Before you start book reviewing, let’s take a step back and plan your approach. Since knowing how to write a book review that’s both informative and engaging is an art in itself.

Choosing Your Literature

First things first, pick the book you want to review. This might seem like a no-brainer, but selecting a book that genuinely interests you will make the review process more enjoyable and your insights more authentic.

Crafting the Master Plan

Next, create an  outline  that covers all the essential points you want to discuss in your review. This will serve as the roadmap for your writing journey.

The Devil is in the Details

As you read, note any information that stands out, whether it overwhelms, underwhelms, or simply intrigues you. Pay attention to:

• The characters and their development
• The plot and its intricacies
• Any themes, symbols, or motifs you find noteworthy

Remember to reserve a body paragraph for each point you want to discuss.

The Key Questions to Ponder

When planning your book review, consider the following questions:

• What’s the plot (if any)? Understanding the driving force behind the book will help you craft a more effective review.
• Is the plot interesting? Did the book hold your attention and keep you turning the pages?
• Are the writing techniques effective? Does the author’s style captivate you, making you want to read (or reread) the text?
• Are the characters or the information believable? Do the characters/plot/information feel real, and can you relate to them?
• Would you recommend the book to anyone? Consider if the book is worthy of being recommended, whether to impress someone or to support a point in a literature class.
• What could improve? Always keep an eye out for areas that could be improved. Providing constructive criticism can enhance the quality of literature.

Step 2 – Crafting the Perfect Introduction to Write a Book Review

In this second step of “how to write a book review,” we’re focusing on the art of creating a powerful opening that will hook your audience and set the stage for your analysis.

Identify Your Book and Author

Begin by mentioning the book you’ve chosen, including its  title  and the author’s name. This informs your readers and establishes the subject of your review.

Ponder the Title

Next, discuss the mental images or emotions the book’s title evokes in your mind . This helps your readers understand your initial feelings and expectations before diving into the book.

Judge the Book by Its Cover (Just a Little)

Take a moment to talk about the book’s cover. Did it intrigue you? Did it hint at what to expect from the story or the author’s writing style? Sharing your thoughts on the cover can offer a unique perspective on how the book presents itself to potential readers.

Present Your Thesis

Now it’s time to introduce your thesis. This statement should be a concise and insightful summary of your opinion of the book. For example:

“Normal People” by Sally Rooney is a captivating portrayal of the complexities of human relationships, exploring themes of love, class, and self-discovery with exceptional depth and authenticity.

Ensure that your thesis is relevant to the points or quotes you plan to discuss throughout your review.

Incorporating these elements into your introduction will create a strong foundation for your book review. Your readers will be eager to learn more about your thoughts and insights on the book, setting the stage for a compelling and thought-provoking analysis.

How to Write a Book Review: Step 3 – Building Brilliant Body Paragraphs

You’ve planned your review and written an attention-grabbing introduction. Now it’s time for the main event: crafting the body paragraphs of your book review. In this step of “how to write a book review,” we’ll explore the art of constructing engaging and insightful body paragraphs that will keep your readers hooked.

Summarize Without Spoilers

Begin by summarizing a specific section of the book, not revealing any major plot twists or spoilers. Your goal is to give your readers a taste of the story without ruining surprises.

Support Your Viewpoint with Quotes

Next, choose three quotes from the book that support your viewpoint or opinion. These quotes should be relevant to the section you’re summarizing and help illustrate your thoughts on the book.

Analyze the Quotes

Write a summary of each quote in your own words, explaining how it made you feel or what it led you to think about the book or the author’s writing. This analysis should provide insight into your perspective and demonstrate your understanding of the text.

Structure Your Body Paragraphs

Dedicate one body paragraph to each quote, ensuring your writing is well-connected, coherent, and easy to understand.

For example:

• In  Jane Eyre , Charlotte Brontë writes, “I am no bird; and no net ensnares me.” This powerful statement highlights Jane’s fierce independence and refusal to be trapped by societal expectations.
• In  Normal People , Sally Rooney explores the complexities of love and friendship when she writes, “It was culture as class performance, literature fetishized for its ability to take educated people on false emotional journeys.” This quote reveals the author’s astute observations on the role of culture and class in shaping personal relationships.
• In  Wuthering Heights , Emily Brontë captures the tumultuous nature of love with the quote, “He’s more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.” This poignant line emphasizes the deep, unbreakable bond between the story’s central characters.

By following these guidelines, you’ll create body paragraphs that are both captivating and insightful, enhancing your book review and providing your readers with a deeper understanding of the literary work. 

How to Write a Book Review: Step 4 – Crafting a Captivating Conclusion

You’ve navigated through planning, introductions, and body paragraphs with finesse. Now it’s time to wrap up your book review with a  conclusion that leaves a lasting impression . In this final step of “how to write a book review,” we’ll explore the art of writing a memorable and persuasive conclusion.

Summarize Your Analysis

Begin by summarizing the key points you’ve presented in the body paragraphs. This helps to remind your readers of the insights and arguments you’ve shared throughout your review.

Offer Your Final Conclusion

Next, provide a conclusion that reflects your overall feelings about the book. This is your chance to leave a lasting impression and persuade your readers to consider your perspective.

Address the Book’s Appeal

Now, answer the question: Is this book worth reading? Be clear about who would enjoy the book and who might not. Discuss the taste preferences and circumstances that make the book more appealing to some readers than others.

For example:  The Alchemist is a book that can enchant a young teen, but those who are already well-versed in classic literature might find it less engaging.

Be Subtle and Balanced

Avoid simply stating whether you “liked” or “disliked” the book. Instead, use nuanced language to convey your message. Highlight the pros and cons of reading the type of literature you’ve reviewed, offering a balanced perspective.

Bringing It All Together

By following these guidelines, you’ll craft a conclusion that leaves your readers with a clear understanding of your thoughts and opinions on the book. Your review will be a valuable resource for those considering whether to pick up the book, and your witty and insightful analysis will make your review a pleasure to read. So conquer the world of book reviews, one captivating conclusion at a time!

How to Write a Book Review: Step 5 – Rating the Book (Optional)

You’ve masterfully crafted your book review, from the introduction to the conclusion. But wait, there’s one more step you might consider before calling it a day: rating the book. In this optional step of “how to write a book review,” we’ll explore the benefits and methods of assigning a rating to the book you’ve reviewed.

Why Rate the Book?

Sometimes, when writing a professional book review, it may not be appropriate to state whether you liked or disliked the book. In such cases, assigning a rating can be an effective way to get your message across without explicitly sharing your personal opinion.

How to Rate the Book

There are various rating systems you can use to evaluate the book, such as:

• A star rating (e.g., 1 to 5 stars)
• A numerical score (e.g., 1 to 10)
• A letter grade (e.g., A+ to F)

Choose a rating system that best suits your style and the format of your review. Be consistent in your rating criteria, considering writing quality, character development, plot, and overall enjoyment.

Tips for Rating the Book

Here are some tips for rating the book effectively:

• Be honest: Your rating should reflect your true feelings about the book. Don’t inflate or deflate your rating based on external factors, such as the book’s popularity or the author’s reputation.
• Be fair:Consider the book’s merits and shortcomings when rating. Even if you didn’t enjoy the book, recognize its strengths and acknowledge them in your rating.
• Be clear: Explain the rationale behind your rating so your readers understand the factors that influenced your evaluation.

Wrapping Up

By including a rating in your book review, you provide your readers with an additional insight into your thoughts on the book. While this step is optional, it can be a valuable tool for conveying your message subtly yet effectively. So, rate those books confidently, adding a touch of wit and wisdom to your book reviews.

Additional Tips on How to Write a Book Review: A Guide

In this segment, we’ll explore additional tips on how to write a book review. Get ready to captivate your readers and make your review a memorable one!

Hook ’em with an Intriguing Introduction

Keep your introduction precise and to the point. Readers have the attention span of a goldfish these days, so don’t let them swim away in boredom. Start with a bang and keep them hooked!

Embrace the World of Fiction

When learning how to write a book review, remember that reviewing fiction is often more engaging and effective. If your professor hasn’t assigned you a specific book, dive into the realm of fiction and select a novel that piques your interest.

Opinionated with Gusto

Don’t shy away from adding your own opinion to your review. A good book review always features the writer’s viewpoint and constructive criticism. After all, your readers want to know what  you  think!

Express Your Love (or Lack Thereof)

If you adored the book, let your readers know! Use phrases like “I’ll definitely return to this book again” to convey your enthusiasm. Conversely, be honest but respectful even if the book wasn’t your cup of tea.

Templates and Examples and Expert Help: Your Trusty Sidekicks

Feeling lost? You can always get help from formats, book review examples or online  college paper writing service  platforms. These trusty sidekicks will help you navigate the world of book reviews with ease. 

Be a Champion for New Writers and Literature

Remember to uplift new writers and pieces of literature. If you want to suggest improvements, do so kindly and constructively. There’s no need to be mean about anyone’s books – we’re all in this literary adventure together!

Criticize with Clarity, Not Cruelty

When adding criticism to your review, be clear but not mean. Remember, there’s a fine line between constructive criticism and cruelty. Tread lightly and keep your reader’s feelings in mind.

Avoid the Comparison Trap

Resist the urge to compare one writer’s book with another. Every book holds its worth, and comparing them will only confuse your reader. Stick to discussing the book at hand, and let it shine in its own light.

Top 7 Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Writing a book review can be a delightful and rewarding experience, especially when you balance analysis, wit, and personal insights. However, some common mistakes can kill the brilliance of your review. 

In this section of “how to write a book review,” we’ll explore the top 7 blunders writers commit and how to steer clear of them, with a dash of  modernist literature  examples and tips for students writing book reviews as assignments.

Succumbing to the Lure of Plot Summaries

Mistake: Diving headfirst into a plot summary instead of dissecting the book’s themes, characters, and writing style.

Example: “The Bell Jar chronicles the life of a young woman who experiences a mental breakdown.”

How to Avoid: Delve into the book’s deeper aspects, such as its portrayal of mental health, societal expectations, and the author’s distinctive narrative voice. Offer thoughtful insights and reflections, making your review a treasure trove of analysis.

Unleashing the Spoiler Kraken

Mistake: Spilling major plot twists or the ending without providing a spoiler warning, effectively ruining the reading experience for potential readers.

Example: “In Metamorphosis, the protagonist’s transformation into a monstrous insect leads to…”

How to Avoid: Tread carefully when discussing significant plot developments, and consider using spoiler warnings. Focus on the impact of these plot points on the overall narrative, character growth, or thematic resonance.

Riding the Personal Bias Express

Mistake: Allowing personal bias to hijack the review without providing sufficient evidence or reasoning to support opinions.

Example: “I detest books about existential crises, so The Sun Also Rises was a snoozefest.”

How to Avoid: While personal opinions are valid, it’s crucial to back them up with specific examples from the book. Discuss aspects like writing style, character development, or pacing to support your evaluation and provide a more balanced perspective.

Wielding the Vague Language Saber

Mistake: Resorting to generic, vague language that fails to capture the nuances of the book and can come across as clichéd.

Example: “This book was mind-blowing. It’s a must-read for everyone.”

How to Avoid: Use precise and descriptive language to express your thoughts. Employ specific examples and quotations to highlight memorable scenes, the author’s unique writing style, or the impact of the book’s themes on readers.

Ignoring the Contextualization Compass

Mistake: Neglecting to provide context about the author, genre, or cultural relevance of the book, leaving readers without a proper frame of reference.

Example: “This book is dull and unoriginal.”

How to Avoid: Offer readers a broader understanding by discussing the author’s background, the genre conventions the book adheres to or subverts, and any societal or historical contexts that inform the narrative. This helps readers appreciate the book’s uniqueness and relevance.

Overindulging in Personal Preferences

Mistake: Letting personal preferences overshadow an objective assessment of the book’s merits.

Example: “I don’t like stream-of-consciousness writing, so this book is automatically bad.”

How to Avoid: Acknowledge personal preferences but strive to evaluate the book objectively. Focus on the book’s strengths and weaknesses, considering how well it achieves its goals within its genre or intended audience.

Forgetting the Target Audience Telescope

Mistake: Failing to mention the book’s target audience or who might enjoy it, leading to confusion for potential readers.

Example: “This book is great for everyone.”

How to Avoid: Contemplate the book’s intended audience, genre, and themes. Mention who might particularly enjoy the book based on these factors, whether it’s fans of a specific genre, readers interested in character-driven stories, or those seeking thought-provoking narratives.

By dodging these common pitfalls, writers can craft insightful, balanced, and engaging book reviews that help readers make informed decisions about their reading choices.

These tips are particularly beneficial for students writing book reviews as assignments, as they ensure a well-rounded and thoughtful analysis.!

Many students requested us to cover how to write a book review. This thorough guide is sure to help you. At Paperperk, professionals are dedicated to helping students find their balance. We understand the importance of good grades, so we offer the finest writing service , ensuring students stay ahead of the curve. So seek expert help because only Paperperk is your perfect solution!

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Home / Book Publishing / Amazon Verified Reviews for Books: Everything You Need to Know

Amazon Verified Reviews for Books: Everything You Need to Know

Verified purchase reviews are the lifeblood of a high conversion rate. With a lot of reviews, people are more likely to buy your book. No reviews, and the opposite is likely to happen.

Amazon verified purchase reviews are especially important, because they prove that your book was purchased and reviewed by real people, not just potentially biased reviewers on your ARC team.

But how do you get a lot of verified book reviews? That is the question we are asking in this article.

• What verified reviews are
• Why they are important
• How to increase your verified reviews by yourself
• A service that can potentially help

Table of contents

• What Are Verified Reviews?
• Why Are Verified Reviews Important?
• 1. Encouraging Reviewers Yourself
• 2. Pay a Company to Encourage Verified Reviews
• Verified Review Service: Bookvertiser
• Final Thoughts

Disclaimer: some of the links in this article are affiliate links, but the cost you nothing extra, and every little bit goes to the Kindlepreneur coffee fund.

The short answer: an Amazon verified review is any review left by someone who actually purchased your book on Amazon.

It is a little bit more complicated than that, though.

Firstly, the review must come from someone who has spent at least $50 on Amazon products within a year. This is to weed out spambots and people who clearly aren't regularly active on Amazon.

Secondly, Amazon specifies that the reviewer can't have bought the book at a “big discount”. However, Amazon does not specify what this means. To be safe, we recommend keeping your book priced at $2.99 or higher. While I have seen verified reviews with $0.99 books, is not a guarantee. And free books are unlikely to lead to verified reviews.

Amazon then lists verified views with a “Verified Purchase” badge within the review.

As online shoppers got more tech savvy, they began to be wary of fake Amazon reviews. Amazon has done a lot to crack down on fake reviews, but it isn't always enough.

For example, Amazon allows authors to give out free copies of their books in exchange for a review. Naturally, this group is going to be slightly biased, because they got a free book.

Don't get me wrong, we absolutely encourage you to have ARC reviewers to get those first initial reviews. But understand that those reviews will not be verified.

By including the Verified Purchase badge, it becomes much more likely that that review is genuine. This leads to increased trust from the customer. The more verified reviews, the greater the likelihood that the reviews are accurate.

And the more a reader trusts that a high volume of reviews are genuine, the more likely they are to convert (aka buy your book).

How to Get Verified Amazon Reviews for Your Books

Since verified reviews require that the Amazon reviewer purchase your book, you cannot simply send your book out for free to an ARC team.

Instead, these reviews have to come from people who have genuinely bought your book.

There is a fine line to walk here, because you cannot pay someone to buy your book and leave a review. 

In other words, you can't encourage a friend to buy your book, then refund them.

So what can you do?

Well, you have two options.

• Encourage reviewers yourself
• Pay a company to do it for you

The first option is to encourage people to review your book. This is something you should do even if you pay a company to help you.

Warning: remember you cannot pay or refund someone to leave a verified purchase review. Doing so is against Amazon's terms of services and could get you banned.

Ultimately, the best way to get more reviews is to make more sales, because the higher the volume of sales, the more people you have that could leave a verified review.

However, there are ways that you can increase the percentage of buyers who leave a review, including:

• Include a review request in your book: make sure that every book has a request for a review at the back of your book, with a link (if it's an ebook) that goes directly to your review page. This should be one of the first things that a reader sees after finishing your book.
• Reach out to your email list: every once in a while, you should reach out to your email list and request that they leave a review. Do this frequently, so your list is used to hearing about it, especially when launching a book.
• Schedule book promotions: book promotions are still one of the best ways to get readers to buy your book. The more readers buy your book, the more likely you are to have reviews.
• Create a quality product: it goes without saying, but the better your book is, the more likely it is to be purchased and reviewed.

Additionally, you should use a tool like ReaderScout to track when reviews are left. This is especially important when requesting reviews from your email list, because you can then track the number of reviews that are left.

ReaderScout is a free Chrome plugin that will notify you every time you have a new review, and it tracks a few other things as well. Plus, it's free!

If you have already done all this, and you still want to get a few extra verified reviews, read on.

Your second option is to pay a company to get you verified reviews.

Important: these companies cannot pay or refund readers to leave verified reviews either. That is why you are not paying them to guarantee reviews. You are paying them to encourage readers to buy your book and leave a review.

It is difficult to find a good company that will stay within the boundaries Amazon has set and still get you quality verified reviews.

When looking for a company like this, we recommend you focus on two criteria:

• Companies that have lasted a while
• Companies with a public face (i.e. real people and not a faceless corporation)

One of the companies that we recommend is Bookvertiser.

Bookvertiser has an audience of highly engaged readers/reviewers in a variety of different genres.

What Bookvertiser does is reach out to this list to encourage them to buy your book and leave a verified review. They will continue to do this until you have reached the threshold of reviews that you select when you purchase.

Note that the costs are not always cheap. It takes a lot of work to guarantee a certain number of reviews, especially when you cannot pay a reviewer or refund them for leaving the review. 

They also can't guarantee that every review will be a positive review. While my experience tells me these reviewers are often kind, you might still get a negative review.

But using a service like Bookvertiser is one of the best ways to rapidly gain verified reviews without putting in a lot of the hard work yourself.

If you use this link and input the code KP5 , you’ll get 5% off your purchase order.

Reviews can be an uphill battle, but they are absolutely worth it.

If you can convince as many people in your audience to buy your book, then review it, you are well on your way to being easily discovered on Amazon.

Get enough sales, and a high enough conversion rate, and Amazon will begin marketing your book for you.

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When I’m not sipping tea with princesses or lightsaber dueling with little Jedi, I’m a book marketing nut. Having consulted multiple publishing companies and NYT best-selling authors, I created Kindlepreneur to help authors sell more books. I’ve even been called “The Kindlepreneur” by Amazon publicly, and I’m here to help you with your author journey.

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• Free books: okay to giveaway
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Amazon Book Review Policy Demystified for Authors

Book reviews are important for all books, but they're especially so for self-published books, because most of their sales are online. And when it comes to selling books online, Amazon customer reviews can make or break shopper interest in a book.

Let's begin by defining the difference between customer reviews and editorial reviews, and by debunking myths.

• Customer Reviews: Written by a reader—ideally by someone who bought the book—who also assigns a number of stars (1-5). Most authors are referring to customer reviews when they reference “Amazon reviews.”
• Editorial Reviews: An editorial review is a formal evaluation of a book, usually written by a professional reviewer or expert within a genre. These are also often called blurbs, endorsements, and testimonials.

Editorial reviews are added by the author via Author Central. See our guide: Create and Manage the Perfect Amazon US and UK Author Central Page.

Myth 1: You cannot pay someone to write a review.

False . Amazon permits payment for editorial reviews.

Myth 2: You cannot give people your book and ask them to review it.

False . You can, as long as you are clear that you welcome all feedback, both positive and negative.

Before Amazon became the dominant book retailer—in fact, before the internet—publishers would haul cartons of advance reading copies of their forthcoming books to book-industry tradeshows. These would sit in piles, free for the taking, with no requirements that someone write a review, much less provide their contact information to receive a copy.

The $50 spending requirement

Sometime in 2017 (they do not date their policy changes), Amazon inserted a new requirement into their Community Guidelines under the heading Eligibility:

To contribute to Customer features (for example, Customer Reviews, Customer Answers, Idea Lists) or to follow other contributors, you must have spent at least $50 on Amazon.com using a valid credit or debit card in the past 12 months. Promotional discounts don't qualify towards the $50 minimum.

Some have complained that this is overreach and another way for Amazon to force people to buy from them. We don't see it this way. In fact, we consider it a positive.

Many shoppers rely on customer reviews to guide our consideration of a product. How can we make an informed choice if those reviews are polluted by paid reviewers who never bought the product? And that's what was going on. Anyone could write a review; in fact, reviews were being posted by fake accounts.

Here’s a look at what’s permitted, what can get reviews removed, and how reviewers should disclose their relationship to the author.

What’s permitted

• Amazon says this: “You may provide free or discounted copies of your books to readers. However, you may not demand a review in exchange or attempt to influence the review. Offering anything other than a free or discounted copy of the book—including gift cards—will invalidate a review, and we'll have to remove it.”
• Reviewers can remove or edit a review after it is posted.
• Amazon says that just because a review is written by a friend or a social media connection doesn’t necessarily result in that review being taken down.
• A reviewer can link to another product—such as their own—if it is relevant and available on Amazon.

Friends & family

A common question we hear is whether friends and family can review a book. Amazon says this:

We don't allow individuals who share a household with the author or close friends to write Customer Reviews for that author’s book.

It used to be that Amazon encouraged authors to have their friends use the customer discussions feature to promote their book. That feature has been discontinued, and readers are being referred to Goodreads Groups  (requires login).

TIP: One way Amazon can monitor who your close friends are is by comparing the reviewer's contact information with the contact information in your account's address book. For example, if you've used Amazon for Christmas shopping, you probably don't want to bother asking any of those people to write a review.

When reviews are removed, or Amazon never posts it

• Never invite (or allow) a family member or someone you have a close personal relationship with to review your book.
• If a reader says they wrote a review, but the review was taken down or they say it was never posted, tell them to send an email to [email protected] .

When you want to get a review taken down or modified

If you feel a review violates guidelines , you can click the “Report abuse” link or email [email protected] .

Examples of guideline abuse may include use of obscenities, a privacy violation, impersonating others, and the usual libelous, defamatory, harassing, threatening, or inflammatory statements.

NOTE: If someone makes a negative comment about your book, and you fix what they are referring to, neither they nor Amazon are required to change the review to reflect your correction. You may, however, consider replying to the comment with a thanks to the commenter and a note that the issue has been fixed.

How to disclose your relationship

If you give your book away for the purpose of getting a review, you must instruct your prospective reviewer to disclose how they received your book.

There are many ways for the reviewer to do this; it just must be conspicuous. They can put it at the end of the review (most common), the beginning, or in the subject line.

Here are some sample phrases you can suggest if asking others to write a review for your book.

• In the subject line: I received an ARC for an objective review.
• I received a copy of this book via [name of source, i.e., NetGalley, Edelweiss, the publisher, author] and I’m reviewing it voluntarily.
• I wrote this review based on an advance reading copy that the publisher sent me.
• This review was based on a complimentary pre-release copy.

Knowing that someone reading an “author-encouraged review” might discount its value, some people will add an additional comment (if true), such as one of these:

• I've since bought two more copies; one Kindle for myself and a paperback for [my mom/dad/friend]
• That said, I liked it so much that I bought . . .

Amazon resources for more details or help

NOTE: You might need to be logged in or have an account to see some of these pages.

• Community guidelines . There are several pages with this title, but with different URLs. From what we see, it’s the same content: find the guidelines here .
• KDP has a good resource in their help section. Login to KDP, in the top menu click Help . On the left, click Promote Your Book , then click Customer Reviews . There you will find several FAQs and answers.
• Amazon has guides devoted to Promotional Content and its relationship to reviews; find them here .
• Most of us sell books on Amazon using one of their book-specific selling tools: KDP, Advantage, or a third-party such as an IngramSpark. You can also sell books via Amazon Seller Central’s Marketplace, which has its own policies. Turns out, these policies are the same for books. Create and Manage the Perfect Amazon US and UK Author Central Page. .
• Email Amazon to report problems or issues with reviews: [email protected] .

About The Author

David Wogahn

30 thoughts on “amazon book review policy demystified for authors”.

Thanks for sharing this quick primer on Amazon’s book review policies.

Allow me to show my ignorance. How do you set up an advanced review copy? How do you send it to potential reviewers? Do you pay for each ebook sent? Do you offer some code in a newsletter or during a conference presentation? (So far, I have the best method of getting book reviews is giving away exam copies to fellow English teachers at teacher conferences or professional development workshops.) Giving away free ebooks sounds far less expensive. Or can you set up ARC for hard copies too? How do get the attention of potential book reviewers? Is there a service you recommend? Why?

Another question: can you use or set up an ARC for a book published last year? Or is that verboten?

I do offer free sample chapters on my website, and I encourage readers to share their positive experiences with the book online. So I do some things to generate reviews. Thanks!

Very helpful info, David. Unfortunately, Amazon is often totally unresponsive to questions about why they removed reviews. I’ve posted reviews since 2009, more than 100 of them, and about three months ago Amazon deleted EVERY SINGLE ONE of them. They will not tell me why, except to refer me to the guidelines. Yeah, many of the reviews I posted were for advance reader copies authors gave me to review, but many were verified Kindle purchases. All of the reviews were honest, very few of them 5-stars, and I always included a sentence saying I received a copy of the book without obligation to post a review. Now, Amazon will not let me post any new reviews. Go figure.

This article is FANTASTIC–thank you so much for researching and writing it!

I did note, on the Prohibited Seller Activities page (the “find them in a different place” link in #4 above), about 40% down the page, it read, “Additionally, you may not provide compensation (including free or discounted products) for a review.” Hopefully, this admonition is rendered null and void for books, based on your Amazon quote early in the article, “[These] changes will apply to product categories other than books. We will continue to allow the age-old practice of providing advance review copies of books.”

Eric, you can learn more about the how question by reading my post here: https://www.authorimprints.com/advance-reader-copy-arc-books-ingramspark/ . As to some of your other points, I have a short email course about pre-release marketing here (it’s free): https://www.davidwogahn.com/book-pre-launch-course/

The A in ARC stands for advance, so it wouldn’t be an ARC after the book is published. Nevertheless, you should always be looking for people to review the book and many won’t review ebooks. The Book Reviewer Yellow Pages is the best place to start to get connected to potential reviewers. https://bookrevieweryellowpages.com/

Sounds like you got caught up in a “dragnet.” So no books whatsoever? Not even a “NY Times Best Seller”?

That’s right, books are excluded. The crackdown last year was on all sorts of “review clubs.” Links to those sites are now dead, or have been sold for their traffic. (Yeah!)

Amazon Reviews can make or break a book. I am a veteran Indie author and tried various marketing techniques, but nothing beats a reviews. For authentic book reviews, I use: http://www.usabookreviewers.com I get a few reviews and also exposure for my book.

People bought my book through Amazon. I offered no deals. Only thing I asked was the review to be honest. Reviews were done and Amazon would not post them because they were friends of mine on my Facebook link. I got the reviews on my FB wall however– other people never saw them. So the reviews are not there. The positive nor the negative. All were positive on the actual book– the kindle version was really bad. I saw it was and took it down myself. Friends felt bad for me but it is what it is. A good book –I believe with all my heart will make it regardless of circumstances. It is being redone and it is a very good read.

I published Garage Band Theory 4 years ago, it’s a music education book has been doing OK on Amazon and elsewhere since day 1.

Currently I have 57 Amazon reviews, am trying to push to the 100 mark.

I played professionally for 30 years, met a lot of people and a big % of the people on my FaceBook friends list are musicians – most are what you’d call ‘casual acquaintances’ – played some gigs with some, met lots at a job, mine or theirs – more than a few are teachers, and I thought it was time to reach out to them, offer a free digital copy if they’d consider leaving a review, be sure to tell them to include “My remarks are based on complimentary copy of this book that I received from the author. ”

I have endorsements from a few well known ‘stars’ and a few of my good friends and family did leave comments early in the process – but none of the people I plan to contact are going to leave a positive remark unless they feel it’s deserved.

I recently had heard that Amazon was not allowing any FaceBook friends to review – I did a search, found this post, and suddenly it seems that it could be a very bad idea to go through with the plan.

Is this gonna do more harm than good if a few were to leave positive comments?

Hi Duke, good to to hear from you. This is a really tricky area with lots of variables. My advice is to try a sample size group and see how it goes. Execute your plan in stages or phases.

Thanks so much for the explanation – I think Amazon scares all of us who’ve self-published. I just found out that I can’t buy any advertising with AMS. It is only for people who published with them, on Kindle Direct, and my company, Mill City Press, will disown me if I try to go Kindle Unlimited, the only way I can buy a sponsored ad. Mill City said they’d never done an Amazon ad, which just chilled me. These are the pros in advising self-published authors?

But there is one thing you haven’t addressed, and that’s the ghetto reviews can find themselves in if they are not Verified Purchase. No one will answer this question. Apparently, no one really understands, and Amazon won’t take questions. A review may appear, or it may not. So, when you’re madly giving away expensive copies of your novel on Facebook, in the glimmer of a hope of a review, you need to be aware of this.

There are no easy answers. You just have to try and know some won’t make it through. I’ve heard some crazy stories about reviews blocked or taken down. I’ve been blocked, too. That’s very interesting about Mill City, surprising in fact.

Regarding the requirement to “have spent at least $50 on Amazon.com using a valid credit or debit card in the past 12 months.” I see this as a discriminatory policy if you bought a book at AMAZON. In my case I want to post a review and am not permitted due to I didn’t spent $50.

Unfortunately, there were businesses that specialized in writing bogus reviews of products they never bought and this policy helps to stop or limit that activity. It has as much to do with toothpaste as it does books.

I would like to “advertise” my book on Amazon but I did not have it published by Amazon. When you look up a book, at the bottom it will say, “If you like this you might also like…..” and it lists other books or it might even say “Customers who review this might also like….” or other types of advertising for books with comparable content. How do I go about getting my book in these space?

I’m new to KDP, and my question doesn’t specifically apply to reviews, but can’t seem to find an answer explicitly stated on Amazon’s policy info. I’m doing low content books, journals, coloring books, kids activity books… I wanted to get a couple for my nephew and ordered through my Prime account because paying full shipping cost for author copies was twice as much as the books! Is ordering a couple coloring books from my account an issue? I guess it adds to my sales rank, but how big a deal is something like that? I think my mom ordered some journals as well.

You are buying them as an customer would, at the retail price, so no problem.

Those places you reference are decided by Amazon based on what people are buying. It works like any retail store–the retailer decides these things.

Can an author, as of August 4, 2021, register with any of the book reviewing companies found on the internet and pay as much as $500 and have them provide book reviews and then post them on Amazon?

Don, the answer is a qualified yes. I cannot confirm “any,” but there are many reviewers and review businesses you can use, free or paid. Most of those reviews would be editorial reviews and they are posted using Author Central. Here is a list of fee-based editorial reviewers: https://www.authorimprints.com/paid-editorial-book-reviews/

I can never figure out how to ask an author question on amazon. My self-published book recently won a Bronze Award from READER VIEWS. I’m wondering if it can be displayed on my Amazon book page, not just the Amazon author page. Thanks for information.

Put it on the cover of the book.

A couple of professional contacts wrote books which I bought, and I wanted to leave reviews to support them. However, Amazon says there has been unusual review activity associated with my account and will not let me leave a review. I don’t think I’ve EVER left a review, so someone must have done so using my name. How do I remedy this? I really would like to leave a couple of reviews.

This is not uncommon and Amazon won’t explain. You can try emailing them to ask. If you bought the eBook, try leaving a review from the eBook. there should be a link at the end. You can also leave the review on Goodreads.

Hi, What about author’s swapping books and reviewing each other? Are there restrictions against this or is this permitted under all circumstances? Thanks!

Can a person leave a review if they only read a few pages of your book? I have a poor review from someone who said they only read a few pages. Is that even allowed? Don’t you have to read a certain percentage of a book in order to leave a verified review? The person actually said in the review that they only read a few pages.

There is nothing preventing authors reviewing other books as long as the reviews don’t violate policies. But what you describe has been tried many times and it works until Amazon figures out what’s going on. Lots of risk in this case.

No rules about that and it applies the other direction as well. You can always protest.

This is a great article. Very insightful. Thanks for the post.

I appreciate the emphasis on continuous learning and staying updated with the latest trends in Amazon selling. Your blog is a great resource for sellers like us who are looking to stay ahead of the competition. Thank you for sharing your expertise!

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The proven path from blank page to 10,000 copies sold.

When it comes to Amazon book reviews, they are necessary to proactively market your book.

There’s almost nothing as important as Amazon book reviews when it comes to generating consistent book sales month after month and creating an effective book marketing strategy.

It’s not enough to publish your book and hope reviewers will find you. They almost certainly won’t. You need to work hard to find them and convince them to review your book.

But even that isn’t enough!

If you go about getting Amazon book reviews the wrong way, you risk incurring the wrath of Amazon. Your book will sink before it ever stood a chance of succeeding.

Related: Amazon Self-Publishing

So how can you get the Amazon book reviews you need in an ethical and effective way?

We’ve gathered together everything you need to know.

This guide to Amazon book reviews covers:

Why are amazon book reviews important, how many book reviews do i need on amazon.

• How to get your book reviewed on Amazon

Can I review my own book on Amazon?

Book review services , can i contact the top reviewers on amazon.

• Does Amazon support editorial reviews

Guidelines for Amazon reviews

Why does amazon remove book reviews.

If you’re new to the world of self-publishing , it might be unclear why there is so much importance placed on getting Amazon book reviews.

After all, if you create a good book, produce an attractive cover, and write a catchy description, shouldn’t that be enough?

As much as we might see our book as special, Amazon won’t.

At least, not at first. And neither will the vast majority of book browsers.

While the benefits of self-publishing are well-known, there are also some challenges you need to overcome in order to experience success.

One such challenge is the abundance of books released on Amazon.

The vast majority of books are lost amidst the noise. New titles are added to Amazon every few minutes, and there are endless titles already available. 

What does this mean for you?

If you want to see your book reach the right readers, you need to do everything in your power to get it in front of them. 

One of the most powerful ways to do that is by ensuring your book has reviews.

A lack of Amazon book reviews harms your book’s prospects in two ways. 

First, a book without reviews is unlikely to even get noticed by the vast majority of book browsers.

Second, even if people do somehow stumble across your book, they are unlikely to borrow or buy it without a credible number of Amazon book reviews.

Here are the benefits to make your reviews worth it:

• Trust. Book reviews are especially important when you’re just starting out as an author on Amazon . Put yourself in the shoes of a customer. Why should they trust your book? They almost certainly haven’t heard of you. Reviews overcome this problem. When people see that others have been helped or entertained by a book, it gives them the confidence they will experience the same result.
• Algorithm. Amazon is famous for having one of the most powerful and effective algorithms out there. The company explores and experiments with every possible way to get customers to spend more. Reviews are a huge signal to Amazon that your book is worth promoting. Without a respectable number of Amazon book reviews close to the time of launch, your book will miss out on the immense power of Amazon’s promotional machinery.
• External promotion. There are plenty of promotional services out there willing to help introduce your book to readers who are likely to benefit from it. However, most of them require you to have a certain number of positive reviews before they will even consider your book. You can also promote this on your author platform .
• Feedback. Reviews are also a valuable source of feedback on your work. Yes, even the negative ones! You can get a sense of what readers did and did not like about your book and take this feedback on board for your future releases. 

When it comes to success on Amazon, it’s almost impossible to overstate just how important reviews are.

Now that you know the benefits of reviews for your book, let’s take a closer look at exactly how to get them.

Getting people to take the time to review your book isn’t always easy, especially when you’re new to the self-publishing scene.

Given the difficulty of getting reviews, it’s natural to wonder just how many you need. 

No matter what people might say, there is no magic number that you need. It varies from book to book.

However, there are some proven principles and guidelines you can use to inform the number of reviews you aim to get.

• Check competing books. Take the time to check out other books that your ideal reader might be interested in. For example, which books rank for your keywords? Which books are selling well in your intended categories ? Try and look for books of similar stature to your own. How many reviews do they have? How many would you need to seem respectable in the eyes of a buyer choosing between your book and a competing title?
• Aim for 10 minimum. 10 reviews seems to be the number that starts to move the needle for a lot of authors. When you’re putting together your initial strategy, make 10 book reviews the minimum number you aim for. 
• 20 is ideal. If you’re capable of proactively getting 10 people to leave an Amazon review of your book, you’re more than capable of getting 20! Just double down on what you’re doing. We’ll explore exactly how shortly. 
• Don’t go overboard. After a certain number of Amazon book reviews, you’re unlikely to experience much extra benefit. The effort needed to seek out reviews is not commensurate to the benefits you will experience. Also, after getting a large number of reviews, buyers are likely to review your book of their own accord. You won’t need to seek them out. 30-50 reviews is a good guideline here, but a lower number may suffice depending on the books you are competing against. 
• Your promo strategy. Many authors make book promotion sites or services an integral part of their Amazon book marketing strategy. If you have a particular promotional site you want to be featured on, you’re probably going to need a certain number of Amazon book reviews to be eligible.

Even though there isn’t a particular number of Amazon book reviews that’s right for every book, there’s definitely a number that’s right for yours.

Use the above ideas to find it and make this a target you strive to hit.

Sadly, no. Some authors might think it's a good idea to review their own book to get some initial momentum going for their Amazon book reviews, but that's against the rules specified in Amazon's Guidelines .

How to get Amazon book reviews

So how should you go about getting the reviews you need for your book to succeed?

Seeking out Amazon book reviews in the right way isn’t just a matter of doing what’s likely to get results.

It’s also a matter of respecting Amazon’s rules and regulations. If you fail to do so, you run the risk of having your reviews removed.

If you’re unsure of how to get the reviews your book needs, here are some effective techniques.

• Set up a review plan prior to launch. A lot of authors learn the hard way that you can’t leave Amazon book reviews to chance. You need to have a clear plan in place way ahead of your book launch . This should involve a clear approach to hit your review target number as close to the time of your book going live as possible.
• Reach out to existing readers. Do you have an email list of readers? Have you written anything in the past? Even if you don’t have books out, do you have a blog with readers? Could you leverage your author network to promote your book to another writer’s fans? Existing readers, either your own or another author’s, are a great potential source of Amazon book reviews.
• Use social media. While social media is a valuable source of potential reviewers of your work, you should approach it with caution. If Amazon’s algorithm deems you to have a close connection with people on social media, their reviews of your book may be removed. In spite of that, it’s still worth utilizing options such as Facebook reading groups, relevant hashtags on Twitter or Instagram, visual platforms like Pinterest , and even Tik Tok if you have a younger audience, to seek out people who might be interested in your book. 
• Consider offline readers. Most authors will focus their review approach on the online world. By seeking out book clubs, library groups, and other interested communities offline, you open the door to a rich source of potential reviewers that many other authors aren't aware of.  
• Create a launch team . One of the easiest ways to get reviews at launch is to have a big launch group on your side before your book ever drops on Amazon KDP. I recommend having a team of around 100 people who will reach an advanced reader copy in exchange for their authentic review. That way, when your book launches, you can have tons of Amazon book reviews straight away. If you aren't sure how to build a launch group, there are companies that will help you put one together. At selfpublishing.com, our Elite Package guarantees your first 100 authentic Amazon book reviews.
• CTA in your book. There’s no harm of asking for Amazon book reviews within your book itself. You can also include a link in the ebook version to make it as straightforward as possible.

Be aware that by asking for Amazon book reviews in any of the ways mentioned, you are seeking something of value from them. To make them want to take the time to help you, you need to frame your request in the right way.

Related: Amazon Book Description HTML: Making Words Look Better

Instead of coming across as self-serving or even desperate, why not base your review request around:

• Feedback. If people respect your work they are likely to want to help you out as an author. If you make them feel like their feedback is valued, you are more likely to get a review.
• Helping other readers. Another angle to take is appealing to a sense of community among readers. Rather than making your request for Amazon book reviews about yourself, make it about informing fellow readers about a book that might benefit or entertain them.
• A promotional price point. It’s human nature to love a good deal. By emphasizing your book being offered at a low price point for a limited time, you tap into the psychological appeal of both value and scarcity, making it more likely that people will see it as worthwhile to review your book.

Combining the right sources of potential Amazon book reviews with the right type of request is the best way to get your book the review score it needs.

As well as seeking out relevant readers by yourself, a range of professional book review services exist.

While this can form a valuable part of your overall approach to Amazon book reviews, you need to be careful.

Amazon is known for being incredibly strict about people selling reviews. Many people on Fiverr have experienced this firsthand!

The Amazon review guidelines are elaborated on a little later in this guide, but as a general principle, always avoid paying for a review directly. That includes offering a gift of some type.

Instead of paying for a review on Fiverr, consider using one of these services:

• Goodreads book giveaways
• Rainbow Book Reviews

If you’re considering paying for a review service, make sure to check both of these two things before investing your money:

• Compliance. Ensure any review service you’re considering is compliant with Amazon’s rules and regulations. Otherwise, you risk losing your money, having the review removed, and possibly even worse consequences if Amazon feels you’re being particularly underhanded.
• Results. Check out what kind of results a review service promises, and what kind of success they’ve had in the past. Have they produced good results for books similar to yours? What kind of ROI can you expect?

Book review services can be a valuable way to help your book get the momentum it needs. Just make sure you’re dealing with a reputable and effective service provider.

No, the top Amazon reviewers are no longer available.

In the past, a popular way of seeking Amazon book reviews involved trying to find and contact the top reviewers on Amazon.

This may have worked well back in the day, but it’s not really something to pursue in the here and now. 

The top Amazon reviewers no longer have emails available to reach out to. Even when they did, the odds of having a top reviewer take the time to check out your work was pretty slim. 

Does Amazon support editorial reviews?

What exactly is an editorial review, and why does it matter for your book?

So far, we’ve talked about customer Amazon book reviews, which are exactly what they sound like. A customer reads your book and leaves their opinion. If they purchased it from Amazon, this would count as a verified review. 

The other type of review to utilize is the editorial review. This involves a trusted source such as a magazine or publication giving their take on your book.

While editorial reviews aren't included in your book's review score and don't show up with the customer reviews, this is actually a good thing. 

Some of the main benefits of editorial reviews are:

• They won’t get lost in the middle of the (hopefully) large number of customer reviews your book has
• You can add them to your Amazon Author Central page
• You are allowed to leverage your connections as Amazon can’t remove these in the way that they can remove customer reviews
• A reputable publication or individual may carry more weight in the mind of a potential book buyer than an unknown customer reviewer

There’s no denying the value of editorial reviews, but think of them as icing on the cake. 

Make customer reviews your priority, at least initially, as they will move the needle in terms of the Amazon algorithm.

Spend some time around the indie author community and you’ll come across some fairly angry writers.

A common source of frustration is the seemingly ever-changing Amazon review rules.

In reality, the Amazon review guidelines aren’t as bad as you might have heard.

You can check out the full picture here , but some basic principles include:

• You can’t pay for Amazon book reviews. It’s absolutely prohibited to exchange money for a review of your book.]
• You can’t ask for conditional reviews. Although it’s completely fine to ask for someone to review your book, you cannot request they review it in a certain way. Asking for an honest review is the best approach.
• You can’t review a rival book. If Amazon feels someone is negatively reviewing a rival product of any type, they will remove that review.
• You can’t rely on friends and family. Amazon states that reviews from close personal connections are not allowed. This can involve being friends with people and interacting on social media.
• You can’t offer gifts. It’s not permissible to over an Amazon gift card or anything else whatsoever in exchange for a review. You can offer an ARC of your book but that’s all.

While it’s definitely worth respecting the Amazon review guidelines, try not to worry too much. As long as you’re operating from a place of good faith, the worst that will happen in the majority of cases is Amazon will remove some of your reviews.

Amazon can remove reviews for violations of any of the guidelines mentioned above. 

However, some of the most common reasons for a review to be removed are:

• You have reviewed your own book
• Someone with the same address as you has reviewed your book
• A reviewer has attempted to leave multiple reviews of your work
• The review is obscene, defamatory, or otherwise unacceptable
• The reviewer is a customer who has spent less than $50 on Amazon
• The reviewer appears to be a spammer who leaves too many reviews in a short space of time
• You have reported the review to [email protected] and Amazon agrees it is unacceptable

Having some Amazon book reviews removed is a fact of life for most authors. Although it might seem frustrating, try and see the system as being in place to preserve the integrity of the entire process. 

We hope you’ve found this guide to the dos and don'ts of Amazon book reviews useful. 

If you have any tips on getting Amazon book reviews ethically, or warnings about Amazon’s rules and regulations, feel free to leave a comment and help your fellow authors out. 

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How to Get Free and Honest Book Reviews on Amazon

By c.s. lakin.

Imagine seeing an ad pop up on Facebook advertising your recently published book—an ad you didn’t pay for. Imagine seeing your book appearing first in a line of recommended books on the product pages of similar books, and you didn’t pay for a sponsored ad.

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Imagine hearing from readers that they learned about your book from an Amazon email blast that encouraged them to buy it. Wouldn’t it be great to get all that free promotion? You can—when you get enough authentic, approved reviews on Amazon.

Will Amazon Promote Your Book?

While Amazon’s algorithms are somewhat of a mystery, it’s a known truth that when your book accrues a certain number of reviews, or a lot of reviews in a short amount of (unspecified) time, Amazon kicks into gear multiple promotions for your book. Free promotion that would probably cost a fortune if you had to foot the bill.

The magic number to start the ball rolling in this free promotion is 50. Fifty reviews merits cross promotion and ranking your book higher than others in the same categories based on search terms. With 75 reviews, Amazon is triggered to send email blasts to customers who’ve bought similar books. Amazon utilizes customer data to provide relevant recommendations.

I get tickled when I’m reading a blog and suddenly one of my books pops up on the side—an Amazon-sponsored ad—suggesting I buy that book. No thanks, already have it. But it brings a smile to my face. Did I mention I love free promotion? I am sure you will too.

Every time your book is reviewed, the algorithms are updated, and your book’s internal ranking increases.

While Amazon isn’t the only site where writers need reviews, it’s where most customers shop for books. Reviews you get on Amazon can often be used on other platforms, but no other marketplace engages in free author promotion as extensively and generously as Amazon.

Getting numerous, honest reviews on Amazon should be at the top of your market strategy list. Having the best keywords might help your book turn up in search results, but if you don’t have a slew of reviews, your book will be overlooked or dismissed by a large number of potential readers. High numbers of reviews adds cred to your brand and your talent as a writer .

Amazon also allows authors to give away their book for free for 5 days over a 90-day period (when enrolled in KDP Select). Why is this helpful in getting book reviews? Because it gives you great exposure to potential readers who might pick up your book because it’s free.

This also increases your chances of ranking high in the Top 100 Free Books list, exposing your title to many more potential readers (readers who might very well write a review for it—but watch for my warning further down).

Want to sell more books? Click here to get your free copy of 8 Simple Secrets to Big Book Sales on Amazon

What are amazon’s rules on reviews.

Due to problems with dishonorable people, Amazon has developed tight rules regarding reviews. While these might seem annoying to authors, they serve to protect unscrupulous people from publishing gobs of fake or paid reviews to skew rankings and algorithms.

Here are some of the things Amazon forbids and flags (and may cause your book to be removed): paid reviews, reviews garnered through bribery (you offer something free in exchange for the review), and swapped reviews (arranging with other authors via social media sites to review each other’s books, which usually does not include actually reading said books).

What Are Verified vs. Unverified Reviews

While it can’t be quantified, it’s likely that some potential customers look at how many reviews are “verified” purchases as opposed to unverified. A “verified” purchase means the reviewer bought your book on Amazon, whereas anyone who acquired your book via some other means (purchased elsewhere, given as a gift, a free ARC) will have their review marked “unverified.”

As a potential customer, I don’t pay attention to that. I’m more interested in what the reviewer says about the book. I know that many authors—myself included—send out files of their books to people for an honest review, pre- and post-publishing. So some of those reviews are going to be unverified. But it stands to reason, having predominately verified reviews could positively influence some potential readers. I wouldn’t stress about this.

How To Balance Quantity and Quality

Getting book reviews takes work and time, and the last thing we writers want to do is waste time, spinning our wheels and getting no useful results.

However, it should go without saying that we don’t just want a lot of reviews; we want good reviews. Ones that are thoughtful, detailed, and personal. And that can take time to accumulate.

It stands to reason that having a lot of positive reviews for your book is social proof that you’ve written something worth reading.

If you want to get a lot of reviews fast, and you’re willing to pay, promo sites like Bookbub (there are many!) can help. I’ve gotten up to 50,000 free downloads in one week via a Bookbub ad offering one of my ebooks for free. And that led to a truckload of reviews (not to mention future sales of my book and other installments in my series as a bonus). However, it can also be hard to land such ads, as the competition for slots can be fierce. It’s worth repeated submission, though, for the book review payoff.

Another way to garner reviews is to do some legit giveaways (but, here, you again run the risk of getting some negative or not-so-great reviews because the winner may not generally read or like your genre). Some of the sites writers use to do giveaways are Goodreads , Bookriot , BookishFirst , BookDivas , FreshFiction , and  Kingsumo , to list a few.

While it can take some time, researching top Amazon ( Vine ) reviewers can net you some weighty reviews. You can peruse the list of these 1,000 reviewers and find ones who review books like yours (and if they leave a lot of negative reviews, beware). Even if you only get a handful of Vine reviewers to read and review your book, that can be super helpful and influential.

You can Google “free book review sites” and look for ones that promote honest, legal reviews, like OnlineBookClub . Reedsy has a list of 200+ book blogs, updated for 2020, that you can use to find reviewers of your type of book.

How to Get Book Reviews on Amazon: 3 Effective Strategies

You might utilize the above strategies to get a lot of book reviews quickly, but if you’re a writer hoping to build a solid, enduring, and stellar reputation, you’ll want glowing reviews to come in steadily that come across authentic and sincere.

Here are 3 aspects to focus on for the long run:

1. Develop Relationships

One suggestion that I never see mentioned but is one that has served me very well is to attend writers’ conferences. Not only I but many writers I know have gotten endorsement blurbs from some of the most successful blockbuster authors by attending conferences and creating genuine relationships.

Let me emphasize those last three words. If you go around conferences strong-arming famous authors [read: ingratiating yourself], begging them to spend precious hours of their life reading your book and write a glowing review, you are going to be labeled a pesky pariah.

Conferences provide opportunities to rub elbows with these authors, and engaging in sincere and considerate conversation could open the door to a generous and willing heart happy to help out. You may find only one, but that’s a great start!

This is also good advice for any effort to garner reviews—be it from friends, writing associates, or your coworkers at your job. Don’t be pushy or whiny. People who sense your humility and genuineness will be drawn to take you up on your request to read and review. Give it a try!

2. Build Your Mailing List

The best way to get quality reviews is to reach out to those on your mailing list, your social media contacts, and those you’ve sent advance copies to. Ask them in a friendly, non-pressuring way to leave a review, expressing gratitude for their taking the time to read and review your book.

Even if you haven’t finished writing your book, you should get a mailing list started and work on building it. These folks are going to be your most faithful fans and reviewers. Some authors set up street teams (a group of super fans) and get them enthusiastically involved in sharing news about their new release, and once the book is published , they’re usually asked to post their honest reviews right away. With a mailing list, you can share excerpts of your new release and offer an ARC to any who want to read and review. I do this often with my new releases.

Keep these tips in mind:

• Don’t bribe, coerce, or cajole.
• When you send a copy of your book to a potential reader, thank them and tell them: “Be sure that when you leave a review on Amazon for me, you state that you were given a free copy in exchange for writing an honest review.”
• DO ask them to give you an honest review. DON’T threaten them. You’ll make more friends this way, stay out of trouble, and have a clear conscience (reread above section on developing relationships).
• Be professional. Remember: there is nothing disgraceful about asking for reviews or blurbs of endorsement for your book.
• Provide a choice of epub, PDF, and mobi (Kindle) files. You can save a Word doc as a PDF, and there are free sites online that can convert from one file type to another. I like to put my cover on the first page, and it’s wise to test the file (send the mobi to your Kindle and download a program that can open an epub file (I use Adobe Digital Editions )

3. Encourage Readers to Leave a Review Right after They Read

While Amazon emails customers to leave reviews some days after they purchase anything on their site, a personal encouragement at the back of your book, along with a link (if an ebook), will probably persuade readers to leave that honest review.

This is what I write: “The best way to thank an author for writing a book you enjoyed is to leave an honest review! Click here to post your review of [book title]. Thank you so much for taking the time to let other readers know what you thought of my book.” I put a hyperlink in connected to the words click here (don’t show the very long URL).

If your book isn’t published yet, you will have to wait until you’ve at least got it up for presale (one good reason to use that feature) in order to get your Amazon book page URL. Once you have that, plug in the URL to your request for a review.

Once the book is published, you can use the link that directly goes to the book review page for your book. Here’s how you do it:

• Go to your product page once your book is live, click on the reviews button, then scroll down to the bottom and click on “see all __ customer reviews. Click on that link.
• Now, grab the URL in the search bar at the top.
• Only grab to the end of the numbers and include the forward slash. It should look something like this: http://www.amazon.com/Colorado-Hope-Historical-Western-Romance-ebook/ product-reviews /B00PIAD22K/

Notice that the URL includes “product-reviews” in there. That’s the nice, clean link to your reviews page.

So what happens when the reader clicks that link?

She gets taken right to the top of your review page where there is a nice button that says “write a review.”

Why You Should Never Stop Attracting Reviews

In order to stay ranking high and keep Amazon’s algorithm attention, you’ll need to get a steady stream of reviews over time. That’s why it’s not a great idea to tell all your fans or mailing list recipients to post their review on one specific day. It’s better if they flow in as a stream and not a tsunami.

Don’t run that free KDP promotion during launch week . Offer your book for free one or two days a month, and that will draw in new readers whose reviews will come in over time.

Consider using a free, reputable book review site—maybe one each month—to attract new readers. I recently did a NetGalley promotion (yes, I did pay for that), and netted a lot of readers who downloaded (for free) my book file. NetGalley reviewers are bloggers, librarians, booksellers, educators, journalists, and members of the media. Reviewers give your book a rating and offer feedback. My next step is to contact the reviewers who haven’t yet left a review and politely ask if they would post one on Amazon.

Keep in mind that any reviews you get, you can manually enter them through your Author Central account on Amazon so the reviews will show up on your product page. So no worries about pressuring readers to head over to Amazon to post it themselves. However, these reviews appear on your page’s Editorial Reviews section, not in the usual Amazon review pages (and so won’t be ranked by 1-5 stars or counted as part of your number of reviews).

Go back to your list of book bloggers and review sites. Consider contacting blogs on a weekly basis to accrue new contacts and get more reviews. Keep a chart of who you contact when.

How to Avoid Negative Reviews

Let’s face reality here: you will get negative reviews. But you’re in good company. The most famous, successful authors have plenty of negative reviews. Not everyone will love your book.

The few negative reviews I’ve gotten over the years have mostly been from readers who picked up my book during a free promotion. Some admit in their review “I never read this genre” or “this isn’t my type of book.” Meaning, they wouldn’t have bought my book (which makes me groan and mutter, “So why did you bother reading my book?”).

This is part of the tradeoff with doing free promotions. You will probably get reviews from those who don’t like or understand your genre, and, sadly, you can’t block or forbid them from leaving a review or remove said review. Good news is they probably won’t download your next book during a freebie period.

Here are some ways to fend off negative reviews:

• Have your book professionally edited and proofread.
• Better yet, have a professional critique of your book before editing to ensure it’s well structured.
• Make sure your formatting looks good, for both ebook and paperback. It’s not hard to learn how to format an ebook. Get Mark Coker’s free style book (Smashwords founder). I download Amazon’s templates for paperback and paste all my content in. Or you can hire a designer to help you. But do it right.
• Write description copy that accurately describes the genre and story—don’t mislead potential readers. Also, if your book contains “heat” (venturing into erotica) or descriptive violence, warn your reader. It’s the responsible thing to do. And, honestly, you want your target readers to be enjoying your book.
• Don’t make promises you can’t keep. This applies to self-help and other types of nonfiction. You might hope your readers will get healed, rich, happy, or successful by following your five-step secret method, but if you guarantee they will get these results, you are going to have some pretty angry customers leaving scathing reviews.
• Your book shouldn’t be a thinly veiled advertising platform for other books or services. It’s fine to list some of your other publications or resources at the back of your book, and it’s wise to include an excerpt of one of those other books to entice readers to buy it (and putting in a link to buy is fine). But don’t have promotions and special offers sprinkled throughout your pages. It’s spammy and off-putting.
• Did I mention you must have your book professionally edited and proofread?

Getting reviews on Amazon—honest, authentic reviews—will take time and effort, but it’s worth it. As the reviews pile up, you’ll see your sales ranking rise and your book will come up higher in search results.

But don’t forget the big picture: it’s about relationships. Build a fan base of happy readers who love your books. Take the time to master your craft, write the best books you can, take pride in them, and make sure they are professionally edited, with attractive covers and description that accurately describes your content. If you focus on those things and put out the effort, you will have a lot more than just reviews. You’ll have a joyful writing career.

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Table of Contents

Why Do Book Reviews Matter?

How many reviews do i need, editorial reviews, how to get amazon book reviews, how to get reviews for your book on amazon.

What good is writing a great book if no one knows that it’s worth reading?

That’s where book reviews come in.

Reviews matter. They’re a key influencer of buying behavior and provide important social proof even to non-buyers.

Just think about it: how many times have you bought a book without looking at the reviews? I can’t speak for you, but I always read at least a few reviews of every book I buy.

So how do you get more? Most important, more good reviews?

Lots of people are trying to make money off Authors’ confusion in this area, and giving out terrible, deceitful advice about getting reviews (and a few straight up scams).

That’s why I wrote this blog post.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know about getting reviews effectively and ethically, especially on Amazon .

If you’ve put in the effort to write a good book, then it’s worth taking the time to get honest feedback from your readers.

Quick note: I said “a good book.” All of my advice assumes you wrote a good book. I’m going to teach you how to get honest reviews, so if your book is not good, my suggestions will backfire. You’ll get reviews, but they won’t be ones you like.

1. Credibility & Social Proof

Imagine that you’re going out for a nice dinner, and you have a choice between two restaurants. One of them has two Michelin Stars, received glowing reviews on Yelp, and even has reviews on Google Maps.

The other restaurant looks nice from the outside, but it doesn’t have a website, and you don’t know anyone who’s been. You know nothing about the chef, and your only guideline for the food comes from the very basic menu posted outside the door.

Which restaurant are you going to choose?

Books work the same way.

If you had to choose, would you buy the book with 50 5-star reviews, or would you buy the one without any reviews at all?

People want to read books other people have read. If a book has a solid number of reviews, a strong blurb, and plenty of customer feedback, it’s going to do better.

Reviews are social proof. Proof that you have something to say, that you have the chops to say it, and that you can be engaging while you say it.

A book without reviews isn’t necessarily a bad book, but it also won’t have the same appeal as a book that consistently gets rave comments.

2. Influence search algorithms

You know what the third biggest search engine is?

Google is first, YouTube is second, and Amazon is third.

When people use Amazon, what they see first is determined by Amazon’s search algorithm…and reviews are a very important part of that algorithm.

Most of our authors write books not just to sell copies, but to use as a tool to market themselves . If this is the case for you, then people searching for your book topic are very important.

The better your ranking , the more likely it is that people will find your book. And the more likely it is that people find your book, the more likely you are to sell it.

3. Drive sales

Reviews won’t automatically make you a New York Times bestseller , but it will make your book more visible to potential readers.

Every review boosts your rankings, emphasizes your credibility, or entices potential readers.

And good reviews drive sales. Think about it–when you go to buy a book, what is the first thing you do?

Read the reviews.

The more reviews you can get—assuming they are good—the better. Lots of reviews are strong social proof a book is popular, and popular books sell.

For a minimum, you should try to get 20 reviews within the first two months after your book release date. That shows your book has traction with real readers.

At around 50 reviews, you are probably good to go. Around that point, you have solidified the book as reputable and should continue to generate reviews.

A Note Before We Start: Don’t Try to Cheat Amazon

Amazon is savvy. Their algorithm is no joke, and if you try to cheat them, you will get caught. They actively look to find and remove any review that is not a real review written by a real person–and they’re very good at it.

Amazon also has a zero-tolerance policy for any review that is designed to mislead or manipulate customers. They’re not shy about removing reviews that violate that policy.

Here’s a list of things to avoid:

• You can’t pay for reviews. This includes cash or giving reviewers a free or discounted product.
• You can’t offer reviewers gifts in exchange for reviews.
• You can’t exchange positive book reviews with other Authors, so don’t head to Facebook or Twitter to find review swaps.

This may seem pretty restrictive. After all, don’t most of us rely on business associates, friends, and other members of our networks to sell books? And what about giving away free review copies? Does that violate the promotional terms?

Well, there are a few caveats .

You can give away free or discounted books to potential reviewers, but you can’t tell them what to write. If they hate it, they have to be able to rant and rave to their heart’s content.

That’s why I said earlier that you have to write a high-quality book. Any free copy you give away has to be given with no strings attached.

Most of this information applies to customer reviews, but they aren’t the only kind of reviews on Amazon.

Editorial reviews are either written by Amazon editors or they come from established publications like Publisher’s Weekly or Kirkus Reviews. Official book endorsements also fall under the category of editorial reviews.

Let’s say that you are a physical therapist, and you have a colleague who is very well known in the field. If she likes your work, it would probably be better to ask her for an editorial review. That way, when people look at the Amazon listing, her review will be front and center. It won’t be buried in the middle of 45 other reviews.

Editorial reviews aren’t subject to the same kinds of restrictions as customer reviews. It’s still not ethical to pay someone to give you a review, but you can and should make the most of your connections to get these.

Step 1: Set-up For Success: Ask for Reviews In Your Book

The easiest way to get book reviews is to ask for them. What better place to do that than in the book itself?

Usually, it’s best to include a short, direct review request towards the back of the book, since good reviewers tend to read all the way to the end.

Few people realize how important book reviews are to Authors. There are probably many people who enjoyed your book and would be willing to write about it if you give them a little nudge.

There are unethical ways to ask, and you should avoid them.

For starters, don’t say, “If you really loved my book, please leave a review.” I know that Authors say this all the time, but it’s presumptuous. It’s like telling someone that their opinion doesn’t matter unless it’s glowing.

People leave reviews because they want to express their feelings. Those feelings might be more complicated than, “I adored the book.” Of course you want positive reviews, but you also have to leave space for readers who enjoyed the book but are reluctant to call it the best thing they’ve ever read.

It’s better to ask readers, “I’d love to hear your honest opinion.”

Here’s another thing to avoid: Don’t ask readers, “Can you take a minute to review my book so I can sell more copies?” This comes across as desperate.

Other people typically don’t care how many books you sell. They need a better reason to take the time to write. Try framing your request around the impact that the book had on them and the impact it could have for others.

Here’s an example: “Did this book help you in some way? If so, I’d love to hear about it. Honest reviews help readers find the right book for their needs.”

Step 2: Ask Your Network for Reviews

One of the most effective ways to get reviews is to set up a launch team .

To do this, put together a list of people who would immediately do a favor for you. You want to aim for 30-50 people.

One month before the book release, send this team a copy of your book so they can read it in advance. It’s easiest to email the book as a PDF, along with a short call to action. Here’s a sample:

Hello there!

I’m excited to let you know that my new book, [Title], launches on [date]. It’s been an amazing journey to get it completed, and I’m excited to finally share it with the world.

If you’re receiving this email, it’s because you’re someone I trust enough to (a) send a free copy of the book to in advance and (b) ask that you leave an honest review when it goes live.

Early reviews are the single most important factor in determining if a book succeeds, so I’m incredibly thankful for people like you who I can rely on to leave one.

No action needed yet. Attached is your free PDF of the book, and I’ll follow up when the book launches with a reminder to leave a review.

Thanks so much for your support. I deeply appreciate it.

Just before the book launches, use KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) to discount the e-reader version to 99 cents for the week of the book launch.

Then, follow up with your team, asking them to leave a review. You can highlight certain things that you would like reviewers to mention, but again, it’s good to emphasize that you want their honest opinion.

Also mention that your book is 99 cents, so if they’re feeling generous, they can buy a copy so their review will be verified. A verified review means that the writer purchased the product through Amazon, and they didn’t receive it at a deep discount. These matter more for your Amazon ranking.

Here’s a sample email: Hey [Name],

The day is here! My book, [Title + GENI.US link], is finally live on Amazon.

I have one simple ask:

If you were able to look at the book and enjoyed it, can you leave a short review?

Reviews should only be 1-2 sentences and should take about 30 seconds to leave (and would make a huge difference for me). If you can’t come up with one, here are some examples:

• [Insert example review]

Finally, I wanted to give you a heads up that Amazon can sometimes block or remove reviews if they deem our digital relationship too close, or if your account is too new. This is few and far between so I’m sorry if you run into this and thank you all the more for your support!

Thanks so much for your help! I can’t thank you enough.

Best, [Author]

As you can see, this email alludes to Amazon’s “family and friends” rule. Most book reviews and sales come from word of mouth, and you will of course be asking your network for support. The key here is that you aren’t forcing or bribing people to give you good feedback.

Step 3: Set Up Your Assets to Remind Your Network

Social media is a great way to remind your network that your book is ready to be reviewed.

Use Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, or whatever social media assets you have to keep your book present in people’s minds.

For example:

• Pin a tweet requesting reviews at the top of your Twitter feed
• Add the book to your email signature
• Put your book in the header of your Facebook and Twitter profiles

Step 4: Reach Out to Authority Reviewers & Top Reviewers

Amazon has a list of top reviewers who are enthusiastic and authoritative about certain areas. If you notice that someone consistently reviews books in your field, they might be a good person to reach out to.

Be cautious about contacting too many top reviewers, especially if your book isn’t in their realm of interest. No one likes spam, so only reach out with good reason.

You have to know your audience , so look at book bloggers who might have some knowledge in your area or podcasters who might be interested in your book’s topic.

Alternately, you could use a site like BookRazor to find people interested in your book. If you send them a free copy, they agree to follow up with a review.

Be aware though: cold calls have a high failure rate. We haven’t found this method as effective as tapping personal networks.

Step 5: Don’t Ignore Negative Reviews

It’s highly likely that, at some point, you will get a negative review . This is just a fact of life.

One thing to keep in mind before you get upset is that bad reviews aren’t always a bad thing. Books that only have 5-star reviews often don’t seem credible. Bad reviews can actually convince people that your other reviews are real.

There are many ways to deal with negative reviews:

• Ignore it. There’s no upside to responding to toxic people.
• Answer it…but be careful. Responding can be a double-edged sword. Respond in a way that addresses the issue without coming off as defensive.
• Admit it hurts to receive a bad review, then move on.
• Keep things in perspective. Don’t give negative reviews more weight than positive ones.
• Consider if the negative comments have any lessons for you.
• Try to get Amazon to take down the review if it doesn’t comply with their guidelines. They probably won’t remove it unless the person has been fraudulent or crude.

BONUS Step: Use Paid Services

Okay, I know I said that you shouldn’t use paid services. But what I meant was, “Don’t use paid services to directly buy reviews.” That’s cheating the system, and scamming Amazon isn’t a good idea if you’re trying to be a legitimate Author.

But there are paid opportunities that you can use to get the book into potential reviewers’ hands in an ethical way.

Goodreads is a social media site for book lovers. Their book giveaways are a good way to increase exposure and create hype. Goodreads requires participants to add the book to their wish list, and they also remind winners to leave reviews. They offer several packages at different price points, depending on how many promotional options you want.

BookBub features discounted books in their daily newsletters, which have more than 10 million subscribers. You can pay to have your book featured, or you can buy ad space in the newsletters. The pricing depends on how deep the book’s discount is.

The Scribe Crew

Read this next.

3 Secrets to Writing a Book People Can’t Stop Recommending

What to Do (and Not Do) in a Book Launch Social Media Campaign

How to Measure Book Launch Success

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Blog • Book Marketing

Last updated on Feb 07, 2023

How to Get Book Reviews in 5 Steps (2024 Update)

Imagine the day of your book launch. You’re sitting in front of your computer, blissfully imagining all the five-star book reviews that will soon be yours. Yet the days pass... and the reviews don't come.

Needless to say, you'll want people to buy and read your book ASAP so they can leave you some good reviews. But you may see the Catch-22 here: in order to make your first sales, you’ll need to display positive book reviews. So how do you get the chicken before you’ve got the egg (or vice versa)?

Enter book bloggers , who are your new best friends! For this post, we asked our top Reedsy publicists to share their best tips on how to get book reviews from book bloggers — and we've condensed their advice into these five essential steps, plus a few bonus tips at the end.

You can also check out this Reedsy Live on how to get your first book reviews, with advice from author and book marketer Debbie Drum.

Those who prefer their tips in written form, let's dive right in with the very first step of the review acquisition process!

1. Identify your audience

A quick preliminary note: you want to start the review-gathering as early as possible. If you can, plan your book review campaign 4-6 months in advance of your publication date. Because if you want your reviews to be in place by then, you’ll need to give people time to actually write them!

Now, using the "5 W’s of Storytelling," let's talk about the first thing you should be asking yourself: who? Who will be reading your book, and who is best positioned to promote it to that audience? The following tips will help you answer these questions.

Build a questionnaire

Here are a few more specific queries to help you clarify your "who":

• Who reads in my genre?
• What magazines, websites, forums, or blogs do they frequent?
• Where might they find reviews of my book that will entice them to buy it?

Indeed, publicist Jessica Glenn recommends building a full-length questionnaire to identify your audience and where you might find them on the Web (or in real life!).

“Most, if not all, publicists and publishers send authors a very long questionnaire to fill out when they start their marketing plan ,” she says. “That's so we can dig into any useful piece of bio, community, or regional info to figure out who and why people will be interested in your book.”

Your questionnaire will direct you to your target audience and help you create a  proto-persona.  This is the "ideal reader" of your book, so to speak — a perfect blend of the traits you'd expect them to have. (For example, if you've written a YA paranormal romance novel, your proto-persona might be a 14-year-old girl who's obsessed with Twilight .) And whoever they are, you'll keep them in mind every time you make a marketing decision.

Think about comp titles

Another great way to get a handle on your target audience is to figure out your comparative titles — books that are a) similar to yours and b) share the same general readership. When pitching to book reviewers, these are the titles you'll use to sell your own  book . For instance, "My book is  Normal People meets The Incendiaries ."

According to Jessica, you should have at least 15 potential comp titles for your book, ideally a mix of bestsellers and well-reviewed indie titles. “Many first-time authors balk at this," says Jessica, "as they believe there is no true comp for their book — but dig deep and you'll find them!”

Comp titles are critical because they act as a compass, pointing you towards a ready-made audience that enjoys works in the same mold as yours. This is a huge help in determining your target readers, as well as which reviewers will cater to them. Speaking of which...

2. Find relevant book blogs

Now that you’ve got a strong sense of your audience, you're ready to find blogs that will provide the best exposure to that audience. We recommend starting with our directory of 200+ book review blogs , but feel free to do your own research as well!

As you dig into book review blogs, check on these two things first:

• Is the site active? Has the blogger published a post within the last month or so?
• Are they currently accepting queries? If they're closed at the moment, it could be months before your book gets a review — if at all.

And if you want to confirm your book marketing strategy when it comes to book review blogs, we recommend first taking this quick quiz below!

Which book review site is right for you?

Find out here! Takes one minute.

Once you've confirmed that a book review blog is both active and open to queries, think about whether it's right for your  book. Here are some important factors to consider:

• Genre . Don't waste your time on blogs that don't review books in your genre. "Be very mindful of a publication’s particular audience and target market when pitching for review. If their readership is science-fiction, do not pitch a commercial crime novel!” says publicist Hannah Cooper .
• Traffic . High-traffic book blogs might seem like your highest priorities, but this isn’t necessarily true. “Don't shy away from the smaller blogs,” says publicist Beverly Bambury . “They can sometimes foster a real sense of community and starting off small is just fine."
• Posting frequency.  Another consideration is how often the blogger in question actually publishes reviews. Too often, and your book will get lost in the shuffle; too seldom, and they're likely to lose readers. Try to strike a balance with about 1-2 reviews per week — no decent reviewer can turn them out faster than that, anyway!

Track down your comp titles' reviewers

Remember those comp titles you came up with earlier? You can use them not only to pitch your book, but also to find potential reviewers , as they will correspond perfectly with your genre and target audience.

“Once you have your 15-or-so comps, you can research where each book has been reviewed,” says Jessica. “With luck, you will find at least a couple of book reviews per title, which will give you many more outlets to investigate further.”

Now, as an author, you might be wondering: “How can I begin to find all the places where a given book was reviewed?” Don’t forget the power of Google! Try searching the following terms to find reviews for a given title:

• [Title] + book review
• [Title] + review
• [Title] + Q&A

And here's one last tip to give you a boost — sign up for a "Mention" account and/or set up Google alerts to get a notification every time these titles appear online.

Once you’re armed with a bundle of suitable book review blogs, you've arrived at the third (and perhaps most crucial) step in this process. This is, of course, creating the pitches you'll send to reviewers.

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3. Write pitches for them

Pitching a reviewer is pretty straightforward. All you have to do is a) keep it short, and and b) personalize it as much as possible. However, before we get to our publicists’ actionable tips on pitching, there’s one more thing that you absolutely HAVE to do. And that thing is...

Read the review policy!

Before you pitch any blog, make sure you read the blogger’s review policy. Some blogs will have a form to fill out; others might ask you to email them directly. Still others might not welcome any queries from self-published authors . Whatever they say, make sure that you follow it to a T.

“There are two main benefits to reading and following the review policies closely,” says Beverly. “First, you show the reviewer that you respect and appreciate them when you follow their instructions. This is important when asking someone to do you a favor.

"Second, you may find that even if the site is closed for review queries, it's open to publicity queries — where you might be able to place an excerpt or do a Q&A or occasional blog post. You'll never know if you don't take the time to read the review policy first.”

More tips for pitching reviewers

Now that you’re clear on what the blogger wants, you can start pitching them with confidence. Here are three more key tips for pitching book reviewers:

1. Never send out bulk pitches. "When you pitch each outlet individually, specifically write that you read their positive book review of your comp and what that comp title was,” says Jessica Glenn. Or if you didn't find them through a comp title, mention other  aspects of their blog and why you think they would be great to review your book!

2. Be concise and direct. “Include your title, publisher, date of release, and genre in the first paragraph,” notes Beverly Bambury. “Then you might want to include the cover copy or a brief description of the book. Finally, be direct and ask for what you want. If you want a review, ask for it! If you want an excerpt placed, ask for that.”

3. Appeal to their commercial side. “All reviewers want the opportunity to discover the next 'big thing’ — particularly with fiction — so make them feel as though they have the opportunity to get the word out first," says Hannah Cooper. Indeed, if you can convince a reviewer that you are doing them  a favor, you're practically guaranteed to get a review.

Basically, try to get reviewers to think, “Oh, if I enjoyed [comp title], I’ll enjoy this person's book too,” or “They've done the research to know that I’m a good fit for their book.” If you can do that, you’re already much closer than everyone else to obtaining high-quality book reviews !

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4. Send out your book

This is the step before the moment of truth (the review itself), so it's extremely important to get everything right. To ensure you're complying with each reviewer's guidelines, review their policy again before you send them your book. Some bloggers might prefer digital copies of manuscripts, while others might want a physical ARC — be prepared to accommodate.

Also, as you begin sending your book to various outlets, you should track your progress in a spreadsheet. Record which blogs you’ve submitted to so far, which blogs have responded, and which blogs you plan to submit to, so you don't accidentally double-submit or skip over anyone.

Formatting your book

Other than double-checking the review policy, the most important thing to do here is to format your book in a professional manner . After all, you want the presentation of your content to match the quality! Even though it shouldn't technically matter, reviewers will definitely judge your book by how it looks, inside and out.

The good news for self-formatters that you probably won't need to send physical proofs, and ebooks are much easier to format than hard copies. Digital copies also cost next-to-nothing to produce, so you can easily send multiple copies of your book out to different reviewers. You may want to check out apps like Instafreebie and Bookfunnel , which make it easy to generate individual ARC download links that you can send to the reviewers.

Pro tip : If you’re searching for a good book production tool, the Reedsy Book Editor can format and convert your manuscript into professional EPUB and print-ready files in a matter of seconds!

5. Follow up after a week

A week or more has passed since you queried a book blog, and so far… crickets. What do you do now? Why, follow up,  of course!

When it comes to this stage, keep calm and follow Hannah Hargrave’s advice: “Don't bother reviewers for an answer daily. I will usually chase again after a week has passed.

"If you receive a decline response, or no one responds to your third chase-up, assume this means they are not interested. Any further follow-ups, or aggressive requests as to why your work's not being reviewed, will not be viewed kindly. Above all, be polite and friendly at all times.”

That said, someone rejecting your book for review is a worst-case scenario. Best-case scenario, the blogger responds favorably and you’ve bagged yourself a review!

What comes next, you ask?

The reviewer will post their review of your book on their blog — and on Amazon, Goodreads, and any other platforms that they’ll name in their review policy. This is yet another reason why it's vital to read that policy carefully, so you know exactly where  the review will be seen.

If all goes well, the reviewer will publish a positive review that you can use to further promote your book. Maybe you'll even get a decent pull-quote for your book description ! Not to mention that if you ever write a sequel, you can almost certainly count on them for a follow-up review.

Pro-tip: Want to write a book description that sells? Download this free book description template to get a headstart. 

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But what if you don't get any bites from book bloggers, or — horror of horrors — one of them gives you a negative review? Fortunately, the next two sections should help you deal with each of these possible dilemmas.

Bonus ways to get book reviews

Though book bloggers are the most reliable and professional source of reviews for independent authors, you may want to try other avenues to maximize your chances! Here are three more ways to get book reviews  for your work, so you can bolster your Amazon profile and start making some serious sales.

1. Tell your followers about your book

Though Amazon prohibits reviews from close friends and family , you're free to tell your random social media followers about your book and hope they leave good reviews. It obviously helps if you have a large following on Twitter or Instagram, even more so if some of those followers are fellow authors who appreciate the significance of reviews.

That said, NEVER offer "review swaps" or any kind of promotional enticement for customers to leave reviews, as this would also be against Amazon's terms. Simply let your followers know you've got a book out and that you'd love for them to read it; the rest is in their hands. However, when it comes to reviews, any amount of awareness is better than none.

2. Submit to Reedsy Discovery

Finally, for a professional review option that's a bit less time-and-effort-consuming on your part, you can submit your book right here on Reedsy Discovery! The platform allows authors to share their books with readers who are right up their alley, plus get the chance to be reviewed by one of our Discovery writers. If they leave a good review, you'll be featured in our newsletter, which goes out to thousands of subscribers every week.

Sounds pretty sweet, right? And it only takes a few minutes to submit .

Is your book ready for Discovery?

Take our quiz to find out! Takes only 1 minute.

How to deal with negative reviews

Once your work is out there in the world, you can’t control other people’s reactions to it. “Remember, by submitting your book for review, you're accepting that some people might not enjoy it,” says Hannah Hargrave. “It can be very tough after you’ve spent months or years crafting your novel, only for some reviewer to tear it apart. But you need to be prepared."

In that vein, here are some final tips on how to deal with bad reviews:

1. Have someone else read them first . This might be your agent, your friend, or your mom — anyone you trust to pre-screen your reviews. They can inform you whether each negative review is a worthwhile (if humbling) read, or just too nasty to stomach.

2. Ignore unreasonably hateful reviews . Easier said than done, yes, but really try to tune out these people! For example, if they're clearly not your target audience, but insist on pretending like they are. Or people who pick apart your sentences word-by-word, just for the "fun" of it. There's no sense in agonizing over readers who are determined to hate you, so block them on every platform and refuse to read anything else they write.

3. Address valid criticisms . You're only human, and your book won't be perfect. If someone points this out in a constructive way , acknowledge it and do what you can to fix it. This may be as simple as editing a misleading blurb, or as complex as restructuring your entire series. But if you're the author we know you are, you'll be up to the task.

Every author's book is different, but the process for getting book reviews is reassuringly universal. To recap: identify your audience, find relevant blogs, pitch them, send out your book, and don't forget to follow up! On top of that, feel free to try alternative strategies, and remember not to take the bad reviews too personally.

Yes, marketing a book may be madness, but the process of getting reviews lends method to that madness. So go forth and get your reviews — you deserve them! 🙌

Special thanks to book publicists Jessica Glenn , Hannah Hargrave , Hannah Cooper , and Beverly Bambury for their input and suggestions throughout this article. If you have any more questions about how to get book reviews, let us know in the comments!

2 responses

Elena Smith says:

25/09/2018 – 22:33

Excellent Write up. I have thoroughly gone through the article and according to my personal observations you have done a great job writing this Article.Being associated with writing profession, I must mention that AcademicWritingPro are quite helpful nowadays.Furthermore, quality is also an important aspect.

Team Golfwell says:

11/12/2018 – 05:38

We do free book reviews if your book interests us. We are a group of retired people in New Zealand who play golf, read books, write books, and do free book reviews if we like your book. We write books too, so we like to see what other authors are currently doing and it is amazing to see what writers are creating. We try to post our reviews on Amazon, Goodreads, Barnes & Noble and our social media. See our book review page for more info > > https://www.teamgolfwell.com/free-book-reviews.html #bookreviews #kindlebookreviews #amazonbookreviews #indiebookreviews https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/4ad92dde2f70456000bf5c44af3489ee638dae511be91f7b8cb1545acb388cdb.jpg

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10 rules for reading from someone who does it for a living

Where to read, when to read and why you need a pencil in hand: The Post’s Michael Dirda offers some advice from his years as a critic.

How do you read a book? Like most people, I still decipher the meaning of words printed on sheets of paper bound together, but you may prefer to peer at pixels on a screen or listen through ear buds to a favorite narrator. They are all reading, in my book. Each of us, I think, seeks what the critic Roland Barthes called “the pleasure of the text,” though finding delight in what we read doesn’t necessarily mean a steady diet of romance novels and thrillers. Scholarly works, serious fiction, poetry, a writer’s distinctive prose style — all of these deliver their own kinds of textual pleasure.

As someone who has been lucky enough to earn his living in the rarefied world of book reviewing, I’ve gradually developed reading-related habits as part of my work. Some of them — listed below — may even be similar to yours. At the least, I hope a few of my customary routines and practices will be useful in your own reading life.

Be choosy, but not too choosy

I spend a lot of time, often way too much, dithering about what to read next. A book has to fit my mood or even the season. Spooky stories are for winter, comic novels for spring. What’s more, I like to mix it up, the old with the new, a literary biography this week, a science fiction classic the next. I can adjust my expectations up or down — you don’t read Thomas Mann’s “Doctor Faustus” in the same way you read Ian Fleming ’s “Dr. No.” — but the book must be, on some level, exciting. I try to avoid wasting time on anything that leaves me indifferent. As Jesus memorably told the Laodiceans: “Because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.”

Editions matter

In my youth, I could read paperbacks printed in tiny type on pages you could see through. No more. These days, I opt for hardcovers whenever possible, if only because they’re generally easier on aging eyes. For classics, I want a good scholarly edition; for translated works, I try to acquire the best English version. This just makes sense. As a reviewer, I often work with a galley or advance reading copy of a forthcoming title, but these are simply tools of the trade. I generally don’t keep them. I want the finished book.

Check the small stuff

Before turning to Chapter 1, I glance at a book’s cover art, check out the author’s dust jacket biography and photo, and read through the back page endorsements. Unlike many people, I pay close attention to copyright dates, introductions, dedications, acknowledgments and bibliographies. All these provide hints to the kind of book one is dealing with.

When to read

Mine is a simple system: I read from morning till bedtime, with breaks for my job, family, meetings with friends, exercise, household chores and periodic review of my life’s greatest blunders. On the days I don’t read, I write. As I say, it’s a simple system. Many people complain that they have no time for books, yet somehow they manage to spend three or more hours a day watching television or scrolling through social media on their phones. You pays your money and you takes your choice.

Where to read

Even though I know better, I still read more often than not while sprawled in an overstuffed armchair or on an old couch. You probably do something similar. Not only ergonomically bad, these soft options invite dozing. Realistically, the best place to read is at a table or desk with lots of good light. Other good locations include the public library, an outside table at a coffee shop away from background music and other customers, and the quiet car on the train to New York. In truth, though, don’t expect to find an ideal place to read. Trust me: You never will. Instead, as the Nike slogan says, Just Do It.

Don’t read in a vacuum

To read any book well often requires knowledge of its author, context, history. So I surround myself, when possible or appropriate, with collateral texts to help me better appreciate the writer’s artistry or arguments. These can be biographies, volumes of criticism, competing titles on the same subject or, most basically, other books by the same author. For example, if I’m reading E. Nesbit’s “Five Children and It,” I want to have the sequels, “The Phoenix and the Carpet” and “The Story of the Amulet,” close at hand for possible comparison. This is one justification for building a personal library. I also keep within easy reach a notebook, magnifying glass and Chambers 20th Century Dictionary. Other reference books are shelved near where I type these words.

Attention must be paid

As I read, I do all I can to live up to Henry James’s dictum: “Be one on whom nothing is lost.” This vigilance means that I seldom lose myself in the story, which is the devil’s bargain I made by becoming a professional reviewer. As it is, I track the clues in whodunits and the symbolic events or objects in literary fiction. I note oddities of style, repetitions, possible foreshadowings and anomalies that might be meaningful. I frequently flip back to previous pages to check details. In every way, then, I try to make my first reading as intensive and comprehensive as possible, knowing I may not pass this way again.

Be prepared to take notes

I can’t open a book without a pencil either in my hand or nestled conveniently in that space between my right ear and skull. For a long time, my weapon of choice was a No. 2 Ticonderoga pencil, but it now tends to be a Paper Mate disposable mechanical pencil. As a boy, I took to heart the lessons of Mortimer J. Adler’s essay “How to Mark a Book.” I place two or three vertical lines next to key passages, scribble notes to myself in the margins, sometimes make longer comments on the blank end papers. I never underline words or phrases — this seems too much like sophomoric highlighting, plus it just looks ugly. All these practices serve one end: to keep me actively engaged mentally with the words on the page. For the same reason, I scorn bookmarks: If you can’t remember where you stopped reading, you haven’t been paying close enough attention.

Make some noise

I don’t skim or speed read, though I envy people, like the late Harold Bloom, who can zip through a novel in 20 minutes. When I try to pick up my own reading pace, I end up constantly flogging myself not to slow down. Where’s the fun in that? Woody Allen once said that he’d taken a speed-reading course and had finished “War and Peace” in half an hour; he gathered that it was about Russia. As an exceptionally slow reader, I mentally murmur every word on the page, which allows me to savor the author’s style and to remember what he or she has said. Sometimes I also pause to copy a striking passage into my commonplace book. Here’s a fairly recent example from the poet John Ashbery: “I am aware of the pejorative associations of the word ‘escapist,’ but I insist that we need all the escapism we can get and even that isn’t going to be enough.”

Find a shelf

After finishing a book, I tend to keep it. While not a frequent rereader, I do like to refresh my acquaintance with old favorites, if only by opening one up occasionally to enjoy a page or a passage. When I look at my living room’s bookcases, while sleepily sipping coffee in the morning, I see not only my past laid out before me but also my future: Someday I will read David Cecil’s “Melbourne,” a biography of the Victorian prime minister that was said to be John F. Kennedy’s favorite book. Someday, I will get to — hangs head in shame — Willa Cather’s “The Professor’s House.” Other shelves remind me of the books I want to reread: Angela Carter’s “Nights at the Circus,” Dawn Powell’s “The Locusts Have No King,” Ralph Ellison’s “Invisible Man,” Frederick Exley’s “A Fan’s Notes.”

Long ago, one of my teachers in high school told me that he didn’t feel right unless he spent at least three hours a day reading. This seemed incredible to me then. Not anymore.

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