When I attended Rainforest Writers' Retreat, one panel filled with traditionally published writers spent a LOT of panel time begging us to leave reviews for their books. They felt that was the only way their sales would grow and one of them said that without a certain number of at least three-star reviews, they didn't get Amazon recommendations.
I found this interesting.
Good luck in the Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off. I belong (but don't actively participate) in a writing group formed by Mark Lawrence. He doesn't really visit the group any more and it's not hugely active, but before he was published he was quite active; a neat individual and good writer.
I think that Rainforest panel is indicative of the merging the self and trade pathways are doing (whether everyone wants that or not ;-) ) Not too long ago, you could still find forum discussions on whether consumer reviews were "as good" as having pro reviews. It wasn't a major, prevalent viewpoint by any means, but it got a little play in some little circles.
The number of reviews thing is... well, mostly guesswork because Amazon doesn't share its algorithms. Lots of theories and a smattering of numbers gets tossed around, but if you try to track the actual number back to its source... ether. The closest one can come to a "source" has little to do with Amazon and everything to do with marketing sites that require books to have a certain rating before they can be included in the mailings and reccos
( ... )
I wish I'd known about the blog-off, but I am sure glad it's happening for those folks who were selected!
I do think that talking about and reviewing books is the way to get the word out there, and further, people notice. Or I wouldn't be rising toward 7,000 followers on Goodreads, gaining anywhere from 15 to 50 every day. (I wish they were all reading my books, but reading my reviews is fine, too!)
Argh, I'm so sorry you didn't know! I'd have thought our social networks overlap enough... Hmm. Henceforth, I shall make a better effort to put such news out! :)
Do you read the SFWA forums at all? You can pretty easily narrow them down now to see only the topics you'd like, and with the infusion of 50+ excited and successful self-published writers in the last three weeks, the self-publishing forums are hopping, bursting with new information and discussion!
I am always so impressed with your reviews. I absolutely must make a better effort at that myself.
I tend not to get to the Forum much--tended to be the same old same old. But I am SO glad that the voting went the way it did! Maybe the group will actually evolve, now with this fresh infusion!
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I found this interesting.
Good luck in the Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off. I belong (but don't actively participate) in a writing group formed by Mark Lawrence. He doesn't really visit the group any more and it's not hugely active, but before he was published he was quite active; a neat individual and good writer.
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The number of reviews thing is... well, mostly guesswork because Amazon doesn't share its algorithms. Lots of theories and a smattering of numbers gets tossed around, but if you try to track the actual number back to its source... ether. The closest one can come to a "source" has little to do with Amazon and everything to do with marketing sites that require books to have a certain rating before they can be included in the mailings and reccos ( ... )
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I do think that talking about and reviewing books is the way to get the word out there, and further, people notice. Or I wouldn't be rising toward 7,000 followers on Goodreads, gaining anywhere from 15 to 50 every day. (I wish they were all reading my books, but reading my reviews is fine, too!)
Reply
Do you read the SFWA forums at all? You can pretty easily narrow them down now to see only the topics you'd like, and with the infusion of 50+ excited and successful self-published writers in the last three weeks, the self-publishing forums are hopping, bursting with new information and discussion!
I am always so impressed with your reviews. I absolutely must make a better effort at that myself.
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