An open letter to readers who love books

Dear Readers,

How do you decide what to read next?

If you’re like most of us, you might hear about a good book from a friend or see people talking about it on Facebook.

But what makes you decide to hit the “buy” button online or look for the book in a store or library?

There’s a good chance it’s the reader reviews online.

In fact, according to one study, 84 percent of people trust online reviews as much as they trust personal recommendations.

That gives readers like you a lot of clout, and it’s why it’s so important that those reader reviews are honest and factual.

Book lovers appreciate your short, honest reviews

But it also underscores why it’s so important that you write short, honest reviews of the books you read. Other readers count on you to help them decide if they should spend their time and money on specific books.

They don’t need, want, or expect you to write the kind of book review you wrote in high school or college (ugh!). But readers love it when other readers tell them what they liked about a book or why they’re glad they read it.

They want just a couple of sentences that reassure them that the novel tells a fascinating story or the nonfiction book was useful, helpful, or inspirational. (Or not!)

Please review the books you read

That’s why I’m asking you today to review the books you read on Amazon and Goodreads.

When you write reviews, you’re also helping your favorite authors.

If nobody likes an author’s most recent book, that writer might not get a chance to write another one. That’s not good news for you if you love that author’s books.

Reviews are a sign of popularity; authors with popular books can continue to write and publish more good books.

So please: Review the books you read.

Together, we can keep those books coming.

Thank you!

Sandra Beckwith, BuildBookBuzz.com owner

NOTE TO AUTHORS: You can help your fans review your books with the new Build Book Buzz Reader Book Review Form. There’s one for fiction and another for nonfiction. Each will help readers review any book in minutes by following the prompts on the form.

Make it easy for your fans to support your books with reviews. This is the missing piece you’ve been waiting for.

Tip of the Month

I like to share a “Tip of the Month,” a free resource or tool for authors, on the last Wednesday of the month.

This month it’s “Libby,” the smartphone and tablet app that lets you download audio and e-books from your local library system.

I’m not exaggerating when I say that my new best friend Libby has changed my life. Thanks to this resource, I’ve significantly increased the number of books I’ve read. I listen to them while exercising, driving, and cooking.

Anything that makes it easier to read more books (even if it’s through your ears) is a good thing for all of us. As authors, reading helps us become better writers when we pay attention to details like format, flow, and dialogue.

Naturally, if your book is available in libraries, it helps you reach far more readers, too.

Libby is free to download at your favorite app store, but you need a library account to use it.