Behind the Scenes Sunday

Reviews – Join the Early Birds!

Let’s take a peek at the cogs inside the machine and talk about why I write and how I write on Behind the Scenes Sunday! Today I’d like to talk a little bit about the importance of reviews to authors, both self-published and traditionally published and how letting your voice be heard can be the most helpful thing you can do for an author you love.

The best marketing for any book is word of mouth — is people talking about it, sharing it with their friends, their family, with strangers on the bus, with colleagues at work. That is how best sellers happen. One of the surest way to ensure that word of mouth spreads? Copious written reviews of your work. Whether that be on a platform like Amazon, or Goodreads, or in publications like the Kirkus, or The New York Times, or USA Today, reviews reassure other potential readers that this new book is for them. That this new book is worth the investment of their time and money.

Early reviews of a book can be even more important for building momentum and buzz. Almost all publishers, whether self or traditional, release what’s known in the industry as ARCs (Advanced Reader Copies) of books to readers they hope will leave positive reviews about the work. These early reviews can launch a book to the heights of success or bury a book before it’s even had a chance to fly.

How do readers gain access to these ARCs? Joining author street teams can be a great way to secure these coveted sneak peeks. Street teams are groups of readers who agree to read a specific book (or books) and post their opinion of the story on retailer websites where the book is regularly sold. Reviews help other readers decide what to buy and read, and helps authors reach new fans. These street teams often not only get access to ARCs, but digital and physical swag, exclusive events, and insider insights into the publishing process.

The question I have for you to consider today, then, is this:

Do you have a passion for reading great books?

Do you want to share your love of books with the world?

Do you want access to exclusive swag and content, including WHOLE BOOKS weeks before they are offered to the general public?

Then you need to join The Early Birds! Space is limited at this stage, but we are looking for a few good readers to fill out our ranks. If you would like to have advanced access to my latest work and you love talking books with folks (online or in-person!), sign up to join The Early Birds today!