Just my two bits, but I’ve seen a truck load of meme’s lately about this. I therefore have to believe that it is indicative of a more widespread issue. Widespread of course meaning, ‘not just me’.
What does it take to write a book? A bit of blood, sleepless nights, jag fits of wrestling emotion from yourself when you’d rather be as emotional as a good silver teaspoon, exuberant perspiration that it’s somehow great, nervous perspiration that you’re wrong and it’s dreadful, missed dinners with family, lost time with other loved ones, and those are just the non-pricetag items. Remember there are reams of paper (even for an e-book), ink, pens, postage, promotion expenses, swag, signing events have entry fees, traveling expenses, the list goes on. And yet, people wonder why we cajole for reviews and ask if you liked it or did you tell your friends?
Because…IT. IS. OUR. LIFE.
If you liked a book there are three things amazingly simple things you can do to show appreciation that cost you nothing!
ONE – Leave a review. On amazon, on Barnes & Noble, on Goodreads.
TWO – Tell everyone you know who reads. Post it on your facebook even.
THREE – “LOAN” your copy.
We aren’t asking for first borns or anything crazy…just a little lift that might bump us up someone else’s reading list so that perhaps another person will see our work, and so on. A review is like a pebble dropped in a still pond. The ripples are the circles of influence that pebble (review) has…how many ripples can one review generate? A lot.
Here’s the bottom line…and I’ve seen a lot of these meme’s too. Readers…career readers as well as hobbyists LOVE free books….IF we the authors cannot make enough to survive, there won’t be free books. The choice between free copies and dinner is an easy one. This industry drives and thrives on good will from BOTH SIDES to keep moving.
Many of us are writing as fast as we can…how fast can you write a review and thank an author?
-Abyrne