One of the most prized things in the indie author community is a good review. We’re always hoping for one. Checking our Goodreads and Amazon pages periodically wondering if somebody found our book.
We’re always asking for reviews from anyone who picks up our books. From the amount of authors out there begging their readership for reviews, you might be tempted to think a book review is a gift to the author. A little payoff for their hard work. A few stars for their months or years of effort.
But what if I told you reviews aren’t for authors?
I’m an indie author. I also really appreciate reviews. But here’s the thing: books are just like any other product. If you bought a set of deluxe bath towels, and you decided you would highly recommend them, you might leave a review. But who would you be writing that review for? The manufacturer? Or the potential customers who might be looking for some luxurious new bath towels?
Who Are You Writing For?
Now, it’s definitely true that not all book reviewers are writing with the potential reader in mind. I would group book reviewers into three categories according to the apparent intended audience:
- Author-centric Reviewers
Often, these reviewers are friends or colleges of the author—or people who consider themselves to be. When a reviewer is reviewing a book for the benefit of the author, it can show up in several ways. Some reviewers will literally format their review as an open letter to the author. They are addressing the author, by name, either praising them to the skies or yelling at them for being some kind of monster. There isn’t usually much in-between with this kind of review.
Other times, the reviewer just seems to be giving a rather generalized “this book is amazing, everyone should read it” kind of summary. Though these kinds of reviews sound, on the surface, like they are aimed at potential readers, at the core, they were written to benefit the author. These reviews are styled after celebrity endorsements rather than reader reviews. They tend to come across as what they probably are—promo material, not actual recommendations to readers.
Another kind is the review written by a reader who considers his or herself a constructive critic—telling the author what they could do better in the interest of “helping them succeed.” These reviews honestly come off pretty condescending and tone-deaf and are actually some of my personal least-favorite to read. Seriously. If the author didn’t pick you to be an editor or a beta-reader, mind your own business. This is not a good way to set yourself up as an authority in the industry—but then again, apparently you already consider yourself an authority, so you’re probably not listening to me anyway.
- Self-centric Reviewers
You’re going to run into a lot of this on Goodreads, if you hang around. There isn’t necessarily anything wrong with it. Freedom of speech, after all. People should feel free to express their feelings. But these kinds of reviewers aren’t actually that useful for someone trying to decide whether or not to read a book. Let me explain.
Basically, a reviewer who writes for their own benefit is just venting. It can be positive, negative, or dead in between, but this kind of reviewer is speaking very specifically from their own point of view and not trying to give an objective evaluation of any kind. They’re strictly comparing a book to their own tastes and expectations. Typically, they star a book according to their enjoyment of it—not how well it was written or executed. This makes their reviews entertaining, but practically useless to anyone who doesn’t have precisely the same tastes in fiction.
- Reader-centric Reviewers
The reader-centric review is the only one potential readers are going to genuinely trust and consider before buying or borrowing a book. A reader-centric reviewer is actually thinking about potential readers’ interests as they write the review. They’re thinking about the kind of reader who would enjoy the book vs. the kind that probably wouldn’t. They’re recommending or not recommending the book based on a set of important and fairly general criteria, and taking the time to explain what was solid and what seemed off.
This is what you want to shoot for if you want to write a review that is actually useful to potential readers.
So, what should you include in your review? What should you talk about and focus on? The easiest way to decide is to think about what you’re looking for when you read through reviews of books you’re considering picking up. As the reader, what do you want to know?
What to Include (some suggestions)
Some systematic types who read and review dozens or hundreds of books a year use a kind of rubric to evaluate a book. Things they tend to consider include:
- Plot
- Character development
- Pacing
- Worldbuilding
- Theme
Some reviewers will use star-rating systems for each element. Some will even give letter grades (which annoys me and gives me war-flashbacks.) However you choose to do it, it’s important to explain (with as few spoilers as possible, of course) why you rate things the way you do. Pick things apart a little but try to be fair about it. Readers can sense bias.
Other things many readers want to know when looking for something to read:
- Content ratings and any sensitive topics or disturbing imagery
- Approximate age of the target audience
- Any tropes included and how well-executed they were
- If there’s a cliffhanger, HEA, or a ton of character death
- If the chapters are very long or very short
- How much the story fits into a genera or strays from it
- The message or worldview that comes through
- If the dog dies
So, in conclusion, just be aware of the mindset of people who are looking for a good book. You’ve been there. You know how to help someone find something they’ll enjoy. Just write your reviews from that position, and you’ll probably come up with something people will trust and appreciate.
P. S. Speaking of appreciation, I do want to add an endnote from the perspective of an indie author saying how much we really do appreciate your reviews. Positive reviews are extremely important to indie authors. I won’t downplay that. If you’ve ever enjoyed an indie book, by all means, give it a review. It’s not about giving the author an ego-boost, though. What we really need is a review that’s directed toward potential readers, so that you can help the right people find the right books.
Because that’s what great reviewers do.