Who’s up for winning a review?

Let’s have a bit of fun in February. Christmas is a memory and summer is a long way off, so I think we deserve it.

I want you to write in with piece of fiction (500 words approx), which could be a spin-off from your novel or a stand-alone short story.

The closing date is 25th February, and voting will take place in March. Everyone who enters will have a place on the blog and their book placed in Book Junkies library.

Bloggers are invited to ‘mark’ the story in the comment section, and I will consider their comments when I make my judgement. Send in your entries NOW to book your slot on the blog (your own byline as normal).

RULES:

1. With your entry send in ONE promotional book cover, SHORT blurb and TWO purchase links ONLY, and there is a limit of THREE author media links (Twitter, FB and blog etc). 

2. 500 words APPROX. If your story is 600 words or 200 hundred words, I do not care. But obviously 1000 words is taking the mick. 

3. Judging will take place in March and revealed in a blog post later in the month. 

4. Entries in by email before or on 25th February.

5. No payment, but if you want to buy one of my books I’d be delighted. 

6. NO erotica, although you CAN be an erotica author, and you CAN send in your erotic book cover and links etc, just no erotic shorts, please.

For more information go to here, when you're ready email your entries to Louise Wise.

Don't Waste Time Dwelling on Bad Reviews

by

David Kubicek

It is never pleasant to get a bad review. In fact, reading a review that savagely eviscerates the novel you’ve spent months nurturing is one of the most unpleasant experiences a writer can have.

This might help: Getting a bad review often means that you have missed your audience.

Even if you haven’t thought about writing to an audience, one exists for your book. If you’re successful at finding your readers—and assuming your book is well written—most of your reviews should range from 3 to 5 stars, which is where you want to be.

But every author who has collected lots of reviews has picked up some bad ones—even the most popular books by the most popular writers.

A tip for Indie Authors from the book Go Publish Yourself!

 by

Katie Salidas

I like to tell authors to avoid reading reviews about their book(s). That will prevent them from being tempted to respond. However, we’re all human, and we want to know when someone talks about our work. I can safely assume that 99% of authors will ignore this advice completely.

So, let’s just assume you’re one of the 99%. Once you’ve read a review on your work, you might be tempted to respond. The best advice I can give you for that is, no matter if they are good or bad, leave your book reviews alone. 

Firstly, reviews are not written for you, the author. They are the reader’s personal interpretation of your story. They need to feel free to share their thoughts, good or bad, without fear of harassment.

Reviews are an author's gold

by

Nicholas Maze

How do you get reviews?

When it comes to books, reviews are partial gold. Reviews spark a person’s interest. If you are new to the writing scene and have no reviews you can easily be overlooked: an individual will not take the time to read about your book, even if it is a genre that they love.

Although you spent months or years writing, that two-paragraphed review could hold the life of your book in its hands.

At the same time, you can have great reviews, but no one ever sees them. Being unknown can stop you from being noticed all together. So, a long list of great reviews can mean nothing. Reviews are a gamble, but definitely worth the risk.

I also utilize book review services, such as *bookrooster.com and *bookplex.com. These organizations locate reviewers for you, who turnaround and submit their reviews to various online sites. By submitting reviews to various online stores, they are increasing your presence and certifying you as a worthy writer.

*Louise Wise: I haven't checked these out, but be expected to pay.

How do you deal with bad ones?

In my world, a bad review is excellent!

I’ll give two key reasons why I enjoy bad reviews. First, a bad review helps you to grow. When you receive a poor review, you have the opportunity to see where you might have made a mistake or maybe missed some information. Bad reviews help you to grow as a writer.

My second benefit is reality. When a curious reader is going through your reviews, they will come across that negative review. Of course they will wonder if the book is terrible, but they will also see that real people reviewed your work. And, if you have good or great reviews to go along with it, they can weigh their options.

About a week ago, I received my lowest review for my latest work (EXIT: How to Leave Debt Forever). The reviewer titled the review, “I didn’t find anything new here.”

Although, the title stated how my book was just like any other financial book, the reviewer yet pointed out that they learned something in the book. This type of review is even better, because I not only received a “lower than average” review, but I also received good remarks on my work. So, a curious reader will be led to read the negative review and find a positive spin on it.

One thing you have to remember is that you will not please everyone, so write from your heart and find the good in all your reviews and comments.

The Exit

How to Leave Debt Forever

What 12+ years of schooling never provided is located within this amazing literature. From basic instructions on saving to the reason for America’s current financial dilemma, we receive great advice in the world of finance. People across the globe are crying for relief that will never come. In EXIT, we learn that financial strain is planned and orchestrated. The more America suffers financially, the more successful certain individuals become. How do we eliminate a problem that has been in place for almost 100 years? We first learn how to exit, escape.  

Genre - Non-Fiction/Self-Help/Financial

Format - Paperback & Ebook
Publisher - Pearle Pages Publishing
Released - February 21, 2012


Purchase Links:
Nicholas Maze Website
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Itunes
Lulu