Why Authors Should Write Book Reviews

When it comes to book reviews, there are many rules and regulations telling authors what they should and shouldn’t do. Reviews by published authors, whether positive or negative, are regarded by some in the writing/publishing industry, as a conflict of interest. Over the years, this has been a highly controversial topic. Yet this peer support system seems to be acceptable at the Academy Awards, where peer recognition is an honor as actors nominate fellow actors in certain categories. 

It’s well-known that famous writers compose blurbs for other writers’ books. Isn’t that a kind of review? Some readers/authors don’t give much credibility to this activity and refer to it as the "you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours" nature of blurbs. But that’s a discussion for another day. The thing is, writers are also readers, so shouldn’t their opinions count? I read somewhere that when it comes to reviews, it seems okay for non-writers to leave a negative review but not authors. The thing is, how often do non-writers post reviews? I think that non-writers don’t post reviews as often as writers, because they don’t know how important it is. But I could be wrong.

But let me get back to the topic at hand which is, why authors should write book reviews. Some of the benefits are:

1. It’s a way of building your online presence. As you grow, potential fans of your work want to know what books you like and why. It gives them a chance to learn about “the person behind the pen”. If writers don’t write reviews, there’s a possibility they could be missing out on a chance to find more readers.

2. It helps you to think/operate like a reader after you’ve spent a chunk of time with your butt in the chair thinking/operating like a writer. Stepping back and getting into the “reader mindset” is an important technique to help enhance your writing. There are writers who can juggle the author and reader hat quite effectively. But it’s not easy.

3. It’s a way of giving back to the writing community. The best thing you can do for your peers is leave a review on Amazon/Goodreads. The first twenty/thirty reviews are crucial to help boost sales and set a book going in the right direction. It also helps to build your author-support network.

4. It’s practise in writing short fiction. When you review a book, the aim is to attract the attention of a potential reader without giving away too much. Your review needs to be succinct, strong and include relevant points that will hold the attention and make it a pleasure to read.

5. It’s practise in analysing book titles. As a writer, I struggle with story/book titles. When reviewing books, these are some of the questions to consider: What did you expect to learn when you looked at the title? Did the story title fit the actual story? To what extent – and how effectively – were your expectations met? You can then apply what you’ve learned when making decisions about your own story titles.

6. It enhances your thinking skills. Reflect on what you as an individual liked/disliked about the story. When you dissect writing that you admire try to pinpoint things you liked about the writing, for example, the phrasing of certain sentences or maybe a paragraph that captured your imagination. Ask yourself: why did I like these aspects of the story? Different reviewers bring different qualities, abilities, degrees of expertise, and experience levels when assessing the same books. Compare your responses to other reviewers to help sharpen your thinking skills.

Can you think of other benefits/advantages of authors writing book reviews?

Ethical Reviewing for Authors

When we read a great book, we want to tell the world. Subsequently, when we read a really bad book, we want to warn the world. What is the proper balance though?

Our perspective changes when we become authors. We understand the value of a good review and the sting of a bad one. We are now in the public eye and have to think about our reputation. There is a balance between honesty and tact. Go too far with negative reviews and we open ourselves up to receive similar treatment, but go too far with positive reviews and we discredit our word completely. Some authors stop reviewing books altogether.

Sometimes the best way to learn how to do something is to know what NOT to do. Below are some examples of unethical reviewing using both positive and negative reviews.

• Giving 5 stars to everyone’s book to entice them to return the favor. When an author gives all 5 star ratings and reviews, it’s suspect, and seeking a return of the favor is often the reason. This becomes a discredit to that person’s opinion, as sub-par books receive the same treatment as great books. 


• Excessive gushing, either for a friend or for a return review. Some books do deserve high praise. But excessive gushing is embarrassing and can feel really shallow. A review can be really good without appearing to be over-the-top or a suck-up.


• Poor ratings for others to make yourself look good. This is a trick some try to lower the ratings of other books in their genre.


• Reviewing books you haven’t read or didn’t finish. This one should be really obvious. If you didn’t read it to the end, you shouldn’t review it, because you didn’t give it a fair shake.


• Finishing books just so you can leave a bad review. This one isn’t so much unethical as just confusing. Life is short. Go read a good book instead.


• Bashing the author personally. A review should always be about the book. Personal attacks on the author should never appear in a review. Mocking or making fun of the author is shallow and unprofessional.


• The one-line review of “This book sucks.” You’re a writer - that’s the best you can do?

Bottom line - write reviews that are honest but fair and tactful.

What are some other unethical book review practices?