I think most writers wrangle with the feeling that their writing is garbage, from time to time. Our own inner critics take our rough drafts and compare them incessantly and unkindly to the great works that exist in the world. And this is a normal part of the growth process. Read something polished, pick up those tricks, apply them to our works-in-progress lather-rinse-repeat. But another thing happens, sometimes. Sometimes the critics get you. I just recently completed a gig, writing blog posts for a software company. It's work I've been doing for decades, but this time I got a hold...
Why bother with a review?
tl;dr Reviews are the #1 way books get readers' attention, and that drives sales for authors. There are all kinds of studies using all kinds of algorithms about how word of mouth impacts book sales for the better. You can read those, if you care to, or you can take my word for it. Back when we all lived in a slower, kinder world, people sat and chatted with each other, and they talked about what they were reading. Now, only the most devoted bibliophiles hang out in in-person book clubs (except pandemic, which has largely killed those); most of...
The Best Gift You Can Give an Author is a Review
During this holiday season, when you're looking for the perfect gift for that author friend or family member, here's something that will fit every budget: Leave a review. There are a lot of important business-related reasons why leaving reviews is important to a book and author's success. (We will discuss these in detail in another post.) The most important part: Leave a review. For authors and books, the two most important places to leave reviews are Amazon and Goodreads. You can even post the same review in both places! Did you know: You don't have to purchase the book on...