Do you review books? — A Reader University Post

By Stacy S. Jensen

This is the fourth post in a series of 12 ways to help authors (and your writing) by reading.

I’ve heard self-published authors mention before that one of the most valuable ways to support them is to write a review. An honest review can help an author sell more books. 

There are many ways to share a review. An easy place to begin:

• online
• at a book club
• in person

I mostly think about online reviews after a book purchase from an online retailer. If you have a blog, you can write up a review, too. I do this every Friday through the Perfect Picture Book Fridays list.

Book clubs are a great place to share reviews. When I lived in Texas, the local library hosted a monthly book review. Trust me, it wasn’t like a book report, either. A couple times, I was grilled about the books I shared. It kept me on my toes and really tested my affection for a book.

Word of mouth or “in person” recommendations are always good. I find the kid-lit community is wonderful about sharing titles.

Reviews are a great place to learn about writing, too. While some reviews can be nasty, there are often little nuggets of information writers can glean about the craft — characters, story development, and even genre.

Reviews often teach us that some readers will never be pleased with our stories. A little proof of this (and maybe a laugh, too) can be found on Marc Tyler Nobleman’s site. Take a few minutes to watch children’s authors reading reviews.

How do you review books?

(This post originally appeared on Stacy S. Jensen's blog on January 27, 2014)

About the Author: Stacy S.Jensen worked as a newspaper reporter and editor for two decades. Today, she writes picture books and revises a memoir manuscript. She lives in Colorado Springs with her husband and toddler.