Interesting fact: readers will often take the time to seek out and thank an author for a book, but very few will take the next step to leave an Amazon review.

Why does it have to be Amazon, you ask?  Well, believe it or not, even customers who shop elsewhere will often check the Amazon reviews first, before placing an order with another retailer or visiting their local bookshop.

I recently met an enthusiastic reader who had read both my books.  She told me I was now one of her favourite authors.  I said: you must leave a review on Amazon for me – that kind of feedback is so valued!  She said: oh, well I’m not sure; I don’t think I could do it justice.  It seems many readers fear that if they’re not experienced reviewers or particularly creative with words, their review will be of little worth.  Not true!  In fact, the whole point of the Amazon review system is that it provides lasting comment and feedback from your average non-journalist Joe – and that’s far more likely to encourage others to buy than a high profile review in the national press which goes to print for one day only to then disappear into obscurity.

The other thing I notice is how few close friends have left reviews, despite telling me how they’d enjoyed my books.  This could be for a variety of reasons: a) as above, they don’t think their reviewing skills are up to it, b) they’ve seen I’ve had good press reviews and don’t think I need it or c) they’re lying, and they hate my books …

Authors rely on reader reviews – to gain new readers, to encourage their publishers to invest in their future books, to let them know their books are even being read at all – so if you take the time to leave a short recommendation to others, it really is the finest way to thank a favourite authors and help them to keep selling books.

The Thank an Author challenge is this: simply pick out a favourite book or two from the past year.  Then limit yourself to the twitter wordcount of 140 characters and post a review on Amazon.  My point is this: it doesn’t have to be long, or clever; it just needs to sum up what you loved about it.  Here are a couple I prepared earlier, adapted from real reviews:

Took me right back to my own schooldays: the treachery of friendships, the powerlessness of adolescence, the joy of new music… I loved it! (Hurry Up and Wait)

If you lived through the 80s you’ll love this. An intelligent coming-of-age story with vivid characters & dialogue. Poignant, tragic, funny. (Glasshopper)

To all the readers who have read and reviewed my books over the past few years – a big THANK YOU!  Thank you for posting them on Amazon, on Goodreads, on your blogs and on twitter …and thank you for making me feel like this mad old writing business really is worthwhile!