When we opened Center Stage Theatre in 2005, I was contacted by a reviewer from Hometown Publications, which at the time published the Huntington Herald (now the Shelton Herald) and other weekly newspapers. She wanted to receive ongoing press passes to review our plays. I flatly refused. I had had a bad experience with a reviewer for one of our Shelton High School Drama Club plays back in the early ‘80s, so I didn’t want any part of being reviewed. I had also read one of this reporter’s reviews where she remarked that a teen playing Danny Zuko in Grease for a local community theater was “no John Travolta.”
The way I saw it was this. Not only the teens, but even the adults who would be acting in our productions at Center Stage, while hopefully talented, wouldn’t be professional actors. I wasn’t going to subject an engineer playing Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird to the criticisms of a reviewer. Come on! The guy worked all day and was doing theater at night for fun. That said, our Atticus Finch was absolutely superb in the role, and we didn’t need a reviewer to confirm that fact!
Conversely, those who review local plays often shower the cast with what I would call hollow, exaggerated compliments. Harmless, for sure, but also not something I was interested in. I’d get publicity in other ways. I also happened to know that reputable daily newspapers like the New Haven Register and Connecticut Post refused to review amateur productions, a position I respected.
In the book world, though, it’s a very different matter. Reviews, especially on Amazon, are key for an author to gain any traction. From what I understand, the more reviews (good and not-so-good) a book has, the more likely it is that said book will show up on the Amazon page of another book as “Readers might also enjoy…”
Consequently, as a writer I often find myself asking supporters to write honest reviews of my work on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and elsewhere. Even lukewarm reviews are worth having. Twenty or thirty three-star reviews are better than no reviews.
We authors, as a practice, assemble a group of a dozen or more supporters, known as “advanced reviewers,” for whom we provide electronic versions of our books prior to publication in exchange for honest reviews. At the same time, we tell our advanced reviewers that there is no obligation to post a review if they have a change of heart or are unable to.
There are also so-called reputable reviewing services, like a company known as Kirkus, who will post an editorial type review for a fee – four hundred dollars.
And there are all kinds of scammers who, for a fee, will submit a review. I feel like, in this age of the internet, we are surrounded by scammers. For me, it’s so very evident in the world of publishing.
A fascinating scammer, at least in my opinion, is actress and author Mariel Hemingway, who offers authors like me a service. She will (supposedly) read and then review my book, write an introduction to my book, and provide me with a video of her promoting my work – all for a mere thirty thousand dollars. Let me write that out numerically for full impact. That’s $30,000! As Mariel says in her promotional video: “Imagine adding a Hemingway to the byline of your book. Suddenly your book will stand out among the crowd!” Nice going, Mariel! Your grandfather (Ernest) would be proud of how you’re trying to help hopeful authors to succeed…and at such a price! If only he had someone like you in his corner when he was a struggling author.
As you may have guessed, I choose not to use Mariel’s services. It just doesn’t seem ethical. And besides, I don’t want to remortgage my house.
In the meantime, when people tell me they like my writing, I often ask if they would consider writing a review. Reviews don’t have to be long. They can be even a word or a phrase: “Excellent!” or “Highly recommended!” or “Loved this book!” or “Save your money!” But let’s use that last one only if you hate my book. LOL
What’s especially gratifying is what happened this week. I got two short, five-star reviews from people I’m almost certain I don’t know. I love that, and it gives me hope that I can reach a bigger audience.
Such a great story. Nostalgic, heartwarming, relatable. You didn’t have to be a teen in the 60’s to connect with the narrator, his family and friends, or his journey to try to just “figure it out”. A super enjoyable read.
Coming of age in the 60’s/70’s. Great read!
Something I noticed about these two reviewers is that they review other products on Amazon as well. Some people enjoy posting reviews, which can be helpful to writers and readers alike. When I buy a book (or any product) on Amazon, I always read a few reviews – five-star, three-star, and even one-star – in order to decide on the purchase.
This isn’t to say that I don’t also love the reviews from my advanced reviewers or from friends and supporters who are nice enough to post a review. They are wonderful supporters of my work who are indispensable to me.
If you’ve read this blog entry this far, I’m guessing you are a reader who enjoys my books. If so, I would be so very grateful if you would consider writing a review. Getting the word out is a slow process, and each and every review helps!
Sounds like Mariel Hemingway works in the literary equivalent of the Moonlight Bunny Ranch.