As far as writing a review for Amazon, I've done a few for books I bought off Amazon. My across-the-street neighbor published a book and I bought it off a different platform. I couldn't get the review posted on Amazon.
One thing I should have clarified better in my newsletter: if you make it obvious in your review that you know the author, Amazon may reject your review because they don’t find it to be an objective review. That said, lots of reviews get mistakenly blocked. I would try one more time to leave a review and make sure you don’t mention that the author is your neighbor. If it still is rejected, reach out to Amazon’s help desk and ask why it didn’t post. I have gotten many reviews to get through by simply complaining to the help desk.
I am just about to publish my first book, Como Flats. As such I am beginning to think about marketing, something I have no experience in. I am hoping I can get pointers and helpful hints on how I can get my book noticed. I figure there might be some local interest in my area since the title has a place attached to it. I figure I could at least start with the local angle and maybe spur some wider interest if its as good as I think it is (just joking on that last part; sort of). I look forward to more of your newsletters and could sure appreciate any advice you might give. You newsletter was referred to me by a family friend in Bemidji.
Hi Mike! I am so glad to have you as a subscriber! Yes, starting local would definitely be the angle I would recommend as a first marketing step. But of course, it is always nice to go beyond that, too. I am sure there are strategies we could find that would fit your book well and give it some exposure. I would love to chat more with you about your specific book, whenever you are ready for that step. Feel free to sign up for a 1:1 session with me whenever you are ready to dig deeper! Here is my link: https://www.goodenoughbookmarketing.com/1-1-conversation
Hi Emily, I would really like that! This is all new to me, especially the marketing so I think it could be very helpful. Right now I am expecting to get my manuscript to the publisher, Palmetto Publishing, for formatting in the next few days. We are in the process of finalizing the cover layout as well. Maybe in the next week we can schedule the 1:1? How long do your sessions usually last? On marketing, when I signed up with Palmetto they had marketing aspects in the package, and more supplemental marketing as well. But to be honest, as I sit here now, I don’t recall what all they were as I am only now beginning, just beginning to refocus on marketing a little bit (after the final manuscript gets submitted and the cover finalized). So I am curious to learn more. Thank you for responding to me and I look forward to discussing this more soon.
On a last note, you were referred to me by Sue Doden, a life-long family friend (who says she knows you 😊)
My sessions are 45 minutes. If you follow the link, once you sign up for an appointment, it will take you to my calendar and you can find a time slot that works for you! Now is the perfect time to start thinking about marketing! If you have any materials or emails from the publisher regarding the marketing they will be doing, that would be good to bring to our appointment, too. So we know what is already being handled and can build off of that without accidentally doubling up. I am so glad Sue recommended me! She is so great!
Great question! You are correct. So if your spouse has your same last name, a review by them will probably not get posted because it won’t make it past Amazon’s checkers. But Amazon can’t really tell who your grandma is or your neighbor, etc. So if it isn’t obvious that the reviewer knows you, their review will still get posted and help you out! So I think it is still very worth it to ask your friends for a review.
That said--I should add that you never know what will/won’t get through on Amazon. I left a review on my husband’s book and even though we have the same last name, it still posted without any issue and Amazon never blocked it. So you really never know.
Thank you for this letter of practical information Emily! I look forward to all four points in upcoming posts.
Glad this resonated with you! I try to offer as much practical help as I can in a newsletter format. 😄
As far as writing a review for Amazon, I've done a few for books I bought off Amazon. My across-the-street neighbor published a book and I bought it off a different platform. I couldn't get the review posted on Amazon.
One thing I should have clarified better in my newsletter: if you make it obvious in your review that you know the author, Amazon may reject your review because they don’t find it to be an objective review. That said, lots of reviews get mistakenly blocked. I would try one more time to leave a review and make sure you don’t mention that the author is your neighbor. If it still is rejected, reach out to Amazon’s help desk and ask why it didn’t post. I have gotten many reviews to get through by simply complaining to the help desk.
I am just about to publish my first book, Como Flats. As such I am beginning to think about marketing, something I have no experience in. I am hoping I can get pointers and helpful hints on how I can get my book noticed. I figure there might be some local interest in my area since the title has a place attached to it. I figure I could at least start with the local angle and maybe spur some wider interest if its as good as I think it is (just joking on that last part; sort of). I look forward to more of your newsletters and could sure appreciate any advice you might give. You newsletter was referred to me by a family friend in Bemidji.
Hi Mike! I am so glad to have you as a subscriber! Yes, starting local would definitely be the angle I would recommend as a first marketing step. But of course, it is always nice to go beyond that, too. I am sure there are strategies we could find that would fit your book well and give it some exposure. I would love to chat more with you about your specific book, whenever you are ready for that step. Feel free to sign up for a 1:1 session with me whenever you are ready to dig deeper! Here is my link: https://www.goodenoughbookmarketing.com/1-1-conversation
Hi Emily, I would really like that! This is all new to me, especially the marketing so I think it could be very helpful. Right now I am expecting to get my manuscript to the publisher, Palmetto Publishing, for formatting in the next few days. We are in the process of finalizing the cover layout as well. Maybe in the next week we can schedule the 1:1? How long do your sessions usually last? On marketing, when I signed up with Palmetto they had marketing aspects in the package, and more supplemental marketing as well. But to be honest, as I sit here now, I don’t recall what all they were as I am only now beginning, just beginning to refocus on marketing a little bit (after the final manuscript gets submitted and the cover finalized). So I am curious to learn more. Thank you for responding to me and I look forward to discussing this more soon.
On a last note, you were referred to me by Sue Doden, a life-long family friend (who says she knows you 😊)
My sessions are 45 minutes. If you follow the link, once you sign up for an appointment, it will take you to my calendar and you can find a time slot that works for you! Now is the perfect time to start thinking about marketing! If you have any materials or emails from the publisher regarding the marketing they will be doing, that would be good to bring to our appointment, too. So we know what is already being handled and can build off of that without accidentally doubling up. I am so glad Sue recommended me! She is so great!
I've heard many times that Amazon doesn't allow people close to you to post reviews. Is there any truth to it?
Great question! You are correct. So if your spouse has your same last name, a review by them will probably not get posted because it won’t make it past Amazon’s checkers. But Amazon can’t really tell who your grandma is or your neighbor, etc. So if it isn’t obvious that the reviewer knows you, their review will still get posted and help you out! So I think it is still very worth it to ask your friends for a review.
That said--I should add that you never know what will/won’t get through on Amazon. I left a review on my husband’s book and even though we have the same last name, it still posted without any issue and Amazon never blocked it. So you really never know.