Raise your hand if you sometimes, okay always, forget to leave book reviews. *hand goes up* You have the best of intentions, but you’re busy and there are so many more books to read. On to the next.

Now there may not be any immediate repercussions for skipping the review process, but I find that avid readers tend to be avid reviewers, but writers… sometimes not so much.

There is good reason though for authors and aspiring authors to get in and leave reviews. Let’s go over them.

Karma

Perhaps you don’t believe in a universal order of things. I tend to, but to each there own. Nonetheless, it seems that if you are or will one day be in the position of asking for reviews, it’s a good practice to give them.

While it doesn’t really matter if you do it on Amazon or your own Instagram account, a good faith effort to shoutout books you enjoyed can’t possibly hurt.

That’s all I’ll say on this more ethereal matter of reviews.

Intentional Reading

The more concrete reason for giving reviews is to make you a more active reader. Reading can be a passive and solitary hobby or career and if you aren’t in a book club or reading community you may not spend a single second discussing the book you just read.

Diving into characters, setting and themes in a meaningful way will help you consider all of the edges that make up a story in your writing. Though your aim should never be comparison, the strength gained from getting intentional about what does and doesn’t work in storytelling is a priceless practice. Before you write a review publicly, consider a few things:

  • What is something you thought about after you put the book down?
  • How did the dialogue resonate with you?
  • Which of the characters felt authentic and like they could leap off the page?
  • What words/sentences/descriptions beckoned you to give it another read?
  • Who is this book for?
  • Were you transported by the setting?

Even in a book you didn’t particularly care for, you can find elements that worked well and connected to your spirit. These are the things you should be striving to ask about your own story as you develop it.

Building Relationships

While reading can be solitary, writing shouldn’t be. Whether you are offering to beta read for fellow authors or simply shouting out someone whose book you adored on social media, each is an opportunity to grow your network. You never know who could connect you to an agent, blurb your book or point you towards an excellent editor.

Reviewing someone else’s work is something of a form of payment in the publishing sphere. At some point you may need feedback on your own creation and if you’ve offered to help others, you’ll have a list of qualified friends waiting in the wings.

There is a reason why agents like to hear you’ve workshopped your WIP. Despite the fact that most writers aren’t editors, per se, they do have a keen eye for story, one you’ll want combing over your work at some point. Whether you’re on book one or ten, find your writing friends by providing your services first.

Building A Platform That Attracts Readers

There are a ton of self-serving reasons to review other writers’ works. You don’t have to feel guilty about this natural reciprocity as long as you’re reviewing with earnest authenticity.

One of the hardest things for authors to do is build their platform. Many don’t know where to start and most revile the process of marketing, networking and promoting themselves. One of the easiest ways to start building an author platform is to review what you are reading, watching and listening to.

An entire author platform can be made of just book reviews and an occasional nod to your own work. Through this process not only will other writers get the chance to be discovered, but readers will get a feel for your style. If they like the same books you like, odds are, they will be interested in what you’re writing.

From review videos on TikTok (#booktok), to book mail photos on Instagram and shoutouts on Twitter/X, there is a mountain of content that can come by adding a little extra step to your reading habit. It’s often a much more appealing idea for writers than blabbing all day about their own work (though you should try to do some of that too) and it helps you establish a connection with both the reading world and the writing world–both of which you need to find success as an author.

So while we all enjoy reading in our isolated caves, don’t miss the chance to give a review. What you gain could be equal to if not greater than what you give. We writers need to stick together. You’re not in competition with your fellow authors. You’re all working together to build a book-loving world!