2 Reasons Why Book Reviewers Help Authors

I just submitted a book review for RT Book Reviews. There were some things I did for this review that I thought I should share with my writing buds. My first novel releases in July. However, I’ve been a reviewer for over ten years (been at RT for six.) So when I hear writers gripe about reviewers, I will always be pro book reviewer, and this is one reason why.

 

Today I submitted a book review for a book that had two challenges:

1. It was pitched for the wrong department
2. The character names and the story titles had change since the publicist had created the press release that accompanies the (ARC) advanced reader copy.

At RT the reviewer has a responsibility to place the books in the proper department where we know the book’s ideal readership lives. So if a book is pitched Christian Fiction, but is actually mainstream, we move it there.

We also know that ARCs and Press Releases don’t always match. Sometimes the publisher and author have revamped the story during the editing stage, while the publicist have moved onto pitching another set of books on the editorial calendar. So when we create the review we double check with the publisher for accuracy, especially character names and book titles.

Thought I would share before I get back to writing my novel.

Also check out the April Issue of RT. My client Trice Hickman has a great review for Unexpected Interruptions in there. My bud ReShonda Tate Billingsley(who endorsed my novel) also has a great review for A Good Man is Hard to Find, as well. 

Question: In what what have book reviewers helped your platform?

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