By Brendan O’Meara
Ok but listen: I don’t like Amazon.
I don’t have a Prime account.
I very, very, very rarely order anything from Amazon. But I realize I’m in the vast minority there.
That said, for authors big and small, Amazon ratings and reviews matter. Many book readers (the few who remain) out there buy their books from Amazon. Or, if they don’t, they look for the validation of a highly rated title. I’m assuming on that last bit of insight.
So I’ve been taking great joy in leaving short Amazon reviews for authors who come on this podcast, something I’ve historically not done.
In the past, I kind of washed my hands of doing this because isn’t it enough that I read their books, invite them on my podcast and put it in front of many people? Haven’t I done enough to help celebrate their work?
The short answer is no.
The long answer is hell, no.
I have a lot of making up to do.
We live in a ratings/review economy. If you’ve benefited from reading a thoughtful review of ANY product, be it a vacuum cleaner or a book, then you need to be leaving reviews, too.
Thing is, for just about 99% of all authors, they need every review they can get, especially from non-family members. Sure, maybe Stephen King doesn’t need them (though you should still rate and review his books if you read them) the way, say, Elizabeth Rush or Megan Baxter needs them (wonderful and brilliant writers both who don’t have the celebrity of a King … not yet, anyway.). If a mid-tier author gets dinged, they don’t have the sheer volume of reviews and ratings to rebound the way a famous writer does.
It doesn’t take a lot of time. You don’t need to write 500 words. Just 25-50 thoughtful words. Write two sentences about the strongest parts of the book, leave four or five stars (make it five) and feel like you’ve done a service.
You might argue that buying the book is your service. And you’re not wrong, but it’s an incomplete transaction. To use a football term, you have to “complete the process.” You need to get two feet inbounds.
Yes, it’s extra work and takes extra effort. And we all have busy lives. But support for your favorite authors doesn’t end with the purchase. We need to talk them up. Buy an extra copy (in this economy!?). And leave a few sentences on Amazon and boost those ratings.
With attention being frayed and algorithms curating things for us, this bit of resistance and service is one way to claw back and to do some real good for the author.
