One of the biggest things you can do for an indie author is leave them reviews. For the self-published author, these reviews provide a window into a world that they don't normally see. While most authors have friends and family read their work, there is always some measure of doubt to the praise or criticism they might receive. Most significant others won't say things like, "This sucks donkey balls." Most friends won't do it either.
This is why reviews are so important. It lets the authors you read especially indie authors like myself, know exactly what you thought of a book. It could take as little as thirty seconds to leave something like, "It was super gory. I gagged at a few parts." Now, this could be taken as a criticism on one level, but for a horror writer, it's a great review!
Now, here are the consequences of a review like this.
1. The author sees it. I liberally check my works for reviews all the time. I want to see what average people think of my writing. Sometimes it's good, sometimes it's bad, but I really love knowing what people's opinions of my work are. I take that feedback and tweak my writing accordingly. A good review can make my day. A bad review... well, I just take those in stride and try and see if there's any truth to the review, or if my writing just wasn't a perfect fit for whoever the reader was.
2. Other buyers see it. Why is this a good thing? Short of sending your favorite indie writer a check, this is the number one way you can support indie writers. Good reviews, or even honest reviews, help writers sell more books. A book that's been out for a couple of years, and which has no reviews on it, might as well be a pile of digital woodchips in today's competitive indie markets. Reviews help set your favorite writers up a little higher in the standings, giving them a leg up, and encouraging them to keep writing the things that you like to read.
3. You benefit from it as well. Leaving reviews on your favorite indie writer's books allows you to communicate with the author. Most writers care what people think about their books. Some are huge douches, like the one lady I saw who left a review of her own book, just to shit-talk someone else who left a negative review on her book. But most authors want that interaction. And while you might not want to be buddy/buddy with someone that wrote a book like "Pimps Up Hos Down: The White Chocolate Story," maybe there are some authors that you would really appreciate helping out. Also, when you find a particular author, it can influence what they write next, getting their next pulpy novel of goodness in your hands and ensuring that it matches your taste.
The real question is: "Why the hell do we not right reviews as it is?"
I know a couple of people, family & friends who write reviews, but for the most part, it seems as if people can't be bothered these days, which is a shame, as it keeps the indie community, and the reading community from benefiting from all that reviews have to offer. Instead of every indie piece being lauded or accurately evaluated for the buying public, readers are left to puzzle out if they want to buy a book simply from the blurb on the back of the book or on the book's website.
How many people are truly willing to take that chance on an unproven writer? Not many. Most will probably just wander off and buy the latest Stephen King book. Nothing against Stephen King; I buy his books all the time, but let's spread the wealth at least.
I look at myself currently, and I ask, "How many reviews of books have I left?" The answer is not that many. I am also part of the problem. While I may tell my friends, through word of mouth, what books I've been reading and whether or not hey're good or bad, we all know how that goes. In one ear and out the other, and I'm literally not doing the writer's any good, even though I liked their books, I read their books, and in many cases I will continue to read their books.
When I think about my lack of reviewing, I don't like what I see. As a supporter and consumer of indie authors, filmmakers, and musicians, and as a punk rocker who knows the sweat and toil put into these things, I know I should do more. We all should. So, to set a good example for the people out there, I'm going to start off with reviewing each book I read, something that I encourage all of you to do out there, even if it's just a crappy blurb on your facebook page or you post a little video on the line, you'd do yourself and the writing community a world of good... and all it takes is a sentence or two.
Check it out... here are some examples for books I've recently read:
The Hammer and the Cross: A New History of the Viking by Robert Ferguson - Man, it took me forever to read this book, but I did learn a buttload about vikings. Also, I was introduced to a man that had the nickname Hairy-Breeches. That's worth the price of the book itself. Not really, I spent a shitload of money on this at The Viking Museum in Oslo... but for the price they sell it for on amazon, it's totally worth it. It spends a lot of time telling me who is the son of who is the son of who... but I literally heard a conversation like this in Norway that lasted fifteen minutes... so maybe it's a cultural thing. 7/10
The Troop - Nick Cutter - This book made me feel dirty in an adolescent in their bedroom type of way. It was filled with loads of excellent Cronenberg-style body horror, and the kids in it felt real and genuine. May be too intense for some, but man, I enjoyed it. His second book... eh, not so much, but I'll definitely keep reading Nick Cutter's books in the hopes that he will once again write something as good as The Troop. Nick Cutter... totally a fake name by the way. Pseudonyms... pshh
-Review by The Vocabulariast
The Fifth Season - By N.K. Jemisin - Hated it. It has a very distinctive pretentious quality about it. Jemisin can write, but not in a way that I enjoy. If you like overly wordy, boring worlds, please feel free to read it. It just didn't resonate with me in the right way. Definitely not a big fan of 2nd person writing. You did this and you did that... motherfucker, I'm reading a book. I'm not doing anything.
See that? That took me five minutes. And you don't even have to write THAT much. Get out there and do it!
Also... I could uhh... use some reviews on my books. Just sayin.
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