UK Amazon Kindle Forum discussion

Which do you think is better? An anonymous review or a personal recommendation from someone who has read and enjoyed and tells their friends?

That's a really hard question to answer, Patty, because who's to know how many readers a review might draw in? However, there does some to be a sad perception these days that an author with lots of good reviews has generous family members (I noticed Stuart wondered if his mother had been busy for his 51 five-stars), so a word-of-mouth recommendation to friends is probably more useful. When people start to talk about a book, that's when it begins to move - as I've seen this month with Mark of the Dragon Queen (Thanks, everyone!) Now, how do I get someone like Oprah to talk about it?

Of course, both would be perfect! ;)

Yes, perhaps Stu needs the one star that Dave would give Tollesbury in order to give it balance.

Having said that, many authors are deeply hurt by less than glowing reviews.

So, as readers, what should we do? Only review the books we like?

That's is what I do. Because, quite frankly, if I don't like it I stop reading it!

My time is too precious to waste on crap.

If authors can't take bad reviews, they're in the wrong business. I can't say I enjoyed my one star review, but the reader was entitled to her opinion. There have been some bestsellers, literary award winners, that I've absolutely hated. So, yes, I think if you want to say 'I thought this book was crap', you should (but I have to admit, I don't tend to - though I might rate it badly on Goodreads).

Would prefer some of each, but I tend to think people trust suggestions from known and trusted sources.

Steven wrote: "Would prefer some of each, but I tend to think people trust suggestions from known and trusted sources."

I agree. A review has a much farther reach, but a recommendation carries a lot more weight.

In terms of bad reviews,I know that when I am reading reviews for a book I put a lot more stock in ones that have a spectrum of opinions expressed than across the board praise. Of course for my own I would only want that spectrum to fun from 3-5.;-) It's a little hypocritical I know. Bad reviews are awful hard to swallow, but they do serve a purpose.

Do you think there is a difference between a recommendation and a review?
A recommendation to me is much more personal, for instance I may review and give two different books 4-5* but may talk about and recommend one of them more because it's affected me in a stronger way.I have started to review books I like, but until I got the kindle I wouldn't have done that, it wouldn't have even crossed my mind. Now I like to do both, a personal recommendation only reaches a select few, but a review ends up on my twitter, facebook, goodreads and amazon. Another reason I wouldn't give a bad review, I may not like a book but I wouldn't want to harm an authors reputation.

When I give a 'bad' review I always try to include something I did like within the book or I say that maybe others would like it but I didn't because...

Eh. Anyway

I will go with a rec. I never read reviews really until after I've finished a book so they don't affect whether I read it or not.

I've started reading some reviews first, but it is the blurb of the book that matters more at that point. Especially as you have to scroll down for reviews on Amazon and actively look for them,its a good point Elle I guess a lot of ppl don't read reveiws.
So why do we write them???

Recommendations on here are always good though... you soon find out who has similar tastes to yourself

An anonymous review is a lovely surprise, but I think that a personal recommendation from someone shows that they not only read and liked your book but loved it so much they want to tell others about it.

As for bad reviews, yes they hurt!!!

But I think it would be a little unreasonable for me to expect every person on the planet to like my book!!!
After all if there are some weirdos out there who don't like something as universally yummy as chocolate, what chance do the rest of us have!?!?!?

Just a little bit off topic but I read the bad product reviews on Amazon with more interest than the good ones. They tell of the bad experiences purchasers have had....


Not sure if that is true of books mind.....

In the old days there was a vast gap between reviewer and author. Now we can be held to account for our reviews just as an author is being held to account for the quality of the book. The old days of you writing to the author and the letter disappearing into obscurity are gone.

We are in a different world!

*not sure if I helped much*

Product reviews are a whole different story - I always read the bad ones first too Simon!

I like to do both. I review all I read but if I find a book enthuses me I will recommend it too. I tend to do that on the Amazon MOA forums.
It's hard to be caustic about a book - I always think of the line from the Yeats poem, 'tread softly because you tread on my dreams.' I won't say I like a book just to please the author but if I dislike it I will say why. I don't recommend any but those that really gave me immense pleasure though!

Some product reviews are really funny - the one's that say "whatever you do - don't buy this!" Then you go on to read that it's actually the person who's at fault, not the product! Some people only feel moved enough to comment when they don't like something. Thankfully, that doesn't seem to be so prevalent with book reviews.

I am so completely over the moon to receive a nice review. I find it so humbling that someone has taken the time to write something about one of my stories. It does make a difference and it does have a wide reach. A personal recommendation is always good and I like to hope that if someone likes what they've read, they'll tell a couple of their friends if they think they'd like it too.

Kate- AKA Kitten Killerwatts (?) wrote: "I've started reading some reviews first, but it is the blurb of the book that matters more at that point. Especially as you have to scroll down for reviews on Amazon and actively look for them,its ..."


I write my reviews to remind myself of a book - I don't do them for *other* people per say!

Patti (A Proud Canadian) wrote: "Which do you think is better? An anonymous review or a personal recommendation from someone who has read and enjoyed and tells their friends?"

I think a recommend personally. I will pick up a book just based on a friend's recommendation but not so much from an anonymous review

I like reviews, it's interesting to see what other readers thought of the book. I particularly like the ones that emanate from forums like this because you can trust them more.

I did a survey on a couple of forums asking folk to rank reasons for buying a book... recommendations came third in the UK and fourth in the US poll. I can post the full results if anyone is interested.

I'd like to seem them Ken!

If you're talking sales then a recommendation every time because a tried and trusted recommendation will result in sales far more often than the best marketing.

For an an author, though, reviews are vital feedback, even the bad stuff. Not everyone's going to like any specific book, but if there's one thing not working for a sizeable chunk of the audience then you need to know for the next time around.

I think recommendations just edge it!

I know that Rachel attributes the fact that her book was mentioned on the forum to the success she achieved. ;-)

But then I agree with Darren, I've taken onboard all the 'genuine' negative feedback and made adjustments where needed to my books.

A review that recommends the book.

I'd say a recomendation. A lot of people don't read reviews and no one tends to believe the author that their book is good even when they quote their own reviews. Too much suspicion about family and friends leaving the reviews.

Recommendations often stick in people's minds though and if they then see that name somewhere they are much mroe likely to pick it up.

I'd be very happy with either! Having said that, I'm actually pleased (really!) that HAPPY HOUR has 4* rather than 5* reviews here on Goodreads and also on Amazon. I think many readers automatically discard a glowing 5* review, suspecting shills at work.

@Elle... here's the results from the polls I ran.

US......................................UK
Blurb...................................Read others by the author
Genre...................................Blurb
Read others by the author....Recommendations
Recommendations...............Genre
Cover design........................ First few paragraphs
Price....................................Price not included in poll
Independent reviews............ Forum buzz
First few paragraphs........... Independent reviews
Title.................................... Cover design
Forum buzz.........................Title
Advertising..........................Advertising

Recommendations came higher on both lists than reviews, but blurb and 'read others by author' beat recommends on both sides of the Atlantic!

Interesting that Advertising scored lowest on both!


Personally genre would be first in my list, and I'm surprise it's so far down in the UK one!

I can see how recommendations definately came in at number one. That's the social media engine driving interest and sales! Advertising is usually a waste of money, especially if you aren't a big name. I ask for reviews from anyone reading my books, but a good review IS a recommendation too, so...

Recommendations. No substitute can be found. There used to be a bookseller at the local bookstore who knew what I liked and made recommendations that were almost always terrific. She also helped me "stretch" a bit, pointing me in the direction of books that were outside my usual reading sphere but were in her opinion too good for me not to try. One of her toughest sells to me years ago was something called "The Sorcerer's Stone" by that Rowling person. The store had gotten five copies and there were three left. I bought it, read it in one sitting and went back to buy another for a present, but she had already sold the other two already. So I had to place an order. The day after that when I was in the Borders Books close to where I worked I figured maybe I would pick up another copy for my son, but they hadn't even heard of it. I called Denise and ordered two more just to cover all my gift giving needs at the time. A couple months later Border's huge window display was nothing but Harry Potter. I've got to believe that readers like me and especially booksellers like Denise, who is now a teacher, had something to do with it.

Actually I think both are important and appreciate anything a reader takes their precious time to do for me once they have read my works. I am so very, very grateful for the numerous downloads my book received this FREE weekend from so many of you. I'd be equally thrilled if you mention/recommend it to a friend as I would if you posted your genuine feelings about the work. After all, what is a writer without a reader.

Apologies for being a bit vague here, but this is from some social media training I had the other week in connection from my day job, and the trainer didn't cite his sources.

Apparently recent research has suggested that people are more likely to make a purchasing decision based on a recommendation from someone they DON'T know, rather than from a direct friend. That would suggest word of mouth is of limited use, and it's one of those 'how social media is changing the way we do stuff' things.

I have no facts, figures or sources to back this up, so feel free to disregard. He knew his stuff though.

Andrew wrote: "Apparently recent research has suggested that people are more likely to make a purchasing decision based on a recommendation from someone they DON'T know, rather than from a direct friend. That would suggest word of mouth is of limited use, and it's one of those 'how social media is changing the way we do stuff' things."

That's an interesting theory - I'm not sure that I agree. I'm more likely to listen to a recommendation from someone that I know - either personally or virtually (on the forums), than from someone I've never heard of. Wonder what others think of it...

:0)

For ebooks I go by recommendations from people on forums whose taste I know often chimes with my own. If so-and-so likes it, I will. (It's often if Karen likes it, although I don't go for the romance, chick-lit side so much!)

Tee hee - I follow Ignite's recommendations too...

Jay-me seems to have an almost identical taste to mine, so I often check her book lists too.

:0)

I'd prefer a recommendation from a friend... real or forum buddy. If it's a total stranger it could just be part of the advertising campaign.

Personally, I'm a sucker for a good blurb. It's an indicator of content, style and whether there's been any editorial effort. I stress it's just an indicator though.

You are totally right Ken. I've read some dire blurbs. If authors can't do those in decent English what sort of a job will they make of a whole book?

Totally agree on that one, Ken and Ignite.

Blurbs are tricky things to write though, I think.

I'm really chuffed that some of our authors are asking we readers (us readers?) Help, Ignite... to offer our opinions on their blurbs.

Us readers.
Glad to be of service. Have a nice day!

Thanks o grammar guru. Xxx

Patti & Ignite... I definitely appreciated the help I got with my blurb from readers (and other authors). My original and the improved result are not dramatically different however the 'improved' is tighter and the most engaging line was moved from the end to the start.

I actually might believe Andrew.

For me personally I have a lot of friends on GR I wouldn't exactly say I'm 'friends' with really. But I would far more likely take a recommendation of them than a lot of my actual friends or online friends.

They may not entirely be strangers but I know what they read and we have the same opinions on books. Although we never actually talk.

I do take notice of reviews, but that's only after I've already heard of the book from a friend or seen it discussed online etc. I suspect that most people who read the reviews are already considering buying the book.

I think constructive criticism is fine, I have some good reviews and a 1 star review, each to their own. I think as an author you just have to accept that not everyone will like your writing, just the same as I don't like some other author's styles.
I do read reviews that other people have written when looking for a new book, but it's generally the blurb about the book that sells it to me.

It rather begs the question what a review actually is. I don't think someone's personal opinion holds much sway (unless you know you will agree with them) and GOOD reviews require more than personal opinion. They require a skillset that is over and above the personal 'I like it because I like it' which many reader/reviewers offer. You need to find a reviewer you trust before you can trust the review. Putting my money where my mouth was I set up a review site which is peer reviewed by professional writers (people who should be able to tell WHY they like something and whether its a good example of their genre/field of knowledge) We only review things we think are worth the time to review but there's a big mix (because, yes, each writer is an individual with individual tastes) However the most important thing is that there's no payment, no promotion of pals, no axes to grind so it's as objective as I think reviews can be. Reviews are about so much more than whether you LIKE someone's work (or worse still, whether you like them!) That's a matter of opinion not a literary review. If you want to see some of what IEBR has to offer go to http://indieebookreview.wordpress.com

I would prefer a recommendation. I have quite a few 5 star reviews for What Happened to Polly and I'm sure most people would not bother reading them because of the 'friends and family' belief. Not true!
Ironically, my one 4 star review is from one of my best friends. She said lovely things about the book so I can only assume that she thought she was keeping it real.

Quite surprised that advertising is bottom. Also that blurb is top of the US list! My blurb can't be that good then - I've only sold 4 in the US!

Personally I feel that I'd rather have a recommendation than a review.
After all, no one sees the review until the get to the page. At least by that point they already know about the book.
If they know about the book then finding the page and using the 'look inside' facility should help them make up their mind.

Amazon has turned the way people choose books upside down. We used to go into bookshops and browse.

Amazon is really too big to browse so you either get attracted to their specials/promotions are you get directed to books by recommendation from other sites / people.

In my opinion such things as Goodreads (other book reading sites available) will become increasingly important in the marketing of ebooks.

Yes, I can see that, Goodreads and the others have become the 'signposts' to direct people to individual books

Definitely, I think the value of Goodreads as a marketing tool will grow. In fact I wouldn't be surprised if publishing houses create their own websites along similar lines. (maybe they already exist and I'm just a bit behind the times)

I'm new to Goodreads and still finding my way around, and don't want to inadvertently spam anyone so I'm being careful. But I can see the value of the site, the sheer size and complexity of it tends to be overwhelming

@Jim - I am also new and have found it a bit overwhelming but I have been really impressed by how friendly everyone is. I have had three people say hi already and I only posted a comment a few minutes ago. I think I will really like this place :-)

Now back to the topic - I tend to read the reviews for books I am going to buy backwards i.e. I read the one star reviews first and then move up.

My all time favourite series is The Morland Dynasty by Cynthia Harrod Eagles. I have read every one of the 33 (I think its 33) books but the last one was dire compared to previous books. Yet on amazon it got lots of five stars. So sometimes reviews aren't always an indication of whether I will like the book (hope that makes sense :-) )