Are We Asking Too Much of Our Readers? By Rolynn Anderson

“Please read my novel.”

“After you read my book, please write a review of it.”

“Once you’ve read and reviewed my novel, please make your enjoyment of it public on the Internet and among your friends.”

Wow!  Do we ever ask a lot of our readers - much, much more than we ever expected of ourselves as readers, don’t you think?  I mean, I was an English teacher and a high school principal, but it wasn’t until I became a published author that I thought about book reviews.  I spent decades reading voraciously, but never, once, wrote to a favorite author about how much I enjoyed her book.  Heck, I didn’t even know people could write reviews on Amazon and other sites until I began to submit my manuscripts to publishing houses.  The first review I wrote was a scary event for me, even though I’m a writer.  I could tell that when I suggested to friends and relatives that they might write a review of my book, they seemed nervous about the prospect, too.  Not only was the notion of writing a review new to them, but they worried about saying the wrong things about my novel and they hated rating the book.  Just like me.

Remember how we used to ‘pass along’ a good book in the past, before social networking and Amazon?  We shared titles among friends, we browsed in bookstores, taking tips from the sales staff, and we checked the best seller lists in the newspapers.  Our ‘reviews’ were quick and informal.  “I loved that book;” “Good beach read;” “Definitely a page-turner.”  Sometimes we placed the book in our friend’s hands and said, “Read it.  You won’t be sorry!”

Simple back then; not so simple now.  So many neighborhood book stores are gone along with their paid advisors.  Instead we’re inundated by ‘You gotta read these’ lists and have come to depend on lengthy reviews and pesky rating scales.

I’ve decided to back off a bit and remind myself of my carefree experiences as a reader.  Yes, our crazy review/rating system has given me stress, but why pass along my anxiety to my readers?

Your thoughts?

In the spirit of a two-sentence review, here's one for my novel, SWOON:

“Don't miss SWOON by Rolynn Anderson! If you like an interesting cast of characters, a heavy dose of mystery and a lot of fabulous surprises, you'll be happily turning pages late into the night.ˮ

~ Brenda Novak, NYT and USA Bestselling Author of WHEN LIGHTNING STRIKES

****

Her dead clients won’t rest in peace.

When the dead tell tales, Jan Solvang’s first reaction is to RUN!  But then she gets caught up in their mysteries.

Jan’s a boutique funeral planner, new to risk, hired to bury a missing woman and memorialize an infamous man.  Yet when she digs for clues to write their eulogies, she disturbs family secrets and unmasks killers.

Roman Keller, hard-driving documentary writer, is in complete control of his life and his stories, until he falls for Jan, a woman who trusts her dog, her faint-dreams, and her instincts more than she trusts him.

Can they make the sacrifices necessary to cement their relationship or will the mayhem caused by the dead ruin their second chance at love?  

Check out my website: http://www.rolynnanderson.com

SWOON KINDLE: http://bitly.com/SJrVAR   

SWOON other e-pubs: http://tinyurl.com/aqzpjud