Imagine this: You’ve just
brought your newborn baby girl home from the hospital. Words can’t describe the
feeling of pride you have as you hold her in your arms. It’s a dream come true.
You’ve waited nine long months for this moment. And it hasn’t been easy. You’ve
painted and decorated the nursery and spent hours trying to come up with the
perfect name for her. It’s been a lot of work but it was a labor of love and it
was worth every sacrifice and uncomfortable moment as you gaze at her sweet
face.
Many of your friends and family members came to your baby shower and now you’re eager to share this
wonderful time with them. And even though, to you, your baby is the most beautiful baby in the world, you
want to hear others say that. Several people send cards and gifts and some take
the time to call, which you very much appreciate, but what means the most to
you is the people who “go the extra
mile,” by stopping by to see your tiny bundle of joy. “She’s beautiful!” they say,
and “She has your eyes.” And that means the world to you!
Now, imagine the baby is
a book.
You’ve spent at least nine long months plotting, researching, writing,
rewriting and editing it. And it hasn’t been easy. You’ve worked hard to come
up with just the right title, blurb and cover for the book and you’ve spent
countless hours promoting it. It’s been a lot of work but it’s been a labor of
love. Finally the Big Day arrives and your book is published! It’s a dream come
true. Words can’t describe the feeling you have as you hold it in your hands.
You can hardly wait for
others to read it and, even though you know you’ve written the best book you
could, you’re anxious to hear what people think of it. Friends and family members come to your book launch and several people take the
time to contact you to tell you how much
they enjoyed your book and that thrills you. But some people “go the
extra mile.” They write a review on amazon and, because reviews are crucial to the success of your book, that means the world to you!
Do you take the time to write reviews for the books you've enjoyed reading? If not, why?
Do you take the time to write reviews for the books you've enjoyed reading? If not, why?
You've captured the feeling of a brand new book perfectly - the joy and the eagerness to share. Do I take time to review the books I enjoy? Sometimes, especially if it's by a little-known author. I rarely review books by bestselling writers. It's too hard to come up with something fresh and, to tell the truth, I don't feel like they need my help. I know this is probably not a good attitude. Bestselling authors have worked hard to achieve their success and deserve recognition and thanks. It's a matter of priority. All of us have just so much time and I really want to give a shout to lesser known writers who are writing good books.
ReplyDeleteSandy,
DeleteThanks for stopping by. It's so refreshing to read a comment from a reader who takes the time to write reviews, especially for us small press authors. LOL Happy Reading and Reviewing! I'm sure I speak for all of us when I say "thank you."
Great analogy, Patricia--I'm sure your "baby" will be admired by all!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Allan. But, will my "baby" be reviewed by those who read it? LOL
DeleteSandy and Allan,
ReplyDeleteThank you both for commenting. I'm having a contest this week to see who can tell me which movie inspired this post. The winner will receive a signed copy of "Mistaken Identity."
Yes, I do write reviews but usually it takes me a long time to do it. I have to organize my thoughts and plan what I want to write. I never write negative reviews, however. If I love a book, I will write about it. Right now I have a long list of books waiting from Amazon crying out for a review and I will get to them.
ReplyDeletePat, I've heard people say that they don't write reviews because it's like writing a book report in school. But, as you know, that isn't the case. It's not a synopsis of the book, simply a few words telling what you most enjoyed about it.
DeleteAs an author, you understand how important reviews are. Like you, I refuse to write any negative reviews. If I didn't like a book or just couldn't get into it, I don't review it.
Any thoughts on what movie inspired this post?
Excellent post, Pat! You put it so succinctly, and I couldn't agree more. I remember when my daughter was born, and I remember when my first book came out. Very different feelings, and yet so similar in so many ways.
ReplyDeleteI haven't had much reading time in the last year and a half, for reasons I won't go into, but when I do read I'll do a review if I really like the book.
Marja McGraw
Marja,
DeleteYou've certainly written some excellent reviews for my books and it's much appreciated. Thank you!