Why Word of Mouth Matters

Hi Reader,

How to Turn Your Screenplay Into a Novel went on sale this past Tuesday! Ebooks, paperbacks, and hardbacks are available for purchase everywhere.

In writing, publishing, and marketing this book, I have been wearing all hats of the Maker, Manager, and Marketer at the same time. This challenge of simultaneously creating and building my business is something all writers face. I used to dread marketing, but now I am enjoying it. It’s another way to be creative!

The best marketing is still word of mouth. People trust their friends more than they trust products. Besides in person conversations between friends, now we have social media, internet buzz, and office coffee break convos.

Help Your Favorite Author

Reviews are another version of word of mouth buzz. One of the easiest ways to help authors is to write a review of their book on Amazon. Amazon is a giant search engine. And the more reviews and sales a book has, the higher to the top of the page it pops up when a reader searches.

How to Write a Review

The thought of writing a review intimidates some people. A review doesn't need to be long or complicated. Two to five sentences are all you need. Write what you liked about the book as if you were talking to a friend. Remember, this is not a book report, so you do not need to summarize the plot. Just include the details that you liked.

End on a high note: If the book is part of a series, I always like to end with “can't wait to read the next one!”

The Headline: I like to write my review first and then pick one sentence to use as my headline. When I choose my headline, I think about what will motivate a reader to choose the book.

5 Stars: And finally, always use five stars. Amazon weights five-star reviews heavier than four-star reviews. So, if there's something that you didn't like about the book, which is why you want to give it under five stars, understand that it will ding the author’s rating, which may not be your intention. (By the way, this weighted system works in everything from rating your Uber driver to your pharmacy tech.)

Be Positive: My goal is to help readers find a book I enjoyed and support great writing. If I don’t like a book, then I don't write a review.

One More Way to Help Authors

Buy books direct from your favorite authors on their websites. This way they get more money because they are not paying the stores. Even if you don’t buy a book from Amazon, you can still review it there. As the biggest bookstore in the world, authors make a substantial part of their income from Amazon. So help them out!

My Current Obsession

I am devouring the Miss Fortune mystery series by Jana DeLeon, currently on book 8 of 27. The books take place in the tiny town of Sinful, Louisiana. They follow Fortune, a CIA assassin, who has to lie low in town. Two ladies in their 70s befriend her and they get into all kinds of trouble. The books are hysterical.