Review Group discussion

There was a thread here giving simple directions on how to post a review to AM UK but now I can't find it.

Help please?!

This one?

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

I recently bought a book and reviewed it on Goodreads for a fellow author however, when I tried to review it on Amazon I get an error message reading that I have not spent enough money on Amazon to enable me to write a customer review. What a rip off! Surely this is an illegal practice. I bought the book and should be able to review it. My own book is on Amazon.

As a debut author I have not got any spare funds to give to Amazon. I would have to sell numerous books to raise funds just to cover my outlay.

This business is so one sided and new books and ideas and authors don't seem to stand a chance in hell of success.

These corporations are souless. That is why they are corps.

I have been running an ad campaign for the best part of a year and sold 21 books. 261 clicks at 50p a shot. The maths does not add up. One year past. If I count up what I have spent on publication and advertising etc; twenty one sales; seems I have a long way to go to just break even. I wonder if it is worth it. These two books I am working on will never see the light of day at this rate.

:-(

It depends on what you want out of the publishing process.
A hobby, or a business.
Like any other business, you have to speculate to accumulate and the competition is fierce.

The amazon rule of spending £50 is to discourage paid reviews. It wouldn't be worth people setting up multiple accounts if they have to pay £50 for each one before being able to post a fake review.

The average self-published book sells less than 100 copies in its lifetime. Some sell less, some are run away successes. I've read appalling books which have made 1000's and excellent books which sell very little.

I've come to the conclusion that the difference is marketing and gathering a group of fans/bloggers to help with promotion.

I also think you need a good number of books and, best of all, a well written series. Offer the first book for 99p (or free) to hook people into the rest.

If all you have is one book, I think it's very hard.

Yes I am beginning to realise this. I have two more books to publish just not the funds to do so. Catch 22. 🐯👍

So should I consider doing well that I’ve sold around 150 books since self-publishing in April?

Lol! I published Aug 2017 and sold 21 books. So I guess compared to me you are doing great. I have actually given far more away and only a handful of reviews. 🐯👍💓

Leo wrote: "Lol! I published Aug 2017 and sold 21 books. So I guess compared to me you are doing great. I have actually given far more away and only a handful of reviews. 🐯👍💓"

About half of mine was also through a giveaway, albeit accidental. Let us call it a misunderstanding between a major online company and myself due to an email containing misinformation from them, which I was eventually told to ignore. After I'd promoted the hell out of trying to get people to download a copy, that is. As for reviews, you have to play the waiting game and have plenty of patience. Just keep writing.

🐯👍