Support for Indie Authors discussion

Reviews are important for all writers for obvious reasons so understandably most writers are reaching out to reviewers to agree to leave a customer or editorial review. I've been led to believe from other writers that editorial reviews hold more weight than customer reviews.

My questions are this: From a reader's perspective do you mostly look at a book's editorial reviews or customer reviews when deciding on a book you want to read? Is it ever worth spending money to get an editorial review? As a writer, have the number of editorial reviews made a difference in terms of the number of sales on your books?

I haven’t had an editorial review and so far two customer reviews. As far as I know and based on it being editorial, it wouldn’t be complementary.
Any review would be a help to my writing.

As a reader, I don't tend to look at editorial reviews. I go by the book description and a couple of reader reviews. But that's my approach.

J.U. wrote: "Reviews are important for all writers for obvious reasons so understandably most writers are reaching out to reviewers to agree to leave a customer or editorial review. I've been led to believe fro..."

These are good questions. I have not done any editorial reviews but I have so far gotten one review from a blogger. I am not sure what kind of boost in sales that will bring me yet, but I am sure that any reviews weather they be editorial or from a reader or a blogger are all useful. The more positive press your book gets the better and a book review is a great way to get some.

Tomas wrote: "As a reader, I don't tend to look at editorial reviews. I go by the book description and a couple of reader reviews. But that's my approach."

I'm kind of the same way. If they have a bunch of editorial reviews I'll read them but I find myself mostly reading the customer reviews for any insight on the book.

They're important because you put a sentence or part of a sentence from best one or two on the back of your print book cover (or the front at the bottom of the cover if it's from a well-known service, like Kirkus or the New York Times), and the best one at the bottom of your ebook cover. It's great advertising. If a reader has an ereader that shows book ads before and after switching it on, it lets them know a professional review service thinks the book is worth reading. If it's a genre the reader likes, they're more likely to check it out. Same with a print book in bookstores.

Personally, I read reader reviews, but when I worked at a publisher we always wanted reviews from the New York Times, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus and Library Journal because these reviews made it easier for our sales reps to sell our books.

Even if a reader doesn't actually read the editorial reviews, it does lend to the credibility and makes it look like a traditionally-published book. I used Prairies and Goodreads and asked some published authors I know to provide quotes. It enhances the cover design and your online book page, which helps sell the book.

I don't read editorial reviews or customer reviews. I may see a book on one of the lists I subscribe to, but I'll buy the book based on the blurb. If that blurb is a rehash of every other romance or sci-fi or fantasy or thriller, I skip that book because I've already read it with different names and settings. You need to have something in there that is 'different'. Why should I read your book versus your competitor?

An editor review may give creditability, but unless it sells the book, is it worth the cost?

Vince wrote: "Even if a reader doesn't actually read the editorial reviews, it does lend to the credibility and makes it look like a traditionally-published book. I used Prairies and Goodreads and asked some pub..."

I agree with Vince that editorial reviews are great for marketing. I've seen authors pull a quote or two from an editorial review. But I agree @BA that unless the editorial review really sells the book it's not worth the added cost and definitely not worth using for marketing purposes.

I appreciate all the comments on this topic. It definitely solidified my decision to acquire more editorial reviews but at the same time but at the same have a realistic expectation of their value.