Practical Authorkeeping 101: An Amazon.com question

[lagilman]

Does anyone actually read the "reader reviews" of books you're not already planning to buy (or are scouting because you/one of your friends wrote it)? How many folk here, by show of phosphors, have bought a book (or decided not to buy a book) based on a reader review?

Inquiring authors desire to know.


Otherwise, a quiet day here at suri's den. Some laundry, some car-keeping (yes, I can add my own oil, thank you very much), and some writing. A lot of writing, actually. I feel a roll (seeded, no tomato) coming on. Halfway to word-goal and still lots of story to go. So if I'm quiet the next few days, just slide some chocolate and coffee under the door and pay no attention to the muttering and swearing and clicking of keys you may hear...

Comments

[nycdeb.livejournal.com]

I don't know that I've ever made a decision based solely on the reader reviews but they have influenced me before. Of course it depends on how many reviews are - I try to put them in context. If the review itself makes no sense, I usually ignore it. If there's a handful of pans and 115 raves - that also comes into play.

But yes, I read them. I've even been browsing and added things I've never heard of to my wish list (which I use to keep track of things I want to buy later) based on reader reviews alone.

[patchwork-prose.livejournal.com]

I do. I wander through Barnes & Noble, SFF.Net newsgroups, (occasionally) Amazon.com, and various personal and revew web sites. I find them to be a lot of help in finding different authors to try.

[nick-kaufmann.livejournal.com]

How many folk here, by show of phosphors, have bought a book (or decided not to buy a book) based on a reader review?

Never.

[arcaedia.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure I've ever bought something just because of a reader's review. Of course, that can also depend on who the reader might be. Evenso, I often will check them after I've had someone recommend a book to me. And I use them quite a bit when trying to decide which of various cookbooks to buy. I also use them as an agent because it's interesting to me to see what responses people are having to the various books I've mid-wifed.

[dianora2.livejournal.com]

I have. Although it goes more for nonfiction than for fiction.

[klwilliams.livejournal.com]

I use them as part of the decision-making process, but not the most important part. Also, the "how useful was this review" button helps, too. If there's a great review, and 23 out of 23 agreed with it, that's useful, or if 2 out of 23 agreed with it, that tells me something else. I ignore Harriet Klausner, though.

[purpledusk.livejournal.com]

If I'm not sure about a book I will usually look at what other people have said, and how they said it to help me decide.

This ones a bit long sorry

[sleeeeeep.livejournal.com]

I usually make up my own mind instead of looking at reviews.
Having read (low estimate) 3000 SFF books I get a feel pretty quickly for what is going on and what authors to buy from. I don't usually by unknowns online, however, I search the bookstore for those very same, so I can get a fast picture of their writing style. Funny thing about reviews is how offbase reader expectation can be, I saw Staying Dead compared To Hamiltons work. The person marked down for lack of sex? Well...Thank goodness Staying Dead is NOT Hamiltons work. I have had enough of the SEXSEXSEXANIMALSEXSEXVAMPIRESEX wash rinse repeat thing. Enough is enough. Keep cranking out the retriever novels. Be true to your vision of their relationship, don't let sales drive sex. Your work is clean and refreshing, not having to rely on constant death and bad language to drive things along.

[mcurry.livejournal.com]

It's never the only factor for me, but it is a factor, and I'd say there have been more incidents of negative reviews on Amazon or wherever steering me away from a book than positive reviews steering me toward them. That's probably because I'm usually already leaning toward buying a book (because of who the author is or the recommendation of someone trustworthy) before I ever even check the reader reviews.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

I have. I'm more likely to buy a book if I see a lot of good reviews than I am to not buy a book because of bad reviews, but I have at least three books in the TBRs simply because I saw them mentioned, saw good reviews on a search, and decided to give 'em a whirl.

Off the top of my head, I can't think of a book I *haven't* bought because of bad... no wait, not because of *published* reviews, but if my friends are "eh" on it and I was undecided in the first place, I'll go with the majority of my friends' opinions.

Reader Comments...

[neuroman42.livejournal.com]

I actually do sometimes, read the reviews. I trust the reviews from people, more than the reviews in magazine and books.

Most of the time I buy books on a whim. SOMETIMES, I actually buy them based solely on the cover. Strange I know.

I bought "Staying Dead" because of the girl on the cover... I was drawn to it. ;)

[jonquil.livejournal.com]

I've bought books because of reader reviews. Whenever Amazon recommends something I haven't heard of, I go to the RRs. I bought Rachel Caine's first book because the reader reviews were so glowing. (One reviewer warned that it was a ripoff of Butcher; another said "No, Butcher endorses her." So I bought it, was enchanted, and recommended it to all my friends.

Reader reviews are essential to my non-fiction purchases.

[atimson.livejournal.com]

Not so much reviews on Amazon, but reviews by others in various forums (good and bad) have definitely gotten me to look at books I wouldn't have otherwise.

[vincam.livejournal.com]

I think you know my opinion on this one. Amateur reviews are worthless at best. More often they're misguided or even destructive and vindictive. I give far more weight to professional reviews, and find most useful the publisher's information which tells me what the book is about. A sample chapter is the most helpful, though, and often clinches a sale when I buy. Amateur reviews, though...feh.

[barbara-ferrenz.livejournal.com]

I read the Amazon reviews. Bad reviews won't stop me from buying something I was going to buy anyway but good reviews will encourage me to give in and part with my money when I'm undecided.

[chickwriter.livejournal.com]

I do read them...and yes, mostly those of books written by friends.

I'm utterly curious and oftentimes disappointed by the reader reviews. IMHO, it's a biased opinion game, whether for or against, although on occasion, I've seen pro reviewers post snippets of their own longer reviews on Amazon. (And no, I don't count Harriet Klausner among the pros.)

I was once a pro reviewer, so I suppose I'm biased, too. (yes, this means paid):)

I've never NOT bought a book based on a bad Amazon review, or a bad review, for that matter. I tend to ask my usual suspects: the folks at Mysterious Galaxy, other indy bookstores and friends who know my taste.

I have, however, become interested in a book because of reader reviews and have investigated further.

[lynx-rufus.livejournal.com]

I do, if the positive reviews are multitudinous. I may buy a book based on one glowing recommendation from a professional reviewer, but reviews by people I don't know need more voices chiming in before I am convinced.

That being said, I am not influenced by the author blurbs/quotes on books either because I see so many of the same top authors praising new authors as truly remarkable talents: NY Times best-selling author Xandy Frenon called Daisy Wiffle "A truly outstanding new voice! A hero to die for, a complex and rich plot, I couldn't put it down!" Etc, etc. Just doesn't ring true.

I am, however, unduly influenced by covers when I am browsing without any authors/stories in mind. I have been roundly scolded for this by comrades in romance reading fandom for passing by a great book just because I hate clinch covers (ditto for mysteries/thrillers with gruesome or salacious covers), but there you have it.

[dancingwriter.livejournal.com]

As others have said, I rely more on the professional reviews than on reader reviews--that is, when reviews play into my purchase decision at all. Usually with fiction, I've already made up my mind to buy; because I have a very limited budget, I tend to test-drive fiction at the library first, then buy books by the authors I've fallen in love with. But good reader reviews will definitely encourage me to add books and authors to my "I have to look for these at the library" list.

I have to say that when I seriously want to check out reviews, I go to the Books in Print database. This may just be geeky ex-librarianness on my part, but since I discovered that amazon has posted reviews of the wrong books (in one case, a book by another author, and for a different audience) for two or three of my titles, I've been a bit wary of amazon as a review source.

BTW, I just happily realized that I am in fact the proud owner of _Staying Dead_--only one of my friends borrowed it right after I got it, and I haven't seen it since. (Note to self: It's time to summon back all my loaned-out books!)

[equesgal.livejournal.com]

If I don't know the author I'll read the reviews and if they're all or mostly bad that may prevent me from buying the book...or at least give me pause. Or I may buy the book from the second hand amazon shops. Do authors get any of that money?

[skylarker.livejournal.com]

When I'm trying to decide between several non-fiction books on a specific subject I'll read reviews to get a better sense of which book will be most helpful for my purposes.

[(Anonymous)]

I don't generally pay attention to reader reviews on Amazon.com. I do sometimes follow the "People who bought this book have also bought these titles" links, as they can point me in directions I might not have noticed otherwise.

To the extent that I read reviews, they are "professional" reviews in various media. How much attention I pay depends upon the reviewer. In some cases, the reviewer's taste is congruent with mine, and in some cases not, but both are useful. "Hmmm. She liked it, so I'll like it too", and "Hmmm, he hated it, so I'll love it!" are both valid decision factors.

But I'm at the point where the decision on what to buy is often governed by "Which of my friends has a new book out?", and reviews are largely irrelevant to that decision. :-)

And since I'm in walking distance of a Barnes and Noble superstore with honest-to-Ghu books I can hold in my hand and leaf through, I don't use Amazon.com as much as I might. Amazon is mostly used here for ordering Terry Pratchett and Tom Holt editions from the UK.

Now, if Amazon sold extra hours in the day to read all of the books I buy, I'd be thier best customer.
______
Dennis

[rantmaster.livejournal.com]

To be honest, I tend to read reader's reviews after the fact, to see if they liked or disliked it too.

But that's just me: I have a hard time breaking into new author's books. I don't even always read the books my friends reccomend, as we don't always have the same tastes. Still, with both you and Kieth plugging 'Staying Dead' right in front of me, couldn't resist. I know I can count on Kieth for good taste. ;)

So maybe that's the secret, there. Established authors I like reccomending other people's books.