In one of my earlier posts I included a couple of reviews left by readers on Amazon. It got me thinking. Do you leave reviews for books you like? I do because, as an author, I know how important they are.

So, here are a few things you might not know about reviewing.

The major benefit for authors is for reader to review on Amazon or Goodreads. You can place a review on Amazon whether you purchased the book there or not. Verified purchases (i.e. bought from Amazon) hold more weight but all reviews count in some way.

Reviews bring increased exposure for the author and their book. After 20 reviews Amazon will list the book in “also bought” and “you might like this” sections of their website. Books with 50 – 70 reviews get a place in the Amazon newsletter and qualify for a spotlight position on the site.

In the digital age a review is the equivalent of telling a friend you liked the book.

Writing is a solitary business so a review lets the author know you value their work and encourages them to write more.

Some publicity sites now insist on a specific number of reviews (mainly Amazon reviews) before they will work with an author to promote their book, and promotion is key to sales, which is key to earning a living.

What do you think? Do you leave reviews for you favorite authors? And if so, what motivates you to do it? Also, do you look at the reviews when looking for a book?