No one likes to see negative book reviews. However, if you earn a negative review or two out of many, don’t despair. This event likely means strangers who have no personal interest in you, but are reading books only for themselves, are engaged with your work. That’s great news!
Where Are the Readers?
Keep in contact with potential readers so they’ll be amenable to your books and eager to see them released. Find a fan base willing to follow your career through newsletters, social media, and books.
However, authors can’t force connections. Many Christians are engaged in my life but couldn’t care less about my work as a literary agent. When I wrote books for publication, many weren’t interested in reading them, either. To further my career, I conversed with people I didn’t know but who wanted to read my books. Authors must keep in touch with readers today as well.
Platform can be confusing, partly because no magic formula says, “This many followers on this many platforms equals a book contract.” Publishers continue to talk about engagement, however.
Voting
Publishing may have little in common with the music industry. Yet I have a story regarding voting for a music artist, which is much like someone “voting” for or against an author’s book with a review. Years ago, an acquaintance asked me for a personal favor. Would I go on a website and vote for their band to be selected to perform at a music festival? You may say, “What’s the problem?”
These are only a few of the problems for me:
1. Most important, the band’s lyrics were hostile toward Christianity.
2. I didn’t know any of the other bands in the competition, so my vote would not be fair.
3. I had no intention of attending the festival, so I didn’t feel I had a right to vote.
I took heat for declining, including from outsiders who felt invested in this band, which perfectly illustrates engagement.
I don’t regret my decision not to participate. I wasn’t a fan. Likewise, regarding books, authors must focus on those who want to read their work. Friends and family can offer encouragement but are not, nor should they be, the author’s solitary fan base.
What Does This Mean?
No author can or should be best friends with thousands of readers. But friendly and consistent interaction, demonstrating that the author has an audience or, in the case of a new author, the potential to reach people sincerely interested in their books, shows the author is devoted to and appreciates readers. My favorite authors are those who care about pleasing their readers.
And by the way. While writing this post, I received a text from someone invested in my career as a literary agent. She commented on a book I sent her to read. Our readers are there. Genuine interest in them does more than increase sales. Attention deepens relationships, warms the heart and soul, and enriches all our lives. To God be the glory!
Fun Fridays – May 26, 2023
What you see is what you get,
and a friendship will come to be,
and if you dare to take the bet,
then what you’ll get is me.
You’ll find that I don’t put on airs,
don’t have the patience or the time,
being one of them longhairs
who lives for dogs, God, guns and rhyme,
but the looks can tell a lie,
for I am no hippie freak
with the ganja smoke red eye;
no, it’s really beer I seek,
(not Bud Lite, that be for true!),
and I’ll save a couple cans for you.
You bring the beer and I’ll bring the wine, Andrew! hahaha!
Such a good word, Tamela! Thank you. I especially appreciated your comment that your “favorite authors are those who care about pleasing their readers.” Life is all about relationships, including the writing life. Thanks for the reminder.
Hi Tamela, I appreciate your perspective since I’m currently studying authors who have created online communities with enthusiastic fans and high engagement. I believe it’s imperative to have genuine interest in one’s readers, or potential readers in my case—to view them as children of God, not just as another book sale or Amazon review. Seeing readers as a means to an end dishonors God, but I think it’s an easy trap to fall into. Yet cultivating true, intentional relationships will result in sales and reviews, which is a wonderful thing, like sowing and reaping. Thanks for encouraging me to keep learning who my readers are, where they are, and how to meaningfully connect with them.
Every reader is important. That’s the reason we write, or at least, it should be. But we will not please every reader. That’s important to remember.
When I get a comment, email, post on Facebook, Tweet on Twitter, or review, I take every word my reader cares to express into consideration. Good means I’m on the right track. Bad means I have work to do (although I’ve not had that many bad reviews or comments, praise God.) But with each reader, if there is a way to connect with them to thank them or respond with an answer to a question or problem, I take that opportunity. I believe it expands my reach because that reader will mention me to others.
But more important that having my name spread around is to please the reader. With each book, I try to make it the best one yet. I pray over each book and ask our Lord to guide me in my words. This is not just for me, but so my readers have the best possible story I can give them.
The readers are important. All of them. Thanks, Tamela.
Thank you for this insightful post Tamela. You’re so right. Engaging with readers in a genuine way has been key to building a strong connection with my audience.
❤️
Your book, “The Elusive Mr. Perfect,” engages readers genuinely and humorously. Friendly and consistent interaction with readers is good advice.
Jenny, thank you for being a reader of mine after all this time! I’m grateful for you and truly appreciate your encouragement.
Great advice, Tamela!
One of these sweet days, I’ll actually send out an email newsletter to the 4 people who have signed up so far. haha! I understand that’s one of the best ways to connect with readers.
“Attention deepens relationships…”
Wholeheartedly agree. I’m finding post-covid, many moms are searching for a connection to each other we may have lost. I love when that connection can be jumpstarted again through a good book. Thank you for your faithful bits of wisdom.