Mythbusting – The Truth About Paid Book Reviews in 2021

Authors worry relentlessly about ‘paying for reviews.’ What are the concerns, and are they founded? What are the differences between the services offered online? Cate Baum, resident Amazon mythbuster steps in to calm your concerns.

When should I pay for a book review?

MYTH: NEVER! OR YOU AND YOUR BOOK WILL BURN!!

TRUTH: You should pay for a professional book review when you need a respected opinion to use as copy for promotional purposes. This is exactly what any author, from Stephen King to JK Rowling does when they hire a publicist. You then own the copy and can use […]

Cate Baum2021-08-03T07:25:11+02:00August 3rd, 2021|Categories: Features|Tags: Amazon News and Tips, Book Reviews, Mythbusting Amazon For Authors|

2021 – How To Get Amazon Reviews Without Breaking The Rules

There are various discussions about getting Verified Amazon reviews for your book, but there’s only one sure way that works.

While the humble mailing list has been touted in many corners of the publishing world, it still rules as the only definite way of selling your book and getting Verified reviews.

But not all mailing lists are equal.

Amazon Rules

While it seems easy enough to add friends and family to your mailing list, here’s what to bear in mind: Once they bought your book, you can’t keep touting them for business.

The second issue is that Amazon does not […]

Cate Baum2021-07-21T02:11:16+02:00July 20th, 2021|Categories: Features|Tags: Amazon News and Tips, Book Reviews, Newsletter Campaign|

How To Write A Good Book Review – The Beta Report

In this series, we take you through the anatomy of a book review.

What does it take to write a book review? What are the different types and uses of book reviews? In this final installment, we look at Beta reviews.

A Beta Reader’s Report (or Review) is written by an experienced reader with a good understanding of story, grammar, and style. A Beta read should be carried out on the final edited version of your book just before you publish it for sale. A Beta report is not a review, but a private assessment of your work as a […]

Cate Baum2021-07-20T07:30:20+02:00July 14th, 2021|Categories: Features|Tags: Book Reviews|

How To Write A Good Book Review – The Amazon Review

In this series, we take you through the anatomy of a book review.

What does it take to write a book review? What are the different types and uses of book reviews? What is a Beta review anyway, and do you need one?

This second installment looks at how to write Amazon Customer Reviews.

How To Write An Amazon Book Review

Eligibility

An Amazon Customer Review must be written by someone who has read the book and has an Amazon account. You don’t have to have bought the book from Amazon. You can only review on Amazon if:

You have

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Cate Baum2021-06-28T03:14:46+02:00June 28th, 2021|Categories: Features|Tags: Amazon News and Tips, Book Reviews|

How To Write A Good Book Review – The Editorial Review

In this series, we take you through the anatomy of a book review.

What does it take to write an editorial review? How does this differ from a customer/reader review on Amazon or Goodreads? What is a Beta review anyway, and do you need one?

This first installment looks at professional reviews, otherwise known as Editorial Reviews.

How To Write an Editorial Book Review

Editorial Book Reviews are considered to be the premium type of book review, written by a book professional who critiques books for a living: highly qualified people who take their work seriously and produce succinct, lean […]

Cate Baum2021-06-28T03:07:50+02:00June 18th, 2021|Categories: Features|Tags: Book Reviews|

SPR Awards 2020 Winners Announced!

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Cate Baum2021-04-14T07:39:29+02:00April 10th, 2021|Categories: Features, Lead Story|Tags: SPR Book Awards|

Getting To Yes – A Book To Movie Success Story

You Only Need To Find One Champion Of Your Work

Like the majority of authors out there, I struggled to get my debut novel – The Reincarnationist Papers – picked up by an agent and a publisher. I tried for over a year until I finally decided to self-publish the novel.

But I did more than just self-publish; I came up with a plan to incentivize my readers to act as the agent that struggled to find.

I accomplished this by offering a cash reward – the standard agent’s commission to be precise – on the first page of the […]

Cate Baum2021-03-23T09:44:38+02:00March 23rd, 2021|Categories: Features, Success Story|

A Lullaby in the Desert: One Woman’s Fight for Freedom

What if by questioning injustice and standing up for the oppressed, your words were met with threats, captivity, and execution? Would you still stand up?

Imagine being born without rights. From bicycle bans and compulsory clothing to mandatory beliefs, what’s worse than being born in a society where your gender alone is a crime? Millions of women are held captive, whether behind bars or behind barriers, for what they believe, what they wear, and what they say. They are suffering at this very moment. Some, like Susan, decided they wouldn’t take being held in the grip of a society’s invisible […]

SPR2021-03-16T11:57:24+02:00March 16th, 2021|Categories: Features, Member Blog|