Editorial Reviews: A Guide for Amazon KDP Self-Publishers

Introduction

As an author, you know that getting your book out there is only half the battle. The other half is getting people to read it. And one of the best ways to do that is to get editorial reviews.

Editorial reviews are written by professional reviewers who have read your book and can give their opinion on it. These reviews can be incredibly helpful in convincing potential readers to buy your book.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about editorial reviews, from how to get them to how to use them to your advantage.

What are Editorial Reviews?

Editorial reviews are written by professional reviewers who have read your book and can give their opinion on it. These reviews can be incredibly helpful in convincing potential readers to buy your book.

There are two main types of editorial reviews:

Positive reviews: These reviews praise your book and recommend it to readers.
Negative reviews: These reviews criticize your book and may discourage readers from buying it.

Of course, you want to get as many positive reviews as possible. But even negative reviews can be helpful, as they can give you valuable feedback on your writing.

Why are Editorial Reviews Important?

Editorial reviews are important because they can help you:

Increase sales: Positive reviews can convince potential readers to buy your book.
Improve your credibility: Reviews from professional reviewers can give your book a sense of legitimacy.
Get more exposure: Reviews can be shared on social media and other online platforms, which can help you reach a wider audience.

How to Get Editorial Reviews

There are a few different ways to get editorial reviews. One option is to contact reviewers directly. You can find reviewers on websites like Goodreads and Amazon.com.

Another option is to submit your book to review services. These services will charge you a fee to have your book reviewed by a professional reviewer.

Finally, you can also try to get reviews from your friends, family, and colleagues. While these reviews may not be as valuable as reviews from professional reviewers, they can still be helpful in getting your book noticed.

Glossary

Independent review: A review written by a reader who is not affiliated with the author or publisher.

Influencer: A person who has a large following on social media or other online platforms. Influencers can be very effective at promoting books to their followers.

Long-form review: A review that is more than a few sentences long. Long-form reviews can provide more detailed information about the book and can be more persuasive than short reviews.

Meta-review: A review of other reviews. Meta-reviews can be helpful for getting a sense of the overall consensus on a book.

Negative review: A review that criticizes your book. Negative reviews can be discouraging, but they can also be helpful in identifying areas where you can improve your writing.

Positive review: A review that praises your book. Positive reviews can be very helpful in convincing potential readers to buy your book.

Professional review: A review written by a professional reviewer who has read your book. Professional reviews can be very valuable, as they can give your book a sense of legitimacy.

Reader review: A review written by a reader who has read your book. Reader reviews can be very helpful in getting a sense of what other readers think of your book.

Review bombing: The practice of posting a large number of negative reviews on a book in a short period of time. Review bombing can be very damaging to a book’s sales.

Review copy: A free copy of your book that you give to reviewers. Review copies can help you get more reviews for your book.

Review platform: A website or other online platform where readers can post reviews of books. Amazon.com is one of the most popular review platforms.

Review request: A request to someone to review your book. Review requests can be sent to reviewers directly, or they can be posted on review platforms.

Self-published: A book that is published by the author without the assistance of a traditional publisher. Self-published books can be sold on Amazon.com and other online platforms.

Star rating: A rating of a book on a scale of one to five stars. Star ratings can help readers quickly assess the quality of a book.

Top reviewer: A reviewer who has written a large number of reviews and has a good reputation among readers. Top reviewers can be very influential in promoting books to their followers.

Unbiased review: A review that is not influenced by the author or publisher. Unbiased reviews are more likely to be trusted by readers.

Verified purchase: A review written by someone who has purchased the book on Amazon.com. Verified purchase reviews are more likely to be trusted by readers than reviews written by people who have not purchased the book.

Word-of-mouth: The spread of positive or negative information about a book through personal communication. Word-of-mouth can be a very effective way to promote a book.

Additional Context and Insights

Editorial reviews are an important part of the book marketing process. They can help you increase sales, improve your credibility, and get more exposure for your book.

If you’re serious about selling books, you should make an effort to get as many editorial reviews as possible. The more positive reviews you have, the more likely people are to buy your book.

Here are a few tips for getting editorial reviews:

Contact reviewers directly: Reach out to reviewers on websites like Goodreads and Amazon.com. Let them know about your book and ask if they would be interested in reviewing it.
Submit your book to review services: There are a number of services that will charge you a fee to have your book reviewed by a professional reviewer. This can be a good option if you’re having trouble getting reviews on your own.
Get reviews from your friends, family, and colleagues: While these reviews may not be as valuable as reviews from professional reviewers, they can still be helpful in getting your book noticed.

Once you have some editorial reviews, make sure to promote them on your website, social media, and other marketing materials. The more people see your positive reviews, the more likely they are to buy your book.

Compelling Conclusion

Editorial reviews are a powerful tool that can help you sell more books. If you’re not already getting reviews for your books, now is the time to start.

The more positive reviews you have, the more likely people are to buy your book. So make an effort to get as many reviews as possible. It’s worth the investment.

Call to Action

If you’re ready to start getting editorial reviews for your book, here are a few things you can do:

Visit Goodreads and Amazon.com to find reviewers.
Submit your book to review services like Kirkus Reviews and Publishers Weekly.
Ask your friends, family, and colleagues to review your book.

Once you have some reviews, make sure to promote them on your website, social media, and other marketing materials. The more people see your positive reviews, the more likely they are to buy your book.