The Importance of Book Reviews

To state the alarmingly obvious, book lovers read a lot. This means book lovers will therefore gain an intuitive idea of what makes a good read. You might wonder then why there is even a point to book reviews. Surely we can make up our own minds and decide whether or not something is worth delving into, right?

Well yes, absolutely we can. We can contest and disagree with reviews, and that too is important. However, it’s still worth stating the case that book reviews are a vital part of publishing and always will be. The world of books, publishing and their relationship with people who love to read would definitely be a hell of a lot bleaker without written critiques to go alongside them, and that’s a fact. It’s more than just a congregation of critical paragraphs. It’s the make or break point for all relevant parties in a number of ways.

Here are a few obvious, and not so obvious, reasons why book reviews continue to exist, and why they should not be taken for granted. 

They Are An Indispensable Resource For The Reader

Reading a book is a big commitment, bigger at least than listening to an album or watching a movie. After all, how much of your time did those things take you as opposed to the time it takes to drink in a novel, even for the faster readers among us? With novels and the written word in general still being one of the most effective ways to embark on a cerebral journey, we’d best know beforehand if it is worth the time we put into it.

Not only do reviews give you the lowdown of the story, genre and tone of the book, you also get a valuable impression of its quality. Though this may all sound like an exercise in stating the obvious, you should probably think back to the time where two or three small paragraphs in a magazine influenced your decision to pick up a title, or to keep it on the shelf, and how grateful you were for that insight in either case. Reviews an important part of the decision making and the go-to line of enquiry for many undecided readers. Those same readers would truly be lost without them.

They Are Essential Publicity For The Writer

At the other side of this exchange, the writer and publisher will be fully aware that the reader will not just invest in anything, and sometimes, a personal testimony of quality will simply not be enough. Of course you can sing the praises of your own work, but it will take more than that to influence a purchase. Cue the power of the positive review; the turning point that will set your book on the right path to success before it is even published!

If the jury is out with a big thumbs-up from the word ‘go’, then copies will shift, and further success for the author is that much more assured than it would have been otherwise. Even if a reader has not had the opportunity to read a review or even be aware of the book in advance, the very feat of spotting that positive quote printed on the book’s front cover is a humongous selling point for a person browsing in a shop, and can make the difference between a yes or a no.

Good reviews shift units. That is a certainty. 

Reviews Set A Standard

The very existence of a review puts a book on the map in some way, but this is a double-edged sword. A bad review can mean bad news, and should be prevented at the earliest possible point.

Of course a customer has every right to disregard negative commentary and take the plunge into a book that has received a lot of bad press, and power to that person for following their inner voice! There’s nothing wrong with this. But it’s a general rule of thumb that bad reviews are not good for a novelist, and this can be as true for an established writer as it can for somebody just starting out. 

Just like that, a bar is set, and the fact that critical appraisal is a standard that will most certainly have to be met, writers and publishers are therefore motivated to put out nothing but the best material possible. Imagine how much poorer the writing climate would be if the people behind books didn’t have critics, from whom they can learn exactly what will please the reader and what will gain the right kind of attention.

As we all know, many writers and publishers still don’t heed this advice properly. But those who do can reap the benefits, unleash their finest work, and in turn enrich the pool of reading available for the public. 

Bridges Are Built

For an industry such as publishing, especially independent publishing, networking is essential. Websites, magazines, and other outlets work closely with publishers to establish long-lasting relationships and ensure that they get the earliest and sometimes most exclusive access to the latest material available.

In terms of reputation, it’s mutually beneficial. Publishers look good if they have a rapport with news outlets held in high esteem, and vice versa. Off of the back of good book reviews, will then come the opportunity for more intrinsic forms of content, including interviews with authors and in-depth features about books. Well-built bridges between blogger and writer widens the experience for the reader, and so the relationship is beneficial for all parties.

Obviously and throughout this relationship, critics will always be called upon to be objective and earnest in their verdicts through thick and thin, and likewise, for a professional writer and publisher worth their salt, this should be no problem whatsoever. 

Everyone Wins 

So as it turns out, there are a number of reasons why customers, publishers, and authors can benefit from book reviews. But what about the person writing the review?

The importance of book reviews for the writer and publication creating them cannot be understated. After all, what better way to become adept in the world of literature than to be someone who reads, analyses, and articulates? Be assured beyond any doubt that reviewing something creates a level of intimacy with the artform that can be seldom achieved otherwise. Full attention is essential and the necessity to comprehend the core mission of the book is the only way a critic can do their job properly. 

Whether the end result is a verdict of positivity or the opposite, and the review is the appropriate mix of objective and earnest, then the writer behind that deliverance will be more honed in their craft through the experience. Just like writing books, writing articles takes practice. Understanding books well enough to review them is a great skill for anybody to have.

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