Reader Karma

Every time I've ever bought, been loaned, or shown an avid interest in an item or a book on Amazon, I've received an email asking me to rank and rate my experience not only with Amazon but with the item or book itself. In the past, I very rarely responded unless the item I ordered was delivered in record time or did something unexpected when it popped out of the box ("Oh, look! It's got a clip on the end and it sparkles!"). My usual response was to hit delete and go along my merry way.

But then I published my first book on Kindle and through Amazon's Create Space and my mind-set on the way reviews are handled changed completely and instantly. Suddenly, reviews and rankings became very important--but only to me, it seemed. I could not for the life of me get my family and friends to write a review. They loved the book! They recommended it to all their friends! My Facebook friends sent me messages full of praise and congratulations but no one, not one person would write a review. (I take that back. One friend in Ohio finally wrote a review but Sue is a writer herself and understands the importance of reviews. Even then, after long debate, she gave Ripple four stars, "because people will know we're friends and think that I only gave it a five out of loyalty and not because I believe it deserves five stars which it does.") So, despite my continued urging, despite the book having made it through the first round of Amazon's Breakthrough Novel Award Contest, despite moderate sales and views, Ripple has one four-star review. And I feel like a mother whose child is the last one picked for dodge-ball.

Now, I look back at all of those opportunities to write a quick review, to rank a product or a book and I regret not taking the time to do so. I'm sure there are others out there just like me who scan their product pages looking for evidence that someone, anyone was moved enough by their product or their story to give it a ranking and write a review. In this fast-paced, grab-and-go age of "like me," I realize how important it is to offer feedback and praise. I think it has always been important, but in the past our triumphs were often delivered privately in glowing fan letters rather than publicly on pages that determined whether or not a product sells. Liking something used to be based on personal taste and opinion and not on what other people "liked" with a thumbs up. Times have changed, though, and our hard work and joy is out there for everyone to see and rate and rank in a very public forum.

So, the next time you receive that email asking for a rating or a ranking or a review, think about taking a moment to express how you feel about the item or the product or the book. I do. I believe that if I write reviews and comments and give out deserving stars that other people may follow my example and finally make their way around to my books. You've got to give to get; what goes around comes around; write a review to get a review. That's reader karma.