This can’t possibly come as a shock: I love to give my opinion!
Believe it or not, I’m careful about when and where I offer it, though. If it hasn’t been asked for, I tend to hold it back. You know those people who blurt out what they’re thinking regardless of the time or place? That’s not me. (I hope!)
I belong to a survey group that earns Aeroplan miles for thoughts on products and services. (There are many scams out there but this one is legit. I watch my miles increase as we go!) TripAdvisor also knows me well. I read the name of TripAdvisor’s top reviewer in Wallaceburg and said aloud, “it’s on!” Derek is my witness.
Amazon knows how I feel about my purchases. I’ll review a book I read with an exception: If I don’t like the book, for any reason, and I know the author – I won’t review it. If I don’t like the book and the author is a multi-million seller, let’s say, John Grisham, I’ll tell all! (His 2018 release The Reckoning wasn’t just awful, it was dead boring.)
It comes from a genuine desire to help others. If I can point someone toward a better restaurant or keep them from making a dud purchase, I will. But there’s a risk with reviewer-mania and it’s the review that’s written too soon. First impressions can be deceiving. I’ve learned to give the thing a bit of breathing room before making a declaration about it to the world. There was a toy that brought delight to its recipient only to fall apart within a few weeks. The gorgeous jacket that didn’t launder well. The refurbished computer monitor that started creating its own colour wheel after a few months: reviewed too quickly and by then, it was too late.
Maybe I like to write reviews because I know how important they are to business owners and authors. I routinely check reviews before making a purchase. Book buyers check reviews, too. It’s always a little lift to see a good – honest – review of one of my books on Amazon, Kobo or Goodreads. So, join me in the review biz, won’t you? And look out whatserface, Wallaceburg’s top TripAdvisor reviewer. I’m coming for you!
When I teach my students reviewing we always tackle the question, “Do reviews even matter anymore?”