In a newsletter I receive on-line from a writing industry professional, I found this.

If you have read [book name] could you go over to the Amazon page [page link] and write several sentences along with a Five Star review? The Five Stars are important because they are averaged so please make sure to do Five Stars. Or maybe you have read my [book name]. If so, I’m asking you to please go over to the Amazon page [page link] and write a couple of sentences along with a Five Star review. Even if you read the book several years ago, I would appreciate your support with the review.

I don’t know how others feel, but I’m totally against this kind of request. Sure, a writer would like nothing better than to have a bunch of five star reviews and nothing below that. But to ask someone to give you a five star review? I don’t know, to me is seems rather crass. How about a request something like, “I’d sure like a few reviews for my book, Book Title, over at Amazon. Here’s the link to it. If you’ve read it, please consider going to that page and leaving a review. Be honest. I’d love a five star review, but if you don’t think the book deserved a five star review, rate it what you think it deserves.” That might be an acceptable way to solicit reviews.

Because of what that writer/agent/publisher wrote, I will not be giving him any reviews. I’ve read one of the two books he mentioned, and like it a lot and find it useful in my writing. But he killed it for me with that comment. He prefers praise to honesty. Well, he’ll get neither from me.

I think it would be alright to ask someone to review your book at Amazon. After all, that’s what traditional publishers and authors do all the time when they send out advance reader’s copies to reviewers. They hope for favorable treatment, but I seriously doubt they tell the reviewers how to do their job.

This newsletter guy irks me. “so please make sure to do Five Stars.” I hope I never sink to that level. Would one of you chew me out if I do?