Author Tip: Should You Pay for Book Reviews?

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After I published my first novel in 2018, I had an assistant help me hunt for bookstagrammers who would photograph and feature my book on their Instagram page, often accompanied by a review they would cross-post on social media, Amazon, and Goodreads.

While it was fun to see A Fallen Hero (and later, Phantom’s Mask) photographed professionally along with a public review, I admittedly didn’t see an increase in sales as a result.

Now, as I prepare to publish the fourth book in my series, my relationship with bookstagrammers and general reviewers has completely changed. I haven’t sought one out since my second book came out in 2020, but I get a lot of unsolicited messages from reviewers who claim they’re interested in reading and reviewing my book.

Are they scams? Is it worth paying to get book reviews and social media posts?

Here’s my take on the subject.