Reviewer IndieView with Allie Sumner of Allie’s Opinions

Each book fundamentally changes a part of who you are. It’s important that those of us who have a passion for it try to ignite that passion in others.

Allie Sumner – 25 November 2015

About Reviewing

How did you get started?

A friend of mine started a blog reviewing books. I checked it out and thought “hey! I love books and could help get the word out for Indies.” I’ve always gone to book signings and tried to help local authors and book sellers. This was just an extension of what I was already doing.

How do you review a book? Is it a read first, and then make notes, or do you make notes as you go along?

Some books I read first and then review. If it’s a particularly long book I will make notes as I go along. I want to be sure to highlight the great areas of the book while also making note of the things I wasn’t a fan of.

What are you looking for?

I like well rounded stories. I like happy endings but it isn’t a deal breaker for me if a book doesn’t have one. I guess the main things I’m looking for is…did I get lost in this book? Did I connect with the characters? Did this book evoke emotions? I want a story that I can fall head first into and escape the world.

If a book has a great plot, great characters, but the grammar is less than perfect, how do you deal with that?

I have read a few like this. I will usually tell the author via email that their grammar needs work. While reviewing, I focus mainly on the story. It really is the most important part. Grammar is important so that the story flows adequately but, the story is what we are all there for.

How long does it take you to get through, say, an eighty thousand-word book?

This really depends. If given the time I can have it read in half a day. Usually though, I try to schedule 3 days per book for reading time. I have a toddler and some days he just wants to snuggle his mommy. No book is more important than that to me.

How did you come up with your rating system, and could you explain more about the rating system?

My rating system is the basic 5 stars. I thought keeping it simple would help it stay user friendly. I rate each book based upon a few key elements. Character development, Believability, how the book flows and just a general…Did I like it or love it?

What advice could you give to authors looking to get their books reviewed?

Check out reviewer blogs! Make your book available! Hit up twitter and facebook. There are a ton of ways to get your name out there with a reviewer. Always read the reviewers policy. There is no point in submitting a book to a reviewer who doesn’t review your genre. Also, don’t get upset if the reviewer has a back log. They will get to it. Be patient.

Do you get readers emailing you and thanking you for a review?

On occasion. Usually they will comment on facebook or twitter.

My advice to authors on getting a ‘bad’ review (hasten to add that might mean a perfectly honest, well written, fair review – just bad from the author’s point of view) is to take what you can from it and move on. Under no circumstances to ‘argue’ with the reviewer – would you agree with that?

I would say yes, I do agree with that. Every person is going to have their own opinion. It’s important as an author to look at what the reviewer is telling you and learn from it. Appealing to your readers should be a big priority.

About Reading

We talk a lot about writing here on the blog, and possibly not enough about reading, which is after all why we’re all here. Why do you think people love reading? We’re seeing lots of statistics that say reading as a pastime is dying – do you think that’s the case?

Sadly, I do think that interest in reading has gone down over the years. It’s a case of too much convenience. Reading develops us culturally in so many ways. I can’t imagine what my outlook would be like if I didn’t have the stories of the thousands of characters I’ve read about over the years. Each book fundamentally changes a part of who you are. It’s important that those of us who have a passion for it try to ignite that passion in others.

About Writing

What are the most common mistakes that you see authors making?

The most common mistakes I see while reviewing are typically:

Dialog that over explains everything. No one talks like that in real life. It’s over analyzed.

Typos- While this is annoying it’s not a deal breaker.

Pacing- The story is incredibly drawn out. I like some suspense but 200 pages of it is overkill.

We’re told that the first page, paragraph, chapter, is absolutely key in making or breaking a book. Agents typically request only the first five pages of a novel; what do you think about that? If a book hasn’t grabbed you by the first five pages, do you put it down?

I think it’s absurd to only request the first 5 pages. A story should have time to build and pull me in. I want to savor the scenes and characters.

I most definitely do not put a book down after the first 5 pages whether I like it or not. Honestly, I think that whole mindset plays into the whole “short attention span” crap that has turned every movie and book into a rush of action and little information.

Stories are for entertainment but, they are also a way to live vicariously through another. I want time to dwell there. I want description. I want to feel something.

Is there anything you will not review?

I will not review a few things.

1: Erotica – I just can’t. It’s too much.

2: Self-help books – This is a peeve of mine. If these books actually gave real advice it would be one thing but, they typically give very vague information to people I truly believe are looking for a solution. I don’t need to buy your book to tell me that to impress my boss I should strive to never be late. I don’t need common sense information. People need real answers. Real Solutions.

3: Overly religious books – I am sure that these bring comfort to people. They don’t to me. I read to either learn or to get lost in a story. My peeves with these are basically the same as my peeves with self help books.

Other than those, I will read pretty much anything. My curiosity is a powerful thing.

About Publishing

What do you think of the oft-quoted comment that the “slush-pile has moved online”?

I think that’s crap. I think the internet has given authors more power. It has given them a way to get their work out there without having to be screened by some big shot in a conference room.

Are there some bad stories out there? Sure. But, there are also amazing ones.

The internet has empowered the reader as well as the writer.

Just because I may not like a story, it doesn’t mean someone else might not love it.

Do you think attitudes are changing with respect to indie or self-published titles?

I would hope so. I think the uptick in reviewers says yes too. We don’t want recycled stories. Indies often have a fresh voice just waiting to be heard.

Do you have any ideas or comments on how the industry can ‘filter’ good from bad, aside from reviews?

I think the industry should give more writers a chance to be heard. Stop with the trends and just put out good stories. I don’t want to walk into a bookstore and all the new releases are about vampires because one book came out and sold a billion copies. Stop harping on something until it dies. Just release good stories about a multitude of things.

End of Interview:

Check out Allie’s reviews at Allie’s Opinions.