What makes a good book recommendation?

The key to a good book recommendation is why you personally recommend and love this book. This connects with readers and gets them more interested in you and your book. 

This is not a review.

This is not a description.

The more personal, the more powerful. While still being focused on a mood, topic, or theme that unites those 5 book picks. 

Your recommendation should explain why you love the book, why you recommend it, and what value you got from it. It should have a lot of "I" statements in most cases. 

By sharing something personal, you will connect with readers and give them something of immense value. And your personal recommendation will drive more interest in you and your book. 

• Why are you personally recommending this book?
• Why did you personally love this book? 
• What did this book teach you? 
• What did this book make you feel or overcome?

It might be something that it taught you. It might be something it helped you overcome. You might love the writing, the complexity of the main character, or the illustrations. It might be that it reminds you of a special time in your life. It might remind you of curling up next to your daughter and watching her eyes widen in excitement as you read her the book. 

We don't want authors to explain what The Lord Of The Rings is about (that is what the marketing description is for); we need you to tell readers why you love it and what it means to you. Readers come to our website to find personal human recommendations. Of course, you can weave in what the book is about, but the core of this is why you personally recommend/love this book. 

What is this based on? Data!

This is based on something called the Gestalt method from Gestalt psychology (with my own twist). The idea is to share your own experiences rather than give advice or opinions. It is powerful when done correctly. And it shows readers your passion, voice, and expertise, which leads to sales of your book. 

We've done a ton of testing with readers, and this format really entices readers. Just try a book list and see for yourself :)