Why do writers love reviews?

It’s even more personal than wanting to know what our story meant to you. It’s all wrapped in that part of ourselves that got into our story in the first place.

In a convoluted way, this is what we want to know: What did you think of what we gave of ourselves?*

A discerning reviewer

We’d keep our writing to ourselves if we didn’t want to know. It would all be in secret diary form, or with instructions to be burned upon death, or written and erased the instant after.

Not that some of our writing isn’t destined for such gloomy fates.

Regardless, I do think that writing happens when we stop talking about writing. All the “I’m going to” and “I need to” are just ways to buy time. Sometimes, even our own creativity frightens us, because it feels that powerful.

Writing happens when we forget about the “I” in the back of our heads and just let it flow. And yet at that moment (however fleeting or endless), we’re never more ourselves.

And that’s what we want to give to you.

I received this review recently. A high school friend had bought both of my children’s books for his daughter.

He posted a picture on Facebook of his daughter looking gleefully happy with my books in her hands, with this caption:

“New favorites. I mentioned that ‘I went to school with the lady that wrote these books,’ and now she insists that I read the ‘About The Author’ pages at the end as well.”

Wow. New favorites.

That’s a secret, hardly-spoken hope right there. And I never would have even guessed at this had he not told me about it.

So if you read something that moved you, and you have a chance to review it, please do! It means more than you may realize.

Since I’m here, and speaking of books… 🙂

What’s at the End of Your Nose? offsets the frequent “I’m bored!” cry with presenting another look at the world around us, discovering adventure and magic right in front of our noses. Starring Sidney Snail, this book also doubles as a coloring book.

Dr. Guinea Pig George really does think he’s a doctor–and it’s a good thing he does, for he follows his own little nose through a perilous adventure! In full color.

All copyright 2016 Becky Benishek

*Disclaimer: I am not, of course, speaking for all writers everywhere. #NotAllWriters