Andrea J. Johnson - Craft Killer Fiction - ajthenovelist

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How to Leave an Amazon Book Review–Even if You Didn’t Buy Your Book There!

Contrary to popular belief, you CAN leave a rating or review for a book even if you didn’t purchase it on Amazon. This means if you supported a local bookstore or received a signed copy from the writer during a promotional event, you can still help the author by championing their work with a positive review.

Why Are Ratings and Reviews Helpful to Authors?

In today’s fast-paced world where reading a book can be a significant commitment, audiences often verify whether it is worth spending their time and money by checking the ratings or reviews. Therefore, the comments made about a book could help or hinder its success. While many users may make these remarks in an off-hand manner, it is crucial for the writer to also have some articulate and well-reasoned reviews/ratings because they can help build word of mouth and, ultimately, sales.

Rating v. Review: Which One is Better?

First, let’s talk about the difference between the two terms. A rating is quick assessment of the book’s value and worth based on one’s personal criteria. Amazon’s system allows customers to rate a book from one to five stars with, of course, five stars being a stellar read.

A review is the reader’s opinion about the book. This can include their thoughts about its plot, characters, point of view, setting, or even price. In fact, some reviews take into consideration things like shipping or whether the book is damaged. However, as an author, I would kindly ask that the review remain focused on whether you enjoyed the book and were captivated by the content because that’s our goal: to entertain you! Most authors don’t have control over production or distribution.

With that in mind, should you leave a rating or a review? I say, “LEAVE BOTH!” This helps the author immensely and clearly justifies why you feel the way you do about the book. Plus, the more ratings and reviews a book gains, the more relevant it appears to Amazon’s algorithm. This means the book will be suggested to more people, providing more exposure to your favorite author. In other words, you get your voice heard about the book you love, and the author gains the opportunity for a larger audience. WIN, WIN!

How to Leave an Amazon Book Review–Even if You Didn’t Buy Your Book There!

Step 1: Log into your Amazon account.

Step 2: Determine if you’re eligible to provide reviews. Amazon requires anyone who leaves a review to have spent at least $50 on Amazon in the last 12 months using a valid credit or debit card.

Step 3: Find the book you want to rate/review. Remember, Amazon allows users to search by title, author, or ISBN. These tools will help you find the correct title.

Step 4: Locate the review section: Scroll down the product page until you find the “Customer Reviews” section. The review must be 20 words or more and should tell other readers what you enjoyed about the book and why they should buy it. Consider providing specific examples of what the book did well and how certain elements immersed you into its world. Work to be as concrete as possible. This is also the point where you could add your star rating or attach a picture/video. And of course, if you received a free copy of the book, feel free to mention this in your comments.

Step 5: Copy your review or take a screenshot so that you can immediately upload those thoughts to other sites like Goodreads or Bookbub, which don’t require purchase either! Remember, positive reviews help the author’s sales, so this is a quick and easy way to support.

Step 6: Click to submit your review. The text will need to go through a review process, so don’t be surprised if the material isn’t immediately uploaded. Amazon will notify you by email when the submission has been approved and gone live on their site.

It’s that simple!

Do you like cozy courtroom mysteries with a little legal thrill?

I have a series like that called the Victoria Justice Mysteries! Click HERE to learn more.

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Everything You Need to Know About Editors

Everything You Need to Know About Editors

Revision and editing are a major part of the writing life, so it is important to be well-versed in plot structure, mechanics, and formatting to help your work shine. However, the time may come when you want to hire an editor to assist. A good editor can give you a competitive edge during the submission process by making your work appear more professional. But if you’re going to hire someone, you must know what to look for. After all, writing and editing are two different animals. We write with abandon, but we edit with intent.

So, obviously, you want someone who is certified and meticulous, but with so many people calling themselves editors, how do you know where to start?

What is Editing?

To make that decision, you must first define, “What is editing?” Editing is the process of reviewing or revising content so that it is clear and accurate. However, editing, like most things in life, is on a spectrum where developmental editing bleeds into copyediting which bleeds into proofreading.

But the truth of the matter is, there’s a big difference between each. If you need someone to help you revise big picture issues such as characterization and content, select a developmental editor. If you simply want someone to look at logic and mechanics, choose a copyeditor. Or if you need someone to do a light pass for typos prior to submission or publication, hire a proofreader. That’s the simple version, but I’m sure you want more, so here’s the quick breakdown:

Developmental Editors

A developmental editor looks at four major aspects of your work: structure, voice, content, and clarity.

  • Structure is the plotting and overall organization of the work.
  • Voice speaks collectively to the tone, point of view, and style of writing.
  • Content is what’s included, what needs to be added, and what needs to be taken away.
  • Clarity is cohesiveness. Does the story make sense?

The developmental editor works directly with you on revising the manuscript. In short, they help writers shape and guide their work to its perfect state, so they can be pricey. And that’s fine. You should get what you pay for here. A full developmental edit should include a coaching call about your manuscript describing what changes need to be made, or it could consist of an editorial assessment—basically, a letter suggesting where to include revisions and how to best implement the changes that have been outlined.

This is why many people call developmental editors—content editors or substantive editors—so you may hear those terms when you are looking for a developmental editor.

Copyeditors

Meanwhile, copyeditors are a different animal. Copyeditors are not developmental editors. They simply look at mechanics and logic and that’s it. Copyediting is traditionally defined as the act of preparing text, or the copy, for the typesetter, so don’t be fooled by copyeditors who say the can do several types of editing in one big session. One process comes before the other. So if you’re looking at editors, think of each type as separate steps: developmental editing then copyediting.

These days, typesetters have been replaced by computers, but that doesn’t change the copyeditor’s job because they get the manuscript ready for the next step in the publishing chain. Thus, they look at grammar, syntax, diction, punctuation, capitalization. If you’re using Word, they’ll make the updates in track changes and provide you the edits, a clean copy, and a style sheet, which is simply a document that they create to record of all the style issues or tiny details that need to be kept consistent throughout the manuscript.

Proofreaders

Finally, we have a proofreader. Now, proofreaders weren’t originally considered editors in the way that we think of the term today. Their original role was to simply to compare the proof to the copyedited manuscript, looking for anything that didn’t reflect the copyeditor’s marks (i.e., corrections). At the same time, the proofreader would look for typos and misspellings that slipped by the copyeditor.

In the early days of publishing, changes at the proofreading stage were minimal because it often cost an immense amount of money and time for even the tiniest change due to the need to alter the entire setting of the page. (Remember, this back when the typesetting for a book was aligned using metal on a press).

Now that we’ve entered the Electronic Age, the role of proofreader is often lumped into copyediting, which is why you may hear the terms used interchangeably. So in today’s market, if you come across someone calling themselves a proofreader, make sure to have them outline what their services include upfront because traditionally the role would simply look for typos.

So, Let’s Recap

  • If you need a big picture revision, select a developmental editor.
  • If you help with mechanics and grammatical line edits, hire a copyeditor.
  • And if you simply have typos, seek a proofreader.

A great resource to find editors is the EFA, the Editorial Freelancers Association. You can also visit The Creative Penn for a descriptive list of fiction-focused editors.

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Upcoming Speaking Event – Fall 2025

Surrey International Conference Speaker Appearance 2025 - Andrea Johnson
Andrea Johnson will be speaking at the 33rd annual Surrey International Conference!

Super proud to share my (second!) invite to the 33rd annual Surrey International Writer’s Conference this fall—October 22 through October 26, 2025. I’ll be attending in person and have been given the pleasure of speaking four times throughout the event: a three-hour masterclass, two solo seminars, and a panel. However, VIRTUAL attendance is available. Yes, it’s early, but interested participants should register now to get the best rate!

Review the registration options HERE: https://www.siwc.ca/registration/

My sessions will cover the following, and they will all be filmed for virtual attendees:

• 10/23 – How to Craft a Cozy Mystery in Three Easy Steps (Masterclass)

• 10/24 – Understanding Unreliable Narrators in Fiction: When to Use Them & How to Get Started (Seminar)

• 10/24- Planting Seeds: Making Your Resolution Make Sense Without Giving It Away (Panel)

• 10/25 – Chase Scenes: 5 Steps to a Pulse-Pounding Pursuit (Seminar)

PLUS, there are five FULL days of workshops and seminars with 52 other speakers in attendance from agents to writers. Join me or comment the word “INFO” for more information!

Can’t make the conference? Pick up copies of my books, which cover these topics and much more!

How to Craft a Killer Cozy Mystery: https://books2read.com/craftkillercozy

Mastering the Art of Suspense: https://books2read.com/MasteringSuspense

How to Craft Killer Dialogue: https://books2read.com/KillerDialogue

Review: Sarra Cannon’s Self-Publishing Course – Publish & Thrive

Curious about self-publishing and want to find a class that will teach you everything you need to know? Publish &Thrive just might be the perfect fit. In fact, the next online session starts NOW and is open for enrollment through noon Eastern on January 31, 2026. You can register via the Heart Breathings site at Teachable. BUT is it worth the money?

The short answer is “yes.” I took the course back in March 2021 and found it enlightening even as an author who wasn’t immediately interested in self-publishing. WHY? Well, aside from the indie focus, the course does a phenomenal job of getting authors to think about their long-term writing goals and how to identify (and successfully market to) their ideal reader.

BUT, I am sure you want more details, so let me tell you a little bit about the class so you can decide whether it’s right for you.

What Is Publish & Thrive?

Publish & Thrive is a six-week online course designed to educate writers about self-publishing and provide the tools needed to create a sustainable career as an independent author. The program was created by Sarra Cannon, bestselling author of The Shadow Demons Saga and six other long-running series. Sarra began self-publishing in 2010 and has earned over a million dollars in profit with her writing.

Even though Sarra considers herself a YA author, the course is open to writers of all genres, including non-fiction and creative non-fiction.

What Do I Get with the Program?

The course contains six modules, each of which contains about five to six hours of video for the week. Every module is broken into smaller units as outlined on the class website. Publish & Thrive costs around five hundred dollars, which can be paid in full or over six or twelve month installments.

Clearly, the cost could be considered one of the top drawbacks, but I would argue that students gain a ton of valuable content for the price.

Plus, once students have enrolled they can move through the modules at their own pace—enrollment includes LIFETIME access to the information as well as any updates Sarra makes to the course as the industry changes. Each module contains videos (with captioning and accessibility transcripts) broken down by topic so that everything is at your fingertips.

It is also important to note that at the start of each new session Sarra opens the enrollment period with a two-hour LIVE kick-off call to welcome students to the program and acclimate them to the material. There are all also additional live calls, every Saturday from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern, aligned with the first six weeks of the program so that students can ask questions about the material delivered in each module. And of course, all the live streams are archived so that students unable to attend can view the information at their leisure.

A detailed description of the course can be found on Sarra’s Heart Breathings site, but here is a brief overview of that syllabus:

  • Module 1: Foundations for Success – this module covers the topics necessary to start your self-publishing path such as the proper author mindset, establishing a genre, deciding series versus standalone, pen names, and more.
  • Module 2: Publishing Your Novels – this section introduces the technical aspects of publishing such as metadata, keyword strategies, ISBNs, formatting books, audiobook options, and includes real-time walkthroughs so students can see how to upload their work to vendors such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
  • Module 3: The Business of Writing – this unit outlines the business aspects of publishing such as taxes, budgets, tracking sales, and protecting your work through copyright.
  • Module 4: Intro to Indie Marketing – this module outlines the tools needed to attract readers and develop your author platform through topics such as website creation, effective newsletter strategies, book pricing, and the rapid release method.
  • Module 5: Marketing Tools and Strategies – this section marks the heart of the promotional strategies you’ll implement from identifying your ideal reader to creating an audience funnel to utilizing Patreon and Kickstarter.
  • Module 6: Thriving as an Author – the final unit unlocks the heart of what it means to sustainably succeed as an independent author by outlining ways to handle criticism, manage your time and energy, stay consistent, develop goals, and build your instincts.

The course also includes several bonus resources that accompany the main content:

  • Access to a Facebook group where you can interact with Sarra and other authors on their self-publishing journey (as well as an option to interact on Discord)
  • A goalsetting workbook titled, “Your Ideal Writing Life”
  • A quick reference guide containing hyperlinks to all of the resources mentioned throughout the course
  • A workbook containing a summary of each module as well as sample worksheets and spreadsheets of any concepts mentioned during the discussion
  • Access to the Q&A archive from earlier sessions of the course
  • Mastermind videos on special topics like social media marketing and utilizing Amazon’s A+ Content Tool

Sarra is also constantly updating the course and has recently recorded each module as a PRIVATE PODCAST for those who are unable to sit at a laptop and watch the videos. This added convenience and attention to detail help give this course an edge over its counterparts.

As you can see, despite containing only six modules, the course is massive. Thus, the second big pitfall may be that the course is extremely dense. Don’t be surprised if it takes several hours to get through one subtopic within a single section.

This wasn’t a big deal when I took the course because much of the country was still in lockdown due to the COVID pandemic. However, you may want to plan ahead to ensure that you have enough free time and a strategy of getting through the material in a timely fashion—whether that’s committing to listening an hour a day or devoting a weekend to each module. Nothing is worse than buying a course that you never finish.

Obviously, the best approach is to take concrete action steps toward your self-publishing goals as you finish each unit. Luckily, Sarra makes this easy by breaking most of the videos into chunks of 20 minutes or less.

Another smart approach to get the most out of this course is to attend the live weekly Q&A session even if you aren’t able to finish the module for the week because you’ll be inspired by your classmates’ goals/aspirations and gain an opportunity to question Sarra about the bumps/triumphs along her self-publishing journey.

Is There Anything This Course Doesn’t Cover?

Do not enter this class expecting tutorials on A.I. marketing or heavily monetized publicity strategies like Facebook Ads or pay-per-click ad campaigns such as those available through Bookbub or Amazon Marketing Services. Sarra notes that these are not part of her personal strategies, so she doesn’t feel comfortable teaching them. Therefore, if those lessons are your goal, I highly recommend seeking out other instructors such as Maria Secoy’s All Write Well Community on Skool.

You should also avoid this course if you’re looking for tips on obtaining an agent or advice on traditional publishing. The class does not include any information on query letters, submission tactics, or publishing houses. While some of her audience marketing strategies may apply to both realms, it is important to emphasize that this is a class focused on writers who want to self-publish their own work and forge an entrepreneurial path.

Lastly, even though Sarra’s course is open to all writers, including children’s authors, she does not include walkthroughs of how to format picture books or non-fiction books with extensive tables, indexes, or references. Be aware that you may need additional resources to complete those elements.

Is Publish & Thrive Worth It?

Absolutely!

Will you become a million dollar bestselling indie author overnight with this course? Probably not. After all, we’re each responsible for the level of action we choose to take. However, this course definitely provides the tools and the roadmap needed to get you where you’d like to go—and is well worth the cost. How far you push things is up to you.

But don’t worry! What makes this course so great is that Sarra is with you every step of the way. As an instructor, she is incredibly generous with her time and provides thorough answers to questions posed on the class site. And as noted earlier in this post, class enrollment includes weekly Q&A’s as well as access to a Facebook community where you can connect (or commiserate) with other authors and potentially find accountability or critique partners.

In short, Publish & Thrive is an invaluable resource for any author interested in self-publishing, and I highly recommend checking out all of Sarra’s courses: Your Path Forward, Manifest Your Best Life, and HB90 Bootcamp. Or better yet, read my review of HB90, which is her writer productivity and goalsetting system.

What are your thoughts about Publish & Thrive? Do you have questions about my experience? Comment below.

I’m Teaching at ITW’s Online Thriller School

Join me and the International Thriller Writers for a learning opportunity of a lifetime. And –spoiler alert — I’ve been asked to teach! What an honor!😊💕😍

Unlock the secrets of thriller writing with ITW’s Online Thriller School, launching September 10, 2024. Gain insights into pacing, dialogue, character development, setting, plot twists, and more from bestselling authors and industry professionals who are masters at keeping readers on the edge of their seats.

Sessions include one-on-one classes with Sara DiVello, K.J. Howe, Steven James, Andrea J. Johnson (me!), Angie Kim, Mary Kubica, Jean Kwok, Tosca Lee, and Nina Sadowsky. Each instructor will teach an aspect of craft during a LIVE Zoom session ending with a Q&A. Sessions are recorded for easy access and if you’re unable to attend the live class or simply want to rewatch.

Classes will be held Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2pm to 3:30pm Eastern.

PLUS, this program includes weekly spotlight interviews with Lisa Gardner, Heather Graham, Charlaine Harris, Gregg Hurwitz, and Jerri Williams as well as a bonus business panel discussion with Jeneva Rose, Karen Dionne, and Wanda Morris, moderated by ITW’s Operations Director Sam Octavius.

Whether you’re a seasoned author looking to refine your skills or a newcomer eager to embark on your writing journey, the Online Thriller School is a wonderful way to unleash your potential and ensure that you have the tools needed to succeed.

Attendance is limited. So for information about the schedule or to register for the 7-week online program (13 sessions overall), click HERE or leave a message below.

Program summary courtesy of thrillerwriters.org — join today!

Speaking (& Writing) EVENTS for 2024!

The second quarter of 2024 has opened the door to several opportunities. Mark your calendar so we can meet in person.

Women’s Fiction Writers Association – “How to Craft Killer Dialogue” – Wednesday, May 15, 4:00 p.m. PT / 7:00 p.m. ET – The registration link for this online dialogue workshop will be announced soon.

ThrillerFest XIX – CraftFest – “The Power of Setting” – Wednesday, May 29, 8:30 a.m. ET – CraftFest is a live writers’ conference containing two full days of seminars on everything from brainstorming, drafting, and marketing a novel to practical knowledge sessions about firearms and forensics. My session will discuss the role setting plays in developing a compelling mystery. For registration and more information, click here to enter the CraftFest website.

International Thriller Writers – 11th Annual Online Thriller School – “How to Craft Killer Dialogue” – This is a ten-week program, which begins September 10, 2024, and runs through November 12th. The focus is on the craft of thriller writing and each instructor will teach an aspect of craft during a live Zoom session. The school will provide printable materials for further reading along with study suggestions (when applicable) and offer live Q&A. Classes will take place every Tuesday from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Eastern during the ten-week run. My session will take place, Tuesday, September 24, and will cover “How to Craft Killer Dialogue for Thrillers.” For registration information, click here to visit the ITW Online Thriller School. Or if you’d simply like to get some information on dialogue TODAY, order my dialogue book.

Lastly, my new critical essay “The Accessibility of Cozies: How Playing Fair Has Helped Cozies Endure” will be included in the upcoming anthology “Writing the Cozy Mystery: Authors’ Perspectives on Their Craft.” The volume will be release late Fall 2024. Please check back here, join my mailing list, or visit my Instagram for the preorder link, which I will post as soon as it is available. In the meantime, please enjoy a preview of the cover.

Leave a comment or like this post to let me know if you love it as much as I do!