Recently, one of the many groups I follow asked all of its members to join a review group for the summer. The goal was to review each others books, because it’s so difficult to get book reviews. For every review you received you owed a review. All you had to do was list your name, the title of the book, and where you’d like it reviewed.

The message explained that writers wanted reviews as much or more than anything else. More than reader connection, contest wins, best-selling status, and sales growth. The intent was altruistic, but I decided against the offer.

I’m asked to review books all the time. So much, in fact, that it can erode my goals.

I review on Amazon and Goodreads every book I complete reading. My goal is 38-40 books per year. I’m ahead of my goal. I also have in mind the books I want to read for that list. Realistically, I understand that a book can cross my path that I never expected to capture my attention, and I may let it cut in line.

But the books on my to-be-read list are: mystery, suspense, and/or on my local book club list. And when it comes to the latter, if the books are nonfiction or romance, I’m less likely to read that assigned reading. I like my reading to compliment or contribute to the furthering of my own writing skills.

It’s not that I don’t respect other genres, it’s just that they do not capture my interest. I’m one of those who’s never read Harry Potter, and I understand people who do not read my books. Much of my family have not read my books because they do not read mystery. I can name only four people in all of my extended family who has read some of my books.

Some may argue that I ought to broaden my horizons by incorporating other genres into my work. Occasionally I do, but I relish sticking to my genre. Not only do I adore the genre, but I seek to learn with each word how to improve myself.

So when someone declines a review of your book, or you never hear from them once you’ve given them that free book, they probably don’t read your type of work or didn’t like the writing. Don’t think ill of them. You chose to put the book in their hands. Learn from this. Only give away review copies to those who read your type of story and believe in reviews. To force feed a book onto anyone who doesn’t fall into both these categories is to only disappoint yourself.