I am working on an essay tracing it and realized that I started reviewing books in 2001 (Yes! I am old) for a small library next to my house. Needless to add, my payment was in the books. The library owner also happened to be the first person who taught me how to write a book review and what to focus on. And that is where I learned why reviews matter.
Cut to 2016 when my book review was taught in a Literary Criticism class held by British Library. A relative happened to attend that class and the news spread like wildfire in the family. That is the moment when my family knew this much more than just a hobby.
Till then they only saw the free copies coming home. I wasn't the first one to read in my family. But I was the first one to take my reading (and then writing, of course!) seriously enough to consider a career in it.
Till then for my family reading was a hobby, something that was considered better than watching television or any other hobby.
When my review was published in a newspaper for the first time, they realised how this hobby-turned-career was taking off.
Since then my reviews have found beautiful homes all around the world.
Newspapers, magazines, and ezines. The form might have changed. What remains unchanged is the joy each book, review, and publication still brings to me!