tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7653289895722362588.post4610573182460642078..comments2023-03-24T15:05:18.471-04:00Comments on Epertase: Reacting to Negative ReviewsEpertasehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11201264771630506520noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7653289895722362588.post-47633903666157165012012-01-21T21:52:05.591-05:002012-01-21T21:52:05.591-05:00It's gratifying to have your input, Doug. Than...It's gratifying to have your input, Doug. Thanks!Momma Beehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02503538950732048064noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7653289895722362588.post-41064304334696124172012-01-21T20:13:08.688-05:002012-01-21T20:13:08.688-05:00That is a perfectly legitimate review. The worse t...That is a perfectly legitimate review. The worse thing an author can do is reply to negative reviews. I would be horrified if a single person who knew me tried to defend me like what you say happened to you. Most of the time, the first few reviews that are 5 stars come from the author's family and friends. As a reader, your review is 100% right because it is your feelings on the book. In saying that, I will also say that when someone criticizes an author's book (especially if it is their first book) it is very personal to that author. It is like calling their kid ugly. It may be true but... The author is allowed to be upset, but when they act out, or someone else does on their behalf, then it is unprofessional. I wouldn't let it get you down. I recently heard that George Lucas had considered 3 more Star Wars movies but decided against it after so many bad reviews of his last three. If bad reviews bother him, you can imagine what it does to someone like the author you wrote this review for. Again, I felt your review was professional and legitimate.Epertasehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11201264771630506520noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7653289895722362588.post-67971373046958908052012-01-21T19:33:05.509-05:002012-01-21T19:33:05.509-05:00I'm not an author, but a rabid reader and revi...I'm not an author, but a rabid reader and reviewer. A friend asked me to review a self-published Kindle book written by HER friend, no one I knew. I did. Mine was the 4th review (all the other were 5 stars) and I gave it 2 stars. I was being generous.<br /><br />The commentary on Amazon quickly became ad hominem and hyperbolic. I was attacked - by people I don't know - for being selfish, evil, cruel to puppies and having a lousy sex life. For not knowing how to write, and not knowing how to read.<br /><br />Hardly any of those is true. Here's the permalink to my review, which, you may find, was not mean-spirited at all: http://www.amazon.com/review/RCOJ7ZM6115G/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm<br /><br />If I were the author I would beg my friends not to attack a reviewer this way. Please let me know if you believe that, as a reviewer, I stepped somewhere out of bounds.Momma Beehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02503538950732048064noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7653289895722362588.post-52191938793629525462011-11-15T11:17:56.023-05:002011-11-15T11:17:56.023-05:00I don't read my reviews. Not anymore. It's...I don't read my reviews. Not anymore. It's too hard to stay positive, and I have to be positive to draft.amberargylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05058327741777322247noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7653289895722362588.post-89433386228315343402011-11-10T10:40:50.441-05:002011-11-10T10:40:50.441-05:00Good post, Doug. I read less and less stuff about ...Good post, Doug. I read less and less stuff about my work these days. I simply do not go looking for it. I'll happily read the nice stuff people send to my inbox praising my work. I like those emails.<br /><br />The truth is, we've done our part putting our work out there. Reviews are for readers, not the writer. If it's for the writer, the review is not truly a review, but a critique that the person should have taken up personally with the author instead of posting it publicly.Michelle D. Argylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09696465137285587646noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7653289895722362588.post-90822851531070339802011-11-09T12:08:02.978-05:002011-11-09T12:08:02.978-05:00Hi Doug,
What an interesting post and a great topi...Hi Doug,<br />What an interesting post and a great topic for sharing. Here are my thoughts.<br />I'm a bit like you in that I'm quite happy to read reviews of my book. Initially I read them hoping to find some good ones, as probably every new author does. Who doesn't want to read people saying nice things about your book and your writing? Now when I read them, its more to see what different people's reactions were, good or bad.<br />I understand why people would recommend you not to read reviews at all, but I think you'd miss some interesting stuff if you never read one. I think it is important to find out how readers are reacting - after all, to be read and to give pleasure to readers is why we write... isn't it? Plus, writing should evolve, and if readers can give writers pointers in how to improve, shouldn't writers take notice? I don't say we should instantly change something if one person doesn't like it, but people's honest opinions can be good food for thought.<br />I think, in some ways, I may have had a head start in this 'reacting to reviews' thing because I was well aware right from the start that not everyone was going to like my work. After all, we're all individuals and we like and dislike lots of different things. So getting the odd bad (or at least, not good) review is simply inevitable. It's life. If you're going to offer a book to the general public, you have to expect and accept some negative responses.Personally, I would say that if you're the kind of person who can't handle someone not liking your work, you shouldn't publish your writing. Keep it private.<br /><br />I’ve been very fortunate in that, so far, I’ve not come across what I’d term a ‘bad’ review. They haven’t all been five star, by any means, but I haven’t read one that has slated my book, or my writing style. It might be out there, of course, just waiting for me to find it, but so far I’ve been pleasantly surprised. If I did ever find one, I’m sure I’d be disappointed and even a touch upset, especially if it was one of those nasty ‘let’s pull this author apart’ reviews. But I think I’m strong enough to dismiss such things as unimportant. Having faith in your work is what an author needs, and to remember that other people, such as the publisher and the readers who did enjoy it, have also shown that faith. Learn, move on, grow more rhino skin!Cas Peacehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06191292674072265635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7653289895722362588.post-28267757975665890022011-11-07T23:23:30.367-05:002011-11-07T23:23:30.367-05:00At first, I'm probably more sad than anything,...At first, I'm probably more sad than anything, sometimes angry. But no matter how strong the emtional response I usually manage to get over it pretty quickly. I do seem to get more positive and/or helpful responses than negative ones, but I'm not 'out there' out there yet so I don't have that great of exposure or response.<br /><br />As far as negative remarks I've received, I'd probably narrow it down to three. The French Canadian guy who just complained about everything in the stories he read (and while he did add that I had a very atomspheric style, the compliment seemed hollow by that point). Some woman said the way I worded things was so annoying that she couldn't stand to finsih the story. She always had negative things to say about anyone's stories and even prided herself on it, so I probably got off easy. The third was from someone who had liked another story of mine, so I let her critique something I thought she might like even more. Wrong. She had nothing positive to say about the story, but the worst thing was that the story was in two genres she didn't care for. One of which was harlequin romance. Me? Write that? You've got to be kidding.<br /><br />Also that sure was a harsh comment you received. I don't agree at all.<br /><br />~Rachel~wanderingshadowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08115340543124904189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7653289895722362588.post-27710574938081831352011-11-07T19:07:55.586-05:002011-11-07T19:07:55.586-05:00Great advice. I haven't had a full out bad rev...Great advice. I haven't had a full out bad review but I have received a few criticisms mixed in with the good. Sometimes I agree and sometimes I just wonder ... but I let it go and keep writing the next book.Susan Gourleyhttp://www.susangourley.comnoreply@blogger.com