On the Subject of Negative Reviews

As a freelance writer, I am constantly putting myself “out there.” I am wide open to criticism each and every time I publish an article or blog post. It’s part of the job, something I’ve learned to deal with. 

The first few times I spied a negative comment on an article, I was taken aback. What?! They didn’t completely agree with? They don’t see my point of view? How could they say that?

Fortunately my better angels kept me from reacting long enough to give the matter some serious consideration. If you can’t take the heat, you should get out of the kitchen. In the world of article writing, comments are a good thing – even negative ones. They stir discussion and that means more people are reading your work.

What about negative reviews on a book though? A book, after all is an author’s baby, precious and dear to him. Can I react to those negative reviews the same way I do to comments on articles? Recently, I had the chance to find out. 

My first eBook, “Destiny Steps In,” a collection of short stories I described as having a dark twist published in June. I did some heavy promoting, gleaning a handful of positive reviews and a few sales. When the hubbub died down, I stopped logging in daily to check for new reviews and sales, preferring to get on with writing and letting destiny step in and it did.

Don't let the anguish get you

 

Earlier this week, I checked in to see how the book was faring and discovered a negative review! The book had been getting such praise that I was stunned by it at first. I read it. Then I read it again. Then I shared it with some friends who assured me the writer of said review was a Cretan from a distant galaxy and therefore incapable of comprehending the intricacies of my book.

I stewed on the review all day. Each time I read it, though, I grew calmer. As I write this blog post, I am actually smiling. That negative review was just what I needed in so many ways.

1.  I recognized immediately that everyone has the right to their opinion and to express it. This reviewer did so rather eloquently. 
2.  The review was rather professionally done. It contained no personal attacks but simply stated the reasons why the book wasn’t his or her cup of tea. 
3.  A negative review lends credibility to the review process. A book with only glowing reviews, particularly in its debut days, looks a bit suspicious, to me anyway. Friends and family often rally around a new author to lend their support and you can never be too sure if the positive reviews are legitimate. 
4. Taking #3 into account, this means that someone other than friends and family read my book! Good news no matter how you look at it. 
5.  The reviewer challenged my twists as being predictable in every story. This is definitely something I will give further consideration to as I proceed with my writing. It may or may not shape how I write but it is a point worth considering.

So from where I am standing, a negative review or at least this negative review doesn’t have to be a negative thing. I’ve chosen to take the good from it I can and move on. The option is quit writing and the voices in my head won’t stand for that.

About Book Reviews

As a writer, I am always interested in feedback on my work. Naturally, I want to hear glorious reaves about my prose but a well-made point about a character flaw or plot inconsistency is really appreciated, too –as long as it’s done tastefully!

Reviews can let a writer, like me, know what readers do and don’t like about their work. It can spur us on with a current writing project or make us change direction. The problem is we don’t get very many.

Think about all the products you buy in a week, a month, a year even. How often do you run to your computer and sit down to write a glowing review of the new dish soap you tried, the handy new kitchen tool you bought or the last boo you read? As a rule, the average person doesn’t have time to write reviews on everything he buys. If he did, he’s have no time to wash the dishes, putter in the kitchen or read that book.

Conversely, when we go to buy something these days, we very often turn to websites seeking review information on the item we want to buy. This seems prudent when reviewing new cars or refrigerators, doesn’t it? More and more though, we as consumers look for reviews on movies, CD’s and books before we plunk down our hard earned cash. In some parts of the country anew paperback book costs as much as some people make in wages for an hour, so why wouldn’t they be judicious about how they spend their money?

It’s true that there are thousands of book-reviewing websites in cyberspace where an author can try to have his book reviewed. The trouble is many of those sites come with strings attached. Some charge for reviews. Many are dedicated to one genre or another. Some only work with established authors. Some require that you already have reviews on book at other sites before they will even discuss doing a review on their site. And even if they do feature a book, what guarantee does the author have that his audience will see it? Virtually none because the competition is so steep.

So what is an author to do?

Places like Amazon and GoodReads allow readers to have profiles (you can supply just basic information to set one up) where they can leave reviews for books they’ve read. You can rate books on a scale of 1 to 5 stars and leave comments on Amazon while GoodReads allows you to leave comments and tell your friends about the books you’ve read.

The process takes only a few moments to set up and leaving a review can be as easy as just clicking the number of stars you think a book is worth or leaving a detailed review. It’s really up to you, the reader. I can tell you that we authors read every one – at least this one does. It is your way to communicate with the writer as well as the rest of the book-buying public.

Next time you read a book you absolutely love – or hate – will you leave a review?