Hater-Head
**Disclaimer: This blog post is in no way an opportunity to bitch and moan about poor reviews. This is not an attempt to slander any other author. This is a statement of facts, and my perspective. I leave it to you the competent reader to decide what you will do next.**
Something More was intended to be a fun light read; a one-sitting, leave-you-feeling-warm-inside read. The only thing it ever was, was a novella. I had no idea it would be as popular as it has been, but I am grateful beyond words for it. On this crazy roller coaster I’ve had some intoxicating highs and not-wanting-to-leave-the-bed lows. Who knew numbers affected my emotions so strongly. I didn’t. There’s been a mix of reviews on this story, which surprised me. To those who felt let down I want you to know I’ve read your concerns and am using that constructive criticism to grow in my writing. I guess not every hit of the game will be a home run. I’m all for taking my medicine. I want to know what doesn’t work. There is a right and a wrong way to do it, respectfully. Please respect the fact that I take my writing very seriously. It is an art that I pour my soul into. I’ve never given less than 100% of myself to any project that I am working on, even the blog posts that I write.
That being said.
There are a few reviews out there that are out right mean and hurtful. The intention of said reviews was to evoke a reaction. One review in particular on Amazon and Goodreads insulted not only my work, my editor and myself personally. Upon looking at the reviewers profile, I noticed her blog. After clicking on her blog I found she was an author, too. She. Was. An. Author. Too. I also found my book wasn’t the only book she gave a 1 star review to with similar insults. I want to work in a community where we lift each other up and support one another. This left a bad taste in my mouth. I also, realized that her review doesn’t matter. I actually feel sorry for her, she’ll never be satisfied because her standards are unrealistically high and apparently a level, she herself doesn’t have to reach.
I said all of that to say this.
If you are fed up, as I am, with reviewers who’s sole purpose is to hurt the author, do something.
1. Report the review.
2. When the website asks if this review was helpful, click no.
3. Put up your own rate and review. You don’t have to deeply review it, you could just say if you liked it, loved it, or whatever. It really does make someones day when you tell them you think they did a good job.
4. Do not feed the animals. Don’t engage with the reviewer. It’s not worth it, and like any other bully they live for the rise that they get out of you.
5. Tell your friends about the book. Word of mouth is one of the best review tool out there.
Finally, I really didn’t write this post to be a baby and cry about a bad review. I can take it if someone didn’t like my book. It’s OK. I just ask for the respect that I deserve.
I feel like I am exactly where I’m meant to be, and that gives me peace.
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So you're going to punish people for critiquing your story? So you got a bad review, it happens to all writers, it's the only way you learn and grow. It's not a personal attack. When you put your work out into the public domain, you have to be prepared for the criticism.
No I'm not saying that, I'm saying there is a polite way to be honest about a book. That is the way I treat others and I thought it was "you get what you give." I said above I'm taking my medicine, I don't have a problem when someone says it was hard to follow, or missing something. I take offense when there is malice to the review. I am a human with feelings. And I lay it on the line with my writing, so I do take it personally. I never want to be so calloused that I didn't take to heart things that were said about me or to me. if that's behaving badly then so be it. You don't have to like me,not everyone will, but I haven't done anything beside say the way it made me feel. You can't say things and then say "Don't be so sensitive." I spent many hours on that work. to discredit me like that. It's insulting. And this is getting blown way out of proportion. It seems I'm not the only one overly sensitive about it.
What you say above seems to sound more like you didn't like one particularly bad review against your writing and editing in your story. That wasn't a personal insult against you. That was a remark on the quality of the work through one reviewer's interpretation, who happened to write in a snarky fashion. There are plenty of reviewers who write like that, I do it all the time. I'd rather have someone's honest interpretation of their work rather than live in a world where we have to 'be nice' to one another in case someone gets offended. That is the only way you learn and grow as a writer. I write, I love writing and I'm proud of my work and spend lots of time on it, but I'd be pretty delusional to think that everyone is going to like my stories, nor should anyone have to be made to use kid gloves when critiquing them just because I work many hours on them. So does every other writer. The work being reviewed isn't about you personally, it's about the work itself.And just because the woman who wrote the review is a writer shouldn't mean she should be obligated to like your work or understand your point of view or your feelings towards criticism. All writers are judged and just because they get a bad review shouldn't mean every other writer has to come to their defence. If she didn't like the work, she simply didn't like it and wrote her review with a bit of humour and sarcasm. Not the first reviewer to do that.
humor? Fun. Sarcasm? We dated got married and stare longingly into each other's eyes as Taylor Swift serenades us. (Meaning I love it and use it a lot) Tearing someone down to get that laugh? Not OK with me. I'm not the only person who feels this way. Other authors, bloggers and readers do too. Hatereviews was a concern of mine before it ever happened to me. I was just the naive person who thought that by saying something when it happened about it would make a difference. If you'll notice, this post was written days after the review went up. I decided to write it after the comments saying people were stupid for liking my book, and the comparison of it to 50 shades of gray and cussing at people for defending the book happened.And by the way there is no comparison.
A. 50 shades is erotica, this is Young Adult/New Adult
2. 50 shades is based on another book/movie. . . (I'll let that one sink in)
and finally, my book is not a NYTimes Bestseller. Well, yet anyway, :) <= my own attempt at humor.
The point is: Those types of reviews spawn comments full of negative and malice statements.
I wrote that post for my readers, and anyone else who felt like I did. And YEAH I KNOW I put it out there. But I did it because it needed to be said. I didn't realize that the honesty rules were different for authors. Sorry that I decided to believe in myself and my work, and in turn, stand up for myself, when I felt my work was attacked. I don't care that she didn't like it, that is not my issue, my issue is the insulting manner, the delivery method.
Sadly, I have a feeling we are just going to have to agree to disagree, because it's never going to be OK with me to get a laugh at someone else's expense. But I hold no ill will toward you for commenting or anyone else for that matter who disagrees with me on this. I'll keep my mouth shut next time. And this comment is the last that I'm saying about this matter.
Good luck with your writing. It's an amazing feeling to be able to do something you love.
-Mia
I feel we may have to agree to disagree. I hold no ill will towards you, either. Thanks for the feedback and good luck with the future and your work. And it really is amazing to do something you love and create something.
Hello Mia. Yes, criticism is never fun is it? But it's hardly anything you should get worked up over and misinterpret so drastically. You do realize that every single book ever written in history receives harsh criticism? I'm sure J.K Rowling has received more than a few insults directed towards her books and her writing and her mother and so on, but I hardly see her having a strop about it.
Also, where on earth are the reviews whose 'sole purpose' is to hurt the author? That doesn't exist on Goodreads. That might exist on the author's twitter page where some troll will insult them at random using poorly constructed grammar and spelling, but not here. Just because a review is harsh and criticizes the book and the author, it doesn't mean it is a direct attack against the author. In fact, hey, they're just expressing an opinion and being honest. Isn't that what you're doing with this post? You said so yourself.
Yes, you're just showing your opinion. So the reviewers don't get to do the same? And you want your fanbase to report negative reviews? Uhm, have you ever noticed how this isn't a George Orwell dystopia, but the real world where freedom of speech will hopefully still be an existing right? Apparently their opinion is only valid to you if it doesn't hurt your feelings. Well, sadly an online community of billions doesn't work that way, my dear. But it's just something you're gonna have to suck up and accept that yes, your work is going to get negative feedback. And let me promise you this, there is no such thing as 'kind' negative feedback. I can't tell you how many 'respectful negative reviews' that tried to be as 'respectful' as possible still received attacks, even by people who were close to the author of whom the book was reviewed. People can't nicely criticize something without pointing out several flaws, and no one is happy about finding flaws. You can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs, right? But you can't expect everyone in the world to be nice to you just because you worked hard on a book.
I understand how difficult writing a book is. And I know it sucks to have your work ripped apart. But you can either have a fit over it and get upset, or you can suck it up and maybe learn something from it. If you read negative reviews with a more open mind, you'll find you can find a lot of constructive criticism that might help. But of course that wont happen if you just interpret a bad review as being pushed over in the playground by a horde of bullies. Come on.
There really is no need for this reaction from you, especially considering you are an author. You will find many respected authors will find this kind of attitude that you and many other authors share absolutely ridiculous. If you don't believe me, feel free to read up on Holly Black's comments on this matter on her LiveJournal. Of course at the end of the day you can always just ignore negative reviews and focus on the people who love your work. That's always going to make you feel better, so why seek out the things that just piss you off when you have a fanbase? All this getting upset and demanding censorship of reviews that are 'mean' is childish.
hello mia,i have not read your book, and do not know to what review your are referring to.
my issue here is you basically banning others opinion and supporting censorship.
Just as much as you expecting to be given the freedom to write how and what you like they have the same right.
by publishing and putting your work out there, you give everybody the right to critique you.
You encouraging your readers to ban a review, is just as bad as someone being disrespectful. Or perhaps even worse.
I do get that you feel hurt by negative reviews, I find it always hard to have my work critiqued (i am a designer so its a really different field still same process) so all i can advise you, ignore the general reviews. Let your publisher read them and give you a brief feed back. The publisher wont take it personal and will give you the most important pointers you need to further your work
If there are really disrespectful people attacking your work, the PR person of your publisher should deal with them.
Frankly i thought that was how it was dealt with on a professional level.
Besides that I do think that ARCs are a good way of getting feed back which again I am sure your publisher should have dealt with
if your publisher has not done ANY of the above..honestly fire them, they aren't doing their job and due to that you were hurt.
As i see it the issue is not us readers but the fact that your backup is not doing what they supposed to be doing. Leaving you to react in a totally unprofessional way - i get why you did this still it is unprofessional and doesnt help your cause
Last you have to bear in mind that everybody has a different taste. while tons of people did like Twilight I found the writing appalling and couldnt read past page 50..same with Nabokov, who is by all means a total genius, I just dont like the way he writes. NO matter how clever the story is or what anybody else says. And if I were to review either author, they wouldnt be positive despite their huge public successes.
Reading is a very personal experience and in the end totally subjective and up to the individuals taste.
Its not a personal thing against the author more a personal thing about the book...
good luck with your future works and i hope you will take this up with your publisher.
Mahala wrote: "I can see clunky, sloppy writing, bad to nonexistent editing, amateurish formatting mistakes. You want respect? Write a better book"
*Slow clap*
I will be the one to disagree, I guess. This reply by the author is thoughtful and respectful. You can disagree or agree, whichever, but you don't earn the right to browbeat her about it because you once may have read a book she wrote!She didn't shame the reviewer, push a point down anyone's throat or overreact. Just as she has been told to get over herself I suggest reviewers do the same.
