Authors: Do you leave only positive reviews? > Likes and Comments

Mostly, but I did recently leave a 2-star review because of the incorrect content and tone of a particular book.

I leave honest reviews whether they be 1 star or 5. I once left a 1 star review for an ARC I'd received in a GoodReads giveaway. I felt a bit bad about that but had to be honest.

Nope. Everyone has a right to their opinion but it still kinda made me mad, sad, depressed, gave up on writing for a while haha

Robert wrote: "Five-star reviews were designed for products, not books which should be classified as average 3-star, good 4-star, or exceptional 5-star. 1 and 2 stars are for defective products or false claims. W..."

Robert, I respectfully disagree. Honest reviews are rarely about the person issuing the review. They are readers like you and I who just want to get ahold of a good book.

First, I will "not" leave a one-star or two-star review. If I've promised to review someone's book, I must be honest or my opinion is worthless. But harshness and rudeness are never necessary to express the book's disappointment.

One of the things I do for books that aren't well-written is I will document what's wrong, where I found errors, and list what things that are not plausible. I will only do this documentation if errors are prevalent and consistent. In other words, if there are a lot of errors or implausibilities, I will document. I document so the author can find where the mistakes occurred, and for proof that the errors are real and not something I made up.

I will then type a narrative about why I couldn't write the review or post it on the web. I will then attach a document listing the many things wrong with the book to an email to the author.

In our age of electronics, everyone who writes an ebook can retrieve it and fix it.

I think it's only fair, especially for new writers, to tell them what's wrong and give them the opportunity to fix their book. If they don't, I've done my job of informing them.

This is no reflection on me. I don't have a personal stake in someone else's manuscript, except to "help" and not "harm."

But as a writer who had a rough beginning like most of us, it is downright disrespectful not to be honest and not to, at least, inform the writer what went wrong with their book.

Give people a chance to learn and repair the damage.

We have enough editors and literary agents out there who will "not" tell you specifically what's wrong with your book. All they will say is "thanks, but no thanks," and you're left to figure it out for yourself.

Honesty is a virtue that "helps" others. Honesty is worthless if you're unkind.

So, be honest, but thread your honesty with kindness. Leave it up to the writer to decide whether to take your advice or not.

One or two-star reviews without a documented reason only provoke sadness and hopelessness. A one and two-star review that carries with it an explanation provides a bright light for those diligently trying to perfect their work.

I get it that people don't usually have that kind of time to document the reasons why a book doesn't work. But not doing so only leaves the same feeling as a rejection letter. You know no more going out than coming in.

From one writer to another ...

Donna B. Comeaux
https://rb.gy/b7fwne

The main issue here is whether you give feedback that is helpful or harsh, and what drives you to do so.

I have noticed some reviews that are very rude, attacking someone’s work without mercy, while the same reviewer tries to market their own work, as if they want to eliminate any rivals!

The purpose of the review also matters, is it written to show off one’s writing talent, to support the author, or for some other motive.

I believe it is fair to share reviews and be honest when necessary and when it is warranted, but I often encounter a lot of reviews that are just nitpicking and not really beneficial for either the prospective readers or the author.

I would like to leave reviews but here in UK on Amazon, you can only leave a review if you spend £40 during the year. As I don't spend that much I can't leave a review. However, no I wouldn't leave just a positive review, but i would choose my words carefully if leaving a negative review. The point would be to help them improve, not to make them give up.

Good morning. I write Christian suspense. I'm under contract for a 5-part series (The Home Team Series), with the first two books in print, on Kindle and in or on the way to audio books. The third book is at the publisher's office and another in the laptop, simmering. I look forward to following this group and perhaps learning from your experience as I move forward with my own efforts.

Polly wrote: "Good morning, everyone. I'm Polly and I'm a dog book author. I am looking for readers and reviewers for my latest book about Australian shepherds. I would love to receive comments and reviews about..."

Happy to help, if I can.

Donna wrote: "Robert wrote: "Five-star reviews were designed for products, not books which should be classified as average 3-star, good 4-star, or exceptional 5-star. 1 and 2 stars are for defective products or ..."

Great comment and sensitivity. I once went almost 10 years without writing because of some of that insensitivity that you mentioned. I'm back at it with a Christian suspense series, but even being under contract for that, I enter into the effort knowing that I won't be able to please everyone. Thank God I have great editors at the publishing house.