Cynthia Sax's Blog, page 191
January 24, 2016
Dealing With Negative Or 1 Star Reviews
I was yapping with the always awesome Felicity Kates about dealing with negative or 1 star reviews. She mentioned that I should share this information with others so here goes…
You’ve edited your book to be the best it can be. Beta readers love it. YOU love it. The quality is there. You’re confident that it is a solid story. You send it out into the world.
You get some great reviews. Then you receive a negative review.
Hopefully.
Negative reviews on a quality story often mean your story is selling well or it does something different or it is reaching a new-to-you readership. This isn’t a bad thing. This is a GOOD thing.
It still hurts. We want every reader to love our stories. But that isn’t possible. Some readers will love our stories and some readers will hate our stories. This disagreement creates buzz and that is how many bestsellers happen. Reviewers, bloggers, critics discuss our stories, prompting more people to read them. No one discusses a story everyone loves. We do need those lovers but we need the haters also (note: Don’t look for haters. They will find you).
Trolls
Some of these haters will be, what many writers call, trolls. They haven’t read your book. Their reviews are (usually) easily identified.
They tend to be something like this
“This book was boring. I couldn’t force myself to finish it. The characters were too stupid to live. I wanted to strangle them. Save your money and don’t buy this book.”
They’ll be verified purchases so they’ll look legit but they (likely) aren’t. How can we determine that they aren’t? There’s no mention of character names or significant plot points. With Releasing Rage, there’s one scene that is mentioned in almost all legitimate 1 star reviews (you know the scene). Trolls never mention it.
But-but-but they are verified purchases. Trolls know the significance of those two words. If the troll is paid to leave a bad review (which, unfortunately, happens quite often), the person purchasing the review usually covers both the reviewer’s fee AND the cost of the book.
(Writers are contacted about these ‘services’ so we all pretty much know how it works.)
The interesting thing is… Amazon usually promotes stories with XX (and this XX seems to continually move) reviews more heavily than stories with fewer reviews. 1 star reviews count toward this number. The trolls are helping you promote your story.
And, as any book reviewer will attest, 1 star reviews also sell books. I was a reviewer for a huge site years ago and I had a readership that would buy EVERY story I didn’t like. They didn’t even read the review. They looked at the 1 star rating and made a purchase.
There are some ‘negative’ reviews that sell truckloads of books. Hearing that an erotic romance has too much sex or is too dark or too taboo will encourage some readers to buy the story.
Sales Killing Reviews
There are some reviews that are sales killers however. The biggest one for any romance author is “This story doesn’t have a happy ending.” or “The hero/heroine dies at the end.” or “The characters don’t end up together.”, any twist on “This isn’t a romance.”
When I first started out, I received this type of review quite often from trolls (many of these reviews magically disappeared when Amazon banned writers from reviewing their perceived competition’s stories). This is why I usually include “(My story title) IS a romance and has the expected romance ending.” in the From The Author section.
Notice how I don’t address the reviewer or the review directly.
What To Do When You Receive A Negative Review
When you receive a negative review, do NOT address the review. Do NOT contact the reviewer. Do NOT talk smack about the review. Do NOT send your readers or street team after this reviewer. Do NOT ask people to vote down the review.
Why? Because a) it is unprofessional and it makes you look like a doufus and b) it ends the discussion about your story. You WANT this discussion to continue. What I usually see is, after a 1 star review is posted, a 5 star review immediately follows. This occurs naturally. There’s no need to prompt it. It simply happens.
What can you do?
Some writers don’t read reviews. Ever. Or they have friends filter the reviews and send them the positive reviews only. They find reading negative reviews sucks their creativity and there’s nothing they can do about the reader’s concerns. The story is published. The writer/editors/publisher is happy with it. They aren’t going to make any changes to it.
I read reviews after my fresh writing for the day is done.
There are five main types of negative reviews
1) I intentionally did something different in my story and the reader didn’t like it. – This is an expected review whenever I do something different (which, ideally, should be always).
2) I unintentionally did something different in my story and the reader didn’t like it. – This might be something I change in future stories. For example: When I first started writing romance, I didn’t necessarily have the hero say he loved the heroine. He might have thought it. He might have showed it. He didn’t say it. Many readers need the hero to say the words. I included these three words in future stories and that made these readers happy.
3) The reader doesn’t like my style/niche/genre. – Congratulations to the reader for trying something different and congratulations to me for being that something different. I’m bringing something fresh to the publishing world.
4) The reader doesn’t like the story or the characters. – Every story, every character I write is unique. A reader won’t like them all. If she does, it is an indication I’m not writing fresh stories. This review tells me I AM writing fresh stories.
5) The reviewer is a troll and hasn’t even read my story. – These reviews are ignored.
The Games We Play
When you’ve been in this business for a while, you start to anticipate the negative reviews. I knew some readers would have an issue with that one scene in Releasing Rage. I knew a reviewer would call it ‘porn.’ I have a list of key words trolls use.
A writing buddy plays Bad Review Bingo. She puts the key words from anticipated bad reviews on a bingo card. Every time, a reviewer uses one of these words, she marks the card. When the card is completed, she treats herself to a reward.
I have bets with my dear wonderful hubby about what type of bad review will be first or next. I find anticipating these bad reviews make them hurt less. Your strategy might be different. Figure out how to deal with it.
Because we WILL receive negative reviews (we’ll also receive hate mail and I tend to receive a death threat every once in a while but those are entirely different posts).
Negative reviews are part of this business, a necessary, healthy part. Accept that they will happen. Learn how to deal with them without losing your mind or your love for writing.
***
Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Crash And Burn
Crash was manufactured to be one of the best warriors in the universe. The cyborg has spent many human lifespans fighting the enemy. But, unlike his battle-loving brethren, he doesn’t enjoy killing. When he escapes the Humanoid Alliance, he vows to never end another life.
Then he meets Safyre, an infuriating human female, and he considers breaking his vow.
Safyre will do anything to save her friend, the being she loves like a sister. She’ll ravish a huge hunky cyborg, kiss his best friend, and invoke scorching hot desires the male never realized he could feel. Dark soulful eyes, a quick wit, and a tempestuous passion won’t divert her from her mission.
Love, and a planet-destroying weapon, however, might stop her permanently.
Pre-order Now:
On Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Crash-Burn-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B019EBKIF2
On Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Crash-Burn-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook-x/dp/B019EBKIF2/
On ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-crashandburn-1950244-147.html
On B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/crash-and-burn-cynthia-sax/1123141101
On Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-ca/ebook/crash-and-burn-13
January 23, 2016
The Riot Club And Diverse Secondary Characters
Your main characters, your hero(es) and/or heroine(s), are unique and special, one of a kind creations. They dance and sing on the page, are fascinating beings you’d love to watch simply drink coffee.
Your secondary characters are…well…secondary. They’re faded backdrops to your main characters. They all act, look, speak similarly.
But who cares, right? They’re secondary characters.
Your readers care. I receive more messages and email from readers about my secondary characters than my main characters. Readers want a certain secondary character’s story to be next. They care about them.
And if you need a vivid example of why creating diverse secondary characters is important, watch The Riot Club. The Riot Club is a movie about an elite club at Oxford. The members come from wealth. They’re all male. They all look and act similarly. They are so similar; a secondary character remarks that he can’t tell them apart.
They are CONSCIOUSLY the same. Old members vote in new members who could be their clones. Diversity is bad. That’s the social commentary in The Riot Club.
This sameness makes the movie as confusing as hell. Of course, every member of The Riot Club is different on the inside but, because they’re so similar on the outside, I spent most of the movie not knowing which character was which. It was distracting, annoying, frustrating, and it drew my attention away from the story.
This is what your readers experience if you don’t make your secondary characters unique. This isn’t merely physical uniqueness (though that is nice too… and necessary for realism if your characters are living in today’s world). I write cyborgs. Many of these manufactured males come from the same batch. They’re very similar physically but they have different personalities. They have different ways of speaking. They use different words and actions.
Yes, secondary characters shouldn’t overshadow the main characters. If they do, reduce their time on the page. But they should be interesting and different.
***
Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Crash And Burn
Crash was manufactured to be one of the best warriors in the universe. The cyborg has spent many human lifespans fighting the enemy. But, unlike his battle-loving brethren, he doesn’t enjoy killing. When he escapes the Humanoid Alliance, he vows to never end another life.
Then he meets Safyre, an infuriating human female, and he considers breaking his vow.
Safyre will do anything to save her friend, the being she loves like a sister. She’ll ravish a huge hunky cyborg, kiss his best friend, and invoke scorching hot desires the male never realized he could feel. Dark soulful eyes, a quick wit, and a tempestuous passion won’t divert her from her mission.
Love, and a planet-destroying weapon, however, might stop her permanently.
Pre-order Now:
On Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Crash-Burn-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B019EBKIF2
On Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Crash-Burn-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook-x/dp/B019EBKIF2/
On ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-crashandburn-1950244-147.html
On B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/crash-and-burn-cynthia-sax/1123141101
On Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-ca/ebook/crash-and-burn-13
A Little Chaos And Strong Heroines
I watched A Little Chaos last night, a film about a female landscape artist who wins the honor of designing a part of Versailles (Kate Winslet stars in it. Alan Rickman both directed and appears in it). I loved it. I don’t understand why I haven’t heard more about this movie.
Or maybe I do.
Because the lead character is female. She’s strong, stocky, wildly intelligent and super independent. There’s a love story. Yes. But her hero makes her even stronger. She’s a brilliant engineer and a savvy leader. Strong men choose to follow her.
I suspect that makes (mostly male) critics and award voters uncomfortable. Thank goodness I write romance. Romance readers EXPECT strong heroines. They EXPECT love interests to make these heroines stronger. They EXPECT heroines to find their own solutions and not wait for someone else to save them.
They expect a heroine like Sabine De Barra, Kate Winslet’s character. Sabine has a gripping back story (she’s a widow and is dealing with her grief, something all of us have struggled with). She has numerous goals and an unique view on the world. She isn’t perfect, far from it, yet she’s sympathetic (The director, Alan Rickman, sets this up beautifully with showing Sabine’s friendship with another woman right at the beginning. This woman clearly loves Sabine and that makes me love her also.).
She’s a character I could happily write a series about.
Aside: One of my favorite parts of the movies is when the ladies at court are talking about the deaths they’ve experienced. I found it interesting that Sabine doesn’t cry yet I felt the emotion even more strongly than if she did break down. It reminded me that I don’t need tears to convey a character’s sorrow.
Another note: There is debate about whether or not Sabine is a real historical character. That there is even a discussion around this tells me the film is historically accurate enough to make me happy. It COULD have happened.
***
Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Crash And Burn
Crash was manufactured to be one of the best warriors in the universe. The cyborg has spent many human lifespans fighting the enemy. But, unlike his battle-loving brethren, he doesn’t enjoy killing. When he escapes the Humanoid Alliance, he vows to never end another life.
Then he meets Safyre, an infuriating human female, and he considers breaking his vow.
Safyre will do anything to save her friend, the being she loves like a sister. She’ll ravish a huge hunky cyborg, kiss his best friend, and invoke scorching hot desires the male never realized he could feel. Dark soulful eyes, a quick wit, and a tempestuous passion won’t divert her from her mission.
Love, and a planet-destroying weapon, however, might stop her permanently.
Pre-order Now:
On Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Crash-Burn-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B019EBKIF2
On Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Crash-Burn-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook-x/dp/B019EBKIF2/
On ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-crashandburn-1950244-147.html
On B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/crash-and-burn-cynthia-sax/1123141101
On Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-ca/ebook/crash-and-burn-13
January 21, 2016
For The First Time – USA Today Bestseller
Woot! For The First Time hit the USA Today Bestseller List!
Thank you to Skye Warren for all of her hard work on this boxed set. She ROCKS!
20 never before (and perhaps never again) released sexy short stories from some of the hottest writing folks in Romanceland plus 1 story from me (grins)
My story is Testing Driving The Billionaire.
Here is the blurb;
Drift Dornan, my billionaire boss, has a need for speed and sports the tattoos to prove it. He spends every spare moment at the track, with me in his passenger seat, driving speeds that make my heart pound and my fingers curl. My crazy sexy boss likes his cars fast and his women even faster.
I desperately want him to take me for a spin. But there’s a bump in that road. I’m a virgin, lacking the experience required to give him the erotic thrills he’s accustomed to.
Will he slow down enough to let me catch him?
Buy Now:
Kindle: http://amzn.to/1Pl0ICL
Nook: http://bit.ly/1mQ7vK7
iBooks: http://apple.co/1NSBCqt
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1VZrf9C
Google Play: http://bit.ly/1OnvTcs
Releasing Rage – A- Review On Dear Author
Woot! Releasing Rage received an A- review on Dear Author!
Here’s a snippet…
“Dear Cynthia Sax:
First, let me be very clear:
You write erotic romance like a boss.
No lie.”
***
Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Half Man. Half Machine. All Hers.
Rage, the Humanoid Alliance’s most primitive cyborg, has two goals—kill all of the humans on his battle station and escape to the Homeland. The warrior has seen the darkness in others and in himself. He believes that’s all he’s been programmed to experience.
Until he meets Joan.
Joan, the battle station’s first female engineer, has one goal—survive long enough to help the big sexy cyborg plotting to kill her. Rage might not trust her but he wants her. She sees the passion in his eyes, the caring in his battle-worn hands, the gruff emotion in his voice.
When Joan survives the unthinkable, Rage’s priorities are tested. Is there enough room in this cyborg’s heart for both love and revenge?
Buy Now:
On Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Releasing-Rage-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B00ZOL1DRO
On ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-releasingrage-1850041-340.html
On B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/releasing-rage-cynthia-sax/1122455646
Cyborg Romances
Veronica Scott has an awesome post on cyborg romances today!
Releasing Rage is mentioned.
“The series is billed as a “Dark SF Erotic Romance” and the author herself warns readers on Amazon that if they’re sensitive to violence of any sort, to please read one of her lighter romances instead. But in the end the story is all about the cyborg and the woman he comes to love. I just finished reading Breathing Vapor and I’m eagerly anticipating Crash and Burn in February 2016.”
http://amazingstoriesmag.com/2016/01/cyborg-romance-is-here/
Also mentioned are fabulous stories by Melisse Aires, Cara Bristol, Eve Langlais, Donna McDonald, and M.L. Adams!
***
Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Half Man. Half Machine. All Hers.
Rage, the Humanoid Alliance’s most primitive cyborg, has two goals—kill all of the humans on his battle station and escape to the Homeland. The warrior has seen the darkness in others and in himself. He believes that’s all he’s been programmed to experience.
Until he meets Joan.
Joan, the battle station’s first female engineer, has one goal—survive long enough to help the big sexy cyborg plotting to kill her. Rage might not trust her but he wants her. She sees the passion in his eyes, the caring in his battle-worn hands, the gruff emotion in his voice.
When Joan survives the unthinkable, Rage’s priorities are tested. Is there enough room in this cyborg’s heart for both love and revenge?
Buy Now:
On Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Releasing-Rage-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B00ZOL1DRO
On ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-releasingrage-1850041-340.html
On B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/releasing-rage-cynthia-sax/1122455646
January 20, 2016
CES For The SciFi Lover
There was plenty of things at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) to make any SciFi romance lover happy.
Of course, Star Wars was well represented.
BB-8 was the star.
I tried to get BB-8 with this background but the droid was moving too quickly for a clean photo.
Switching from droids to drones, drones have been at the CES for over a decade. This year, for the first time, drones had their own section.
One of the star drones was this massive beast. It can carry a person. Yes, it is like a personal helicopter.
SyFy Labs was there this year, promoting SciFi shows like The Expanse.
***
Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Crash And Burn
Crash was manufactured to be one of the best warriors in the universe. The cyborg has spent many human lifespans fighting the enemy. But, unlike his battle-loving brethren, he doesn’t enjoy killing. When he escapes the Humanoid Alliance, he vows to never end another life.
Then he meets Safyre, an infuriating human female, and he considers breaking his vow.
Safyre will do anything to save her friend, the being she loves like a sister. She’ll ravish a huge hunky cyborg, kiss his best friend, and invoke scorching hot desires the male never realized he could feel. Dark soulful eyes, a quick wit, and a tempestuous passion won’t divert her from her mission.
Love, and a planet-destroying weapon, however, might stop her permanently.
Pre-order Now:
On Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Crash-Burn-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B019EBKIF2
On Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Crash-Burn-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook-x/dp/B019EBKIF2/
On ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-crashandburn-1950244-147.html
On B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/crash-and-burn-cynthia-sax/1123141101
On Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-ca/ebook/crash-and-burn-13
January 19, 2016
NASA at CES 2016
I was SUPER excited to see that NASA was at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). This was their first time at the show and they brought all the tech a space junkie could want to see.
There were mini rovers, a Mars simulator, and plenty of people to answer questions.
Robonaut 2 made an appearance. He is still legless, our poor humanoid robot. Robonaut 2 was designed to test the feasibility of robots taking on the more mundane tasks in space. He’s been to the International Space Station where astronauts tested his capabilities.
And there were humans at the booth, including Astronaut Dr. Don Thomas, who was signing autographs (folks were sneaking in questions also).
***
Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Crash And Burn
Crash was manufactured to be one of the best warriors in the universe. The cyborg has spent many human lifespans fighting the enemy. But, unlike his battle-loving brethren, he doesn’t enjoy killing. When he escapes the Humanoid Alliance, he vows to never end another life.
Then he meets Safyre, an infuriating human female, and he considers breaking his vow.
Safyre will do anything to save her friend, the being she loves like a sister. She’ll ravish a huge hunky cyborg, kiss his best friend, and invoke scorching hot desires the male never realized he could feel. Dark soulful eyes, a quick wit, and a tempestuous passion won’t divert her from her mission.
Love, and a planet-destroying weapon, however, might stop her permanently.
Pre-order Now:
On Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Crash-Burn-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B019EBKIF2
On Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Crash-Burn-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook-x/dp/B019EBKIF2/
On ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-crashandburn-1950244-147.html
On B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/crash-and-burn-cynthia-sax/1123141101
On Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-ca/ebook/crash-and-burn-13
Releasing Rage Named One Of The Best Stories Of 2015
Woot!
2Shay at It’s About The Book has named Releasing Rage one of the best books of 2015!
http://itsaboutthebook.com/2016/01/18/2shays-best-of-15/
“Cynthia Sax has a beautiful story with a lot of underlying social commentary. A treat in every way.”
***
Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Half Man. Half Machine. All Hers.
Rage, the Humanoid Alliance’s most primitive cyborg, has two goals—kill all of the humans on his battle station and escape to the Homeland. The warrior has seen the darkness in others and in himself. He believes that’s all he’s been programmed to experience.
Until he meets Joan.
Joan, the battle station’s first female engineer, has one goal—survive long enough to help the big sexy cyborg plotting to kill her. Rage might not trust her but he wants her. She sees the passion in his eyes, the caring in his battle-worn hands, the gruff emotion in his voice.
When Joan survives the unthinkable, Rage’s priorities are tested. Is there enough room in this cyborg’s heart for both love and revenge?
Buy Now:
On Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Releasing-Rage-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B00ZOL1DRO
On ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-releasingrage-1850041-340.html
On B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/releasing-rage-cynthia-sax/1122455646
Newsletter Shout Out
Renee Rose posted an awesome article on writer newsletters and she gave my newsletter a shout out! Woot!
http://writesexright.com/2016/01/16/getting-max-author-newsletter/
IMHO… a newsletter is not only a writer’s best way of promoting (we completely control it) but it also is expected by reading buddies. Reading buddies asked me to send a newsletter. I love it! I offer my newsletter subscribers exclusive, never-published-anywhere-else stories like Being Green, a cyborg short.
***
Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Crash And Burn
Crash was manufactured to be one of the best warriors in the universe. The cyborg has spent many human lifespans fighting the enemy. But, unlike his battle-loving brethren, he doesn’t enjoy killing. When he escapes the Humanoid Alliance, he vows to never end another life.
Then he meets Safyre, an infuriating human female, and he considers breaking his vow.
Safyre will do anything to save her friend, the being she loves like a sister. She’ll ravish a huge hunky cyborg, kiss his best friend, and invoke scorching hot desires the male never realized he could feel. Dark soulful eyes, a quick wit, and a tempestuous passion won’t divert her from her mission.
Love, and a planet-destroying weapon, however, might stop her permanently.
Pre-order Now:
On Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Crash-Burn-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B019EBKIF2
On Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Crash-Burn-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook-x/dp/B019EBKIF2/
On ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-crashandburn-1950244-147.html
On B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/crash-and-burn-cynthia-sax/1123141101
On Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-ca/ebook/crash-and-burn-13
