THIRD POST IN THREE WEEKS ABOUT REVIEWS.
I always comment about the lack of reader reviews for my books, but for the third week running I've had a review and they were all for different books. I was very pleased with the 4-star review for Soca Nights. The 1-star review for Naughty Professor was undeserved I thought, but as I said in a previous post: 'a bad review can be a good thing'. Naughty Professor has been selling much better since that bad review because readers love a bit of sleaze.
Bedtime Erotica for Freaks (like me) received its fourth consecutive 5-star review this week, but the reviewer then decided to delete it because I inadvertently pissed him off afterwards. The reviewer had sent me an email saying that he had enjoyed the book and I asked him to leave a review. I get dozens of similar emails for readers who buy my books, visit my website or read my stories on Literotica. I have never made the request before, but this reader was one of the few people who 'got' the concept of the book - straight sex, no fancy frills.
He wrote an excellent review, so I wasn't thrilled when it was removed, but it was good to be reminded that I had promised myself to never actively seek endorsement from readers or fellow writers. When I first published my books I had the opportunity to have bestselling authors write reviews of my books for an agreed sum. I declined. Lots of writers exchange reviews, but I have never engaged in that kind of activity because if I read another writer's work and didn't like it I would hate to have to lie in a review and similarly, I would hate to make a fellow writer lie in a review of my book. I could have also had dozens of friends and family write 5-star reviews, but I would never stoop that low!
Reviews are good at giving potential readers different perspectives of a book, but don't guarantee sales. Personally, I don't take any review to heart because I don't need anyone to point out what my strengths and weaknesses are as a writer; I've done enough creative writing courses and read enough literary works to be able to critique my own writing. I choose to write in a style that is uniquely mine, readers either love it or they don't.
Hopefully this be my last post on reviews. But let's see what next week brings.
Bedtime Erotica for Freaks (like me) received its fourth consecutive 5-star review this week, but the reviewer then decided to delete it because I inadvertently pissed him off afterwards. The reviewer had sent me an email saying that he had enjoyed the book and I asked him to leave a review. I get dozens of similar emails for readers who buy my books, visit my website or read my stories on Literotica. I have never made the request before, but this reader was one of the few people who 'got' the concept of the book - straight sex, no fancy frills.
He wrote an excellent review, so I wasn't thrilled when it was removed, but it was good to be reminded that I had promised myself to never actively seek endorsement from readers or fellow writers. When I first published my books I had the opportunity to have bestselling authors write reviews of my books for an agreed sum. I declined. Lots of writers exchange reviews, but I have never engaged in that kind of activity because if I read another writer's work and didn't like it I would hate to have to lie in a review and similarly, I would hate to make a fellow writer lie in a review of my book. I could have also had dozens of friends and family write 5-star reviews, but I would never stoop that low!
Reviews are good at giving potential readers different perspectives of a book, but don't guarantee sales. Personally, I don't take any review to heart because I don't need anyone to point out what my strengths and weaknesses are as a writer; I've done enough creative writing courses and read enough literary works to be able to critique my own writing. I choose to write in a style that is uniquely mine, readers either love it or they don't.
Hopefully this be my last post on reviews. But let's see what next week brings.
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