Reviews - What are they?
I recently read a review for one of my older books and found it kind of funny. The reader gave it a bad review because they didn't know it was a period piece when they bought it. They didn't read it because it was a period piece, yet they felt compelled to leave a bad review. They couldn't have purchased the book on Amazon, at ARe or the publisher's website without knowing it was a historical, by the way.
Another person for the same book gave it a one star, because it didn't seem believable that a sex club could have existed in Regency England. I assure you, they did, as well as whore houses, molly houses for gay men and, oh, yes, debauched sex was practiced with amazing regularity. In reading the reviewers other reviews, I dismissed this one out of hand because they give bad reviews for everything. If something's too short, no matter the story, they give it a poor rating, too long, "unbelievable," you name it.
I've had reviews that were low because the reader thought that the story should have been longer or the ending should have been different, or they expected the story to be different or, or, or... Please judge it on the story you read and not the one you wrote in your head.
When I review a book, I review the book as it's presented - length, plot, story, characters. I would never presume to tell the author how they should have written the book, it is their story.
I wonder if the aforementioned reader reads paranormal and if they think vampires exist in modern day London or if werewolves do. What about space ships? Aliens? Elves and fairies? I never said the Sapphire Club was a real place. I wasn't recounting events from historical facts.
An author creates a story and a reader reads THAT story. Projecting what the reader thinks a story should be as opposed to what it is, then grading the author on that projection, is completely wrong. Sorry readers, I love you all, but we writers work very hard to create stories that will entertain. If that doesn't happen, I understand the reviews that say such.
Authors work very hard at a very lonely pursuit. Please grade my work on the work itself and not what you want it to be, what you think it should be, or on your own mistakes in purchasing it.
The length of a story is what I intended, be it novel length, a short story or something in between. The period is the period in which I chose to tell the story. The elements of the story are what I wrote. Judging it on any other criteria is like judging American Idol contestants on the clothes they wear instead of their singing voice or on the fact they didn't sing the song the judge wanted them to sing.
Reviews are opinions and everyone has one. I read voraciously and review a good bit, though I have to say that my reviews are usually "Oh, wow, I loved it," or nothing at all, because I know what it takes to write a story and I won't diss a fellow author.
A reviewer shouldn't revel in giving bad reviews. Bitchy, mean-spirited reviews mean nothing because they are meant to humiliate the author. Very bad form. I've read some really ugly reviews and read tweets about the book and it was disgusting how much joy the reviewer took in tearing the book and the author apart.One author told me that they were catatonic for a week after a particularly vicious review.
No reason to do such things. You didn't like it? No. Fine. Tearing an author's guts out doesn't make you a a good reviewer. Nor does it make your infrequent good reviews more meaningful. All it is is evil, vicious, and mean, for no other reason other than your own entertainment. Brava, you can make an author weep. Ain't your mama proud.
For me, to really be affected by a review, it has to be thoughtfully done and resonate with me as far as quality of the writing, good or bad. If they are bitchy, I dismiss them. If they assume something that I didn't intend or if they are generally geared to the reviewers preferences and not to the book itself, it's difficult to take them seriously. If however, they are thoughtfully done, don't merely rehash the story, but assess the story on the merits, I'm in, listening, taking heed, whether it's a bad or a good review.
We can't please everyone all the time and it's unreasonable to think we can. However, when we connect with readers, that's the best feeling in the world.
Till next time,Luv,Brita
Another person for the same book gave it a one star, because it didn't seem believable that a sex club could have existed in Regency England. I assure you, they did, as well as whore houses, molly houses for gay men and, oh, yes, debauched sex was practiced with amazing regularity. In reading the reviewers other reviews, I dismissed this one out of hand because they give bad reviews for everything. If something's too short, no matter the story, they give it a poor rating, too long, "unbelievable," you name it.
I've had reviews that were low because the reader thought that the story should have been longer or the ending should have been different, or they expected the story to be different or, or, or... Please judge it on the story you read and not the one you wrote in your head.
When I review a book, I review the book as it's presented - length, plot, story, characters. I would never presume to tell the author how they should have written the book, it is their story.
I wonder if the aforementioned reader reads paranormal and if they think vampires exist in modern day London or if werewolves do. What about space ships? Aliens? Elves and fairies? I never said the Sapphire Club was a real place. I wasn't recounting events from historical facts.
An author creates a story and a reader reads THAT story. Projecting what the reader thinks a story should be as opposed to what it is, then grading the author on that projection, is completely wrong. Sorry readers, I love you all, but we writers work very hard to create stories that will entertain. If that doesn't happen, I understand the reviews that say such.
Authors work very hard at a very lonely pursuit. Please grade my work on the work itself and not what you want it to be, what you think it should be, or on your own mistakes in purchasing it.
The length of a story is what I intended, be it novel length, a short story or something in between. The period is the period in which I chose to tell the story. The elements of the story are what I wrote. Judging it on any other criteria is like judging American Idol contestants on the clothes they wear instead of their singing voice or on the fact they didn't sing the song the judge wanted them to sing.
Reviews are opinions and everyone has one. I read voraciously and review a good bit, though I have to say that my reviews are usually "Oh, wow, I loved it," or nothing at all, because I know what it takes to write a story and I won't diss a fellow author.
A reviewer shouldn't revel in giving bad reviews. Bitchy, mean-spirited reviews mean nothing because they are meant to humiliate the author. Very bad form. I've read some really ugly reviews and read tweets about the book and it was disgusting how much joy the reviewer took in tearing the book and the author apart.One author told me that they were catatonic for a week after a particularly vicious review.
No reason to do such things. You didn't like it? No. Fine. Tearing an author's guts out doesn't make you a a good reviewer. Nor does it make your infrequent good reviews more meaningful. All it is is evil, vicious, and mean, for no other reason other than your own entertainment. Brava, you can make an author weep. Ain't your mama proud.
For me, to really be affected by a review, it has to be thoughtfully done and resonate with me as far as quality of the writing, good or bad. If they are bitchy, I dismiss them. If they assume something that I didn't intend or if they are generally geared to the reviewers preferences and not to the book itself, it's difficult to take them seriously. If however, they are thoughtfully done, don't merely rehash the story, but assess the story on the merits, I'm in, listening, taking heed, whether it's a bad or a good review.
We can't please everyone all the time and it's unreasonable to think we can. However, when we connect with readers, that's the best feeling in the world.
Till next time,Luv,Brita
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