One and Two Star Reviews: Are They Curses or Blessings in Disguise?
When my first major non-fiction book was released two years ago this month (“Blackhorse Riders”-St. Martin’s Press), I was thrilled to see a steady stream of 4 and 5-star reviews posted to my Amazon page. Yes, a couple of good friends had, indeed, helped me out by supporting me through their own contributions, but better than 90% of the reviews I received were from complete strangers.
When my second non-fiction book was released last October (“Fire Base Illingworth”-also from St. Martin’s Press) I anticipated that my string of sterling reviews would continue; after all, this, too, was a great story, and my writing, as judged by my editor and other pros, had gotten even better. Imagine my chagrin when, right off the bat, among the hoped for 4 and 5-star comments, were a series (not many, thank goodness)of 1 and 2-star reviews. A couple of them were downright nasty.
I was devastated-shocked, in fact. What had happened? What did I get wrong? I immediately leapt to my own defense and started rebutting the comments that I felt were inaccurate. Big mistake. I was stirring up a hornet’s nest , I soon realized, of virtually infinite proportions. I was feeding into the angst and making it even worse. If I hadn’t stepped back, I could have been in for a literal crap-storm of unending duration. I decided I needed to get smart about this. What was really going on here?
After I took a breath, I realized two very important things right away: First, everyone is entitled to their opinion, and I will never make everyone happy. I knew, in my “Illingworth” book, that I had done my best with the information I was able to gather. I also knew, and had known all along, that I wouldn’t get it 100% right because there was no completely accurate version of the events. Over 220 soldiers experienced the same battle in the same place for over six hours on one dark and gloomy night. There were 220 different versions of the tale. My job, and I believe I did it as best as I could, was to piece all those versions together in a comprehensive and reason ably accurate narrative.
Two of the most scathing reviews I received were critical of me not because of what I did write, but because of what I didn’t write. I didn’t write about their version of events because I didn’t know that version: It had never been told to me; and, in fact, one of the critics was someone I had, indeed, contacted, and he had ultimately chosen not to cooperate. That hardly seemed fair, and still doesn’t seem fair, but I moved on.
The second important lesson I learned is that these negative reviews, though painful, can be valuable. I have tried to absorb what these unhappy readers have given me and I can tell you that some of their comments have opened up new ways for me to think about the material-and interviews-I am using for my next book. That will be very helpful.
I also think, in a weird sort of way, that my “Illingworth” book is now a more believable book. Among all the reviews I have received there is a real dialogue across a wide spectrum and I think that this lends credibility to the book. A book with scads of positive reviews only is either the next “A Tale of Two Cities” or a book being pumped up by “family and friends.”
Don’t get me wrong: I’m not asking for 1 and 2-star reviews! I am asking for fair reviews. If a book has 100 reviews and 75% are 1 and 2-start reviews, I’d say that book has a problem. If, on the other hand, the ratio is reversed, with seventy-five 4 and 5-star reviews and twenty-five 1, 2 and 3-star reviews, you’ve probably got a damn fine book that is creating a lot of buzz. What more could an author want?
When my second non-fiction book was released last October (“Fire Base Illingworth”-also from St. Martin’s Press) I anticipated that my string of sterling reviews would continue; after all, this, too, was a great story, and my writing, as judged by my editor and other pros, had gotten even better. Imagine my chagrin when, right off the bat, among the hoped for 4 and 5-star comments, were a series (not many, thank goodness)of 1 and 2-star reviews. A couple of them were downright nasty.
I was devastated-shocked, in fact. What had happened? What did I get wrong? I immediately leapt to my own defense and started rebutting the comments that I felt were inaccurate. Big mistake. I was stirring up a hornet’s nest , I soon realized, of virtually infinite proportions. I was feeding into the angst and making it even worse. If I hadn’t stepped back, I could have been in for a literal crap-storm of unending duration. I decided I needed to get smart about this. What was really going on here?
After I took a breath, I realized two very important things right away: First, everyone is entitled to their opinion, and I will never make everyone happy. I knew, in my “Illingworth” book, that I had done my best with the information I was able to gather. I also knew, and had known all along, that I wouldn’t get it 100% right because there was no completely accurate version of the events. Over 220 soldiers experienced the same battle in the same place for over six hours on one dark and gloomy night. There were 220 different versions of the tale. My job, and I believe I did it as best as I could, was to piece all those versions together in a comprehensive and reason ably accurate narrative.
Two of the most scathing reviews I received were critical of me not because of what I did write, but because of what I didn’t write. I didn’t write about their version of events because I didn’t know that version: It had never been told to me; and, in fact, one of the critics was someone I had, indeed, contacted, and he had ultimately chosen not to cooperate. That hardly seemed fair, and still doesn’t seem fair, but I moved on.
The second important lesson I learned is that these negative reviews, though painful, can be valuable. I have tried to absorb what these unhappy readers have given me and I can tell you that some of their comments have opened up new ways for me to think about the material-and interviews-I am using for my next book. That will be very helpful.
I also think, in a weird sort of way, that my “Illingworth” book is now a more believable book. Among all the reviews I have received there is a real dialogue across a wide spectrum and I think that this lends credibility to the book. A book with scads of positive reviews only is either the next “A Tale of Two Cities” or a book being pumped up by “family and friends.”
Don’t get me wrong: I’m not asking for 1 and 2-star reviews! I am asking for fair reviews. If a book has 100 reviews and 75% are 1 and 2-start reviews, I’d say that book has a problem. If, on the other hand, the ratio is reversed, with seventy-five 4 and 5-star reviews and twenty-five 1, 2 and 3-star reviews, you’ve probably got a damn fine book that is creating a lot of buzz. What more could an author want?
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