My First One-Star, My First Book Signing, and My First Author Checking Account
Bad news first (or is it?). I got my first one-star review. I know most authors would say to shut up about this fact, but I feel I’ve somehow become even more legit as an author. When we write our books, we know that not everyone will like them. We can’t please everyone all the time…from storyline to writing style, we’re as different as can be and we attract different readers.
I was pretty geared-up for that eventual one-star, and now that it’s arrived, I find it sadly anticlimactic. There was no name-calling involved, no misspelled, over-exclamatory remarks…somehow I feel it could’ve been more spectacular. But I digress…the point is that I got that one-star, and I’m good with it. I’m sure I’ll get more. I’ve worked so hard to get here, I’m not about to let some one-stars deter me.
How do you move on past this, you might ask? Some authors refuse to read one-stars in the first place. Some look at it as if the person might’ve eaten bad sushi that day. I think I’m somewhere in the middle: I read them, acknowledge that my book wasn’t for that person, and then try to focus on my other star rankings and reviews. But if you want a few laughs about thoughts that run through an author’s head upon reading a one-star, here’s a recent post on Writer Unboxed that had me chuckling.
Secondly, I had my first author signing at my hometown library–the very library in which I checked out every Agatha Christie and Daphne DuMaurier book on the shelves. Here’s a pic of me and the head librarian, who was head librarian when I was a child/teen as well. I had such an enjoyable time chatting with her about many things, including other West Virginia indie authors. And she liked my book!
Finally, my husband set up my first author checking account, so Amazon funds can go right into that instead of getting tapped into (more like tapped OUT) in our regular account. Along a similar vein, I took out a P.O. box to maintain some semblance of online anonymity. As I explained I needed a P.O. box that I wouldn’t really use to my postmaster, I got some weird looks. I then followed it up with “I’m an author,” and that clarified EVERYTHING, as he quickly handed me the forms. 
All in all, it’s been a week of firsts. The nice thing is that I was ready for all of them…ready to take those steps. Every day I’m thankful for this indie journey, thankful for you readers and supporters, and thankful to be an author.
****How about you? Any firsts happen to you lately? Hoping it’s good firsts all around! If you’re an author, how do you deal with one-stars (or rejection)?****
