Amazon Ranting Reviews--Why Do We Celebrate Them?

Can someone please tell me what is up with Amazon rants disguised as reviews? Amazon readers go to a book, choose a sampling of the bad reviews, and "like" them.

I've seen this with Indy as well as popular books. People seek out the scathing reviews, and pat the person on the back with a "you were so helpful" sticker. It's like readers are thanking someone for warding them away from reading. So strange. I've never seen anything like it.

Let's call out Miss Willingham who was kind enough to post a rant on ITD
(http://www.amazon.com/Into-Darkness-1-K-F-Breene-ebook/product-reviews/B00HZLCINE/ref=cm_cr_pr_hist_1?ie=UTF8&filterBy=addOneStar&showViewpoints=0&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending).

Why am I calling her out, you ask?

Because, it turns out, she is a habitual ranter. Look at this "review" she left for some other Indy book (copied directly from Amazon, typos and all):

I have never read such an amateurish attempt at writing romance in my life! it was as if a 14year old girl, with way too many hormones, and not enough writing skill, wrote this. And its a shame that the cover is so hot, because it totally lies about the contents therein. During the "romance" scenes, if ANYONE did THAT much TALKING during sex, their not doing it right!!!
Horrible! Just awful. No plot. No point. No way!

I want to literally punch this broad in the mouth, because she made that Indy writer feel small with that review. That book might've been awful, but there is no reason to be such a dick about it. And the more her rants are deemed "helpful", the more these reviews work their way to the top, warding people away. This woman rants because she gets "helpful" buttons. That gives her joy. Beating down someone else gives her joy, like a bully.

I don't like bullies. I'll take a beating for myself--I'll take name calling and all sorts of shenanigans because I can handle it. I am a pretty tough gal. But I've recently talked to a few authors that were asking how I handle bad reviews. These authors were depressed and despondent. New books out, no fan base, and they are getting shit on by people like our very own Sara Ruth Willingham.

I cannot abide by this.

I didn't even know this was such a popular situation at Amazon.


Before I started writing, to choose a book, I would get a list of book suggestions, read what the book was about, and then yes, look at reviews. I'd do this on Goodreads, usually. I'd glance at the five stars, getting an idea of what people loved, and usually I'd then glance at the three-stars. I feel like, usually, the three-star reviews are a fair assessment. Usually they are more critical. This is why with books such as 50 shades, you don't see many 3 stars--or not nearly as many as 1 and 5.

Now, however, when I'm on Amazon and looking at reviews, if I see a one or two-star rant, I click the button for "you are not helpful, you jerk, so stop thinking you're awesome by being a hater." I only do this for the rants--if the review is an actual reflection, then that's fine. That is legit, and a valid opinion. This ranting for the sake of entertainment? No.



Do you know why this is important? Because I remember what it was like to get a rant on my first book. I am really tough, as I said, and laugh when people call me names, but there is a certain vulnerability with publishing something. You can't defend yourself. Someone craps on you, in front of all of cyber-space, and you can't do anything but take it. Then all these people click "helpful" without giving you a chance? Soul crushing.

Now I have fans. Great, funny, freaking awesome fans that will leave their first review just to help me out. I have a beta reader that acts as my counselor when I'm at the edge and feeling worthless. That's huge. The only reason I care about rants these days is because I don't want their ignorance and close-mindedness to scare away cool people.

But you know what? There are a lot of authors that don't have a fan base yet. And on their behalf, I want to sit down with Sara Ruth Willingham, and those like her, and give them a refresher course on what it is to be a caring human. Or at the very least, not a dick.