Authors, What Do You Feel When You Read Negative Reviews of Your Books?

[Walter]

Just to clarify, when I made reference to a not-very-rational response, I was referring to my self-addressed question, "Could I have done something different and reached him/her?". Quickest path to pleasing no one is trying to please everyone.

Feeling the sting of a negative review is quite understandable, and therefore quite rational.

[Perry]

While I naturally prefer good reviews, I'm happy for any review, even the negative ones. After all, if the review writer is a jerk, people will read my book just because he panned it!

I'd love to get more reviews of my work. Are any of the authors here interested in doing an ebook-trade for mutual reviews?

[Ken B]

After undercover sting, Amazon files suit against 1,000 Fiverr users over fake product reviews

http://www.geekwire.com/2015/after-co...

[Mercedes]

I'll be honest, I hate negative reviews especially on my books but I do read them on books I buy too. I always judge the review, if it seems like the reviewer is being ridiculous I go past it, but if it seems like a genuine review I'll pay attention.
There's always going to be someone who likes to just say mean things, cause that's what makes the world turn, so I try to take everything with a grain of salt.

[A.C.]

Funnily enough, this has just happened to me. I've recently published a short story, BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR, which is free. Someone awarded it four stars on Goodreads and said "cool story", which is great. But then another person gave it one star! Does anything ever really deserve one star? It's free for God's sake. They didn't have to buy it. They're not out of pocket. Do you think that some people just feel the need to put others down?

[[deleted user]]

I don't mind negative reviews, if there is something they don't like about it, there is nothing that can be done about it; unless it actually is a problem with the story. Constructive criticism can be a godsend.
What I do hate, is when people just one star a book and don't give a reason for it. If you are going to make a book look bad at least have the decency to have read it, and leave a review.

[Celeste]

I think there are two reasons for that A.C., one being, some people are just assholes or maybe they were in a bad mood or maybe they just felt like being mean. The other is, life is too short to read a bad book, whether or not one has to pay for it.

Personally, if i see a one star and no review I discard that opinion because unless you tell me what was wrong with the book I can't base my decision on no explanation. Everyone has different pet peeves, something that might bother me in one book might be the same reason another person would read it.

This is just my opinion. Im not an author, just a reader.

[A.C.]

Thanks for your comments, Celeste. There was no review or explanation with the one star. I'll just take it on the chin and carry on.

[Patrick]

I am experiencing some of the same things that my fellow authors are expressing here in this thread. I have had a handful of one star bashing, some with no explanation, some with ridiculous comments that are vicious, some of which have made me think and helped identify blind sides which we all have in writing. I have learned to be thick skinned. If the criticism will help me hone my writing craft for future work, then I welcome it regardless of the "Star Rating." I tend to focus on the great comments which far outweigh the negative! Some of this boils down to stylistic preference. Examples people cite in music: "I think Jimmy Page is a better guitarist than Jimi Hendrix," or "I hate the Stones and love the Beatles." As writers, I think we need to acknowledge the validity of the former College Football coach, Lou Holtz when he once told his players this: "You're never as good as everyone tells you when you win, and you're never as bad as they say when you lose." --- Keep writing my friends! ~ Patrick

[T.W.]

I just found this thread. I'm a relatively new author, but published professionally in the past. I recently e-published a short story that Peter Straub selected first to be in his "Ghosts" anthology in 1994. Someone on Goodreads immediately gave it one star with no review. Another, gave it 5 with a lengthy review. So now I am stuck with a 3-star until someone else is kind enough to help raise the average. I try not to take it personally, but Peter Straub loved the story and told me so himself. It feels to me like a random shooting.

[A.C.]

I hear you, T.W. What's your short story called?

[T.W.]

A.C. wrote: "I hear you, T.W. What's your short story called?"

Thanks for your interest. It's called "Not Far from Here" (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...). It's one of two shorts I put on Amazon for .99, but I do have some free stuff out there as well. I'm tweaking a complete novel on Wattpad (in chapter installments) and there are some shorts there too: https://www.wattpad.com/user/timwsmith

[Kasia]

Hi T.W self author promotion belongs in an all ready existing place on HA.

[Char]

Hi, T.W.! I'm not going to classify that post as self promo since someone specifically asked you.

I can see where you're coming from as far as your story and the fact that Peter Straub liked it.

From a reader/reviewer standpoint, that doesn't matter much to me. I like things some of my friends hate and vice versa.
Hell, Straub's Ghost Story was my favorite book of all time for almost a decade, I love the guy! That said? He's written some stuff that I just couldn't stand.

Ellen Datlow, one of the best anthologists and editors out there, puts together some great collections and anthologies and others, The Cutting Room: Dark Reflections of the Silver Screen, not so much, in my opinion.

Every story isn't going to work for everyone, AND a reader does not owe the author anything, in my opinion. If they want to rate a book with no review, that's their option and right to do so. We are not beholden to the author to write a review, or to provide helpful criticism,( that's for beta readers). Whether or not I've paid for your book, if I've invested my time in reading it, I believe I've earned the right to rate and review, or not, however I see fit.

I say this as a reviewer and beta reader and big supporter of indie authors. I am very passionate about the rights of the reader and I'm sorry if it offends anyone. All that being said, I do not often rate books poorly-mostly because if I don't like them I DNF them fairly early on.

[T.W.]

Kasia wrote: "Hi T.W self author promotion belongs in an all ready existing place on HA."

Not intended as self-promo. Just wanted him to know about the free stuff, since the story in question is not.

[A.C.]

Thanks, T.W. And sorry for getting you in trouble ;-). I'll take a look at your stuff.

[T.W.]

A.C. wrote: "Thanks, T.W. And sorry for getting you in trouble ;-). I'll take a look at your stuff."

You're welcome. I'm fairly new to the the GR scene and how it works. I found this thread thinking it would be a place for authors to commiserate. Scrolling back, I see that is not entirely the case.

[Kasia]

You should write because you want to, have to write. Don't do it for ratings, don't do it for stars and reviews, if it's good enough it will make you immortal in your own right.

As per rules it's what keep this place running smooth. When i come to this post its because of the question asked , not for multiple links leading to someone's work.

[T.W.]

I don't give negative reviews because I don't finish reading novels that don't like--so I don't feel qualified to review those books. If I finish a book it garners 4 stars alone for making it that far. If it knocks my socks off, it gets 5. I never buy books based on reviews, the only exception being if a writer I admire recommends it. I think people that shop by reviews are lazy.

Unfortunately, that's the world we live in. I know there's a lot of sludge to wade through out there. But I can sample the first few pages (in most cases, the first paragraph) of a novel and know whether or not it's any good without ever looking at a review. Hell, 90% of the e-publishing world needs basic grammar lessons.

I agree that writers should never respond to the negativity. It only sates the appetites of attention-starved egos. Most writers--REAL writers--are brave, spend countless hours in solitude, wallow in self-doubt, and for what... to exercise personal demons? ...to create art? ...to bring pleasure to others they will never even know?

The answer is all of the above. And to summarize all of that hard work with symbol is ridiculous.

[Kasia]

T.W. wrote: "I don't give negative reviews because I don't finish reading novels that don't like--so I don't feel qualified to review those books. If I finish a book it garners 4 stars alone for making it that ..."

Everyone is different, I think that's the only way we can actually create things, and I personally think it's legit to give a 1-2 whatever star review if the book was so bad that I couldn't finish. A rating is a rating, it's not a compliment although it can be. I think I'm like you in regard to choosing a book, if I want to read it I will read it, damn it :P

I bet there are people who read your work who don't write reviews or bother rating things, so do your thing and don't worry about a random one star someone gave you. Maybe it's the internet age that gives us anxiety even though it also gives us an opportunity to share our stories.

Btw HA is a great place, I didn't meant to discourage you from being here :)

[T.W.]

Kasia wrote: "T.W. wrote: "I don't give negative reviews because I don't finish reading novels that don't like--so I don't feel qualified to review those books. If I finish a book it garners 4 stars alone for ma..."

No worries. I was just responding to the original question: "How do you feel..." For the most part, I detest social media for the same reasons I hate shopping malls, subways, and tourist traps. There's a lot of static out there and its easier to change the channel than suffer the noise.

I'm quietly a member of several groups and I admit the "voyeurism" is a huge draw. I am thinking about starting a group for writers, if I don't find a good one already established. The problem is--and I am certain you're well aware--that every wannabe-famous, immature, self-promoting fraud will infiltrate and assimilate like Carpenter's "The Thing."

[T.W.]

Aaron(Retroblast) wrote: "Carpenter is my favorite horror director, T.W. His version of The Thing is outstanding!"

I love it too, and it's much more faithful to the source material ("Who Goes There" by John W.Campbell), than the 1950s version "The Thing from Another World."