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Ouch - how do you cope with a bad review? (Really Bad)
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Katerina
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Sep 22, 2014 07:54AM
Since I'm not an author, just a reader, and because I saw that you're relatively new to Goodreads, I'll suggest you take a look at the following link https://www.goodreads.com/author/guid... and specifically at the paragraph: "Some things to avoid on Goodreads".
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I took a look at your book's page, Philip, and saw that you rated your book twice...O...O
I think you better remove your second rating before it gets flagged, because it's against GR TOS:
"We will not tolerate abuse of our ratings system, such as rating the same work more than once for the purpose of inflating or deflating the book's average rating. Multiple ratings we determine to be abusive will be removed."
Review guidelines: https://www.goodreads.com/review/guid...
Back to the original question, I just crush them, drive them before me and listen to the lamentations of their women.
Got confused there Jim, thought we were talking about marrows. Wrong thread.
Ah, Jim, a man after my own heart! Conan the Barbarian, circa 1982 ...You might also like the original Genghis Khan quote ...
“The greatest happiness is to scatter your enemy and drive him before you, to see his cities reduced to ashes, to see those who love him shrouded in tears, and to gather to your bosom his wives and daughters.”
Mind you, Arnie as Conan did seem to have a larger bosom than most of his enemy's wives and daughters.
The comments I've seen about that quote is that it seems out of character for himI'm not entirely convinced by this argument!
Will wrote: "Ah, Jim, a man after my own heart! Conan the Barbarian, circa 1982 ...You might also like the original Genghis Khan quote ..."
Or as Genghis Khan't might have said:
'Sod this for a game of soldiers. I'm going home.'
David wrote: "Will wrote: "Ah, Jim, a man after my own heart! Conan the Barbarian, circa 1982 ...You might also like the original Genghis Khan quote ..."
Or as Genghis Khan't might have said:
'Sod this for a..."
That's always been my philosopy
When you get a bad review, kill off the reviewer as a character in your next book in a really bad way.
Me, I used a line of their critique in promotions for my next bookRemember, "That which does not kill us makes us stronger" - Nietzsche
Darren wrote: "When you get a bad review, kill off the reviewer as a character in your next book in a really bad way."Or kill off your biggest fan, eh? :(
Just ignore it.Eventually there will be other review.
Marc wrote: "Me, I used a line of their critique in promotions for my next bookRemember, "That which does not kill us makes us stronger" - Nietzsche"
I've been getting mediocre reviews of late. Still trying to work out the best way of using "Meh" in the publicity...
You can always spin it :)Just read this in The Last Word by Ben Macintyre.
Some time ago, I made a mildly disobliging remark in print about a forthcoming novel by Lance Price, Tony Blair's former spin doctor. Politicians and their acolytes seldom make good novelists, and I was not confident that Mr Price's effort would be any better. I wrote: "Perhaps Time and Fate will be the corking political novel that Blair's Britain so badly needs, but somehow I am doubtful."
Mr Price's book came out this month, and on the cover appears this ringing endorsement: "The corking political novel that Blair's Britain so badly needs' - The Times. My words had been taken, spun and their meaning turned by 180 degrees.
My first reaction was fury. How could someone have so little respect for their own writing that they would be prepared to publish a deliberate misrepresentation on the cover? But then I found myself feeling a sneaking admiration for the sheer chutzpah of Mr Price and his publishers: the man is a political animal, after all, dedicated to taking black and presenting it as white. My copy came with a cheerily unapologetic note from the author, admitting this 'outrageous spin' on his part.
With careful pruning, even the worst review can be made to sound enthusiastic. He goes on to say that it was once his job to trawl the often execrable reviews for something positive, anything to stick on the cover and the experience left him with a lingering mistrust of blurbs. Reviewers have become wise to the rise of the blurb and one reviewer, reviewing a book she did not like, described its better parts as 'not displeasing', a phrase that even the most desperate blurb-maker could not use :D.
I can't find the letters to make up the noise that I made when I read what Mr Price or his publishers had spun into his blurb. Jan, this is priceless. Whenever trad publishers publicly look down on indies this should be quoted.
Not a review, but in a comment on one of my Amazon reviews (of a razor, of all things), someone felt impelled to whine "you seem to think you are Oscar Wilde on laughing gas". When my next book finally emerges, it's going to be hard to resist the temptation to promote it as "from the author who's been called Oscar Wilde on laughing gas".With a proper attribution, of course.
And a reply to the chappie to thank him.
Rudyard Kipling said:-If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same
That's the philosophy I try to hold to. A five-star review makes me smile and a two-star review makes me grimace and then I move on. As far as I'm concerned it's my job to shoulder the bad reviews and by so doing, I'm proving to myself how professional a writer I can be even though I'm self-published.
I remember watching an interview with Tom Conti who had been in a play that had terrible reviews. He was asked if it had upset him. He said that the reviews had spoiled his entire morning. I loved that and took it on board. It's not easy, but everyone has the right to an opinion and sometimes I give a story a two-star review if I think it deserves it. So, I must expect the same now and again. It's all character building, folks!
My reviews was down to 2 plus from close to four. Thanks god now Im back to 3 plus. So yeah dont worry too much about the bad reviews..
The first bad review I got - upset me. After t I just shrugged. A reader is entitled to his or her viewpoint. Can't please everyone.
A.L. wrote: "The first bad review I got - upset me. After t I just shrugged. A reader is entitled to his or her viewpoint. Can't please everyone."They say it's tough at the top; well, it's tough getting there too! I'm always amazed when readers give me a review and they mention stuff that's not in the story. What's that all about? What are they reading? Ah, but, there's a certain popular novel (or novels) floating about at the moment. You'll know them cos the first one has an item of men's clothing on the front and it's grey. Quite a few of the girlies at work adore the hero and I can't understand why they don't see the controlling, self-centred and rather creepy character that I see. Everyone puts their own interpretation on a story, I guess.
I know someone who checks out those who have put his/her books on their 'to be read' list and then takes a look at their profiles. He/she then 'bets' on whether or not they will actually read it, then what the star rating will be if they review it. Rewards for getting it right vary. Great fun! If I had the time...When I learned of this, apart from enjoying a good giggle, it did lead me to think that a review often reveals more about the reviewer than the writer.
I think Tom Conti has got it about right.
It pays to examine the reviewer's thoughts for a while as they could be right!
Philip wrote: "My partner and I pass each other books, as you do, and it is often the case that a book I think is amazing, he finds awful. Strangely, my US sales jumped after the bad review was posted. There ..."
You're spot on with that, Philip. I've had sales after a bad review. My thoughts were, a) Some readers don't believe the story can be that bad, b) They do believe and want to add their own comments, c) They want to make up their own minds, thank you very much.
Yes, I can believe you and your partner have differing views about a book. It's the same at work. A lass will say how great a book is and pass it round and all of us have vastly different opinions on it. I guess it's the same with films, cars, clothes. Good job we don't all like the same thing. What a boring world that would be.
The issue of reviews is inconsequential if no one is even aware you have an Amazon page with your book(s) (reviewed or otherwise) in the first place.
Eat chocolate, get fat, be merry. There is nothing you can do about it.
Darren wrote: "When you get a bad review, kill off the reviewer as a character in your next book in a really bad way."LOL!
Jan wrote: "You can always spin it :)Just read this in The Last Word by Ben Macintyre.
Some time ago, I made a mildly disobliging remark in print about a forthcoming novel by Lance Price, Tony Blair's forme..."
That's one hell of a story! TFS.
Julia wrote: "...It's the same at work. A lass will say how great a book is and pass it round and all of us have vastly different opinions on it. I guess it's the same with films, cars, clothes. Good job we don't all like the same thing. What a boring world that would be. "It would be boring wouldn't it.
I work in a small office and I am the only one who reads books in my free time - my work colleagues can't understand it at all as they don't read, apparently they don't have time to read. They do have time to watch soaps on TV (which is a total waste of time in my opinion) and one of them has the cleanest house on earth (another waste of good reading time) So I can't discuss the latest book that I have enjoyed - it is a good thing that I have you lot around to suggest books for me. I'll just read another two or three from my TBR whilst you are thinking of one to suggest ;)
My husband rarely reads the books I rave over, Philip. Saves a blooming row, anyway!
I never think it's quite healthy when partners 'become' one another. The little differences are healthy when you are a loving amalgam of two people instead of a couple of shadows of one another.
Kath wrote: "I never think it's quite healthy when partners 'become' one another. The little differences are healthy when you are a loving amalgam of two people instead of a couple of shadows of one another."Ooh... there's a book in that one, Kath.
But you're right Kath, coming up to 30 years here and it's the differences that keep things going :-)
Here's how you cope! Five ways to respond to a negative review - a helpful guide.http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2014/...
Philip wrote: "Jan wrote: "Here's how you cope! Five ways to respond to a negative review - a helpful guide.http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2014/..."..."
My son reacted the same way when I got a bad review. I had to calm him down before...actually come to think about it, I remember he sent a stiff email to Goodreads to complain. Oh dear, I'd forgotten about that. I suppose he meant well and thankfully they didn't respond.
So 'fusty' When are you going to open your author thread then?
Forget author photos.
How about book covers?
Now I'm confused, are you a book cover designer to have book covers but not be an author?
Patti (baconater) wrote: "So 'fusty' When are you going to open your author thread then?
Forget author photos.
How about book covers?"
OMG don't get me going on book covers!
It's often the case that the book cover is important in promoting a story. I have a professional illustrator who is wonderful and seems to know what I like. Even though I have to use Shutterstock she still does me proud.What upsets me are book covers that bear no relation to the story ie the ones with half-naked oily men on the front. They're usually historical romances and I find they're just twenty-first century characters dressed up in period costume. They sell well though and the reviews are generally good. Very few readers complain about the historical inaccuracies.
This is on my list so haven't read it yet, but I'm dubious.
Now this is one of my covers and I feel it gives the reader an inkling of the story.
What do you do if you get a review that is, um, wrong? I received a review recently that was very positive, enthusiastic even. But let's say that the book was, let's see, set in France, and the reviewer said something like - 'This is great! I always love books set in Germany!'I did have a truly terrible one-star review a few years ago. Every time I feel low, I go back and reread it. It always makes me smile!
a) there's nothing you can do about itb) the reader still bought & read your book.
c) don't be criticising your readers. They get out of a read whatever they get out of it. For example you cannot control what values and beliefs they bring to your book before they've even opened the cover, so maybe that reader had a good reason for picturing that book having a German feel to it rather than a French one.
d) None if matters anyway. So you got a bad review/rating. Bad luck if it puts potential buyers off. Irrelevant if potential readers choose to ignore that review.
I think there may be something worse than a one star review...I feel I need a Monty Python Yorkshire man quote here: "One star? Luxury! When I were a lad..."
I can only dream of a one star review. My problem is that I'm struggling to get any reviews. With four books out, all I have managed so far is...
Amazon - 11 reviews (all five star)
Goodreads - 9 reviews (3 five stars, 5 four stars and 1 three star)
Admittedly, 20 reviews ain't bad, but it's taken the best part of 18 months to get to this point...
I hear ya Will8 Books (not counting anthologies I'm in) earliest published in 2009
Amazon UK 25
Amazon US 22
GR 37
Lexie wrote: "What do you do if you get a review that is, um, wrong? I received a review recently that was very positive, enthusiastic even. But let's say that the book was, let's see, set in France, and the rev..."I think I would treat the mistake with France/Germany as a brain typo by the reader. I remember promoting one novel set in 1929 and a reader protested about something in the blurb and commenting that that wouldn't have happened in the 1830's. Eh? It made me smile. I've had one and two star reviews and they can be gut wrenching. But I feel that if I've got faith in my writing I can't go wrong. Besides what gets two stars from one reader will often get five stars from another.
When I'm feeling a bit dispirited, I pick a famous author and read their one and two star reviews. It makes me feel so much better.
@Marc - that seems a similar number, considering that I have only been doing this since June 2013.So what do we do about it? We could have a bikeshed moment (I'll review yours if you review mine)... or
I'm currently researching my way through the likes of Bookbub, Fussy Librarian, etc ... or
Any other good ideas?
Ha if I had any good ideas, those numbers would be bigger than they are.
Will wrote: "@Marc - that seems a similar number, considering that I have only been doing this since June 2013.So what do we do about it? We could have a bikeshed moment (I'll review yours if you review mine)..."
Marc wrote: "a) there's nothing you can do about it
b) the reader still bought & read your book.
c) don't be criticising your readers. They get out of a read whatever they get out of it. For example you cannot..."
Yes, I struggle getting reviews. Sometimes a reader will give me two stars but no review to tell me why. It's nearly three years since I started on Amazon and I've seven books out there with one ready about Christmas time (fingers crossed). Perhaps my new one will give them all a boost.
Julia wrote: "Lexie wrote: "What do you do if you get a review that is, um, wrong? I received a review recently that was very positive, enthusiastic even. But let's say that the book was, let's see, set in Franc..."Exactly - and when haven't we all made similar mistakes? It did make me wonder a bit about my writing, though!
Philip wrote: "Julia wrote: "Lexie wrote: "What do you do if you get a review that is, um, wrong? I received a review recently that was very positive, enthusiastic even. But let's say that the book was, let's see..."If you can, I would try and ignore it and not take it to heart. It's difficult, I know, but obviously the reader didn't like the plot rather than your writing style.
In my ghost story, a reader pulled the plot apart and said she didn't like the heroine at all. In fact, she called her an idiot. That stung and spoiled my breakfast. You can't please everyone.
In answer to a dare, I decided to conduct an experiment this summer. I wrote my first novel (erotica) over about 4 weeks, and placed it on KDP. I have not paid anything in promotion (or even for a cover design). I've only had a modest number of reviews so far… but each one gives me such a strange feeling: knowing that someone, somewhere, out in the world actually downloaded the story, and then bothered to leave feedback. The whole process is quite peculiar. I'm yet to receive a horrible review (famous last words) but I know that it will make my lip quiver when it happens.
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