UK Amazon Kindle Forum discussion
Agony Aunt
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Ouch - how do you cope with a bad review? (Really Bad)
Emmanuelle wrote: "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 ..."I was involved in a very interesting discussion at the weekend about reviews. It was put forward that it's better to have a range of reviews from 1-2 stars to 5 stars since it makes your story more credible. If you had six 5 star reviews it would seem great, but then it gives the impression of a 'fix'; mum and friends etc. 1 or 2 star reviews show that not everyone likes the story and potential readers understand this. They'll be more amenable to downloading your story if there's a good balance of reviews.
Keep writing, boys and girls. No quivering of lips or howling with despair. You write therefore, you are an author. Be proud of what you offer to the world since your writing is unique.
Julia wrote: "Emmanuelle wrote: "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 promot..."Wise words Julia.
I think I've just been lucky so far with my readers.
I would love to have a host of friends and family writing lovely reviews for me but I've kept my writing a 'secret' from all but a select few: the result of writing in the erotic genre.
It has been an interesting experiment, and the positive feedback I've received so far has encouraged me to keep going. To keep writing in the face of several scathing reviews would take a huge amount of self-belief. Not sure I'm there yet.
Not so much luck, I'd say, Emmanuelle. I just had a read of the first few pages on Amazon, and you have a nice writing style.
Emmanuelle wrote: "Julia wrote: "Emmanuelle wrote: "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 anyt..."Not sure I dare look! Oh, okay, since you've forced me. Just one little peek.
Emmanuelle wrote: "Julia wrote: "Emmanuelle wrote: "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 anyt..."Don't know what happened there. I inadvertently clicked the 'download to kindle' button by mistake.
Julia wrote: "Emmanuelle wrote: "Julia wrote: "Emmanuelle wrote: "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..."David wrote: "Not so much luck, I'd say, Emmanuelle. I just had a read of the first few pages on Amazon, and you have a nice writing style."
David and Julia - thank you xxx
It's always lovely to hear positive feedback - and for someone to push the 'click to buy' button.
I hope you enjoy the rest of the story Julia.
Lexie wrote: "I agree - it's a very strange feeling! I have a reader in the Ukraine. Why? I mean, why not, but why?And if you are that reader - thanks!"
Ha!
My friend's mum, I bet!
I'll find out for sure next week.
Marc wrote: "Ukraine, or West Russia?"Stirrer.
Emmanuelle wrote: "Julia wrote: "Emmanuelle wrote: "Julia wrote: "Emmanuelle wrote: "In answer to a dare, I decided to conduct an experiment this summer. I wrote my first novel (erotica) over about 4 weeks, and place..."It looked interesting, Emmanuelle, and I never buy a book unless it ticks all the boxes. You might have to wait a few months for me to get round to it. I read my books in strict downloaded order (I'm funny that way). But I only have about 35 on my 'to read' list.
Julia wrote: "Emmanuelle wrote: "Julia wrote: "Emmanuelle wrote: "Julia wrote: "Emmanuelle wrote: "In answer to a dare, I decided to conduct an experiment this summer. I wrote my first novel (erotica) over about..."You clearly have a very organised mind Julia. xx
I'm delighted that my book has ticked the boxes for you.
Marc wrote: "Ukraine, or West Russia?"Give it five years and it'll be Eastern Russia.
As long as Patti's friend's mum keeps reading my books!
Oh, meant to come back and tell you that it was my friend's mum, Lexie.Her mum-in-law is now interested as well, so you may be getting a download from Germany as well. :)
Good heavens! Maybe I should do some kind of family discount!
That's the great thing about ebooks, eh?They need to buy their own copy. ;)
Oh! And I meant to ask which book she'd bought!I told her you've got a few out.
Tip for all writers: keep in with Patti. She has world-wide influence!
Lexie wrote: "Tip for all writers: keep in with Patti. She has world-wide influence!"Lexie wrote: "Good heavens! Maybe I should do some kind of family discount!"
Ladies, thank you for making me smile.
xx
I love the idea of people from all over the globe (nearly) being able to purchase our books so easily. There are some things for which the Internet is a Godsend.
Lexie wrote: "Tip for all writers: keep in with Patti. She has world-wide influence!"Ha!
I dunno about influence but I do spend an inordinate amount of time talking about books in the staff room.
But presumably that would have to be quite loud talking to be audible in Ukraine?
What I lack in sense I make up for in volume.
Patti (baconater) wrote: "What I lack in sense I make up for in volume."And Patti has volume!
Damn right. Gotta make myself heard over a class of shrieking children.
I've just plonked myself on the sofa and am having a giggle at the UKAF threads - there's some that always make me laugh, so thank you!
Okay, Patti: I've just acquired a new reader in Belarus - who is it this time? :-)
Lexie wrote: "Okay, Patti: I've just acquired a new reader in Belarus - who is it this time? :-)"Wow, you are worldwide authors! If I dip into France, I'm lucky. Did have a reader in India the other day, but that's very rare. I only peruse the reviews very occasionally and that's only the UK ones. My son keeps me informed of the US.
Julia wrote: "Lexie wrote: "Okay, Patti: I've just acquired a new reader in Belarus - who is it this time? :-)"Wow, you are worldwide authors! If I dip into France, I'm lucky. Did have a reader in India the ..."
well, I think I'm aiming at one per country at the moment - just the one, though! I have one in India, too, Calcutta, I think. You only peruse reviews occasionally? That's very restrained! I only have a few but I read them frequently!
Lexie wrote: "Julia wrote: "Lexie wrote: "Okay, Patti: I've just acquired a new reader in Belarus - who is it this time? :-)"Wow, you are worldwide authors! If I dip into France, I'm lucky. Did have a reader..."
My son tells me if I've got a wonderful five-star review, otherwise I try and keep away. I suppose that's how I cope with reviews, good and bad. I'm talking about Amazon, of course. I always read the ones on Goodreads.
Julia wrote: "Lexie wrote: "Julia wrote: "Lexie wrote: "Okay, Patti: I've just acquired a new reader in Belarus - who is it this time? :-)"Wow, you are worldwide authors! If I dip into France, I'm lucky. Did..."
Ah, yes, that's a good idea.
Lexie wrote: "Okay, Patti: I've just acquired a new reader in Belarus - who is it this time? :-)"Hmmm, not sure. We do have a family from Belarus at school but I don't have direct contact with them.
Word of mouth, I expect.
somebody's been shouting awfully loud to have been heard in Belarus ;-)
Jim, on the internet, nobody can hear you scream!
Well, folks, it's now official. I've signed the Code for Ethical Authors. That means that I promise to treat my readers with respect, no matter what reviews they send me. Not that I wouldn't have anyway, but now I've signed the pledge I'm committed. So, you won't find me stalking a bad reviewer and putting an axe in his skull. I haven't got an axe anyway.
Dave has just reminded me that one of the ten year olds I teach is from Belarus. Perhaps it was her mum...
Julia wrote: "Well, folks, it's now official. I've signed the Code for Ethical Authors. That means that I promise to treat my readers with respect, no matter what reviews they send me. Not that I wouldn't hav..."Didn't know there was an official pledgey type thingy. How very cool!
This blog post is a little bit old but I thought I`d provide you with a link nonetheless:http://sean-cummings.ca/2012/08/28/th...
Will wrote: "Julia - I can lend you one of mine."Thank you, Will, but I've removed all dangerous objects from my sight so that I can be true to my pledge. I've been asked to spread the word amongst other authors.
To tell you the truth I'm sure 99% of authors are ethical and respect their readers, but there are some that don't. I think that making an official commitment will help me when I get a bad review. It's like being offered a drink when you've signed a temperance pledge. The pledge makes you feel stronger. It's all psychological I guess. So, there's another way to cope with bad reviews.
Katerina wrote: "This blog post is a little bit old but I thought I`d provide you with a link nonetheless:http://sean-cummings.ca/2012/08/28/th..."
Liked it, Katerina, especially point 12.
Will wrote: "Julia - I can lend you one of mine."There are plenty of useful household substitutes for axes. Many of them fit tidily in park rubbish bins afterwards, too.
Lexie wrote: "Will wrote: "Julia - I can lend you one of mine."There are plenty of useful household substitutes for axes. Many of them fit tidily in park rubbish bins afterwards, too."
The trouble is if you bump off all your bad reviewers, more will possibly take their place. But seriously, there has been incidents in the press when authors have tracked down the address of a bad reviewer (don't know how) and made their lives a misery. Or discovered personal facts about them and spread them throughout social media. It's not professional. Dignity at all times, boys and girls.
Beware of appealing to our dignity.Dignity derives from Dignitas (the Roman,not the Swiss).
It is basically the sum of the 'clout' or 'authority' that a male citizen acquired during their life to date. (Women didn't normally have dignitas, they had other virtues)
So actually a sign of your dignitas would be that you merely made a gesture in front of your loyal clients and the reviewer, their family for three generations, their house and their car were just 'disappeared' as if they'd never been :-)
Jim wrote: "Beware of appealing to our dignity.Dignity derives from Dignitas (the Roman,not the Swiss).
It is basically the sum of the 'clout' or 'authority' that a male citizen acquired during their life to..."
I'll subcribe to that. I'm all for making gestures and causing folk to disappear. Oh, heck, I'm a mere female so I don't have dignitas. So, I have to have virtues. Rather have vices, much more fun. And if 'I Claudius' was anything to go by, the women in Rome had plenty of those.
I have no vices.Just a couple of thumb screws.
My classical education has been sorely neglected :(
My dad had a vice on his garage bench. I didn't inherit it though.
I've just had an odd amazon review. The words are highly complimentary, but it's only two stars out of five. My first ever two star review!Can't do anything about it, of course, except to stare at it and wonder. Did their finger slip? Have I done something to annoy them? Do they have their own definition of good and bad?
Humans are such wonderfully unpredictable things!
Will wrote: "I've just had an odd amazon review. The words are highly complimentary, but it's only two stars out of five. My first ever two star review!Can't do anything about it, of course, except to stare a..."
It must be a finger slip Will.
How annoying!
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UK Amazon Kindle Forum
Books mentioned in this topic
The Knight (other topics)If Birds Fly Low (other topics)
And if you are that reader - thanks!