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How do authors actually feel about bad reviews and what is a bad review
Similar to my experience with self-publishing. The first 10 reviews were excellent. But that 11th got me two stars and though the reviewer said he "thought (I) could write" the spelling errors and formatting were very disruptive. I then spent several hundred dollars on a proofreading and a professional format. I then did 3 "free days" on amazon giving away nearly 1,000 copies by the end of it. This was back in November and to today I have yet to get a new review, much less one that talked about the updating.Who, you don't have to really tell us, did your proofing and formatting? Why did they leave in so many problems? And, maybe, ask yourself why you accepted the problematical updating?
Updating on amazon and createspace is free. I don't know about other venues.
I didn't want my story to be one with those same issues. I just can't seem to get newer reviews noting the improvements. By the way, I've asked those few people I know that read the book (friends, neighbors, and family) and only one said they noticed many errors - just like your experience.
My real advice is to let it rest, save your money, get another proofing and formatting. Write something else with your lessons learned. Then try to get newer reviews that say the updated version lets the story's quality come through.
Everyone I ask says it's done. And, what's done is done. Go forward. You're not alone and your life's not over.
Best of luck.
Thanks Lisa I had loads of people check it out and an editor but still there is some mistakes little stuff like a missing s I can't believe people would knit pick like that guess I'm still in a little shock take you for your advice though with my next book I will do that and hopefully I can fix the errors soon :)
Being a book reviewer I can understand where errors can be disruptive, and not having read your book ill have to ask: "Are you happy enough to stand behind your work?"What I mean is, are the errors truly frequent and extreme enough to warrant pumping more money into? An error or two will bug some readers to the point where they give you a negative review, but to most they can be overlooked.
When I first published my book, I missed several huge errors so I paid around $50 to have someone make corrections for me. I uploaded my story a second time and found a few more errors, to me they were minor enough that I elected to leave them. Out of my 7 reviews from various vendors only one person mentioned them.
Being that its my first book, I'm concentrating on working towards the next goal which is to publish a second book. I'm proud of my first book as it stands and though I could nitpick it for weeks I would rather provide a second book to the few fans I've made so far. I suggest you do the same.
Good, M.I love the "baby" metaphor - use it myself. Some will judge you no matter what. Tis the nature of man. A good story, however, like cream, will rise to the top. And good readers will enjoy good stories.I always give new authors 2 pieces of advice: keep your day job and grow a leather skin. You can't please everyone all the time. (My baby ain't ugly no matter what anyone else says.)
M. wrote: "So I published my first book and im not going to lie I didnt have a clue what I was doing so I did what most people do worked and paid for editing and formatting and everything else I needed becaus..."First thing I would do is look at the person who gave you the bad reviews. What are they saying about other books? Some people are trolls and will simply leave bad reviews in that case use you own opinion of your book. If they have left a lot of reviews and most are good then you need to look at your own book again and decide if what they say is fair. If it is change it or leave it and move on.
Did you spell check it? Do it again, read it again after having left it for some time and often the errors will be glaring. One problem I had was that I am British and in my nativity I originally published in UK English. My spelling was slaughtered so I re did all my books in US English and then like an idiot I uploaded a first draft of one book. But you listen and you learn.
The other thing to remember is you can change your book as many times as you like. Don't fear changing it if you feel it needs it but don't let perfection stop you getting another book out. Some people will like what you do some won't and that is fine.
Good luck with the book.
M. wrote: "Thanks Lisa I had loads of people check it out and an editor but still there is some mistakes little stuff like a missing s I can't believe people would knit pick like that guess I'm still in a lit..."You have to step back and view your work from the reader's perspective. No-one wants to read a book filled with mistakes. If you don't think spelling and grammar are important, how do you expect anyone to give you a good review? You seem to be saying that the readers should 'see the story beyond the mistakes' That's like a plumber asking you to admire his work and ignore the broken pipes. C'mon... Be honest with yourself. I haven't read your work, and I don't want to sound too unsympathetic, but your comments on this thread are strewn with errors.
Thanks Caroline I did use spell check even after the editor had it and then amazon did one and one word came back im baffled how I still have some errors dam thing but your right I have learned a lot from it and from everyone here thank you :)
Thanks zach im glad im not the only one this has happened to thanks everyone for your advice makes much more sense when I hear it from others im not looking to take awat a reviewers opinion more looking to here from the author point of view on it :)
Talking about how we feel about reviews~I like it and appreciate a reader telling me about an error in my book because I can then go correct it and upload it again error free. What I don't like is when it is obvious someone is playing games with writers and leaving behind reviews of 2 which is terrible and then saying something that doesn't fit to the stoyline. That makes me feel as if that person doesn't have a happy life to go around and hurt other people.
M.Lead me to your book so I can read it.
Pattimari@hotmail.com
M. wrote: "Well ill start by saying what I said in the first message when I asked for advice not smart remarks I am not great with typing hence the editor I also understand completely where the reader is comi..."M, You can ask for help and advice, but as this is a writing forum you're going to be judged on your writing, including grammatical and spelling errors. Does that make sense?
If a young lad asks for help and advice on his footballing skills he's asking to be judged on those very same skills. He can't get all precious about it.
As a writer you're going to be judged on what you write. Look at message 10. Your first sentence is 128 words long, which makes for a tough read, especially considering all the grammatical and spelling errors. Understanding your limitations you've taken the wise move of employing a professional editor and formatter.
Every time you write in these forums you're promoting yourself as a writer, so you really should take as much care over your postings here as you do your book, otherwise prospective readers will expect your book to read like your postings here, and not be inclined to purchase it.
I'm not having a pop at you, just offering constructive criticism.
I totally get that karl well I didnt before, I do now though. I really just wack it out here never considered what you said wow I feel stupid now haha.If im honest in general im not the best typer so I did get an editor and she thought me some things im sure all you authors knew. I never heard of stuff like indents and didnt know how to paragragh (still struggling ) but my second book look way better than my first. I probably should have thought more before I started this thread. I just thought I could talk and get help never really considered everything else. So thank you karl :)
Typos, formatting and conversion errors do matter. Not all readers care about them and those who don't can ignore those reviews as not being helpful to them. However, they do matter to me and I would take those reviews mentioning them into consideration when choosing a book. I love Jennifer Blake's books to bits, but the conversion errors in some of them are frequent enough to distract me from the story. So far, I haven't seen any 'smart remarks' in the comments. Karl's advice in message #17 is spot on, as an author what you write on discussion boards reflects upon your work. An author who doesn't know the difference between their and there would be a deal-breaker for me.
M. wrote: "I totally get that karl well I didnt before, I do now though. I really just wack it out here never considered what you said wow I feel stupid now haha.If im honest in general im not the best typer ..."It's a pleasure, my lovely, and thank you for being so gracious. But as to the real reason for this thread; i.e. how do you deal with poor reviews? You take them on the chin. You're never, ever, ever, going to write anything that pleases everyone. Never.
Me? I have an inappropriate sense of humour and I know it. If I don't get the odd 1 or 2 Star then I'm not being controversial enough. Perhaps if I wrote about roses and cottages on biscuit tins and the eternal war of the sea and the shore (do people really read that crap?) then I'd get all these flowing reviews blowing smoke up my arse, but that's not what I want.
A word of advise though. If you're ever tempted to offer a free giveaway, be warned that this only serves to attract poor reviews. At least if people are paying for your book, they'll only buy it if they really want to read what's between the covers.
M. wrote: "Well ill start by saying what I said in the first message when I asked for advice not smart remarks I am not great with typing hence the editor I also understand completely where the reader is comi..."Thanks. Seriously. For what is supposedly a writer's discussion forum, this has been a thoroughly surreal conversation. You're either having a laugh with us all, or you are an absolute genius.
I haven't worried about getting bad reviews regarding the writing, grammar or typos - my novel was proofread so many times and I have faith that my publisher would have picked up on them prior to publication.Bad reviews related to the plot and story-telling however, will hurt a little, naturally. But I agree that you have to take it on the chin. Not every person will like your story. If it's been made available through a free download, there may be people reading it that wouldn't normally have been interested, so it's likely they might not enjoy it.
Enjoy the good reviews and take on board any constructive criticism, but don't dwell on the bad reviews that are simply down to the taste and opinion of that one person.
They're gutting at the time, but in many cases it's simply a mismatch of author and reviewer. I've had readers giving me 2 stars because they "didn't like f/f"- in a book clearly marked as 'Lesbian'! Reviews like that can be taken on the chin; ones that are just there to troll can be ignored. A bad review only matters if they make constructive, accurate criticisms of your book.
And just because something passes through spell check doesn't mean it was the correct word at the correct time.
As long as the criticism is honest and fair, I think all remarks are well received. (Good bad or otherwise)With me, I had little option but do my own editing. Even after going through the story on a number of occasions, I still couldn't believe the amount of typos etcetera that I made. It's such an incredibly difficult task to do - especially on your own work. For me, if someone is gracious enough to point out a flaw, then I'll sort it out. What I intend to do is continually sort it out and when the time for the annual relisting comes about, then I'll include the amendments as an amended edition. (It can be and is very embarrassing) - especially when you know better, but its just one of those things - chin up and do the best you can with what you have. Cheers :)PS: Karl, I do think your comments are true and very prudently said.
Karl is right about giveaways; you don't usually get the best reviews from those, and probably for the reason he gives - that people don't value something they haven't paid for. Giveaways have some publicity value but they're not the way to get reviews in my opinion.
Paul wrote: "As long as the criticism is honest and fair, I think all remarks are well received. (Good bad or otherwise)With me, I had little option but do my own editing. Even after going through the story on ..."I paid an editor as well as paid three proofreaders and still spelling and grammar errors were found. When a reviewer marks these are sore points in the book, I have fixed (that's how the paid proofreaders added up)and apologized for their reading discomfort.
There are no 'bad' reviews but there are badly written reviews and reviews that really don't help whether they are accompanying a one or a five star rating.In any event, often a review tells us how much someone enjoyed the story - not necessarily how well it was written - so we need to be careful about how we view the information and how we use it.
Alp wrote: "There are no 'bad' reviews but there are badly written reviews and reviews that really don't help whether they are accompanying a one or a five star rating.In any event, often a review tells us h..."
I believe that's also a good point. With people that read the story I had written, I'm really interested to hear what they got from it. I know what I put into it, and find it enormously interesting to hear of their different perspectives and reactions to the story. :)
The first bad review I received hurt me a lot. My book had just reached number one in its category and I received a killer 1 star review from a reviewer who said they were in publishing. It was also their only review and they have not reviewed any other books before or since. But it did me a HUGE favour. Although some of the points were completely unfounded, some were not. My book did have some typos and I was able to therefore get it professionally edited, and cleaned up. I did not make the same mistake with my second book. Due to the detailed nature of that bad review, the book has never completely recovered, despite all the relevant points being addressed. I hope that in time, it will start to pick up again as it has received some fabulous reviews since then. But its sales are much slower than those of my other book, What Laura Saw.
Also, as others have said, there will be people who just do not like your book. These types of reviews do not bother me. I think they show that a book has been taken seriously and reached a wide audience. Reviewers often completely contradict what other reviewers have said about a book. Horses for courses...
Perhaps this is petty but, here goes: I recently released a mystery book with LGBT protagonists. I fully expect low reviews from readers who thought they were getting a straight laced mystery because they completely missed the books categories and they didn't pay close attention to the description. That's a given with LGBT books. What I didn't expect was the three star review that I got that basically said; I normally read romance stuff with erotic scenes and a little mystery thrown in. This was well written but very procedural and not my cup of tea. I'm paraphrasing but that's pretty close to what she said.I just shook my head in awe. She thought my writing was well done but she didn't like the book because it wasn't romance with a little mystery, but mystery with only a little romance. I don't even know how to respond to that or if I should. I guess she totally missed the category too! Do I leave it alone? Do I say thank you and move on?
I never respond to reviews--that's a guaranteed downward spiral for authors (at least, in my opinion).As others have said, there's no accounting for taste. I'm grateful that the reader actually took the time to leave a comment, as opposed to just giving a star rating without explanation.
I had a 3-star review on my short story collection that said the reviewer didn't like it because "it seemed to be a collection of stories." You just have to laugh and move on...
As both an editor and a fiction author, I totally agree that to "fight" with a negative reviewer, even if totally off-base, only makes the author look needy and unprofessional. As far as typos, editing, and errors in books, there seems to be an epidemic of "glitches" that should have been red-marked splotches before publishing. I always strive in my blog to guide writers of any genre or even business/personal writing..."You can't edit your own stuff!" It's a cerebral, biological function of the organic brain that if you wrote it, it's engrained in your gray matter, even if you don't realize it. Therefore, your mind and your eye see what they "think is there", not necessarily "what is there"! So don't beat yourself up for things that aren't your fault. Even though, I do blame myself. One error is unforgiveable in my own work, and I've found tons of errors after the fact. Spell-check and grammar-check are not always your friends. Newer versions of WORD actually change "words" without your permission. All that said, don't let yourself get knocked in a review on typos, errors, glitches...do yourself a favor and find a good professional editor. It's worth the fee in so many ways. A fresh pair of eyes is always the best bet. And an editor worth their salt will catch not only typos, grammar, spelling, wrong or missing words, but also inconsistencies in presentation and even plot...mistakes, an "oops!" But I also agree with a comment made earlier that if the story is captivating, the reader will become as invested as the author and read right over the errors, but don't count on that to save you. If the eye/mind hits a glitch, it stops...and with every "stop" you risk the chance of losing the reader completely. I learned this many, many years ago in journalism, and it's still true today, whatever the media. Two last points: (1) As they say in the play/film industry, any review is better than no review, which means the audience just didn't care...was bored; and (2) A well-written book that intrigues the mind in any genre, even a genre that isn't particularly your cup-of-tea, can engage and delight the reader through the beauty of syntax and unique expression. Care enough to write anything and everything, even your grocery list, with the luscious depth and diversity of language. My 2 cents.
Deborah wrote: "As both an editor and a fiction author, I totally agree that to "fight" with a negative reviewer, even if totally off-base, only makes the author look needy and unprofessional. As far as typos, edi..."I do agree with all you say. Writers, you truly can't find your errors. And, that Word changing words! Oie. It is sad (to me) when errors are found after hiring editors and proofreaders but as the author you must accept the blame. Yes, there is bad press or review. The do not answer a bad review, I understand and I've had a few nasty ones. Finally, one person was so off with accusing me of this and that and misinformation, I didn't know what I was talking about, I did comment back. I honed, what I hoped, was a "enlightening" to the facts rebuttal in as nice as way as I could. Turned out she wanted to become my happy pen pal and share her family history. I did stay courteous throughout all our back and forth with thanking her for some comments. So, I think an author can respond in some cases if he or she stays polite and to the fact.
Ken wrote: "I never respond to reviews--that's a guaranteed downward spiral for authors (at least, in my opinion).As others have said, there's no accounting for taste. I'm grateful that the reader actually t..."
That is funny. I've had some strange ones too - "I don't like stories like this...etc" with a decent star review and I wonder, since the description of the story is available why'd you even chose it? The life of authors and readers.
Bad Reviews: I've had 2 three star reviews for Death And Disappearances. One reviewer blamed her e-reader for not knowing who was speaking when, the other said the book had no structure. I also received a "critique" from a "friend" who said that the main character is self-absorbed, impatient and an elitist - like you. She tore apart the Point of view, and a bevy of other insults. On the other hand I've gotten 5 stars from reviewers who "loved the werewolves." Case in point, there are no werewolves in my novel. The detective's last name means werewolf in Slovakian. I didn't like those reviews either because - were they even reading my book? But I'l take the stars. I now have 25 reviews. But the sales are stagnant. While it's hard not to take them personally, that's what we need to do. Chalk it up to the work, and not you the writer. As for typos, I hate them every time. I think of them as fleas on a dog and I work hard to pluck them from my ms. The good thing is with Amazon you can fix them and reload. Not every reader will get my book - its complicated. The reader will come to their own idea of what the story is about and how it actually ended. And I think with every reader it will be different. I honestly didn't know the end until I typed it on the page. Love when that happens!
There is one sure fire way to avoid a bad review. It works one-hundred percent of the time. DON'T WRITE A BOOK. Ron Reis
I just heard the author Catherine Patterson (Bridge to Terebithia) say, "If a book has any power, it has the power to offend, too." She had to get used to negative reviews as well.
Good point, Jane. As I am sure you know, if your book is reviewed enough times, there eventually will be negative reviews. I do not accept the idea that one should ignore the bad reviews and just glory in the good ones. One needs to read those not-so- good reviews carefully and mine what one can from them. Some such reviews will often have a nugget or two of truth buried within them.Ron
Ronald wrote: "Good point, Jane. As I am sure you know, if your book is reviewed enough times, there eventually will be negative reviews. I do not accept the idea that one should ignore the bad reviews and just g..."Agree.
As both an author and a reader I can see both sides of this. I hate getting reviews that just have stars and no explanation, yet I am guilty of doing it. I think mostly when a book doesn't inspire or effect me somehow? I like putting down a book and feeling sad that I'm done with it and wanting to tell others about it, instead of relieved. LOL. I recently read a book that consistently used DESERT for DESSERT and it drove me nuts! I kept thinking "They enjoyed a region so arid because of little rainfall that it supports only sparse and widely spaced vegetation or no vegetation at all" after dinner. LOL As for my reviews, my good so far outweigh the bad. So I'll take it!
Fortunately, mine, too, Jane.Take care.
Ron
I'm a writer, but first I'm an avid reader. Reviews are written by readers for readers. They are not written to provide feedback to authors. To all the authors reading this thread - Why are you reading reviews - why aren't you writing? Why do you worry about reviews? If it's a good book it will do well, if not, it won't. Your book is out there - that ship has sailed. It's time to move on and write the next book(s).
The majority of successful writers never look at reviews. The smartest advice is consistent among those writers: Reading reviews will waste your time and affect the quality of your writing as you worry about bad reviews or dwell on some insignificant comment instead of writing that new project in your distinctive voice.
Reading reviews will not make you a better writer. Writing will make you a better writer.
However, my publisher reads the reviews, and that can be an issue. Maybe on Goodreads most, if not all, the reviews are written by readers for readers. If that is the case, then I agree with you, Christine, just forget them. I write YA and MG nonfiction. Most of my reviews are from Boolist, School Library Journal, and the like. So, that is where I am coming from. Take my comments from that perspective, if you will.All the best
Ron
On Goodreads, three stars means they liked it. Not a bad review.Two stars means it was okay. Also not a bad review.
One star may mean the reader disliked it. Or that the reader wants the computer to understand that s/he dislikes the whole genre. Or that the reader believes one star is the best rating and five stars is bad.
The right two-star review can drive readers your way. A five-star review that people don't trust can drive them in the other direction. In short, it's not worth fussing about. Honest.
Interesting comment on the five star review. I never thought of it that way.Take care,
Ron
Christine wrote: "I'm a writer, but first I'm an avid reader. Reviews are written by readers for readers. They are not written to provide feedback to authors. To all the authors reading this thread - Why are you r..."
Very true... The more writing done, improves your writing skills - I subscribe to that notion.
I don't mind taking some time out here and there to read some of the threads while enjoying the interaction and discovering the varying perspectives - they are as wide and varied as there are people in the world. And I think that's nice. :) But that's just my opinion.
Being a first time published author the whole review thing terrifies me. But thanks for everyone's opinions and good information in this discussion.
Isabell wrote: "Being a first time published author the whole review thing terrifies me. But thanks for everyone's opinions and good information in this discussion."To date, I've also only had one book published and am about halfway though the first draft of my second - I can empathise, but the above mentioned comments are really on the mark. Try and not let comments (negative or positive)either stifle or hamper you writing. After all, like all of us, you do enjoy writing and appreciate a good story. :)
I have received bad reviews and they do have the ability to stop you in your tracks and make you think - good.Sometimes the reviewer is what I believe is called an assassin and they aren't difficult to identify - at the end of the day - if I am happy with the story then it gets published. I'll never write a story which is universally loved or universally hated - and if someone reviews a story it means they read it - good!
Ignore the naysayers if their review is about the book in general. However, if they point out typos and glaring storyline structure absorb what they say like a critique group, use what is appropriate and toss the rest.
Lisa wrote: "I say ignore the bad review and concentrate on getting new good reviews. I've read a lot of books with errors and gave good reviews because I liked the story. There are a percentage of readers who ..."!%$# happens. Take it with a grain of salt.
I say to reviews what I used to tell my kids when someone said something "mean" to them when they were younger: "Ask yourself one question. 'Is it true?' " If it is not true, dismiss it. If, however, it is true - and in the case of reviews, corroborated with others similar to it - then give it consideration. Also, with reviews of our work, are there other reviews that are positive, five-stars, etc. An honest critique / constructive criticism are invaluable tools.There are what I call "review trolls," who apparently look for ways to tear others down [and this in life, not review forums only.] I've been in similar discussions in other groups, and heard the complaint that reviewers griped that a story was "too religious" when it's clearly marketed as Christian fiction. To me, that kind of person is looking for something to complain about and not offering anything constructive - and to that I say, dismiss it.
Readers who read reviews in making buying decisions will recognize those for what they are, and read past them. They will look to the general consensus of reviews, overall rating, etc.
I will confess, I felt stabbed when I got my first 3 star review, but it turned out to be glitches with formatting, not my writing. Conversely, my most recent reviews - both five stars and GLOWING - took my breath away. 'Cause, you know, I do like my own story!
Before I publish I give my book to 3-5 friends or fans in print form doubled spaced in a binder with a red pen. I get their help in finding the errors and then I get my editor in on the action.
I don't think you can get it perfect but it certainly gets it close. So get good reviews now and fix the errors when you can. :)