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Great post. I've started to see this discussed on other groups as well, so I'm afraid it's becoming a bigger problem. I've seen this happen to someone I know. And I experienced my own snarky one-star. Sadly, it's human nature. But good to make writers more aware so they can take action.
I have seen a little of what you mentioned in your article. I write reviews for books myself and always try to to remain objective because you all do work hard on the novels you submit to be published. I went to the tour event for Summer Rental and Mary Kay Andrews mentioned problems with bad reviews. When I went to the sites she mentioned, I didn't necessarily see bad reviews. I did feel it was wrong for people to submit reviews based on complaining about the price of the book. I have always been delighted to support authors and present their work in the best light possible.
So is Goodreads finally seeing that malicious review attacks are a reality and will do something about it? I personally have not had such problems, but I know of other authors who have been hit with negative reviews from people who have not read their books... people attempting to make a political, religious, or nonsensical point.The purpose of the review is to give the opportunity for people who have read a book (whether they completed it or couldn't get past the first chapter), and comment on their reading experience, good, bad, or indifferent so that other readers can judge whether the book is worth buying / reading. Ideally, of course, reviews should be well-written (complete sentences, proper grammar and punctuation, no profanities, quotes examples, includes actual facts from the book, etc. and so forth...). Still, a review should not be a tool for hate, and Goodreads should protect (if it is not doing so already) its author community from malicious attacks.
This happened to me recently on Goodreads and Goodreads did the right thing. I agree with Christopher - the purpose of the review is to let those who read the book comment on their reading experience. It shouldn't be a tool for hate.
Stephanie wrote: "This happened to me recently on Goodreads and Goodreads did the right thing. I agree with Christopher - the purpose of the review is to let those who read the book comment on their reading experience..."I am glad, Stephanie, that Goodreads was able to help you. If you dig a bit on the previous threads about malicious reviews and look for my name, you might see from where my impression had come, that Goodreads might not have been doing enough to protect its author community. However, perhaps enough authors have complained since then that they have decided to be more supportive.
I also recall the impetus of the prior posts regarded malicious reviews before the release of a book... even an ARC, for that matter. I also recall after reading the moderator's posts in response that I could see their point. Still, I am glad that they have helped you, and thus my confidence has increased.
This review and rating was clearly bogus. I'll check the previous threads. It is amazing just how vicious people can be.
I too had a bad review and wondered if the reviewer had an axe to grind. My other normal reviewers came up with four and five stars for 'And the Devil Laughed' - but this reviewer only had the grace to give me one along with sarcastic comments.Hearing about others and their reactions to a bad review I thought it might be an interesting experiment for a curious reader to read the bad review, then review the book and tell the public if the bad review was warranted. I haven't yet done that ...
Personally, if I review a book and find I don't get on with it,I don't do the review. After all, everything is subjective and if I don't like it, there may be others who do. At least I won't have caused damage that way.If you want to see it - tick the 'reviews'.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1849...
Carole wrote: "Personally, if I review a book and find I don't get on with it,I don't do the review. After all, everything is subjective and if I don't like it, there may be others who do. At least I won't have caused damage that way...."Actually, I don't mind negative reviews... if they are well-written. If someone doesn't like it, they can still politely indicate what they did not like and why. That is good feedback for a prospective reader who might have the same dislikes as the reviewer.
Now, poorly-written negative reviews are not exactly malicious, but they prove the lack of class or coherence of the reviewer. However, these poorly-written reviews can often be assessed and ignored by an intelligent, prospective reader. As a reader, when I read a review, if I see a lack of punctuation, grossly incorrect spelling, abusive criticism, lack of facts, lack of coherence, etc., I ignore the review and move on.
I think the impetus of this discussion is in regards to malicious reviews used in some sort of attack, for whatever purpose or cause.
So, by all means, if you don't like a book of mine after reading it, please feel free to give it a negative review.
Christopher, thank you for that refreshing attitude. As an author, I expect some people to be less than thrilled with my book, and thus far at least I'm interested in all reactions. Ditto with comments people add to my reviews of other books -- When people see things in a way different from the way I see them, that's OK.As you note, apparently there are some vicious, destructive reviews being posted that are motivated only by someone's desire to poison the well. There may be a fine line in deciding whether something fits that description. However, I've decided that a book has to resonate with me to some extent and to have more redeeming qualities than failings before I will finish it and write anything about it; and for that reason I've put down quite a few this year at about the 100-page mark. I suggest that as a potential guideline.
But a review that is clearly malicious should probably be deleted.
At the banquet at ThrillerFest, which is the annual fan event of the Internatonal Thriller Writers, there's a trophy given for worst Amazon review. Writers submit them and the finalists are presented as a sort of Powerpoint show: author, book, review. It's hilarious, as long as you're not one of the nominees. My favorite of my own one-stars was by a woman who called A NAIL THROUGH THE HEART "child pornography." HarperCollins threatened Amazon with legal action, since it's such a ridiculous claim, but Amazon stood firm, and it's still up.
I'm new here. Are only positive reviews acceptable? Is this out of fear of backlash? I planned to write reviews focused more from a writer's perspective of what can be learned by the author's strengths and weaknesses. Is that a bad idea?
Eva wrote: "I'm new here. Are only positive reviews acceptable? Is this out of fear of backlash? I planned to write reviews focused more from a writer's perspective of what can be learned by the author's stren..."Eva, I think the discussion emphasis, if I am not mistaken, is about malicious reviews used as some kind of attack and not genuine negative or bad reviews, which though some find undesirable, I feel the non-malicious negative reviews are a part of the author experience. I just home my negative reviews are well-written and well-cited.... alas...
Eva wrote: "I'm new here. Are only positive reviews acceptable? Is this out of fear of backlash? I planned to write reviews focused more from a writer's perspective of what can be learned by the author's stren..."I believe this thread is more about some persons using reviews to attack/sabotage an author's works. Typically these persons do not actually read the work in question, or produce any valid criticism, they just use the reviewing system to attack the author through their work.
Did that help clarify? I am pretty sure that a balanced and well defended review, even if the end result was quite negative, would be accepted on the site.
Doc
I know that there are some out there that write bad reviews just out of spite - but if I give a poor rating to a book, I explain why. I figure criticism, if it is constructive and well-placed, has a place in the land of reviews. I don't want someone to lie to me about my book - if they don't like it, I want to know why and if it's something I can improve upon I will do it. :)
Thanks everyone. I appreciate the protectiveness and kindness of the comments I've seen here. I don't plan to post about books I'd score low because I'm unlikely to finish reading those books. I do try to balance a review, though.
Eva wrote: "...I don't plan to post about books I'd score low because I'm unlikely to finish reading those books. I do try to balance a review, though..."I think many authors who write reviews feel similarly. They know that no good deed goes unpunished. If any of us maliciously attacks another author, we ourselves might become targets of karmic retribution.
Honest reviews are an essential part of a writer's development. There is no place whatsoever for malice towards another writer's heartfelt efforts. At the other end of the scale, 'automatic' five star ratings from one's mates ultimately don't help either, least of all for your potential customer, the richest source for future sales. There has to be balance. We all know how much emotion and hard work it takes to write a book and then put our heads over the parapet and publish it. We should all be prepared to risk getting some well-reasoned reviews we don't like because we have to accept that not everyone will enjoy what we've written, but we shouldn't be prepared to accept malice. Rest assured, what goes around comes around.
Doc wrote: "Sadly, some folks will only see things as a zero-sum game. They can't live with the idea of someone else being successful unless it directly feeds into their own success. The irony is that their at..."Here here!!! I've been finding a lot of authors, bullshi*ing about stuff and not helping anyone out. I've recently found out that authors are more backstabbing then people in the movie industry
People are just too stupid now-a-days... too narcisstic to even think, that if you help someone out, they can help back.
It's a shame... new to this industry and finding it worse then the industry I work in.
Stephen wrote: "It's a shame... new to this industry and finding it worse then the industry I work in."I don't think it is any better or worse. There are pockets of community here and there, and there are those who will try to use you, or see you as a threat to their success. Best thing to do is keep looking until you can find a community of mutually supportive folks who will welcome you.
Just like everything else in life.
Doc
Thank you for posting on your blog about this issue, Beth. I am new to this group, and still fairly new to publishing and promoting, and I was not really aware of spamming reviews like you describe. I am always learning something new. Appreciate your taking the trouble when you had family issues and little time.
I've been writing a lot of reviews and I aim to be honest in how I feel about the book---its writing and the story itself. If I don't like it, I let you know otherwise I'm not being honest and how can a future reader trust what I'm saying? If we only post reviews that are nice, what's the point? No one is going to learn from it---and, no, I am not saying that I'm suited to be judge, jury, and executioner! Each review is simply my opinion. I do my best to find something nice to say about each book, however malicious I may be. And I do have to confess that I have been rather nasty about a couple authors.
On the whole, I try to remember the huge efforts each author puts into their creation. It's the slackers that irritate me. And, yes, I do empathize with them because I have slacked off myself and I appreciate others telling me because I want to produce a professional product.
My personal philosophy on the successes of others? YEAH!! Even if it does confuse me at times...
Kathy,I agree with you. I am just beginning to write reviews that are actually for real, live people. and I don't see any point in being dishonest. I have to, as you say, recognize the effort represented in a book, and the "chops" an author may bring to a work (personal experience, his/her editorial process, to what extent he/she was true to the state purpose or genre or audience. And I don't like it much if it is a good story but not well-written.
Oh, thank god! I was figuring I'd get chopped off at the knees!
There are so many worthless reviews, 5 star raves, as I just heard today, ones that have one star and a series of unintelligible letters.
I tend to give out 5-stars if the writing is good and the story is good; 4-stars for either good writing or a good story; 3-stars if it's okay, I enjoyed it, but there's nothing tremendous there---and I admit, if it's main character(s) behaves stupidly; 2- and 1-stars for lousy writing and/or story.
Doc