I heard you gasp. But I also saw you nodding your heads. We all know this, right?
We’ve all had it happen – that moment when a scathing review shows up. Famous mainstream authors like Tom Clancy and James Patterson get one-star reviews. Stephen King’s novel, The Stand has almost 5,000 reviews and yes, some of those are one-star ratings. That is proof that not everyone is going to like your book.
We spend days, weeks, months and sometimes years toiling over a story. Then with great enthusiasm we send it out into the world. I often compare it to giving birth. That baby is the most precious and wonderful thing to its mother. That baby is beautiful.
So, what do you think happens when someone comes along and says to that mother, “You have an ugly baby?” First off, the mother is going to feel protective, then secondly she is maybe going to feel a little hurt.
It’s the same way with our books. Our first reaction to criticism of our books is to defend and protect it. The second normal reaction is to feel hurt and maybe even a little beat down.
Sound familiar?
Everyone is entitled to their opinion and while to most of us, it would seem mean or maybe even cruel to tell a mother her baby is ugly, it can represent that one person’s truth. And shouldn’t everyone stand in their truth? Maybe the baby is indeed ugly, and after all, don’t we promote freedom of speech?
Where is protocol for these situations? Or is there any?
A review with a low mark doesn’t bother me. I’ve given plenty of them. But when someone goes beyond leaving a review and chooses to trash our work publicly it changes the dynamics. And it is entirely up to us, as the creator of that work, how we respond. That is when it turns into the ugly baby scenario.
One thing I know for certain, is that you never engage in a debate about your work. You would be bringing yourself down to their level, opening yourself up to further criticism and making a mountain out of a mole hill.
In my opinion, the best option for any author in that situation is to take the high road. Look closely at the criticism. Maybe you can learn something from it. Maybe what you learn is that person simply doesn’t understand your story or doesn’t like your style of writing. Or maybe you learn that person, even though they don’t know you, don’t like you, or is jealous of you, and it has nothing to do with your writing. Or maybe they have a legitimate criticism about your writing but choose to express it in a harsh way. Whatever the answer is, the best solution for every author is to learn whatever lesson can be had and move on, always striving to be better and staying professional.
Remember when you put your work out to the world, you’re putting yourself out along with it, so developing a bit of thick skin might be helpful.
Don’t hold on to criticism. Don’t let it stop you from creating. Don’t let it destroy your confidence or your creativity.
We live in a society where many seem to believe that everyone who doesn’t think exactly like them is either ignorant and uninformed or plain stupid. The new normal is to discredit anyone who doesn’t see things your way. Please, never let yourself fall into that category. Everyone doesn’t read through the same eyes. Everyone doesn’t understand the same way you do. And everyone doesn’t have the same moral compass that you do. And none of that makes them wrong and you right or vice-versa.
Don’t stress over things you cannot change. Focus your precious energy on the things you CAN change!
Have you experienced the “you’ve got an ugly baby syndrome?” What did you do? Let’s learn from each other. This is a safe and open forum. Let’s talk!
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It’s always exciting to see that you have a new review, but the heart sinks a bit when it’s far from glowing. But if you think that everyone will enjoy your creations, you are in for a reality check. I personally won’t leave a negative review, but will leave a star rating. I like when readers are honest when they don’t think that the book was a right fit.
Here is a couple I received:
“I have neutral feelings about this poetry collection…Perhaps it just wasn’t for me.” – Exactly.
“I’ve read much better but there are much worse collections out there.” – Well I’m glad I’m not the worst. 😃
You gave some valid examples, Leon. And I totally agree with your attitude. Thank you for stopping by, following my blog, sharing this piece, and leaving a comment! Much appreciated!
I did a few posts on reviews that you might like:
http://linesbyleon.com/2021/01/07/more-on-reviews-i-didnt-like-your-book-this-much-she-said/
http://linesbyleon.com/2020/12/15/the-importance-of-reviews/
http://linesbyleon.com/2021/02/02/book-reviews/
I learned this lesson a long time ago. My sister Cleo and I are a year apart. We both love to read. As a teen I devoured Stephen King novels. I remember convincing my sister to read one of my favorite Stephen King novels, ‘Misery.’ I thought, there’s no way she isn’t going to love this book. She absolutely hated it. She couldn’t even finish it. I was shocked. But this experience taught me a lesson, no one book is for everyone. That being said, it does hurt when someone reads your book and hates it for whatever reason. One thing I don’t get is when someone leaves a bad rating for one of your books with no accompanying review. Then you’re left wondering, but, what was it they didn’t like about it?
What a great example of how everyone sees things differently. It is our unique views that make life interesting. I agree with your comment about someone leaving a low rating and no comment. That doesn’t seem fair to the author. Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving a comment! Here’s to happy reading!
Happy reading! 😀 xo
Thank you for this useful, and very important posting, Jan! I think that some people have given negative reviews of books too little to deal with the subject matter in them. In my opinion, every book has its justification. What bothers some readers is usually a real reading pleasure for the majority. Best wishes, Michael
What a great viewpoint, Michael. Every book has its justification. That should be on a meme. 🙂 I appreciate you stopping by and leaving a comment!
:-)) Thank you, Jan! Have a beautiful weekend! Michael
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Thank you for this level-headed advice!
My pleasure, Liz! Thanks for stopping by!
You’re welcome, Jan!
I totally understand this, Jan. Especially when one person hates something and another person loves it. You can’t please everyone.
So very true, Heather! Thanks for stopping by. Feel free to give me a call. You have my number.
Yup. I have a one-star review. Hurt like hell. It’s one thing to know that not everyone will like your ‘baby’, it’s another thing entirely to feel it. But if the writer of the 1-star review is at one extreme, and we are at the other extreme, it does pay to investigate whether there can be some small rapprochement. I made a few small changes because even the prettiest baby can be made prettier. 😀
You are exactly right, A.C. It’s one thing to know that not everyone will love your story, but another to “feel it.” It can bring us to our knees and feed the raven of self-doubt that likes to sit on our shoulders. I always look for constructive criticism in reviews, and as you say, even the prettiest baby can be made prettier. Thank you for stopping by!
My pleasure, Jan. Nice to ‘meet’ you. 🙂
Wonderful post, Jan! You got to the heart of what all authors have had to accept – not everyone will love your work. We all have received reviews that are wonderful and fill our hearts. We all have received less than complimentary reviews that crush our very souls until we accept that this is inevitable. It happens to the best and brightest authors too. The first negative review I received brought me to tears. Now I don’t dwell on them and never respond to them. It would only give the reviewer voice to continue to be negative. There are so many more positive ones that erase the negative in my mind. We authors have to believe in ourselves and work hard at our craft in spite of what others may think or say in reviews. Onward and upward, dear authors! Believe! 💕
You touched on something here that I feel is super important, Janice, and that is our self-confidence. Many authors struggle with self-doubt, and a harsh and deliberately destructive review can bring us to our knees. I’m so glad you enjoyed the post and that you stopped by today! Hugs!
An excellent post Jan. best not to engage except to say thank you for your opinion.. I remember in the early days someone said they had bought one of my books, and as you do .. I said I do hope you enjoy.. she replied that she didn’t have great expectations as it was self-published! That stigma is still alive and well in some people particularly in certain groups.. including one I attempted join on MeWe which was apparently only for those represented by an established publishing house!!! lol.. cutting themselves off from some fabulous books. Will share in a blogger daily this week..hugsx
It is so sad when people immediately put a self-published author in a lower class than a traditionally published one. Especially in this day and age, many mainstream authors are taking the self-pubbing route as they are tired of being ripped off by publishers. It’s true there are a lot of very poorly written self-published books out there, but we’ve come a long way in creating a reputation of caring about our work. Thank you for stopping by and I’m glad you found the post interesting enough to share! I don’t believe anyone should feel forced to review a certain way by any group or organization.
Quite Jan.. and self-published authors who care about their work are also fueling a whole sector of author services which were usually done in house in the publishing companies.. this has created many thousands of jobs..hugs xxx♥
You’ve touched on valid points Jan. Excellent and humbling 🙂 x
Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment, Debby! I’m glad you enjoyed the post!
<3
I notice that some folks take pride in having a differing opinion when it comes to leaving reviews. It reminds me of shock jocks who take a strong stance on something because they know it will be controversial and get people to react. I’ve also noticed that some people who leave low reviews tend to do this with much greater frequency than others. I don’t know if that provides any comfort, but I suppose if they’re trashing everything in their path, it’s like a tornado. I think it would be easier to write that off as a loose cannon than a serious reviewer.
Taking the high road is always better, especially if someone is engaging in trollish behavior. Those reviewers are trying to push buttons. Why give them the satisfaction of taking the bait?
Well-said, Pete. Why take the bait indeed? Thank you for your comment. I appreciate it!
What bothers me most are the bad reviewers who get personal. I once had a reviewer who accused me of being an abusive parent because the children in my book did chores on a farm. Amazon removed the review after many people marked it as unhelpful. The worst one I’ve ever read, (thankfully not for my book) was a reviewer who said toward the author, “I hope your children die.” There’s no way to respond to that.
Oh my goodness, Sandra! That’s awful for a reviewer to get that personal and angry over fiction. We live in a very strange world and it seems that everyone is looking for something to take offense to. Thank you for stopping by!
Perhaps due to neither enough works published nor enough ones read by others, I have yet to share the worst of ugly reviews. 🙂 Not to say I’m looking forward to the problem, mind you.
Hi, John. Well, if that day comes, hopefully, my post gave you some tips for how to handle them. Congrats on having never been there yet. Thanks for stopping by!
Plenty of wisdom in this blog, Jan. Everyone gets that low scoring review. Personally, I don’t pay much attention, unless a number of people are saying the same thing, then for me, it’s worth a closer examination. Perhaps there is something deficient. The worst one I got was a three. The reviewer felt my book was based on two “white saviors” who did all the rescuing. I had to keep from pecking back that perhaps, if this person has actually read the book and not just the blurb, they would realized that a number of Haitians actually helped. Sheesh. 🙂 I restrained myself, because, as you say, its far more professional just to refrain and move on.
That’s such a great example of taking the high road, Mark. Good for you for not engaging. The worst I’ve ever gotten is a three-star and for that I’m grateful. I loved “Vanished.” It carries such a strong message. Thank you for stopping by today and leaving a comment.
Thank you, Jan. 🙂
Wonderful post! Very wise advice.
Thank you for your comment and your email, Robert!
One of my favorite ‘bad’ reviews stated my book was nothing more than a romance. Since that’s what I write, and the book cover was a couple staring into each other’s eyes, I’m not sure how they thought it was misrepresented!
Poor punctuation bothers me more than a weak storyline. Everyone misses a comma here, or spelling there, but when it becomes an issue and slows the read, I close the book. (And, no, I don’t leave a bad review. I was raised to speak nicely, or keep my thoughts to myself, lol)
Lol, Jacquie. Your comment made me giggle just a little. To pick up a romance, then criticize it for being a romance is too funny. 🙂 Poor punctuation doesn’t bother me as much as typos. As you said, one here or there is something I overlook. I was also taught to either play nice or don’t play at all. I think some folks missed that life lesson. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
Jacquie, I can’t understand why some people buy and read a genre they’re not interested in and then have the nerve to leave a bad review!
I don’t get it, either. If I pick up something I’m not familiar with (like horror :)) I take that into account when reading the book. As long as the story flows, has an interesting plot, and the punctuation is passable, it should be judged on those merits.
I won’t engage in a negative review other than to thank them for it. If I can learn something, I will take it away with me. I’ve had those reviews and yes it can be painful but I remind myself all the famous authors have had them. Great post, Jan!
Exactly, Denise. That’s why I mentioned Tom Clancy and James Patterson in the post. It’s shocking to see 1-star reviews on their books. Thankfully, I’ve never had a 1-star review, and hope I never do. But if I do, I will try and learn from it. Thank you for stopping by! Hugs!
Jan, I love how you have mentioned that criticism may help us learn. Nobody could be perfect. People have their own eyes and perspectives. Let’s give them the freedom of choice. Never think that a few negative words could dampen our shimmer.
I have received such reviews and I was glad that the reviewer mentioned that I use difficult words and guess what? I was elated, as I have always struggled with words, knowing my vocabulary limitations. I knew I was growing… so what if reviewers didn’t like it!
What a great comment, Balroop! We can learn from constructive criticism. That is the point of this entire post. Thank you for sharing!
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I love this, Jan!! So well and beautifully said. And you’re exactly right. No one reads the same or writes the same, so no one enjoys the same style of words. Besides that, we can learn from certain criticism as well. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!!
Hi, Mar. Thank you for the reblog. I’m glad the post resonated with you and appreciate you stopping by!
Hi Jan, I read and review a lot of books. Some are books I would not chose to read, I read them as part of Goodreads challenges or because someone asks me to read their book. I read a lot of classic books and I love paranormal and historical books, but I will read anything. When I read a book, I approach it with a totally open mind and I look for uniqueness and emotion in the story rather than writing correctness. I am an observer so I do notice flaws in writing, but those observations are peripheral to my enjoyment of a story. When I write reviews I will often note small points of imperfection as an aside for completeness purposes but I always look for what appealed to me in a book. I would never write a review that was not constructive and I can honestly say I have never deemed a book worthy of one-star. I have learned something from every single book I’ve ever read and believe that all books have value and should be considered respectfully.
Very well-said, Robbie. I approach books much the same way, respectfully. If I find that a book doesn’t appeal to me, I put it down and move on. Sometime last year, I picked up a book that the cover and storyline really drew me. And I did read the entire book because it was such a good story. But, it had so many typos, and on every page, that I couldn’t ignore that. Therefore, I couldn’t leave the kind of review I wanted to. But I did let the author know privately. Anyway, thank you so much for stopping by. I totally agree with your comment.
So true! I enjoyed your post.
Wonderful, D.K.! Thank you for stopping by!
My sentiments exactly, Jan. Good post and responses for all authors.
Thank you, John! I appreciate you stopping by!
I’ve only engaged once with a reader about a negative review, and that was because she emailed me. She read my book on the recommendation of my critique partner, an author she loves, and she was very disappointed in the book. So we had a conversation. I didn’t change her mind–reading is subjective–but it was beneficial to me to hear her side.
You hit the nail on the head, Jennifer when you said reading is subjective. Interesting that the reader emailed you. Did she have any specific criticism, or just didn’t like the book?
I usually don’t respond to a negative review, but if the reviewer is “nice” about it I might engage with them a bit, thank them for the review, but I don’t argue and never downplay what they had to say. Part of writing is learning and accepting constructive criticism graciously. Vicious reviewers have other problems besides your book, so I ignore that crap. Thankfully, it has only been one. Never get caught up in trying to please everyone though or you’ll never finish anything…lol. Any product put out in the world will eventually get a negative review. It stings, but that’s about it. I have looked at more successful authors, and how they take a beating. They do it in style and never say a word. Some of them even have groups dedicated to how much they hate the book. Can you imagine? I’m not there yet, but if I ever make it, I will remember my peers and how they handled negative reviewers. Great post!
Wow! Reader hate groups. I’ve never heard of that one, Kristal. I totally agree about accepting constructive criticism graciously. I welcome it. Tell me what was wrong with the story. Let me learn from you. That is how I approach it. Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment.
You’ve said it all. Try to learn something, but there isn’t always something there to learn from. Some people just like lashing out. Never engaging with them is solid advice.
Thanks, Craig. I’m glad you stopped by today. I hope the sun is shining in your world. Spring is on the way!
It is. We’ve even seen an insect or two.
I read a quote that said, “If you can’t handle being talked about, then you are not ready for success.” I’ve had a few negative reviews (critical reviews, as I prefer to think of them). They hurt, and my first instinct was to thrust out my chest and get on my high horse, but then my stronger inner self wrapped her arms around me and reminded me that my role was not to argue with others’ perspectives but to listen and ponder upon my reaction to their words. Some of those reviews had legitimate remarks. I couldn’t see it at the time, but after rereading my novel, I realized I did, indeed, need to tighten up my word choice and fix a few errors. Some of them were from people who don’t normally read my genre and didn’t enjoy it. I can appreciate that. They took a chance and didn’t like it. That speaks more about them than about my novel. I appreciate them at least mentioning that they normally don’t read that genre. In the end, if a critique focuses on writing errors, I will take notice, but if it’s about enjoyment, I don’t take it personally. 🙂
You make a great point here, Yvette. I have ventured into reading genres I wouldn’t normally pick up since I joined RRBC and I have, for the most part, been pleasantly surprised. A good example is the horror genre. I would never go into a bookstore and go to the horror section. But I’ve read some that I enjoyed. 🙂 As you well know, I welcome constructive criticism. Tell me where my errors are and I’ll bend over backward to get them fixed! A great example is a review Harmony Kent left for “Flowers and Stone” early on. Her specific statements about what wrong with the book prompted me to pull it down and fix it. Tell me my book is filled with errors without anything to back that up, I’m left floundering. Thank you so much for your comment today. I loved what you said about your stronger inner self wrapping her arms around you. That made me smile. Have a great day!
Harmony left me a strong, critical review as well… and she was right! I did need to tighten up my writing, and there were errors I hadn’t seen before. Those are the reviews I value more than the “I loved this story SO much!” reviews. LOL! 🙂
Jan, after I read a bad review of one of my books (I only view it once), I tell myself that a glowing five star will come along and banish the awful review. It’s wasted energy to dwell on the negative. 🙂
Great attitude, Mary! Thank you for stopping by!
Thank you for your thoughtful post, Jan. I don’t review a book deserving of less than three stars. I recently purchased a bestseller dealing with our current economic challenges. It was nothing like the promises made, so I returned it via Amazon. That’s an option we all have.
If a reviewer gives a bad review minus constructive advice, I believe the review is really about the reviewer — who they are. They may be jealous, they may need to appear superior, they may hate the world, who knows. But minus the reasons for the judgment, the review is about the reviewer.
Well-said, Gwen. The review is about the reviewer in those situations and I believe that. I had no idea you could return a book to Amazon. That’s great information because I have some I want to return. 🙂 Thank you so much for stopping by today. I hope the sun is shining in your world!
Hi, Harmony. I am so sorry to hear that your energy level is down. I hope you are feeling better. Thank you for weighing in. It’s an experience that we’ve all had. Some are able to shake it off easier than others. I agree that we learn what we can and if it is nothing, then we move on. I wish you a good day!
Never engage with those reviewers – always good advice. When a reviewer blasted one of my books, I looked at her profile on Goodreads and saw her average was barely three stars – and she’d read a lot of books. That told me she was one of those readers who may or may not have read the books, but seemed to enjoyed bashing them and the authors. When something is mentioned (constructively) a few times in less than stellar reviews, I’ll keep it in mind for future novels. Awesome post, Jan!
Exactly, Teri. I welcome constructive criticism of my work. That is one way I learn and grow. I am always striving to be better. Starting out as an indie author, I had control over my work and could re-edit as needed. With a publisher, it’s a whole new ball game and I’m not quite sure of the rules. I like what you said about keeping constructive criticism in mind for future novels. That, my friend, I WILL do!!
Great advice, Jan. Recognizing someone who decides to denigrate the work just gives them the attention they were seeking. Not a good idea. 😁
I totally agree with that short-to-the-point statement, John. Not a good idea. Thank you for stopping by!
😁
Bad reviews always sting a little, but I think the more we write, we develop a tougher shell. I also think the more reviews you have, the more likely you are garner a few bad ones in the bunch. We can’t please everyone. The first bad review I ever had really bothered me, mainly because it was slanderous. Other than that, I don’t give them too much attention, and I NEVER respond to a review—-unless it’s on BookBub. There, I might thank someone for their review.
When I’m reviewing a book myself, if I can’t give it at least three stars, I won’t review it. I know how hard the author worked. I don’t understand why some people feel the need to publicly trash a book.
Hi, Mae. I agree with you about my own method of reviewing a book. If I can’t give it three stars or more, I am not going to post a review and most likely won’t even finish the book. There are too many great books out there to spend my limited time in this body reading something that doesn’t appeal to me. 🙂 I also totally agree about not responding to reviews. That’s just not professional. A “thank you” on Book Bub is a great way of acknowledging the reviewer. Thank you for stopping by! Have a great day!
Hello My Dear,
I can write a book about rejections or maybe even two books. But first, let me say, I don’t believe any baby is ugly. There are no ugly babies, just people who have a messed-up view of what beauty is. Now back to your question, I wrote a story for an online romance magazine in 2012. I love the story. It was my first time putting my writing out to the world. The online publisher thought it was a great story too. She wrote me two days later and said that my story had topped all the stories that she’d published so far. People were actually reading it and according to all of her statistics, I had the best story on her site. The hammer came days later when someone wrote their view of my story on her website. To say it hurt is an understatement. I thought I was about to die. The writer compared me with Toni Morrison and just tore my story apart. The publisher told me it was an unfair critique. It was so scathingly critical (less than 1 star) that the publisher asked me if I wanted to have the critique taken down. I told her to let me think about it and reassured her that I would get back to her.
It took me two days of mourning for myself before I gave the publisher an answer. It was within those two days, that I realized that my healing would come when I faced the situation with love and respect instead of hurt and bitterness. So, I talked with the publisher. I told her I didn’t want the critique to come down and that I would answer the reply because I needed to do that for me to move on. I had answered all the others with a thank you so why should I ignore this person’s opinion. So with sincerity, I thanked her. I didn’t argue or even try to convince her or get her to see things my way. Did I stop hurting immediately? No. But I had noticed a blockage in my writing those two days and I felt it move. I could write again. I also did something else. In fact, this next step fell into my lap. and it was the best thing that could have happened to me. I had been attending a Writer’s Digest Workshop taught by an Acquisition Editor who had acquisition manuscripts, at that time, the six major publishing houses. She also offered private small groups on manuscript development by using the methods of The Hero’s Journey. She was a tough cookie and I have to admit the first small group gathering that I was a part of, I was way under par. She ripped my manuscript apart. I think I cried after every submission. In fact, I decided that I wouldn’t continue on because I thought she was heartless. To make a very long story short, I didn’t quit. She didn’t let me. She saw what I could not see. I needed her toughness, her critique to make me a better writer. I didn’t see it then, but in looking back, I see it now. We are still friends today. She’s still not an easy person, but she’s honest, and I know she means well to me. She just doesn’t know how to dress it up so that I don’t feel hurt. Just like castor oil, she makes me take the dose as it is.
This is just one of the negative critics that I have received, and I hope it helps you.
You are a great writer. No, you are not perfect, but that doesn’t make you are any less of a great writer. It is writers like us that get up and drag ourselves back into the ring. Not because we think we know better but because we will not let anyone other than ourselves.
Take care. Sending you a big European hug.
Shalom aleichem
Wow, Pat, you have definitely been in the trenches. You make one point here that I want to comment on and that is about not letting anyone stifle our passion for telling stories. While I can write those words easily, really believing them is another story. 🙂 I am very open to any constructive criticism about my writing. That is how I learn best and I welcome it. Give me examples of what didn’t work, or words that were wrong. That is the best way for me to grow and get better at the craft. Someone saying that your writing is full of errors doesn’t help without backing that statement up with examples. Thank you for your comment. Hug received and sent back. Here’s to a wonderful lifetime of more storytelling!
I always felt my stories were (in some ways) even more personal than my children. It didn’t take two people to make them. They came solely from me. So, when people are critical of them, no one else shares that pain. I’d much rather someone insult my work than my kids, don’t get me wrong. But when someone does insult my work? There’s a singular stab to the heart associated with that.
I don’t fight back. Not publicly, anyway. I often share such comments with friends, mostly because I want to know if there’s any validity to the comment. If there is, I want to learn from the suggestion and improve my craft. But usually it’s a troll looking to flex an anonymous vitriolic muscle. Those I try to move on from. But even they sting a little. I hope to learn to laugh at them someday.
You’re right, though. Not everyone will like every word we write. And that’s just the nature of our field. Great post on the subject.
Thank you for your comment, Staci. You are right about that stab to the heart and no one with which to share the pain. I totally agree about not fighting back. It lowers the author to a level they do not want to go. Taking the comments to fellow authors who have read your book to look for any validity is a great method. That being said, when you read, Ghostly Interference, did you find any glaring errors that shouldn’t be overlooked?
No glaring errors. I enjoyed the story very much. 🙂 <3
I agree with Joan’s comment about jealousy being the root of some nasty reviews. Not everyone in this life will like us or the books that we write. I just keep my head down, my mouth closed and don’t listen to the noise.
I love your attitude, Jill! Thank you for stopping by.
A timely post, Jan. I’ve been thinking lately about why I sometimes feel like I need to rate books higher than they warrant. If I do, what does that say about me as an author?
You’re right. Not everyone will like your books but to publically trash someone is childish and immature. It can also be a sign of jealousy. Like you say, learn what you can from the reviews and move on. And as a reader, I’ve bought plenty of books based on one and two-star reviews because I know what the reviewer didn’t like, I would.
Joan, I think we are doing an author a great disservice when we give a great review for a book that we truly didn’t feel it deserved. We’ve all developed friendships around the globe and we never want to hurt a fellow author’s feelings. I think we owe it to each other to reach out personally when we see glaring errors in a book that can’t be overlooked. None of us are perfect and even with a publisher and rounds of edits, things get missed. I invite any and everyone to let me know when they find errors that need to be fixed and I will happily do the same. Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment.
Totally agree with you, Jan.
Great post, Jan. I’m sure we’ve all experienced this. A few years ago, some guy had a go at me and basically told me I can’t write, and the irony was that his points were incorrect. I just wished him a happy Christmas and moved on. I feel the best way is to accept any learning that’s helpful and ignore the rest.
Sorry I haven’t been around much this week. Energy is a struggle again.
Have a lovely day, Jan. Hugs xx 🙂