Reader Ratings Drama

shameless · Sep 21, 2009

Okay... I could use some advice and/or commiseration.

A person just went through and submarined all my books at Goodreads. Odd, but she gave my first book a 5 star rating and added me as a "favorite author." Then she proceeded to give all the rest of my book 1 star without an explanation why.

Now, I don't expect everyone to like my books. (Okay, so I do. But I'm realistic enough to know the truth.) But... What the hell?

How do you handle something like this? How do you keep from letting it hurt so much? :e2bummed:

ChaosTitan · Sep 21, 2009

It's actually quite possible she hasn't even read those books. Some people get a bee in their bonnet over something in their life and take it out other people. Could be she had a bad day at the office. Could be she's a writer and that last rejection just pissed her off and she took it out on the closest possible target. Could be professional jealousy.

Just remember it's not personal.

Last week, I was both dismayed and amused to see that someone on Goodreads had rated my book 2 stars. Now, the book isn't even out yet, and I know who the other four ratings came from (1 friend, 3 reviewers). But this person's profile wasn't filled out, I didn't recognize them as someone who'd been sent an ARC (so how they've actually read the book, I have no idea), and they'd gone scattershot through different UF titles, giving them 2 or 3 star ratings. I told myself it just an idiot on a power trip and let it go.

*hugs*

shameless · Sep 21, 2009

Thanks, Kelly. That helps. I just have a hard time understanding people who are mean just to be mean. It's so NOT my nature.

veinglory · Sep 21, 2009

The thing is you don't know they are doing it to be mean. They could be doing it for any reason including by accident.

ChaosTitan · Sep 21, 2009

Mine, either. I debated long and hard about giving a book a 2-star rating once. And I genuinely thought the book was awful, but I hated rating it that low.

xccorpio · Sep 21, 2009

It's awful when someone does something like that. I always write positive reviews, if I didn't like a book, I don't take it on the author.

In my opinion for the nature of that place, it could be someone who doesn't have an idea of what a review really is.

Speaking of reviews, I read two of your books, and I'm pending of writing a review for each of them. It's in my long to do list. I will do it at Goodreads when I do.

BTW, I love how you write. In Japan, I could have call you senpai.

:Hug2:

veinglory · Sep 21, 2009

If I don't like a book, I write a negative review. It's a consumer product, I get to have an opinion.

shameless · Sep 21, 2009

xccorpio said:
It's awful when someone does something like that. I always write positive reviews, if I didn't like a book, I don't take it on the author.

In my opinion for the nature of that place, it could be someone who doesn't have an idea of what a review really is.

Speaking of reviews, I read two of your books, and I'm pending of writing a review for each of them. It's in my long to do list. I will do it at Goodreads when I do.

BTW, I love how you write. In Japan, I could have call you senpai.

THANK YOU! I really needed to hear that today!! :LilLove:

So what does "senpai" translate as??

shameless · Sep 21, 2009

veinglory said:
If I don't like a book, I write a negative review. It's a consumer product, I get to have an opinion.

No argument there. But why give all the books a submarine rating and then not even write a word why? I read a book by a fairly well-known author that I was very disappointed in. I gave it a two star rating, but I also wrote a review to explain why. If this person would have given me at least some indication why she ranked everything with one star, I wouldn't have been so devastated.

brainstorm77 · Sep 21, 2009

veinglory said:
If I don't like a book, I write a negative review. It's a consumer product, I get to have an opinion.

Agreed.

veinglory · Sep 21, 2009

It sucks to see it ... but the readers owes the author nothing, not even an explanation.

shameless · Sep 21, 2009

veinglory said:
It sucks to see it ... but the readers owes the author nothing, not even an explanation.

You're right. She owes me nothing. I guess what I would like to know is if they're honest ratings because I have no idea why she'd read one, think it was only worth one star, then bother to read the others. Seems a bit odd to me...

xccorpio · Sep 21, 2009

shameless said:
THANK YOU! I really needed to hear that today!!
So what does "senpai" translate as??

You're welcome.

Senpai it's unique to the Japanese culture. Basically means 'mentor' or a colleague with more experience. A person who deserves respect.

shameless · Sep 21, 2009

xccorpio said:
You're welcome.

Senpai it's unique to the Japanese culture. Basically means 'mentor' or a colleague with more experience. A person who deserves respect.

I'm honored. :2angel:

shameless · Sep 21, 2009

Okay... I need to wax philosophic with Mick Jager. "You can't always get what you want. But if you try sometimes, you just might find you get what you need."

Just found out Turning Thirty-Twelve received a four star review from Romantic Times in their November issue!!!

Here's their quick quote from reviewer Donna M. Brown...

Snappy dialogue, plot twists and endearing characters enhance this wonderful story of middle-aged angst. There are laugh-out-loud moments and tearful ones too, generally caused by Jackie and Mark's children from their former marriages.

I NEEDED this today!! :snoopy:

Lainey Bancroft · Sep 21, 2009

My advice? Ignore it, Sandy.

I agree, everyone is entitled to an opinion, and a reader owes an author nothing, BUT a 1 is a harsh rating. It implies that SOMETHING about the book(s) DEEPLY moved/offended/irritated the reader.

IMO, If a reader feels THAT strongly about a book and they take the time to publicly state their opinion, they owe it to other READERS to offer some form of explanation, regardless how cursory. (eg, 'hated the characters' 'no plot' etc. etc.)

A 1 clicked down on several books with no explanation says "boo-boo" at best or "spite" at worst to me.

You, me, many readers and numerous reviewers know that your books are #1, not a 1.

shameless · Sep 21, 2009

Lainey Bancroft said:
You, me, many readers and numerous reviewers know that your books are #1, not a 1.

Thanks for the great advice!
Love you, Lainey!! :Hug2:

MeredithD · Oct 11, 2009

I like Goodreads, generally. When I'm considering a purchase, I read the positive reviews as well as the negative ones. But if there's simply a rating -- no explanation attached -- I pay it no heed whatsoever. The fact that this reviewer left no comments is going to invalidate her review for many people who use that site for guidance on which books to pick up next.

Now, thinking about this as a writer... I've got a lot of sympathy! Recently, someone on Goodreads gave one of my books two stars -- before I had even sent the manuscript to my editor. Needless to say, for a moment, I found that a wee bit discouraging. And then I thought, "Huh. Guess I should take that as a sign to get off the internet and keep working on the WIP."

(Some writers have told me they won't read any reviews of their work. I like to read reviews, but my policy is not to take any of them personally. I try to apply this advice to the gorgeous reviews as well as the mediocre ones, and it keeps my spirits in pretty good shape.)

shameless · Oct 11, 2009

MeredithD said:
Now, thinking about this as a writer... I've got a lot of sympathy! Recently, someone on Goodreads gave one of my books two stars -- before I had even sent the manuscript to my editor.

How ridiculous is that?

I'm much better now. Just needed to get the disappointment off my chest so I could move on.

The 4 stars from Romantic Times didn't hurt, either.

panda · Oct 11, 2009

Odd, but she gave my first book a 5 star rating and added me as a "favorite author." Then she proceeded to give all the rest of my book 1 star without an explanation why.

This inconsistency points to SHEER randomness lol, I believe that is the statistical term for it. Don't take it to heart.

shameless · Oct 11, 2009

panda said:
This inconsistency points to SHEER randomness lol, I believe that is the statistical term for it. Don't take it to heart.

"Outlyers," if I remember high school stats. Which is absolutely amazing if you knew how terrible I am at math.

Thanks, Panda! :LilLove:

Cathy C · Oct 11, 2009

I'd actually not heard much about Goodreads until this. I'll have to wander over and see if any of our books are even mentioned. Anyone have a linky?

shameless · Oct 11, 2009

Cathy C said:
I'd actually not heard much about Goodreads until this. I'll have to wander over and see if any of our books are even mentioned. Anyone have a linky?

http://www.goodreads.com/

I imagine you have an author's page you can "claim." Have fun! I really like all the readers I've "met" on Goodreads.

L.Jones · Oct 12, 2009

Sandy - ya know, I always say If everybody likes my books, then not enough people are reading them.
It still stings though when you get a mean-spirited review - and this reeks of mean-spiritedness. The good news is that people who are looking for real reading information will spot that right away. Another thing I always say (yes, I AM always saying somethin'!!) is that everything you write says as much or more about you as it does about your topic/story. I believe this and think it extends to reviews (or even nonreviews) like this.

I had a nasty 1 star not too long ago on Amazon - felt bad until I checked out the other reviews and found myself in distinguished company and laughed. So maybe if you need to feel better, check out who else she is 'reviewing'.

annie
http://anniejonesjoywritingthroughlife.blogspot.com/

MeredithD · Oct 12, 2009

shameless said:
I'm much better now. Just needed to get the disappointment off my chest so I could move on. The 4 stars from Romantic Times didn't hurt, either.

I bet it didn't! Congrats on that!

Reader Ratings Drama

Superlative Type A

Around

Superlative Type A

volitare nequeo

Around

volitare nequeo

Superlative Type A

Superlative Type A

practical experience, FTW

volitare nequeo

Superlative Type A

Superlative Type A

Superlative Type A

Cover Me!

Superlative Type A

Superlative Type A

its harders sto type withh paaws

Superlative Type A

Ooo! Shiny new cover!

Superlative Type A