Bad Reviews - Oh the pain!

I would suggest not having hopes for reviews. People experience the book they way they do. They share that experience. They are not obliged to conform to some standard of reviewing or object meaning of x-number of stars.

It took me 10 book and almost as many years to realize I just shouldn't read my 1 or 2 star reviews.

Bad reviews can suck the wind right out of our sails. Sorry it happened to you.

You say you couldn't afford an editor and I can commiserate with you there as well, but were you able to get your book in front of some beta readers? A critique group? How about excerpts right here on the Share Your Work board? Have you ever shared your writing with anyone else before publishing a book? Those things can really help a writer become a better writer.

Btw, I love the cover on your Boston Blood novel.

Y

I'd say try and find some reputable book bloggers who review self-published books. They'll give you a fair, honest and professional review in return for a review copy and some patience.

Not all book bloggers review self-published books, though (I don't, simply because my books-for-review pile is already hard to handle with trade published books and my time is very limited) but many others will.

"Customer knows best" is a good attitude to have, good on you. Just don't let it dishearten you.

EDIT: Seconding MMcDonald's recommendation to try using this forum's critique boards and beta reader board as well.

Just try to shrug it off and keep working to improve. Even the most beloved, accomplished authors get bad reviews. Goes with the gig.

BTW - I give this thread 1 star out of 5.

Luis Samways said:

Good advice! I'm sure I can grow through these reviews. I understand that I cant please everyone, but it would be nice. I just don't want these reviews to effect my sales (Weirdly enough, my sales are actually better)

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If you think there might be some gem in there get someone else to look at them for you.

After you have 20 reviews, that first one doesn't matter so much.

Luis Samways said:

Then I reread it and found that maybe she was overeating.

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How do you diagnose an eating disorder from a bad review?

Phaeal said:

How do you diagnose an eating disorder from a bad review?

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tracking cookies.

*rimshot*
thenkyou.

Om nom nom nom

There were five stars but I ate three of them

One review of my book started out with "I was confused" and proceeded to give a wildly mangled summary of the story. I was confused -- no wonder she was. Naturally, this was a blog with thousands of members.

Oh, well. I'll look at that one anytime I have trouble fitting my over-swollen head through a doorway.

I'd strongly caution against proofreading your own manuscript six times -- unless there's a month in between each reading. I've been a proofreader, and I wouldn't expect to be able to catch anything without substantial time away between readings.

Fresh eyeballs are what you want. There's no substitute for them.

Luis, I looked you up on Amazon and found the bad review (US). I clicked on his name and he has left 13 reviews on Amazon in general. All but one was bad (including products and movies). In nearly every review he stated, "need more words so I can submit review. How are you?" (or whatever that little blurb was). Even on a movie review, he stated that the movie was terrible and he tried to shut it off three times with his remote and must need new batteries. By the way, he did give a glowing review for a book, but stated it was his first Kindle book ever.

I think you just got yourself a weirdo My husband and I used to have an eBay Trade Assistant business and learned very quickly that there are some people that get some kind of kick out of scouring the internet for things to buy, just so they can leave a bad review. Maybe it makes them feel powerful??

What a strange review! I'd consider yourself trolled and wouldn't take it personally.

Like some other posters have suggested get your book to a blogger, preferably a blogger who enjoys the genre you write in. They will give you an honest and (usually well written) review.

I feel your pain about the price of editing. I use beta readers but it just isn't quite the same as that professional polish. I had my book edited at an early stage but then made so many changes it really could have done with a second edit or a proofread. Unfortunately I couldn't afford either so had to proofread myself (with the help of a couple of lovely betas).

This time around I have more beta readers and was hoping that I could afford a copy edit or final proofread. But, as I've been shopping around I realise that I probably won't be able to afford one this time around either.

I'm actually considering finding a course to help me with grammar. I know the basics but would love enough knowledge to be able to edit my own work, at least until I start making a bit more money. Hopefully it would improve my writing for the future and be a good investment.

Sorry about the bad review, but unfortunately it comes with the territory. Just look on it as a rite of passage that every writer has to go through. I had a look at the review, and as far as bad reviews go it really wasn't too bad. Believe it or not they do get easier to deal with.

As reviews, good or bad, are not restricted to self published books, I'm going to move this to the Round Table.

I consider myself extremely lucky. To date, I have not had a bad review. Having said that, I have no control over what people opine about my writing. I'm pleased when I see good reviews...but I certainly do not expect them. To each their own...I firmly believe in that concept. People are going to read the 'greatest book ever written' and not like it. We each have very unique filters. We each arrive at a book with our own baggage, our own life experience. Nobody comes to a book empty of mind. Hence, we each read a different book when we are all reading the same book...if you get what I mean.

Don't take a bad review to heart. One like the one you quoted isn't exactly helpful. Sometimes a bad review can be extremely helpful...if it is thoughtful and gives insights into what it is that didn't work for the reader, etc.

I also wanted to say something about your concept of ratings. A LOT of reviewers will use a 3 to rate a book they truly enjoyed. When you only have 5 levels to work with...a three is sometimes used for books the reader loved. Don't put too much into the rating itself...you will find that a lot of 3 star rated book reviews are accompanied by some pretty glowing written reviews of the book.

I read my reviews. Some authors do not. Some say NEVER to read them. I say NEVER comment on them...whether they are good or bad...but I don't say don't read them. You can find constructive criticism in a review.

Good luck with your future reviews...just don't let them be a part of your emotional landscape...read them and move on.

I don't have too many reviews and most seem to have come from strangers who sent positive reviews or gave good ratings.

My publisher's publicist sent a copy to a prolific reviewer with a huge and loyal global following whose genre is specifically YA and MG - paranormal and fantasy. She also says, by the way, she'll read books by Singapore authors, regardless of genres.

She goes on to review my book and says how much she dislikes the genre (mental illness/memoir) and how hard it is to review. She gave me 5 out of 10 on her blog and a 3 on Goodreads. I was very upset and wondered why she even bothered to review it. Why not just decline it? I felt she had just set a Singaporean author up for failure. It ate me inside for a few days and I ranted to the publisher about it. He agreed the book should not have been sent to this reviewer as it was not her genre.

Then I looked at reviews by strangers and decided that with the good reviews come the bad. It's just the way it is and we need to have a thick skin.

I hope you get better reviews soon and like everyone else has said, don't let the bad reviews get you down.

Purple Rose said:

She goes on to review my book and says how much she dislikes the genre (mental illness/memoir) and how hard it is to review. She gave me 5 out of 10 on her blog and a 3 on Goodreads. I was very upset and wondered why she even bothered to review it. Why not just decline it? I felt she had just set a Singaporean author up for failure. It ate me inside for a few days and I ranted to the publisher about it. He agreed the book should not have been sent to this reviewer as it was not her genre.

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Not to pick on you, but this attitude some authors have that reviewers should decline to review if they didn't like the book really grates on me.

Amadan said:

Not to pick on you, but this attitude some authors have that reviewers should decline to review if they didn't like the book really grates on me.

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In general, I'd agree with you. But someone who dislikes an entire genre really ought not be reviewing books in that genre. That's just common sense.

KTC said:

NEVER comment on them...whether they are good or bad...

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I agree with this. If you choose to read the reviews (I do), never comment. Once your book is out there for people to read, it takes on its own life and you, as the mere creator, have to let it live. It's not the author's place to respond to reviews.

Don't let poor reviews get you down. Keep writing. Keep improving.