So, I recently got a 2 star review of Wildflower Crown on Goodreads. The person said that they couldn’t finish the book and found it entirely not suited to their tastes. I was a little bummed that she didn’t like it, but I actually wasn’t upset because of how nicely she worded the review.
I was really glad to get this review, even though it wasn’t good, because it can actually help people decide if they want to read my book or not. Rather than saying “This book is terrible, don’t read it, my eyes were bleeding” or any nonsense like that, she just pointed out where she thought the book needed work and what she didn’t like about it. She was also very polite about it.
When writing a bad review, keep in mind that you’re commenting on something a person made, and that person has feelings. You don’t have to lie or anything, but try to think of what is constructive and could help the writer/other potential readers. If you hated every single thing about the book, you can say that, but word your review as you would if you were telling the author your opinion in person. Or over Skype, at the very least.
Before you publish your work you have to be prepared for bad reviews, even if they are just hateful nonsense, because not everyone is going to like your book. I steer far away from what I consider to be purple prose when I write, and this person thought my book was too simple. And that’s fine. If they didn’t like it, they’re allowed not to and I bare them no ill will. Another person emailed me to say she couldn’t finish my book because she really hated third person POV. You know what? I can’t help that. My book is third person POV and that isn’t going to change, and neither will her tastes. I don’t aim to write a book that everyone will love, I just aim to write a book that I would enjoy reading.
🙂
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I like this post. It helps a lot.
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You can’t please everyone. Sure it stings a little, but that’s part of being a writer. Like you said, at least she was kind and polite about it.
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It is important to write what you would like to read. This was the reason for Carlos Ruiz Zafón to create his YA trilogy. 🙂
If I do not really like a book, there are two possibilities:
a) I refrain from writing and publishing a review.
b) I contact the author, explaining why I did not like the book.
You might know that I read and review lots of books; what you cannot know is that there are books that I read, probably suffered through and – kept quiet about.
In case of a bad review we all need to distinguish between honest and malicious reviews. Unfortunately there are way too many of the latter category out there.
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I just write stories that I would like to read. You can’t write a book for everyone. I think when you start writing to please, you lose something.
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I love what I write, so even if people don’t like it at least I’ll have that.
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I think that’s a great view to have regarding reviews. In the end, not everyone is going to like your book, just like you don’t like every book you read.
Like the person who said they couldn’t read it because of the third person POV – I’m the opposite. I rarely, if ever, read books written in first person POV. It just doesn’t float my boat.
Fortunately, readers have as varied tastes as writers are varied in their writing 🙂
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Thanks for this. We all get less-than-glowing reviews sometimes, and your attitude is a very mature and healthy one.
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