I noticed I’d gotten a really nice review of one of my books the other day.
Several books ago, good reviews really had a strong impact on me. Actually, the word ‘elation’ wouldn’t be far off the mark in terms of describing my feelings.
But the problem with putting stock in an unexpected good review is that they’re sure to be followed by negative reviews. If you’re on a high from the good ones, you’ll really crash after the bad reviews.
Plus, I realized, if I believed the good reviews, it meant I had to believe the bad ones. Otherwise, I’d really be biased.
After I came to that conclusion, I got a lot more clinical with my reviews. I appreciate them tremendously, I love that people care enough to read my books and offer feedback. But I can’t put a lot of stock in them. All I can do is take note of the ingredients of both the positive and negative reviews—did the reviewer list elements they especially appreciated or disliked? Is this a common theme in the reviews I’m reading?—and use them to help me with future books.
My approach:
I don’t read reviews when I’m writing something new. It’s just hardly ever good for a decent writing day. It tends to make me want to edit more instead of be creative.
I don’t respond to any reviews—positive or negative—on a bookselling site. If I see a nice review on a blog, I might thank the blogger in the comments or send them an email. Author intrusion on bookselling sites is almost always a bad thing.
I do like helpful negative reviews—reviewers who point to what they see as a particular problem with the book. It’s always interesting to see if the problem is something that can be addressed in future books in the series. Are other people giving feedback about the same thing?
As I mentioned above, I don’t believe my good reviews, either. I find them heartening and I appreciate them, but I try to look at them just as clinically. Did they say what they liked about the book? Is it something I can give more of in the next book?
With any review, I try to look at it as feedback. It’s a business and I’m trying to make readers happy as well as please my publishers and myself. I work hard to make sure I don’t take it personally. If I feel tempted to take it personally, I remind myself it’s a business. And it is.
So….basically, I don’t take much stock in either bad or good reviews, I just take from them whatever I can find useful, moving forward. And I remember it’s all part of the business of writing.
How do you get distance from your work in order to keep positive during either querying or reviews?
Elizabeth – I think you’re wise to step back and get some distance from reviews. As you say, there are good reasons not to put all your stock in them. I try to do the same thing with my book reviews that I do with teaching evaluations I get. I look for patterns of what people say. If I learn from the pattern that one or another thing is or isn’t working for readers, that tells me a lot as I work to be a better writer. Trends or patterns help a lot in looking objectively at my writing.
Any negative reviews in anything we do can be paralyzing.
It’s best to stay away from them. Everyone has an opinion and they seem to all be different. :)
Everyone’s entitled to his or her opinion. And we are all different people, touched by different things.
I think there are two kinds of reviews. The first is the more common, the ones written as a part of the business, to promote reading. Even negative reviews do that. I see awards the same way, a part of the business to promote books. I don’t read books just because they have received an award.
I “review” books for myself, to formulate my own opinions about what I have read. I think in writing. If I don’t write it down, I haven’t thought it through. If I don’t like a book, find some redeeming quality in it, I don’t write about it on my blog. And I only write about books I have bought myself unless the book has been available free to everyone.
So I’d say to writers, write what rings your bell and, whatever other people think, they think. If it helps you to read the reviews, read them. Otherwise, don’t. They are simply another part of the business you are in.
So far, the majority of my reviews have been written by bloggers (either people I ´know´ or who like my genre); thus they have been very kind to me.
But the negative side to having a free story on Amazon.com this summer was some two-star reviews on Goodreads. The first one hurt a bit, but my response was to check what kind of reviews my favourite authors had got. When I had seen the averages for P.D. James and Ruth Rendell, I stopped feeling sorry for myself.
And my first Amazon one-star review made me laugh out loud:
“I didn’t feel there was enough to this story. I think the premise was good, but it really needed more to the story in order to make me feel like I spent my time wisely.”
As she got a ten-minute story for FREE, I think her judgement was hilarious, and it did NOT stop other readers from downloading it ;)
Given that people can now actually pay for services that include a guarantee of 10 reviews, I’ve stopping taking stock in most of them. Of course, I love the good ones, but unless they’re clearly snarky, I try to accept what the rest of them say, then move on. Often it’s clear they haven’t read the book, or they don’t approve of sex scenes (while just as many others like them).
Terry
Terry’s Place
Romance with a Twist–of Mystery
It is hard to gain distance sometimes, but we need to know what we did both right and wrong. I think the only review that threw me for a loop was one where the reviewer stated my book would’ve been better had the main character been raped. It didn’t bother me that she didn’t like it, but I was disturbed that a teen would want such a thing in her YA reading or expect it.
This is something I haven’t had to worry about yet, other than when I read negative reviews of books I’ve enjoyed. For me, they can be educational, for the most part. And other times I wonder if we read the same book.
I’ve learned to keep my distance and also that the nasty reviews can sometimes make valid points. I learn more from them than from reviews saying everything was wonderful. Not that there’s anything wrong with getting those, I hasten to add!
You’ve nailed it. I take all reviews with a grain of salt. Read them, judge their merit, and keep my distance. Does the author tell me exactly what she liked, what didn’t work for her and what might have worked for her? If the reviewer gets specific, I pay attention. Maybe I will make a change in a future work. If the reviewer writes a rambling, incoherent review, positive or negative, while I appreciate the fact that he or she read my book, I ignore the review.
Recently got a 2-star review on Amazon because the reader doesn’t like Cougar stories. The story was tagged “Cougar” and “Older Woman Younger Man.” Made me laugh.
I think that would be very hard and I applaud you for being able to keep emotional distance from the reviews.
Hi Elizabeth.
I agree, while we are writing stay clear of reviews. The negative ones can sometimes take on a personal attack. I am still learning.
Nancy
N. R. Williams, The Treasures of Carmelidrium
I don’t worry much about bad reviews. Of course, I’m elated for the good ones. But I just keep plugging along because its what I love to do.
Diane–That would be disturbing, for sure. There are definitely some suggestions that I take with a grain of salt…others that I make note of.
Margot–Good point. If *all* the negative reviews are pointing to a common element, then that’s something to take a look at, for sure!
Stina–Ha! Yes, I’ve wondered that before, myself. :)
Journaling Woman–I know several writers who *never* read their reviews. They’re just completely devastated by them…it’s probably good for them to just avoid reading them.
Joe–Very good point. Not everyone is going to love our books.
To me, book bloggers are a totally different group from the online bookstore reviewers. That’s because most book bloggers are experienced, thoughtful writers (at least the ones I’ve come across.) When I want to find out if I might be interested in a book, I check out the bloggers’ sites–not the reviews on Amazon. There’s just a tremendous difference.
I like your policy on reviewing. I’m a lousy reviewer myself, but I’m opening up a Saturday feature to guest bloggers who want to write about a “good read.” So…I’m only soliciting good reviews–books we’re recommending to friends.
Dorte–Definitely! I’ve seen really rotten reviews of American classics like “To Kill a Mockingbird,” etc. Something to keep in mind if we start feeling down!
There are definitely reviews that make you want to just shake your head! Particularly on book retail sites. Those folks just aren’t experienced reviewers usually.
Terry–Oh, and I’ve sometimes seen bad reviews because the book was shipped late from Amazon, etc (not on my books, but other authors.) And you’re right–many times it’s just a matter of personal taste of the reviewer.
Mary–I think it’s one of those things that’s hard at first and then gets a bit easier as we go.
Nancy–Well, and there’s just something that can be a little dispiriting about them…especially when we’re in creative mode.
Elspeth–I do like reviews I can learn from. Both good and bad (although the good ones are a ton easier to read!)
Stephen–That’s a great attitude to have…remembering why you’re writing to begin with.
Sure the bad ones are a bummer, but I always read them so I’ll know how to do better the next time.
I don’t have a book at this point, but when I do, I really, really hope I can handle it as well as you do. I think the clinical approach is best… although I’ll probably cry a bit first :)
oh, man! Such a great point about not responding to reviews on book selling sites. I think we’ve all seen how that can turn out… :p
As for reviews, you’re so right. The ones that give examples are the most helpful, but don’t read them on a writing day. Yikes. :D <3
Alex–I don’t avoid them either. Well, except when writing a first draft. Then it tends to mess with my mind!
Julia–Oh no! Yeah, it’s not like you’d put false advertising on there. :) That’s the sort of thing that just makes writers grit their teeth. Or reviews that the book was too short (when it was listed as a short story), or that the binding fell apart (not exactly the author’s fault), etc.
LTM–Oh definitely. :) Never really turns out well to have an author show up to defend a book. Better to just let the book speak for itself (or hopefully other readers will have enjoyed the book.)
This is a really great attitude, one I hope I can maintain as I launch one book while writing the second! But I always tell my writer friends: reviews are for the readers, not the writer. I’d love to try to discern some writerly take aways from the reviews, but I’m afraid (like you say) of putting too much stock in either positive or negative. I think having a general sense of what readers like, what they respond positively to, can be helpful. But each book will be loved by some, hated by others, and ignored by a lot! ;)