How to Handle a Bad Review for your Book | Authors getting bad reviews
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- Опубліковано 11 чер 2024
- It’s going to happen. Or maybe it just happened.
But what do you do when you get a bad review on your book?
I didn’t want to be too silly in the intro to this video because, getting a bad review, sucks. Point blank. Nothing good about it. You worked hard on your book. You had a vision and you executed it to the best of your ability. You revised it. You worked hard every day to make it the best book possible and someone just trashed it. Stomped all over it. And now, that bad review is getting attention because the internet is a dumpster fire that rewards negative content.
This sucks.
Go ahead and say it.
Out loud in the room you’re in right now. This sucks.
Here is what you’re going to do and what you’re not going to do:
You are going to get out a pen and paper and write a response. “Oh yeah, you think writing a flawless book is so easy, why don’t you try it?” “Oh, you couldn’t keep up with the plot. Guess you’re just dumb.” Write it out. On paper
Because what you’re not going to do is engage with this person online. Don’t reply to the comment. Don’t subcomment. Don’t - do not - respond or reach out to them via email. Don’t. The review isn’t for you, it’s for other readers.
You will either stop looking at your reviews altogether, or you will go through and read your 5-star reviews. See, that makes you feel better.
You are not going to let this ruin your day, your mojo, or your next book. I read a quote once that stuck with me and it is that no statue has ever been created for a critic. Everyone is a critic. Everyone had something mean to say. But you have a voice and a book and a message and you don’t going to let this one troll ruin your day.
The best advice here is preventative which is to never check your reviews, the good or bad ones. But let’s be realistic, the world we live in makes it tough to ignore our name and our books online. So let it roll. Learn to laugh if they are wrong, or have typos in their nasty review, or
Hear me out
Or maybe, they’re a little bit right. Maybe the next time you could do better. Let it inform and fuel you if you have to. But chances are this sample size of one isn’t right.
Alright, do you feel a little bit better now? You have a plan. You know you’re not alone. In fact, let’s own up to the fact that we’ve all received bad reviews. In the comments let’s all be honest and admit “I’ve received poor reviews on my book too” and I bet we’ll all feel less alone in going through this.
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As a response to this video: ua-cam.com/video/iPk0OOGWU6c/v-deo.html
Wonderful advice!
Thank you! Happy to help
If you are leaving a review that's not five stars, don't be mean. There's a difference between constructive criticism and ripping a book apart. I've had reviews from people who admitted in the review that they didn't even read the whole thing but they're reviewing anyway! And yeah I don't read them unless they're on my ARC team or an editorial review anymore.
Agreed. There is a difference between critique and trolling
Such an important topic!
It's the tough part of being an author
Unfortunately, it's always going to happen. if you sell copies!
Absolutely! The more readers, the more critics
When an author is IN review spaces every review becomes personal because you've made that space your personal space. This is why you should absolutely keep out of reviewer spaces. They're not for you. And being in them is absolutely going to cause you to become unprofessional. Lurk, read reviews, but don't engage with reviewers (not even to say thank you). Many reviewers get uncomfortable when authors reply to their reviews. They're not there for YOU. They're there for your work. And though authors read a LOT, it's rather unethical to be leaving reviews as an author. Leaving honest bad reviews makes you look like a bully or like you're trying to tank someone else's career, and leaving nothing but positive reviews is dishonest and pointless. No matter if you received good or bad reviews, just know that you made someone feel enough of SOMETHING that they took the time to write that review. You achieved something there. And if they went into detail (good or bad) about why they felt that way, use that as a tool to improve. You don't need validation. YOU DID THE THING. You wrote the book. You achieved the dream. Only about 3% of people who start writing a book even ever finish it, let alone publish it. Let that fill your sails instead of seeking validation from others. You're a dang rock star. View reviews simply as tools, nothing more. Resist the temptation to make reviewer spaces personal.