I appreciate this stance so much. I had an author come into my comments and messages on one of my first ever arc reviews and it was so jarring for me. I hadn’t tagged the author or even posted it over multiple platforms. I was younger and I couldn’t quite articulate why it made me feel so negatively. It definitely hurts when someone doesn’t like something you worked hard, but everyone is allowed to dislike things, even for no reason.
I am so sorry that happened to you! How horrible. You are so right, people are entitled their opinion no matter what. And if you didn't like it, you just didn't like it! And that's totally okay. I hope nothing like that happens to you again, and I'm sorry that an author made you feel that way in a place that should be safe.
The thing with Victoria Aveyard is that's her new stance. In the past she was attacking reviewers on Goodreads and Twitter for their opinions and got called out for it. She learned her lesson.
This is such an important conversation! I agree with all that you said. I recognize that it is hard to potentially not look at negative reviews, but for everyone's mental well being I think it is best to try to separate from it.
Agree with everything you say here! It definitely affects my mental health to read reviews of my self-published book... even the "good" ones. I'd rather avoid and try not to take it to heart and engage with beta readers, editors, and peers helping me during the writing process. What's tricky is being a part of the booktube community and feeling compelled to watch reviews of my own book and comment because they took the time to read and review and I "know" them. I'd really rather not because it's uncomfortable for me, LOL.
Hahaha I feel this!! It's really hard especially when they're people you know. It's a weird feeling, but I'm glad the conversation is happening so we can navigate through it.
I so agree with this ive had 2 really negative experiences over my time on booktube and it was so stressful to feel like i needed to defend myself for having an opinion especially as a small creator. It can be very intimidating if its a bigger author and their fans also come for you.
Oh Amy, I'm so sorry that happened to you. I wish it never happened anymore. I'm so tired of it. Please know that not every author is like that, and your opinion on a book (negative or positive) is important and necessary! Some fans are a bit too protective over books imo, and you'll never fully escape people like that on the internet. But keep your chin high!!
My book (and books in the future) stands as it's own advocate. The writer who has to leap to their book's defense, explain it, whatever, has written a poor book that didn't need to be written. Now, that said, fans of a book who disagree with a negative review and choose to engage with the critic who left the poor review...hey, that's on them. I have no part in it, and take no responsibility for it. I've heard people in the reviewer/critic community contend that writers are somehow accountable for their fans dogpiling a critic. I don't agree. If a reviewer submits their criticism of a piece of art to the public space, negative blowback from fans is part of the possible conversation. Now, I recently received my first poor review of my book, and I was ready for it (in fact, I expected it much sooner then it came). I knew my book wasn't gonna be for everybody. I don't engage with the good reviews I've received, nor will I come storming to the door of a negative criticism. However, what fans of my book do is entirely up to them. I don't goad them, or in any way incentivize their interdiction. As stated, my book is its own advocate.
Love this take! I completely agree. If a reviewer responds to another reviewer, that's not on you at all. People can have their own discourse on their terms. Thank you so much for sharing, Keith!
Completely agree. Reviews are ultimately opinions and even if I give a negative review on a book, I never hold it against another person who likes the book because everyone has different tastes. And we can even have healthy discussions with different opinions on books, and that can even change opinions. I know there was one book that I disliked, but a commentor on my review had a discussion with me. While I don't think I like the book anymore, he did explain some of the things that I felt were out of place that I didn't have the right understanding to get at that time. I read a one-star review on a book that I'm going to review soon that was based entirely on the person hating the book for something I actually found was one of the books strongest points for me. Although, to be fair, I haven't actually managed to get my own work out there yet and I can't speak from the other side of the argument. I like to think I'll accept criticism in a healthy way so long as it is valid. By that I mean....there's actual points and not: "I hate this story because instead of getting angry and punching a wall, the main character dealt with his emotions by dancing." (this sounds like a jest, but this is an actual reason someone I know hates a movie). But I guess I won't ever really know until I'm in that position.
Thank you for this take, Afrodo! I completely agree. I think healthy discussions about books with people of differing opinions are super important and can sometimes lead to some amazing points neither would think of on their own. That's what makes this community so great (99% of the time lol). I have a feeling you'll do great, and having a support group will help when you're feeling down about it all! Nothing prepares you for people to dislike your art, but that doesn't mean you should ever stop making it. I can't wait for when you publish your first book!
I'm a newly self published author (my book Broken Dreaming just became available a few days ago) and the idea of reading reviews is, frankly, terrifying! I'm gonna stay away from those. The whole experience of putting a book out there is pretty scary actually. That being said, I would still like to connect with reviewers. Do you have any recommendations for getting a booked out there to be reviewed by youtubers such as yourself? I would be willing to send a copy to you or any reviewer that would like to read it.
Hi there! Thanks for your question. It is terrifying to put your work out there for everyone to see! So congrats on taking that leap, it's a big step. Some reviewers leave their email for authors to contact them, so you can always look for that (as long as they're accepting books to review). If you have an instagram, you can offer your book in exchange for a review and ask around. Unfortunately, a lot of people just don't have time if they aren't actively looking for it. Do you have an ARC team? That might help you get started!
Overlap entirely. I've loved reading & writing my entire life. I feel like reading is subjective. Not everyone will like or dislike the same thing. If someone gives a book a read or a chance then doesn't enjoy it, that's perfectly acceptable. Even if I published and someone left an honest review that's negative, if I respond (I don't plan to) I'm going to thank them anyway. "Thank you for leaving an honest review. Reading is subjective. Your opinion matters. I will take this review in a way to improve future stories." Or something like that. Because any reviews are important. Any reader is important. I don't plan to. If I'm tagged or see it casually, I'll ignore it or say something helpful. It's not our job to take our personal feelings out.
Nice! I completely agree, reading is so subjective and every opinion, in the end, does matter in its own way. They're super important, negative and positive! Thank you for sharing!
I appreciate this stance so much. I had an author come into my comments and messages on one of my first ever arc reviews and it was so jarring for me. I hadn’t tagged the author or even posted it over multiple platforms. I was younger and I couldn’t quite articulate why it made me feel so negatively.
It definitely hurts when someone doesn’t like something you worked hard, but everyone is allowed to dislike things, even for no reason.
I am so sorry that happened to you! How horrible. You are so right, people are entitled their opinion no matter what. And if you didn't like it, you just didn't like it! And that's totally okay. I hope nothing like that happens to you again, and I'm sorry that an author made you feel that way in a place that should be safe.
The thing with Victoria Aveyard is that's her new stance. In the past she was attacking reviewers on Goodreads and Twitter for their opinions and got called out for it. She learned her lesson.
woah, really? I hadn't heard about this! I only knew about Piper CJ and that really recent one from a woman named Sarah (I think?).
This is such an important conversation! I agree with all that you said. I recognize that it is hard to potentially not look at negative reviews, but for everyone's mental well being I think it is best to try to separate from it.
For sure! It's really important to separate yourself from what people are saying. At the end of the day... people are going to think what they think!
Agree with everything you say here! It definitely affects my mental health to read reviews of my self-published book... even the "good" ones. I'd rather avoid and try not to take it to heart and engage with beta readers, editors, and peers helping me during the writing process. What's tricky is being a part of the booktube community and feeling compelled to watch reviews of my own book and comment because they took the time to read and review and I "know" them. I'd really rather not because it's uncomfortable for me, LOL.
Hahaha I feel this!! It's really hard especially when they're people you know. It's a weird feeling, but I'm glad the conversation is happening so we can navigate through it.
Yay!!! So happy you made this video!!
:))))) Well thank you for YOUR video!
I so agree with this ive had 2 really negative experiences over my time on booktube and it was so stressful to feel like i needed to defend myself for having an opinion especially as a small creator. It can be very intimidating if its a bigger author and their fans also come for you.
Oh Amy, I'm so sorry that happened to you. I wish it never happened anymore. I'm so tired of it. Please know that not every author is like that, and your opinion on a book (negative or positive) is important and necessary! Some fans are a bit too protective over books imo, and you'll never fully escape people like that on the internet. But keep your chin high!!
My book (and books in the future) stands as it's own advocate. The writer who has to leap to their book's defense, explain it, whatever, has written a poor book that didn't need to be written.
Now, that said, fans of a book who disagree with a negative review and choose to engage with the critic who left the poor review...hey, that's on them. I have no part in it, and take no responsibility for it. I've heard people in the reviewer/critic community contend that writers are somehow accountable for their fans dogpiling a critic. I don't agree. If a reviewer submits their criticism of a piece of art to the public space, negative blowback from fans is part of the possible conversation.
Now, I recently received my first poor review of my book, and I was ready for it (in fact, I expected it much sooner then it came). I knew my book wasn't gonna be for everybody. I don't engage with the good reviews I've received, nor will I come storming to the door of a negative criticism. However, what fans of my book do is entirely up to them. I don't goad them, or in any way incentivize their interdiction. As stated, my book is its own advocate.
Love this take! I completely agree. If a reviewer responds to another reviewer, that's not on you at all. People can have their own discourse on their terms. Thank you so much for sharing, Keith!
Great take!❤
Thank you!!
Completely agree. Reviews are ultimately opinions and even if I give a negative review on a book, I never hold it against another person who likes the book because everyone has different tastes. And we can even have healthy discussions with different opinions on books, and that can even change opinions. I know there was one book that I disliked, but a commentor on my review had a discussion with me. While I don't think I like the book anymore, he did explain some of the things that I felt were out of place that I didn't have the right understanding to get at that time.
I read a one-star review on a book that I'm going to review soon that was based entirely on the person hating the book for something I actually found was one of the books strongest points for me.
Although, to be fair, I haven't actually managed to get my own work out there yet and I can't speak from the other side of the argument. I like to think I'll accept criticism in a healthy way so long as it is valid. By that I mean....there's actual points and not: "I hate this story because instead of getting angry and punching a wall, the main character dealt with his emotions by dancing." (this sounds like a jest, but this is an actual reason someone I know hates a movie). But I guess I won't ever really know until I'm in that position.
Thank you for this take, Afrodo! I completely agree. I think healthy discussions about books with people of differing opinions are super important and can sometimes lead to some amazing points neither would think of on their own. That's what makes this community so great (99% of the time lol).
I have a feeling you'll do great, and having a support group will help when you're feeling down about it all! Nothing prepares you for people to dislike your art, but that doesn't mean you should ever stop making it. I can't wait for when you publish your first book!
I'm a newly self published author (my book Broken Dreaming just became available a few days ago) and the idea of reading reviews is, frankly, terrifying! I'm gonna stay away from those. The whole experience of putting a book out there is pretty scary actually. That being said, I would still like to connect with reviewers. Do you have any recommendations for getting a booked out there to be reviewed by youtubers such as yourself? I would be willing to send a copy to you or any reviewer that would like to read it.
Hi there! Thanks for your question. It is terrifying to put your work out there for everyone to see! So congrats on taking that leap, it's a big step. Some reviewers leave their email for authors to contact them, so you can always look for that (as long as they're accepting books to review). If you have an instagram, you can offer your book in exchange for a review and ask around. Unfortunately, a lot of people just don't have time if they aren't actively looking for it. Do you have an ARC team? That might help you get started!
Overlap entirely. I've loved reading & writing my entire life. I feel like reading is subjective. Not everyone will like or dislike the same thing. If someone gives a book a read or a chance then doesn't enjoy it, that's perfectly acceptable. Even if I published and someone left an honest review that's negative, if I respond (I don't plan to) I'm going to thank them anyway. "Thank you for leaving an honest review. Reading is subjective. Your opinion matters. I will take this review in a way to improve future stories." Or something like that. Because any reviews are important. Any reader is important.
I don't plan to. If I'm tagged or see it casually, I'll ignore it or say something helpful. It's not our job to take our personal feelings out.
Nice! I completely agree, reading is so subjective and every opinion, in the end, does matter in its own way. They're super important, negative and positive! Thank you for sharing!