It seems like every couple of months an author receives a bad review and vents her feelings all over the blogosphere.
Believe me, I understand that it hurts if your book is given a bad review, especially when the reader gives a reason like, “It was short”, and the promo material said it was 20 pages. Twenty pages is, by definition, short, so why was the reader upset?
But that does not excuse the behavior of the author. Authors, if you receive a bad review you are free to scream, cry, throw things, and eat chocolate. But only with the internet turned off. Never never NEVER express your sadness, disappointment, anger or anything other than pure professionalism, in public. The internet never forgets. That post will be found by every publisher or agent you submit to in future, and will probably ensure your next book is rejected.
A review is one person’s opinion. Every person is entitled to their opinion, even if it is clearly stupid.
An author should always act professionally. DO NOT respond to a bad review. In particular do not respond when you are upset. Even more importantly, do not respond pretending to be someone else. Blogger tracking will reveal your actions and you’ll be in even more trouble than you were already.
Switch the internet off and leave it off until you’ve recovered from the hurt, anger, and other emotions. But still do not reply to the review.
Suck it up, princess. Pull up your big girl panties. Tie a knot and go on. Your writing career is far more important than one bad review.
Helen Woodall
helen.woodall@gmail.com
4 comments:
I agree. In fact I rarely read my reviews anymore because I don't want to get upset over a bad review.
The way I look at it is, it's one persons opinion. Not everyone who reads the book will feel the same. Tastes are different.
Besides, if my editor liked it enough to buy it, it must have appeal! :)
Exactly Amber. Well said.
Helen
Interesting. I just left a LONG comment at another blog that was discussing this same issue. I suspect I must have missed a particular author who was behaving badly! :-)
There was an incident in blogland just recntly with YA authors who all got their knickers in a knot over reviews. See not just romance writers acting like nongheads. Bad reviews? So what? Just thank the reviewer - mainly to confuse them - and move on.
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