I really wish with every beat of my cold, black heart that folks would stop expecting reviewers to be all that is sweet, nice and helpful. And telling them to shut the hell up if they have nothing nice and/or constructive to say. That is not how this works. When you put a book "out there" and expect people to shell out their cash in order to buy it, when they could be buying things like food or anything else, you need to know that not everyone is going to be thrilled and love it to pieces. People have different tastes. It's true. And remember that the internet, which is not going away, makes it easy for them to express their discontent. Expect it. It will happen no matter how many 5 star reviews your work receives. Someone will hate something about it. Cry into your pillow, curse them out to your lover and hug your dog (but not too hard) but whatever you do, I beg of you, do not send off an angry email in a huff and do not voice your displeasure on a public forum anywhere. It will come back to haunt you.
So what brought this on so early into 2013, you might ask?
Well, here I was all innocently reading comments in my favorite Goodreads Group "Horror Aficionados" when I stumbled across a comment in the "What Are You Reading" thread. I was not looking for any trouble. In fact, I do my best to avoid the drama because life is dramatic enough and I need to spend more time reading books. But, as I'm already falling down on my resolutions quite nicely, thank you very much, I have to comment on this. Hopefully it will be the last time I see something like this crop up. Hope remains eternal in 2013.
message 2954: by Cynthia (new)
"Cynthia wrote: "I also read one suspense/thriller book that bummed me out. Then got an email from the author because I wrote a negative review on it lol! Oh well! :) ..."
This is so offputting, ev..."
I got the book Into the arms of madness free in exchange for an honest review. I gave her an HONEST review--a sarcastic one, but an honest review nonetheless. I wrote exactly what I was thinking after I finished the book. She pretty much summed up to me that she only wants positive reviews. Really? WTH? Lol! IMHO, the story had some serious problems. She's a new author and apparently hasn't had much experience with negative reviews. She's in the wrong profession if she can't handle criticism.
Hmmm, being the nosy parker that I am I clicked on the book link and read the review in question. It made me laugh and also made me interested in the book. Yes, the sarcastic 2 star review made me interested in reading the book. It sounded completely crazy and like something I would probably love. I'm weird like that. But then I clicked on Cynthia's profile page, which linked me to her blog (told you I was nosy) and I saw this post right there on the Book Hollow homepage titled "AUTHORS AND NEGATIVE REVIEWS" and I had to look. I wish I hadn't but now it's too late. Basically the author sent off her manuscript to a review hub expecting a positive review or nothing at all and argued with the reviewer via email. Now I cannot in good conscience buy this book knowing I can't review it or I may have some poo flung my way if I don't go all gushy. And with 3 cats and 2 large dogs, believe me, there's more than enough poo to go around here. This makes me sad for me and for the author who didn't know that bad reviews will not kill sales but bad behavior probably will. So I will say this again, please gals and guys don't shoot yourself in the foot this way. I appreciate what you do but that doesn't mean I'm going to love every word or every book you write. That is all.
Almost.
Many authors get this and as I stumble across them I will update my post with their links. If I missed someone feel free to send me a link.
Yasmine Galenorn (I haven't liked a single one of her books but her attitude is brilliant)
Hannah Moskowitz
Jeaniene Frost
Stacia Kane
Kylie Scott
MaryJanice Davidson
CJ Redwine
What are your thoughts on honest but maybe not-so-nice reviews?
Should they be stopped and the reviewer skinned alive?
I can not express enough how important it is for authors to not blow their tops at reviewers for a negative review. There is nothing good that will come out of this. The reviewer will more than likely keep the review up, and the author ends up looking bad. It's very sad, but true.
ReplyDeleteThis seems to happen for more often with newbie authors who haven't had a lot of experience in dealing with criticism. I would suggest to newbie authors, please, just google "how authors deal with negative reviews".
That is why I felt the need to write this blog post. To an upset author, I'd say write that angry post/email if you feel the need, get it all out there, but NEVER hit send. Hit delete instead. You'll never regret it.
DeleteIt has been said a million times around the internet that this behavior only makes everyone look and feel terrible (and it does) but yet it continues to happen. Last year there was an explosion of this sort of behavior and I'm sad to see that the trend to intimidate readers continues. I wonder if it's because perhaps many author's write in such a bubble of kindness that they are genuinely shocked when they see a less than glowing review? I just don't get it. I don't believe in coddling (just ask my kids) and entitlement and this behavior drives me up a wall.
I agree completely. Reviews should be honest and not everyone is going to like every book. Even some authors that we love might put out a book we don't like every once in awhile. Interesting post!
ReplyDeleteDana
Thanks for reading my rant. It's so true. Dean Koontz, for example, has written my favorite book of all time "Odd Thomas" and then written some books I could barely finish. It's just such a shame that some author's feel the need to argue an opinion with a reviewer. You can't change someone's opinion!
DeleteYou just have to shake your head at some of the author responses (bloggers too when someone disagrees with their posts). I can really understand hurt feelings from some of the reviews I've seen though. Some people can be down right hateful in them but really it does no good if the author/blogger steps in. At best they are gracious but it's still a waste of breath and at worst it's a huge turn off like with this one.
ReplyDeleteI'm all for negative reviews if they're honest. I've picked up a few myself from them because they sounded just like my type of book when someone put out a 1-2 star on them. And I'll post them on the blog when need be. My favorite authors have always impressed me when they ask people to do reviews and put in a clause that they're okay with negative ones too they just want people to be truthful in what they say.
Courtney Milan is one of these classy authors with a clause in her ARC's that pretty much says review it honestly whether you like it or not. I hope more authors are able to take on this attitude.
DeleteTotally forgot about bloggers who go crazy when disagrees with their posts. Great point!
DeleteThis is such a sore topic for me. In fact, I get vibrating mad over posts like this one. Let me back up. I’m an aspiring novelist. What started me on this road was reading novels. I fell in love with books—with authors and the stories they create. A few years back, I veered off course with the social end of reading: book blogging and virtual hangouts like GoodReads. My book blog began before the book blogging community exploded with book giveaways and ARCs. Experiencing publishers and authors connecting with book bloggers was an amazing time. I was getting to chat with my heroes! These were people I wanted to be like. This was a period in my life that was sort of like a pink, fluffy cloud experience, you know? Then, some of the authors turned into rabid animals. Not just the small press or self-published authors. Joseph Finder, a New York Times bestselling author, went butt-f--- crazy all over a reviewer on Amazon. There might have been more reviewers involved. Didn’t matter, because that was the day I stopped reading his books.
ReplyDeleteIf reviewers think this is an isolated case, it’s not. A bestselling author jumped on my daughter for her negative review of his book. (She was a middle-grader.) Back then, I had enough of a following to rally other book bloggers against such treatment of a reviewer.
Most of the time, I see this behavior from self-published authors, but authors from large publishers are just as guilty. One that comes to mind is Anne Rice. She use to (not sure if she still does) blast fans if they criticized her work. Just for the record, I stopped reading her books too.
Authors blowing up on reviewers is a phenomena I don’t comprehend. Restaurants have critics. Movie producers have critics. Heck, hotels and products have it too. Why should authors be put in an untouchable bubble? The answer, they shouldn’t.
Great post! Hope more book bloggers publish posts like this.
Wow, to jump on a child who dared voice an opinion? That is truly horrible. I think people sometimes forget there is a living human behind every keyboard.
DeleteI remember the Anne Rice bad behavior. To me she sounded like a spoiled brat with an inflated ego and that's when I stopped reading her. Has she calmed down yet?
Yep, and my daughter was nice in her review. Also, there was no confusion about her age as I included that bit of info. As a mother, I was angry back then. As an aspiring novelist, I'm still blown away over it. His name with forever be linked with a bad experience, not to mention the bad press of his behavior. (Thanks to Twitter.) Speaking of which, I have no idea if Anne Rice still attacks fans who dare say a negative word. There was an incident with her religious/spiritual beliefs and her church of faith. She has such a strong opinion and still acts like if you disagree, then you must be against her.
DeleteThe proper response to every review, good and bad: "Thank you for taking the time to read and review my book."
ReplyDeleteThe end. :)
True. I've received that exact comment on a few a reviews, good and bad, and I always think it is a classy way for an author to respond if they feel the need.
DeleteI came across this on twitter. Great post.!
ReplyDeleteAuthors who expect should put on their big girl panties and deal! I will tear apart a book by an author I ADORE and I have done so. If a book only has negative reviews I will assume they all are written by her or his friends
That's what most us secretly think too. They think they are pulling a fast one over on us but that type of thing is so transparent if you've been around the blogs or Amazon long enough. Nothing gets a resounding five stars because we're all different.
DeleteYou know, I don't even care anymore. lol I have been bitched at for giving 1s, 2s, 3s, and even 4s. *sigh* All I can do is reply that this is my honest feelings about your book. I'm not changing them or my grade. If you don't like this, I don't know what to tell you. Suck it up or stop publishing. Nobody or nothing is universally liked. If you want blind adoration, buy a dog.
ReplyDelete:)
I know what you mean. Sometimes you just can't win.
DeleteI got an email about a review from an author who attempted to tell me why I was wrong about my opinion. She wasn't rude or anything but she was way out of line all the same and I haven't touched one of her books since. She later blew up all over her blog about a different review and why that reviewer didn't know what she was talking about and basically why she should never have uttered an opinion, so I felt quite justified in avoiding this author's books. I don't need that nonsense, I have lots of other choices.
ReplyDeleteWow, sounds like you dodged a bullet with that author! How is one ever to grow their readership if they behave this way?
DeleteI think an author calling someone out for a negative review would be enough to turn me off of that author. We're all entitled to our opinions, and they're not all going to be the same. That's why I'm glad there are so many authors and books out there!
ReplyDeleteThat being said, I do think there are good and not so good ways to go about writing a bad review. I don't think people are mean or awful for writing a really bad,scathing, sarcastic review as long as they stick to the BOOK. I don't like to read a bad review that seems to be filled with personal attacks against the AUTHOR. There are actually a few best-selling authors that I refuse to read because they've said (in my opinion) really nasty things about other authors rather than just saying they hated the book(s).
I may be a little weird, but I always find books that have nothing but perfect reviews on Amazon or goodreads to be a little suspect. I just don't think it's possible to write a book that EVERYONE will LOVE. The conspiracy theorist in me always wonders in those cases if the author enlisted friends and family to write gushing reviews to boost the appeal of their book.
Sorry to ramble on, but I thought this was a really interesting topic.
I'm truly hoping that these blowups stop becoming so common as writers realize we are not sheep and are not swayed by one negative review or twenty glowing ones but realize that we are swayed by this horrible behavior.
DeleteI'm so glad everyone shared their thoughts with me and hope I never have to write another post like this one.
I don't know why an author thinks it's ok to ask a reviewer to change a single word in their review. Especially because most of the time, we're nice enough to not @ tweet authors if we didn't like their book, and we don't go and post our review on their blog, but on our own.
ReplyDeleteIf we want to have people come and read our blog, we have to be able to show them that we are honest, even when we receive books for free through giveaways, first reads or ARCs. And we don't really write a review for the author anyway, do we? I know I write a review first for myself - to remember how I felt about the book I just finished, and I share it on my blog because I love to discuss books I've read with others. And it's so true what you said - sometimes, a negative review will show me that the book in question is one that I would probably love.
I'm like you, I review for me and for fellow readers and simply because I like to talk about books whether they're good or bad. I don't take reviews too seriously because I know that I have strange taste and specific hot buttons that don't bother others. But reviews good and bad help me decide whether I *might* like a book. Stifling the bad ones would cut my wishlist in half.
DeleteI don't get this behavior either. If they want nothing but praise (false or no) they need to have a reality check and they need to state this to the reviewer before she spends hours reading and composing a review. Then honest reviewers can politely decline the request and no one gets their feelings hurt. There is always someone willing to review positively for a freebie.
I'm on Horror Aff. too. I didn't see that comment though. Unfortunately, this happens a lot. And when it does, it hurts the authors, like you said. I do not read authors who have had hissyfits or unrealistically expect only positive reviews. That being said, I will try to find something positive about a book...but I will not refrain from saying what I didn't like.
ReplyDeleteThe flare ups are getting to be more and more commonplace on blogs, in emails, and especially all over Goodreads. What many authors don't seem to realize is that these tactics turn a lot of us off for good but they continue to do it. I saw a slew of ugliness in a GR Feedback forum yesterday and may have to ban myself from the site for awhile.
Delete