Every month or two, there’s a scandal in the writer world; often, it’s the same old scandal.
A writer is mad at a reviewer.
The world of reviewing has changed a lot over the past few decades. In these current times, anyone can leave a review anywhere about anything.
Back in the day, only specially anointed reviewers were deemed worthy to pontificate their observations in various magazines and newspapers.
These days, if you read something, you can review it.
Yet, just as in days of yore, some writers (okay, let’s face it, all of us!) get upset at reviews of their work if they aren’t glowing.
Writers need to remember:
1. Reviews are for readers.
2. Reviews are subjective.
It’s best not to read reviews of your own work; good or bad. It’s not helpful.
The work is out there. An editor bought it. A publisher published it. A bookstore sold it. Someone bought it. The end. You’ve had your validation!
Focus on your next work.
If you read a review of your own work and you don’t like the review, you should just move on. Never respond. Don’t respond to the reviewer. Don’t post the review on social media and declare the reviewer wrong. Just Move On. Anything else makes you look petty and ridiculous.
Not everyone is going to like your book.
Negative reviews are often not personal, so don’t act like a bad review is a personal affront to your existence. It isn’t.
And guess what? Most people haven’t read that review. Most people don’t care.
However, it isn't a professional look when you make social media posts, write blogs and articles, go on podcasts, or make YouTube videos calling out a negative review.
What are you trying to accomplish when you do that?
You look petty and childish.
Narcissistic.
You may get a few more sales from curious controversy but lose sales because people don’t like your attitude.
I’m no queen bee, but I’ve been in this game for years and years. I’ve learned the hard way not to read or respond to reviews, and so I shall sing that song until I die.
Don’t do it.
It’s not worth it. It’s just clutter in your brain blowing around, getting in the way of your creative process.
Whenever you are curious about your reviews, don’t click, don’t look, just repeat the mantra, “Reviews are for readers, reviews are for readers.”
I still remember a super old scandal. I’m fuzzy on the details as it’s been forever.
I believe that a reviewer wrote a less-than-favorable review of a book. That review was published in a genre magazine as was the way back in the Old Days. The author tried to sue the reviewer and, I think, the magazine. A whole pile of stuff happened. I even don’t remember the outcome. I do know that it shattered friendships for decades in the communities that knew the people involved. People picked sides. The author lost readers. The author gained readers. I’ve always had a raised eyebrow about it all. All because an author didn’t like a review. ONE PERSON’S OPINION.
So, you may think, yay, free publicity if it all blows up.
Blowing up can work for some people, but for most, things won’t blow up in the way you hope.
And the fallout is unpredictable.
Writer reviewer scandals have been going on as long as there have been writers. No one is saying anything new at all for or against your book.
Focus on making your next work the best you can make it.
If you want to read reviews, read the one-star reviews of your peers and famous authors. You see? Everyone gets negative reviews. So don’t worry about it. It’s just an opinion.
Get back to work and stop reading reviews of your own work.
What do you think? Do you read reviews of your work?
Does a review sway you as a reader whether or not to read a book?
Feel free to leave a comment!