What do you do when you get a bad review?

[Chriss Hill]

I am feeling a bit numb, stunned even for finally getting a review of my recent book, Falling for Her Heart, and getting a "bad" one. I will even share the link with you:

http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/BookReviews/fallingforherheart.html


It was so disheartening to read and even worse, made me feel as a failure. Then the questions raced in my head:
1) wasn't any of it good? 2) Why didn't they comment on facts about the book, like the characters or the events? Even though they did comment about how can one woman claim she loved one man, but desired so many?

As I think it through, doesn't it seem like a blurb review, perhaps based on a so-so reading of it. Did they actually finish the book? Was it that boring?

They made a further comment on how perhaps by reading the first book, Hostage to Her Heart, there might have been more enlightment, but I tried to write the 2nd book as a stand-alone, so all the past history would be reiterated in condensced form for any new person picking up the book.

I felt so distraught that I totally wanted to throw in the towel. I didn't want to persue any forums, blogs, or marketing to publicized this book, even if I know how hard I struggled to make the plot work and be comprehensive. Yes, the characters are full of flaws and that's how I wanted them. Strong willed individuals who make many personal mistakes, some costly, in their everyday, publicized lives. These are not ordinary characters in ordinary circumstances. This is not your common girl-meets-boy, loses boy, and wins him back again. Oh, no. But perhaps that is where I erred as well, because I thought outside of the box and didn't stick to the formula.

Yes, we all have support from family and friends, thank goodness, who encourage us to perservere and become stronger in your writing when a bad review is given. What really surprised me is how they defended my book. My pal from the far northwest and even my young teen, who both read the first books, jumped to my defense. My teen immediately flew to Amazon to write a review about both books. My friend from the Northwest sent the reviewer website an ugly, ugly email, (which made me laugh!) denouncing their review as stupid, and "did you guys even read it all the way through??"... I felt blessed to have their support and it just made me realize that even if this review came out bad, I should not stop my efforts. Perhaps wasn't a rotten apple at the bottom of the barrel, but just one trying to swim out of it.

If the review had criticized my writing style, or form of grammar, or had questioned more about the internal conflicts that these characters face, perhaps I wouldn't feel the same as my duaghter and my friend. I know for a fact, how I poured hours trying to get the plot to sync; how I tried to read out loud the sections that bothered me and rewrite them in a more condensed, comprehensible fashion. I tried to make the dialogue believeable. The characters longing real. The point of the book is that these characters make decisions that impact more than just themselves. That for every action, there is a consequence. The overall theme that followed in this 2nd book was jealosy, how it can change you; how it can consume you. How you can either let it defeat you or let your mistakes make you into a better person.

I suppose the reviewer didn't get the point of the book. I suppose the reviewer should have been allowed to read the first book to know the history of how this story actually began, for book two is actually a continuation, even if I call it a sequel. It's a family saga. It's a family struggling to bring true paternal elements into one. It's a story of friendship that goes beyond cosmic forces of the world; the nuances of natural desires that is forced to be contained.

So I've decided to still persue marketing both books, albeit probably not as forceful as I might have done without this review nagging at my brain. I still have two more books to edit and publish, to finish out the saga of this family, these friends. And if I only end up writing for me, then I can be satisfied that I poured my heart, my best work into the products. If I'm never discovered, it is still best that I put to print this series, than to have never ventured into writing at all.

[M. Flagg]

Hi Chriss, I rarely comment but when I saw this post title, I just had to. I'll first echo others. This is one person's perspective. It doesn't reflect everyone and no, they may not have read the entire book. My debut novel Retribution! got it's first review. I may sound foolish, but silly me never thought about the dreaded 'review'. I didn't write a fluffy happily ever after. Luckily, along with some brutal critique, the reviewer had some nice things to say. I still cried to my editor and like you, stepped back from promo because the review wasn't stelllar. The second reviewer 'got' my book.

As others here say, it's just one person's view. Pouring your heart into it? Yes. We all do. Ultimately, I write for myself. And the decision to even query our stories says volumes about our desire to be one of those storytellers that puts our hearts in print and lets our tales fly free.
I'm also writing a series. I wonder about the same things you do. Will book 2 stand alone? Will the sprinkling of backstory make sense? And dear Lord, what about book 3!!!

The point is, your editor bought it, saw something in it, and contracted it. That's a major accomplishment! Stay strong and continue to believe in yourself as a writer. I completely understand how putting this review aside is a tough thing to do, but just do it. My favorite saying is "Don't let the turkeys get you down." And believe me, there are lots of 'turkeys' out there.
No disrespect meant for the birds:)

[Hywela Lyn]

Just got to add my support here, Chriss, as Lainey and Judith have said, it's just one person's opinion, don't let it get you down.( I can say that, anxiously awaiting the first site review for my sequel to 'Starquest'.)

Starquest was the 'book of my heart' and it's received great 4 and 4plus reviews from all the sites, except one, who hated it - that wouldn't have been so bad, I can accept that not everyone will like it, but she gave most of the story away - including the ending. She assumed the ending was a 'twist' and she didn't like it, but surely one doesn't give away a 'twist ending' however contrived you feel it is! In fact it wasn't intended to be a twist ending but it did end differently to how I'd originally intended it. Everyone else who's given me feedback has stated that was the only way it could have ended, and I agree. So not only did she give it the lowest rating she could, she effectively killed any potential sales by people reading the review, by revealing nearly the whole plot - I could have accepted straight forward criticism, but that hurt! So you're not alone, don't be discouraged. I suppose there will always be reviewers (and readers) who don't 'get' a book, but remember, the editor who contracted it, and your publisher thought it was worthwhile, and theirs was the opinion that really matters!

[Judith]

So very true Lainey. And don't let Ms. G get you down. She blasts even bestselling authors.

[Lainey Bancroft]

Chriss, the link is no longer active so I can't comment on the review itself. Perhaps it was removed due to the "ugly email" from your friend? (which is an awesome 'friendship' gesture and I'm so glad you have supporters BUT, disputing a less than stellar review seldom wins an author any points FWIW)

In short, reviews are great, but ultimately they are ONE person's opinion. As Judith said, don't let ONE person's opinion affect your work or how you feel about it.

I've been very fortunate review-wise, the only not-so-great review I received was from Mrs. Giggles for my story in the Liquid Silver 'Worth Every Risk' anthology. She didn't trash me, but she did say my story wasn't nearly as strong as the other two. I felt horrible--not just for me but because I may have dragged the other two authors down. Three more reviews came in. Hmm, in two of them, MINE was the strongest story. So there ya go. Subjective.

Keep on keeping on and chalk this up to ONE negative opinion out of...how many that will enjoy your book?

[Judith]

Chriss, all reviews are subjective. She may have read your book on a bad day. Don't let one person's interpretation of your work affect how you will go forward. You know you can write. You're published so that says a lot! Sending you a ton of cyber love!