When my first novel was published, my mentor told me: “Don’t
look at your reviews on Amazon and Goodreads.
Particularly Goodreads. No,
really. Don’t. If your book continues to sell, then you know
it’s good. If your publisher buys your
next book, then you know it is good. Don’t torture yourself by reading the criticism of non-writers.”
I found it next to impossible to follow his advice. The lure of reviews on your work is pretty
strong.
It took ten books – all published by traditional publishers –
before I really felt I had a handle on ‘the dreaded review star rating.’ Here’s my list. (My opinion only, everyone. You may have a different interpretation.)
Anatomy of Star ratings
Five stars: Just one
word: Joy!
Bless them, every one. A million thanks to reviewers who take the time to tell you they loved your book.
Four stars: Okay,
they really liked it. Maybe even loved it. But even if they loved it, some people reserve five stars for their very favourite
authors, and the masters, like Jane Austen.
And literary writers. A genre novel is...well…a genre novel. Not quite as worthy (in some eyes). But they really enjoyed it.
Three stars: These
are the ones that make me sad. A reader
is telling me that the book was okay. I
want them to think it was great!
Sometimes, this can be a reader who loved your books in another genre,
and decided to try this book that is in a different genre, one they don’t
normally read. Often, they will give you
that clue in the review (“I don’t normally read scifi”).
For instance, I have enjoyed Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie
Plum series very much. Recently, I tried
one of her romantic comedies (classified under the Romance genre.) I am not a romance reader, and not
surprisingly, I found this book lacking in the type of fast-paced plot I
enjoy. I would probably give it a 3
rating, where no doubt a seasoned romance reader would give it a 4 or 5.
Two stars: These are
often people who wandered into your book by mistake. They thought it sounded interesting, so they
bought it thinking it was one thing, and it wasn’t. They’re mad at having spent money on
something that isn’t their thing. It’s
not a happy event when you get these, but understand that these people aren’t your market.
One star: These are
simply people who enjoy hurting others.
Ignore them. I do.
Here’s my advice, if you find that reviews haunt you, and
keep you from writing:
1. Stop reading them. Really.
2. Never comment on a review. Never.
3. If you can, employ a personal assistant to read
your reviews as they come in, and forward you the good ones only. (This is my dream. One day.)
One more thing: When you give away a book for free, there is a downside: you often get people picking it up who wouldn't normally spend money on that type of book. Not surprisingly, they might not like it, as they are not your market. Always expect some poor reviews,
if you give a book away. There are still
many good reasons to do so. Just be
prepared.
