Managing Bad Reviews

WAS IT SOMETHING THAT I WROTE? 
by
Cindy McDonald

Sometimes you hit the nail right on the head, and sometimes you hit your thumb! Well, my thumb is pretty red and swollen, and every time I find a new review posted on Amazon for my book, Hot Coco, it begins to throb and ache until I find the courage to read the review.

The fact is that HotCoco is what I call my love/hate book. Some readers love the book, and some readers hate it, and when they hate it—they really really hate it! Gulp!

Okay, so would anyone despise this masterpiece of humor? *Sarcasm*

In my humble defense: not one reviewer has complained that the book is poorly written. Thank God! However, I do get complaints that it is degrading to women, that the characters are just plain stupid, that (and this is a spoiler folks) Mike and Coco never get together, hook-up, or become a couple. I even had one reviewer complain that I talked about the horses too much—the entire series takes place on a Thoroughbred farm...just sayin’.  Another reviewer couldn’t figure out what genre I was writing in. Is Hot Coco chic-lit? Rom-com? Or just a hot mess tossed into the fiction department? Ouch!

Deep breath...

Would you enjoy this book? I have no idea. That said I will tell you that over the two years that poor Coco has been available she has been downloaded (free and paid) over 20,000 times. Yep, you read that correctly—twenty thousand! Hmmm.

True confession: I have considered un-publishing the book because of the nasty reviews, but I have decided that I must take the good with the bad—especially recently. In January a rather big-time reviewer discovered my Unbridled Series. She read the first book, Deadly.Com, and requested copies of the rest of the books. Yikes!

I was beside myself! I didn’t want to send her Hot Coco because I thought for sure that this, the second book in the series, would turn her off and I’d pay a very high price. So I packed up the other three books and mailed them off to her. Well, it didn’t work. She discovered Coco on her own, downloaded it, read it, and absolutely loved it to the point of dedicating an entire week in April on her blog to my Unbridled books. Additionally, she remarked that Coco was her favorite and she laughed out loud through the entire book! What? Someone liked Coco? Seriously?

 Very cool!

Out of the six books that I have published Hot Coco is also my most reviewed book. The other five books that I’ve published stand solid as 4.5 and 4.9 star-rated books. Coco? Well...she is sitting pretty at a 3.4 star rating on amazon and...wait for it...2.86 on Goodreads. Oh well.

Was it something that I wrote? I sure hope so. The truth is I am glad and proud that I published Hot Coco—and she isn’t going away anytime soon. She is a fine second book for the Unbridled Series and the epitome of the well-used statement: you simply can’t please everyone.

Website | Facebook  | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon

Managing Literary Dissonance

by

Virgil Allen Moore

There are few things in a writer's life that sting as much as criticism. However, it is a side of the craft that we all must touch in order to get through our careers.

If you've ever written a term paper that a teacher marked down for overall tone, or if you've written that masterpiece and your co-workers think it's too odd to sell - I know where you stand. Dealing with negativity is part of the learning process in this life, especially as a writer.

There are times when you want to cut the critics into little bits with their own tongue, and just maybe you've thought about where to hide the pieces. Sorry, that's my vindictive side talking out too much. I really have spent too much time writing dark fiction!

Now when you realize homicide isn't a viable option you need a way to handle those hurtful words that were dealt to your ego. There are many paths that you can take:

Option One: The first is to learn from it. I know that sounds overly goodie-goodie, but read their words carefully. Try to find out why they came to that conclusion about your work. If one person thought that way, others might as well. You need to find out what caused negative review/comments and better your writing for it.

Option Two: Behead them with better words. If they didn't like a part of your book, make them spell it out. Draw their words out in a way that forces them to define their actual misconceptions of your work. If they resorted to name calling or any other childish words, harp on it. You're the writer dammit! Own it! Make sure they understand if they're going to heckle you, blood will be spilled and they will not walk away happy.

But if they define themselves in a way that holds water and gives you a reason to re-think your writing, thank them. Yes, you read that correctly, thank them for pointing out something valid that will help you in your career. Basically, refer to the Option One. However, if they're just whining, gut the bastard.

Finally, the last way to go is to be the better person. Walk away. If they don't hold a valid standing ground, and if they don't stop being childish in their reasoning and words - let it go. Completely ignoring an idiotic comment is the best way to kill it outside of hiding the body (See Option Two).

Criticism is a fundamental part of life, remember that.

Others judge everything we do and say. The things that make you you and everything you are, is under your power alone. No one can tell you to think the story you've written is one way or another. You wrote it and it's all because of you.

There is a power in words, and there is strength in creation. Your pen allows you that creation because you have the vision to see what others don't and the talent to paint with words.

Remember that Dreams Create Reality and you will be able to deal with any criticism life give you.