tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3318840210070768346.post3283025876628909928..comments2023-12-10T19:04:26.773-08:00Comments on Author2Author: Getting a negative review and living to tell about itEmily Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07073350248209507278noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3318840210070768346.post-16180426361188026252008-11-15T07:04:00.000-08:002008-11-15T07:04:00.000-08:00Oh, thank you for sharing this, Lisa. I'm not the...Oh, thank you for sharing this, Lisa. I'm not there yet, but I hope to be soon, and I wince just thinking about reviews. <BR/><BR/>It's funny how professional critics seem to be "out of the loop" so often. Panic is not an option. :) <BR/><BR/>They pick at things the readers will most likely never notice, but we, as writers, can take that as a challenge to grow with.Ghost Girl (aka, Mary Ann)https://www.blogger.com/profile/10104992485564788542noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3318840210070768346.post-24399751184762609802008-11-14T17:47:00.000-08:002008-11-14T17:47:00.000-08:00Wow, thanks for chiming in, all you reviewers! I'v...Wow, thanks for chiming in, all you reviewers! I've loved reading what you have to say on the topic.Lisa Schroederhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10677227681455190084noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3318840210070768346.post-4636034421988884882008-11-14T16:52:00.000-08:002008-11-14T16:52:00.000-08:00I think, too, there's a difference between a const...I think, too, there's a difference between a constructively critical review and a negative review. Like others have said, trashing the book without reason or trashing the author instead is so not good karma. Constructively critical reviews, on the other hand, can be learned from, as you've discovered. I know, too, that I personally strive to write <I>honest</I> reviews, because I would feel inauthentic otherwise.<BR/><BR/>Interesting topic, Lisa. Thanks for bringing it up!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01068673794905603695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3318840210070768346.post-90873266694420674122008-11-14T13:20:00.000-08:002008-11-14T13:20:00.000-08:00It seems like books that get "bad professional rev...It seems like books that get "bad professional reviews" aren't known about at all. So it's not like a bad review will spread like the buzz of a great review. I agree that individual readers who either love or hate a book spread that more than the pro reviews.DeenaMLhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01093257361683249174noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3318840210070768346.post-24666459738781153222008-11-14T11:31:00.000-08:002008-11-14T11:31:00.000-08:00I really like this post. I've recently started rev...I really like this post. <BR/><BR/>I've recently started reviewing books on Amazon, and I really enjoy it.<BR/><BR/>I have to say, that while I may post a negative review I do try to find a positive to go along with it. I think reviews simply bashing the author helps no one. <BR/><BR/>As far as how reviews affect readers, in my experience this is how I've used reviews be it in publications or on Amazon.<BR/><BR/>1) If I'm reading a book and I am starting to dislike it I search for the negative reviews on Amazon to see if anyone else had the same complaint.<BR/><BR/>2) Sometimes out of curiosity I might search for book reviews. <BR/><BR/>3) The only time where a review may affect my purchase is if I'm not 100% convinced I want the book in question. <BR/><BR/>In my experience negative reviews rarely affected my decision to buy a book. For instance, even after the backlash with Breaking Dawn, I still want to buy the book. If you really want a book, you will buy it whether the reviews are negative or not.Lizahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08763211385606299365noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3318840210070768346.post-72802344600554075202008-11-14T08:00:00.000-08:002008-11-14T08:00:00.000-08:00This is a great post because, as a reviewer, it's ...This is a great post because, as a reviewer, it's nice to see how a negative review affects a writer. I strive to be constructive when I have criticism of a book (and I think I'm getting better at it). <BR/><BR/>I also have to say I agree with Emily that as a librarian one negative comment or criticism doesn't make me skip over a book. I know that librarians and professional reviewers read A LOT and what might stick out to a professional reviewer as a flaw is not always something that your average reader might notice. As a reader a negative comment doesn't always make me skip a book either. Sometimes it makes me even more intrigued to read the book just to see if I would agree with the criticism.Abbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09618668989233112126noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3318840210070768346.post-61244615765152569142008-11-14T07:04:00.000-08:002008-11-14T07:04:00.000-08:00Em - I think that would be a great post for you to...Em - I think that would be a great post for you to do some day. To hear about reviews from your side of the fence as a librarian. How you use reviews in your purchasing decisions, etc.Lisa Schroederhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10677227681455190084noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3318840210070768346.post-50156056499501872942008-11-14T06:44:00.000-08:002008-11-14T06:44:00.000-08:00Lisa, I think it's great for you to learn somethin...Lisa, I think it's great for you to learn something from negative reviews. That's a wonderfully positive attitude about it. Bravo to you.<BR/><BR/>But I do stick by my one statement that reviews are probably much harsher to the author then the person reading it. And that reviewers often throw bad stuff in there, because of some obligation they feel to remain unbiased. I'd say 9 out of 10 reviews I've read have some-sort of negative comment. So I think you have to look at the review as a whole, instead of one or two sentences.Emily Marshallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07073350248209507278noreply@blogger.com