Ask the Author: Annette Kinnear
Answered Questions (1)
Annette Kinnear
Hi Zaheera, many authors will tell you (and tell themselves) that bad reviews are wonderful and they love to learn from them. Well for a few years I thought there was something wrong with me because I didn't feel that way at all. I found it very hard to deal with them. But then I observed that I actually was completely ok with one stars as long as they were a true critique of the book's look and content and that it was only the personal stuff that got me down. (Who is this tramp and where does she come from anyway... yes I kid you not!) Some reviewers get really really personally insulting and that was the part that caught me off guard. Once I realised this, I could just dismiss the nasty personal comments and focus on anything useful (of which there is usually little in such an unprofessional review) and since then I've been okay with negative reviews. The thing is bad reviews are really good for sales, did you know that? So no worries. They also generate good reviews because readers get onto their keyboard and like to formulate replies or reviews themselves when they disagree strongly. The worst than can happen is no reviews at all. So if you get good ones or bad ones, you are doing something right!. And when you publish something it is to the PUBlic and it is impossible to get everyone to like everything you produce. I also don't like every movie or every painting and that doesn't mean to say it's not a successful work of art. Thanks for your question, Zaheera. All the best!
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