My Opinion on Reviews
There is a lot of hype about reviews right now, reviews of movies, reviews of books. Of course no one complains about the good ones. It's the dark, hating, ballistic, passionate reviews everyone talks about. I know I would hate to get one--I haven't, yet. Just three's. Negative reviews would make me cringe into a little ball in the closet with the coat hangers and cry like an infant out of formula. I don't have a hate review yet, but I anticipate getting one (God help my friends.) I actually, in a way, look forward to a negative review.
Why, you ask? If you look at what all great books have in common at some point is controversy. Fifty Shades of Grey, for example, has almost as many 1's and 2's on Amazon reviews as it does 4's and 5's. E. L. James may very well be sad about that, but her bank account isn't. The reason why that book is big is because one herd of people read it, loved it, and another herd of people said WTF? Then those not in either herd heard about the book, the controversy and want to know what's up with all of that? If someone had just posted really nice reviews, the story probably wouldn't have gone viral in a mad, better-than-Ebola way.
My next short story that will come out is a m/m and I'm expecting to get on the spectrum of 1-5 review scores with this one. I'm already bracing for it. One hero is what I like to call a train wreck. He's beautiful, lovable, and his life is holy hell screwed up. His past is holy hell screwed up. People are going to love him or hate him. What I'm hoping is it will spark enough controversy that people will want to see for themselves, and that will lead to sales.
For reviewers out there--you won't know that I'm curled in a fetal position with my friends feeding me I.V. coffee (or tequila if the right friends show up.) You won't know that I've taken stock in Kleenex, either. I don't plan on telling you that. A lot of authors react when they get these reviews, and it's sad. Yes, they're sad. An author works hard to put that book out, be it a 1 or a 5 book. People starved while he/she wrote that book (I know my family does.) People lived in utter filth and watched too many bad cartoons (if they're under 5) and probably talked to the back of the author's very angry, disturbed head while he/she wrote that 1/5 book. Husbands/wives probably didn't get sex (or if you write erotica, they got too much sex and they're just as disturbed as the ones that got none--the grass is not greener, folks.) So yes, they have a right to be sad.
Do they have a right to express that with the reviewer? I don't think so. You took the chance, putting it out there. You knew ahead of time that Twitter, Facebook, Good Reads and Amazon reviews existed. If you've ever gone to these places and read a review, then you should have thought right then and there about your skin and if it was elephant tough or baby tough. Your editor loves you. Your critique partners love you. Your family loves you when you're not writing and their house is clean and food is on their table. Reviewers...the don't have to love you.
Golden Rules: Not everyone is going to love you. Life isn't fair.
I'm going now to prepare my I.V. tubing for the future. But first, a question for you. Do you read the reviews? What do you think of the 1's, the 5's, and what makes you buy (or not buy) a book?
Why, you ask? If you look at what all great books have in common at some point is controversy. Fifty Shades of Grey, for example, has almost as many 1's and 2's on Amazon reviews as it does 4's and 5's. E. L. James may very well be sad about that, but her bank account isn't. The reason why that book is big is because one herd of people read it, loved it, and another herd of people said WTF? Then those not in either herd heard about the book, the controversy and want to know what's up with all of that? If someone had just posted really nice reviews, the story probably wouldn't have gone viral in a mad, better-than-Ebola way.
My next short story that will come out is a m/m and I'm expecting to get on the spectrum of 1-5 review scores with this one. I'm already bracing for it. One hero is what I like to call a train wreck. He's beautiful, lovable, and his life is holy hell screwed up. His past is holy hell screwed up. People are going to love him or hate him. What I'm hoping is it will spark enough controversy that people will want to see for themselves, and that will lead to sales.
For reviewers out there--you won't know that I'm curled in a fetal position with my friends feeding me I.V. coffee (or tequila if the right friends show up.) You won't know that I've taken stock in Kleenex, either. I don't plan on telling you that. A lot of authors react when they get these reviews, and it's sad. Yes, they're sad. An author works hard to put that book out, be it a 1 or a 5 book. People starved while he/she wrote that book (I know my family does.) People lived in utter filth and watched too many bad cartoons (if they're under 5) and probably talked to the back of the author's very angry, disturbed head while he/she wrote that 1/5 book. Husbands/wives probably didn't get sex (or if you write erotica, they got too much sex and they're just as disturbed as the ones that got none--the grass is not greener, folks.) So yes, they have a right to be sad.
Do they have a right to express that with the reviewer? I don't think so. You took the chance, putting it out there. You knew ahead of time that Twitter, Facebook, Good Reads and Amazon reviews existed. If you've ever gone to these places and read a review, then you should have thought right then and there about your skin and if it was elephant tough or baby tough. Your editor loves you. Your critique partners love you. Your family loves you when you're not writing and their house is clean and food is on their table. Reviewers...the don't have to love you.
Golden Rules: Not everyone is going to love you. Life isn't fair.
I'm going now to prepare my I.V. tubing for the future. But first, a question for you. Do you read the reviews? What do you think of the 1's, the 5's, and what makes you buy (or not buy) a book?
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Thanks for your comment, Netanella! I find the review system interesting. Money is tight here, so I'm trying to pick and choose to make the selections the best I can get. It's been hit or miss. There are some purchases that have so many favorable reviews and it's not my cup of tea, and then others that aren't as glowing in the review dept. and I love it. Go figure. I only wish my library put out smut so I could borrow from there. I'm a fan of the library!
I agree - controversy sells, and that's probably something many reader/reviewers - who aren't published authors trying to make a living - don't think about in their comments and numbers. We're a selfish lot, I guess. Write your heart out, Mia, and I'll look forward to your next selection.
My next one, Spy Games: Trained for Seduction, is out Friday 8/10/12, a series about spies that fall in love. Then I have an angsty m/m out 8/30! I've been a busy girl since January. LOL I hope you enjoy.
Second, yes, I read reviews, but oftentimes I try to wait until after I've finished reading the book so the review doesn't influence my own thoughts on the book.
Your question: What do I think of 1's and 5's - sometimes these numbers are given out too easily - most extremes like these tend not to truly exist - at least not for me. How horrible does a book have to be to truly rate a 1? If something truly rates a 5, shouldn't it be something that touches you so deeply it alters you, even just a little bit?
There's a lot to be said for the middle ground, the 'steady Eddie's' of the world, that feed our imagination and our dreams. These books may not shake our foundations like the true 1's and 5's, but they sustain us.