So You Want To Be A Thriller Writer, A Discussion Group discussion

No author likes to receive a one-star review for their book, but, unfortunately, it happens. As an author how do you accept this kind of rating? Do you use it as constructively to improve your writing or do you take it with a grain of salt?

You need a thick skin. Of course, if all your reviews are 1* you need to take urgent action. However, if you are maintaining an average rating of 4+ then you just have to accept not everyone will like your book. Take a look at some of the classics and you will see they have plenty of 1* reviews.

Hi Bill,

If an author doesn't have a thick skin, they will have to develop one. You are correct in saying, "you just have to accept not everyone will like your book." One stars are just part of the territory.

Michael wrote: "No author likes to receive a one-star review for their book, but, unfortunately, it happens. As an author how do you accept this kind of rating? Do you use it as constructively to improve your writ..."

Yes, bad reviews are tough to take. To be honest they do upset me even though I recognize the fact that readers have widely varying taste in books. You can't please everyone. Lately what I try to do is ignore them, much as my inclination is to obsess. If I ignore them eventually I forget about them. Once in a great while one may have something I file away as good advice for my next book, but mostly they just feel like the opinion of someone who doesn't share my taste in literature.

Michael wrote: "No author likes to receive a one-star review for their book, but, unfortunately, it happens. As an author how do you accept this kind of rating? Do you use it as constructively to improve your writ..."

I have a very small number of them, and I ignore them.

Except for comic value.

Gail, excellent blog. I'm
glad you wrote it!

Gail wrote: "Emily wrote: "Gail, excellent blog. I'm
glad you wrote it!"

Really? It wasn't too much?? Thank you."

I don't think it was too much. I think you say things that need to be said. Nothing wrong with asking reviewers to consider all the hard work that goes into a novel, before passing judgement on it. They should still be honest of course, but I think professional reviewers often consider an author's body of work or potential future works when writing reviews, and goodreads reviewers would only benefit from considering this aspect as well.

Gail wrote: "Emily wrote: "Gail, excellent blog. I'm
glad you wrote it!"

Really? It wasn't too much?? Thank you."

Gail, I don’t think posting that does you any good. Especially posting it on Goodreads.

Gail wrote: "Pete wrote: "Gail wrote: "Emily wrote: "Gail, excellent blog. I'm
glad you wrote it!"

Really? It wasn't too much?? Thank you."

Gail, I don’t think posting that does you any good. Especially posti..."

Good for you - but it made you feel better writing it, didn’t it?

The rule I like to follow is simple: The opinion of a person who is a complete stranger to me is what I want to make of it, which is usually nothing (even the good ones).

Pete wrote: "Gail wrote: "Pete wrote: "Gail wrote: "Emily wrote: "Gail, excellent blog. I'm
glad you wrote it!"

Really? It wasn't too much?? Thank you."

Gail, I don’t think posting that does you any good. Esp..."

On second thought I agree about deleting it. But it did make me feel better :-). And yes Pete, your rule is perfect - if only I could follow it.

If a bad review gets to me, I go to Amazon, pull up a best-seller, and look at the reviews. Even those that have won big awards have 1- and 2-star reviews. If anything, a range of reviews gives a book credibility as it is unlikely everyone who reads a particular book will love it.

Then, if my skin is still too thin, I remind myself that generating a reaction from a reader, whether good or bad, is perhaps better than indifference. A simple 'Eh, whatevs' might be even more depressing. ;)

Here’s a story worth repeating.

A few years ago, I discovered an author and found him to be just my cuppa - sarcastic, wise-ass, slang talking crook who helps the cops find other crooks.

One day, I stumbled across a one star review of his (IMO) best of the series, and the author had left a nasty, insulting comment to it, then had a few follow-ups to the reviewer’s replies.

I was looking to this guy as where I wanted to get. Then he spoiled it.

Gotta keep your cool, man.

Gail wrote: "Pete wrote: "Here’s a story worth repeating.

A few years ago, I discovered an author and found him to be just my cuppa - sarcastic, wise-ass, slang talking crook who helps the cops find other croo..."

I’ll be looking for him at the bar at Bouchercon in New Orleans next fall.

This is a fear of mine because I tend to take things personally. I'm hoping to grow a thick skin before I publish my work. I know it won't be for everyone.

Kat wrote: "This is a fear of mine because I tend to take things personally. I'm hoping to grow a thick skin before I publish my work. I know it won't be for everyone."

Kat, if you vet your work with beta readers or others whose judgment you trust, you should be able to get a bit of practice. Exposing the work to other eyes is a critical part of the process.

Pete wrote: "Kat wrote: "This is a fear of mine because I tend to take things personally. I'm hoping to grow a thick skin before I publish my work. I know it won't be for everyone."

Kat, if you vet your work w..."

I've let a close family member and my husband read it but I'd like to get the opinion of someone who isn't so close to me. I've thought about using a beta reader on here but I've heard of some authors who send their manuscripts and never hear back from people.

I did a BETA reading one time, and when I approached the writer via e-mail, she got extremely agitated.

Skye wrote: "I did a BETA reading one time, and when I approached the writer via e-mail, she got extremely agitated."

Criticism can be very difficult for authors, especially for ones just starting out in the self-publishing game. Author's have to learn to develop a thicker skin to suggestions to improve their work. Some suggestions should be taken with a grain of salt, while others, can be very helpful.

I have had the opportunity to communicate with several authors, about this very topic, and I have learned they do appreciate editors and beta readers input on their work, but feel to many changes actually alters the original story.

My book comes out in 5 weeks and I'm bracing myself for the reviews. I know plenty of people are going to hate it.

Katerina: refocus your thoughts ---- they will love it.

Michael wrote: "Skye wrote: "I did a BETA reading one time, and when I approached the writer via e-mail, she got extremely agitated."

Criticism can be very difficult for authors, especially for ones just starting..."

I was so kind but she was very agitated.

Yes Skye, I will concentrate on that!

I saw this little mantra on one of the book blogs or writing sites to which I belong;

'I am a failure.
No, you're not. A failure is a thought and I am not a thought.'
Katerina, keep in mind, we do become what we think: short and simple.

Yeah. I'm going to take it all in my Stride!

:)

Kat wrote: "I've let a close family member and my husband read it"

They DEFINITELY do not count!

You need people who (a) know what they’re doing and talking about and (b) are not relatives.

My #1 beta reader happens to be a very good friend, but he is also incredibly astute and (because he is a good friend) tells it like it is.

In my humble opinion, a writer who gets upset about criticism is not ready to publish.

To Michael’s point about authors who "feel too many changes actually alters the original story,” many times that is precisely what is necessary. For instance, I find the biggest single problem with beginning novelists is they start their story in the wrong place. That definitely requires altering the original story.

If a beta reader hands you back your manuscript with a sea of red ink, that is an indication of problems that cannot be glossed over by picking and choosing which advice to take (unless the reader is simply a psychopath).

You have to look hard for good beta readers, but they’re essential to the process. Try checking out agentqueryconnect.com. It’s a great site for working on query letters and blurbs, but also for finding other writers to work with on this.

Also, be prepared to return the favors in kind. One good way of improving your own craft (and growing skin) is by reading and critiquing other peoples’ work, too.

Pete wrote: You have to look hard for good beta readers, but they’re essential to the process.

Very true. I have a couple who tell it like it is, and though sometimes I need to put beta-reader critiques aside for a couple days to overcome the natural defensiveness, their honest feedback is what I want and need. If one beta reader thinks something is off, look at it closely. If two think it is, then change it.

Pete wrote: "Kat wrote: "I've let a close family member and my husband read it"

They DEFINITELY do not count!

You need people who (a) know what they’re doing and talking about and (b) are not relatives.

My #..."

It is so important to find the right people to edit your book. Does this mean excluding your relatives; maybe, but it also gives you another set of eyes. As an author, one certain can't have enough.
If an author uses friends, as a beta-reader, they may be going down the same path as using family. It may be wise to avoid each, however, if they are going to be used, make sure they have the understanding to be as objective as possible and not to sugar coat their critique.

Pete points out, "a writer who gets upset about criticism is not ready to publish." Getting upset about criticism is a natural human reaction. We all do it. As an author, it is how we REACT to the criticism. Some authors are better at this than others. Those that are not, hopefully, will learn to develop a "Thick Skin" and
sort through what criticism's are pointless and which ones can be helpful.

You make some excellent points, Michael. And as a reader, reviewer, teacher and writer, I have expertise, but with my own work, I draw a blank and I need healthy criticism.

I agree, Skye. A dose of healthy criticism goes a very long way. I normally would pay attention to a critique if it comes from a source I respect and has credibility. I wouldn't pay attention to one negative review, but if there are several, mentioning the same points, then I do pay some attention to it.

Your book sounds amazing, and it seems as if your background also helped in its creation. I nearly went to law school and had hoped to take the LSATs in my junior year of college.

Thank you, Skye.

Bill wrote: "You need a thick skin. Of course, if all your reviews are 1* you need to take urgent action. However, if you are maintaining an average rating of 4+ then you just have to accept not everyone will l..."

Good point. Fortunately I've only had one one-star review. Checking out the reviewer's other reviews, I found that she also gave one star to Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian and Chuck
Palahniuk's Fight Club. Her taste runs to fantasies. I doubt she read beyond the first chapter of my novel.









4

I agree or the rating should have an asterisk that acknowledges that the book being rated hasn't actually been read.

That is very cruel; I can't imagine people doing that, but to be honest, I have seen some behind-the-scenes behavior that is very questionable.

I have wanted to give a low rating twice, but instead of doing that, I contacted both writers by e-mail to explain my thoughts.

Gail wrote: "Alex wrote: "Bill wrote: "You need a thick skin. Of course, if all your reviews are 1* you need to take urgent action. However, if you are maintaining an average rating of 4+ then you just have to ..."
Terrible

Gail wrote: "Alex wrote: "Bill wrote: "You need a thick skin. Of course, if all your reviews are 1* you need to take urgent action. However, if you are maintaining an average rating of 4+ then you just have to ..."

Hi Gail,

Great point. I agree with you that it is very difficult to rate a book only reading one chapter. I had a one-star review where the reader only read 3 pages. I normally would never respond to any review, but this one I had to. This raises an interesting argument, can a reader give an accurate review after only reading a few pages? I personally don't think so. Your thoughts.

Of course not, Michael, and I think it very unfair that anyone could be so cold about doing this. I am aware of people who have stopped reading a book, and their review says: DNF, which is fair.

However, if a reader does not post a status list, there is no reason to make a comment. I don't have a list of books on my page I am currently reading, although I am reading three.

I agree!

This is some great debate. I would like you to add to the very subject we are discussing to Anything Legal Thriller and Much More! group under the "Books You Just Couldn't Get Through." There is a lot of interesting dialogue going on there.

Well I see I am in the extreme minority, which kind of surprises me, to be honest.

I will simply post my comment from the other thread Michael referenced:

Yes, it is possible for a STORY to improve [ed.: after the first several pages](I’m not a zealot about an explosive beginning), but if the prose is deficient in the beginning, it’s unlikely to improve, and it demonstrates a lack of care that deserves to be called out.

My own barometer would not usually lead to 1-2 star reviews for bad stories that are well-written, although I recall specifically one that was so dull and NOT funny (it was a “funny” book) that I felt ripped off. (That author, incidentally, is very prolific and sells a TON. I don’t know how or why, but she does.)

Bad prose is bad prose. You know it when you see it, and when I see it on novels with scads of squeeing 5 star reviews, it irks me.

Tidal waves of dreck on KDP turn a LOT of readers away from even considering indie novels - as do the sometimes dramatic responses said authors have to criticism.

I should clarify that I do not leave 1 or 2 star reviews - but that is because (a) it is forbidden for authors to review other authors on Amazon, and (b) I have seen too many indie authors go after reviewers.

Pete wrote: "Well I see I am in the extreme minority, which kind of surprises me, to be honest.

I will simply post my comment from the other thread Michael referenced:

Yes, it is possible for a STORY to impro..."
Pete, maybe I missed your post. I am so sorry.

Some books are slow in the beginning and suddenly take off; some begin with a bang from the onset; it's good to try to keep on reading until it truly becomes intolerable and then just put it away, but DON'T review it. As Pete said, 'bad prose is bad prose.'
I have read books that depressed the heck out of me, but the characters were developed and the writing was excellent; I think there is a loose rubric swimming in my head about character development, plot, setting, point of view, diction, mechanics, syntax.....just because I don't like a character or the story line, the book has a great deal of merit.

Gail wrote: "Skye wrote: "Some books are slow in the beginning and suddenly take off; some begin with a bang from the onset; it's good to try to keep on reading until it truly becomes intolerable and then just ..."

That's what I was confused about, Gail, I think I wrote or asked if I had missed something. I don't think unread books should be reviewed. And there is no need to label anything DNF unless you have an update of what you're reading.

I always see everything in 'fifty shades of grey,' anyway.

Gail wrote: "Skye wrote: "Some books are slow in the beginning and suddenly take off; some begin with a bang from the onset; it's good to try to keep on reading until it truly becomes intolerable and then just ..."

I didn’t say they SHOULD review it, I said it would be a fair review if they did.

It’s really pretty basic:

You start a novel with every hope and expectation that you will enjoy it. If it is so disappointing within the first hour of reading, on any number of levels, that you cannot proceed, what does that tell you about the product?

Why, you say to yourself, this novel is awful.

You might have bought that novel because you saw 75 4-5 star reviews and a lot of social media fluff about how awesome it was.

So, as a CUSTOMER, do you let the next person be fooled by those 4-5 star reviews? If everyone like you who felt the same way didn’t write a review, how does that help the customer?

It doesn’t help the customer, it hurts her/him. It helps the author, but not in the way that helps him improve.

As y’all can see, I am a firm defender of the critic, whether the critic is an egghead or a doofus. Readers who read reviews to make decisions know how to distinguish good reviews from bad reviews.

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