Since I first started meeting up with my fellow author crowd online, a conundrum of epic proportion began to formulate itself right on my doorstep. Other authors began to ask me to review their books. Publicly, I mean. Go out on Amazon and rate the book, say what I felt about it.
Uh-oh. Well, at first it didn’t hit me (numbskull that I can be). I read one book or another. It was AWFUL. Oh shite. Now what to do? Lie? Pretend I’d forgotten? Write a horrendous review for a friend and colleague?
I caved. I caved for a while. I told myself I didn’t lie, I varnished. I omitted. I was a newbie; I didn’t know Amazon’s rating system (and its horrific flaws of dishonesty) from frog dung. I figured, why hurt a friendship? Why be negative?
Eventually, after only a few months of this grueling dilemma (I mean it, I would have sleepless nights worried about the current—or next—shitty book that I was going to have to place before me and question my own integrity).
So I stopped. If I knew the author was good and I had a strong level of confidence I would be able to write an (honest) 4-5 star review, I would say “yes”. Never mind that this new philosophy came at a time when I was swamped and should have been saying “NO” for reasons of time management (that’s a whole other post, believe me—I am a chronically slow reader to boot).
Recently I got bitten. I was asked by a fellow writer and (I thought) a trustworthy friend and I quickly checked out her first book. Not bad. Actually pretty damn enticing. So despite my trepidation I said “sure, I’d do it.” Well, she’d just come out with the last book in her trilogy and, more importantly, had just put the three together as a separate product in a boxed set and wanted me to read all three AND review them as a collection (because clearly she needed to get some reviews up there for the new product, something I totally understand).
“Okay,” I said. (Imagine deflation in my heart, along with palpitations, and and sinking feeling that I was going to get shafted by this proposition. Also imagine my dismay because I read at about 5x or so slower than most people.)
I started reading the series and was pleasantly able to say I enjoyed the first book, it sucked me in, and actually made me anxious to read the second. Now mind you, once or twice I had already received gentle innuendos that I was taking too long—you know, “are you still reading my book?” and so forth. Oh man. Now I am just overwhelmed by the time constraints alone. Two more voluminous novels to go and she’s already wondering why I’m not done.
The next two novels knocked me on my ass, and not in a good way. The author had decided to write (nearly) every single character in first-person POV! by the time I was halfway through the book I didn’t know if I was a female accountant with psychotic tendencies or a male delivery boy with bed-wetting issues. In fact, in some chapters that were pretty well-written, by the end of the chapter I would finally be getting into character, figuring out who I, the first-person reader, was; how I ticked. And then BAM, new chapter, and I’m in the body of a new gender, new disposition, new motivation, new position on the phone chain—honestly I didn’t know whether to shit or go blind.
My only hope—my holy salvation—was that the third book changed back to third-person omniscient. It didn’t. More of the “first-person circus”. By the time I had crawled through the last book on hands and knees, begging for reprieve, I felt like a mental asylum patient, talking to walls.
And now I had to write THE REVIEW. Fuck. Mortified. Sick to my stomach. (I had already asked her after the first book and beginning the debacle that was the second if she’d rather me just review them separately? No, she preferred I do the trilogy. She needed reviews up there. Like I said before, I understood.) Finally my only hope lay in my friend’s integrity and strength as a thick-skinned writer. Yes, I knew the review would sting (Come on, admit it, any time our books aren’t well-received—perfect, even—it stings a bit. As writers it’s as if we live next to a beekeeper).
So I wrote it. First, I made sure I gave all the credit I could to the first book. 4-stars unreservedly. Then the majority of the criticism of the second two I focused on the gamble (I intentionally called it a gamble, to show that hey, sometimes these work and sometimes they don’t but they don’t necessarily reflect on the quality or potential of the writer)—oh, the “gamble” being to write every character in first-person. Never mind that I had never seen that done and that it would take an author of Chekhovian breadth and depth to even imagine such a contortion of POVs. I never said an unkind word, I tried to keep coming back to the positive.
In fact, I don’t want to name the author (although, you puts yourself in the public eye, you gets what you gets). However, I think it’s fair to share the same quotes I sent back to her after her disingenuous thanking me. No salutation. No signature. Three sentences. I wrote her back, telling her to take a day, reread it, and see all the positive (that I really enjoyed and recommended the first book and really only criticized the POV thing in the other two). And I sent these three quotes directly from the 3-star review (that’s right, 3-star—not 1, not 2):
“So what we end up with in Book One is a well-plotted, well-written, page-turner of a revenge book. I honestly really liked it and would have given it 4-stars without hesitation.””The first book was truly a good read.”“a talented writer who deserves to be out there. [This author] is a solid writer who proved with her first book she is more than capable of writer a page-turner and writing it well.” Let’s just say, after several days (i.e. no knee-jerk this time), she wrote back and really let me have it. That’s all I’ll say about this particular situation because I really want it to be about the bigger issue and NOT this author (whom I still respect and still think is loaded with potential).
I’ve seen this time and again. Writers who only want their good reviews posted. I knew even back in the newbie days that a great review was somewhat implicit in the request. That’s why I ask the question:
Should writers be reviewing other writers?
I mean there’s the whole other ugly side of the coin: writers slamming other writers to climb over their back toward their own (hopeful) success. Writers creating false accounts to bash other writers, sending out 1 and 2-star reviews that many times even give away the fact the person didn’t even read the book through stating incorrect elements about the book.
And of course you’ve got Amazon keeping total control of the whole mess, right? HA. That review system is so tainted that you can see the stain from space. A few months back Amazon starts arbitrarily pulling reviews. THE GOOD ONES. The honestly well-written, thought out, helpful reviews. I lost a handful of 5-star reviews, one that was ranked most helpful on my book, something like 43 out of 43 “helpfuls”. Gone forever. No email to me or the reviewer, no discussion, no nothing. Makes me want to direct you to my last post on Facebook and Free Speech. Facebook: Putting Too Much Power With The “People”?
The point here is that we as writers should want honestly (not mean-spirited, perhaps, but even some of those reviews have a smidgen of truthfulness). We learn from criticism (and criticism should also include things that were done well and correctly). Do we really want what we have now? A reviewing system chock full of bullshit 5-star reviews and hateful, personal 1-star ones? Should we only post the good reviews?
You know what Grandmammy always said: if you can’t say something nice…
But I’d argue that an honest review IS something nice. And I’d also point out it’s only an opinion. And just like you know what dark, disgusting hole, we all got one.
I wish we as writers didn’t have to ask for other writers to read our work and post “Amazon Verified” reviews. But some ad sites won’t even allow you to PAY to have your book promoted until it has so many reviews. Well many of these writers are still unknowns. How are they supposed to get 15 reviews when the only way they can get their book out to the readers is to buy advertising? It’s like a boxing promoter telling a fighter “come back when you’ve got more contests under your belt” in telling him why he won’t let him fight.
So like I said, I get it. In a way we have no choice. But I still think those reviews, wherever they come from, should be honest. Not offensive. Not untrue. Not vindictive. Not overly negative.
But honest.
I will admit, part of the problem these days is with all the shitty books getting 5-star help from their friends, an honest review really can hurt you. No way what lives out on Amazon’s pages matches the criteria for reviews. The thing is (and there was no exception recently), I always bump up a review at least a star because of the Amazon problem. Fair is
fair. If the curve is inordinately slanted, you need to take that into consideration. But that is no excuse for dishonesty in a review and it’s no excuse not to read a freaking sample either. Good God, are readers automatons? Must they make every decision based on what some other person says or feels? Are we SHEEP?
Here’s a thought. Readers: have an opinion. Pick a book based on what you like about it, not what 57 other chuckleheads think. Most eBooks are ridiculously underpriced. Two bucks? Three bucks? Read the sample and plunk down your three bucks—risk a pittance on a sample of writing you really enjoyed. Don’t put so much stock into stars and egomaniacal reviewers.
In any case, I’m writing honest reviews.
When I choose to offer one.
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The blank page is dead…long live the blank page.
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Author known to use spontaneous satire, sarcasm, and unannounced injections of pith or witticisms which may not be suitable for humorless or otherwise jest-challenged individuals. (Witticisms not guaranteed to be witty, funny, comical, hilarious, clever, scintillating, whimsical, wise, endearing, keen, savvy, sagacious, penetrating, fanciful, or otherwise enjoyable. The Surgeon General has determined through laboratory testing that sarcasm can be dangerous, even in small amounts, and should not be ingested by those who are serious, somber, pensive, weighty, funereal, unsmiling, poker-faced, sober, or pregnant.)
I’m kinda torn on the issue, Rob. I mean, I try to write reviews that are how I feel about the work. If I find something unworkable about it, I try to contact the author, and tell them in private. If it all works for me, then I try to tell the world about it. Okay, the few followers I have on social media sites.
Amazon really screwed a lot of authors with the yanking of good reviews. Yet, they left the bad ones. WTH? So, Amazon is telling us we all suck? And they want us to continue with them? Damn.
I don’t disagree with you—I’m DEFINITELY the kind of person who follows the rule “if you can’t say something nice…” (and ALWAYS when I really like someone, as I do this author). However a huge part of this favor was GETTING reviews up there. I had to put something. Read my comment to Jeff; I really thought it was a decent review. We aren’t all Hemingway. Few, if any, in fact.
I don’t even want to talk about the damage done by Amazon with the review-yanking. That is court-battle material and I’d call ’em on it if I had money to waste on lawyers. It would be a 1st Amendment battle worth seeing! 🙂
In all honesty, this is far more of an issue with the writer than the reviewer. Sure we all want 4/5 stars, who doesn’t? Yet, the fact remains, many of today’s self published writers are not 4/5 star worthy. Yes, some are, some are amazing and deserve every ounce of praise they receive. However, it is totally delusional to expect great reviews just because you gave your book to another author. If they didn’t like it, let them have their opinion. Now it is up to the individual reviewer as to whether or not they leave the bad review on Amazon. There is always the option of telling the author, it wasn’t really my taste, and then leaving it at that. Regardless though, let’s take some responsibility as writers and except the fact that people may not like what we created. Suck it up and deal with. It is all part of being a creative person. The good is great, but it isn’t always going to be great for everyone, everywhere, all the time.
I agree (obviously). My issue with THIS review is that I didn’t think it was “bad”. It was a review for buying the whole shebang, all three books, the second and third books were confusing as hell (and I understated it) with POV changing to the first-person view every chapter, with every character! We’re not even talking about one time where the same character’s POV carried through a chapter change. New chapter, new character, new first-person. I could have gone completely crazy with that review. I gave the whole thing 3-stars and talked about the FIRST BOOK being a 4-star with no reserves. That makes it a bad review? The author hasn’t received a bad review if she really believes that was bad.
The mixed feelings I get are about Amazon’s messed up review system. Instead of it being 5=Masterpiece, 4=Excellent, 3=Worthy, give it a shot, 2=You’re at your own peril, and 1=Buyer Beware it’s 5=Everybody, 4=Why did you not get that last star?, 3=Pretty shitty, 2=Stink bomb, 1=Only an imbecile would waste time on this book. So when an author doesn’t throw an extra star on, knowing the way the system is skewed, they can be treating the author unfairly while still following the “rules”. For the record? If I’d been reviewing the last two books, even with author-to-author understanding, they’d have been 2-star. So I felt announcing her fist was a 4-star and that overall I offered 3-stars for the package? I thought I did her a solid. I knew it would sting, but that’s why we need to grow thicker hide.
Thanks for the read and great comment, Jeff. 4, er 5 stars! 😉
Great post. Like you, I write honest reviews, but I am very picky about which books I review. If I don’t like a book, I don’t review it. Playing it safe, I guess, but that’s what works for me. I hope that reviewers do the same for me.
Thanks, Darlene! For the read and comment. As I’ve said (and blogged about) before, there IS most definitely a skew to the Amazon system. The fact is, authors (and many with horrible books) get 50 5-star reviews from friends and ruin the whole system. as I said to Jeff, instead of it being (as it should be) 5=Masterpiece, 4=Excellent, 3=Worthy, give it a shot, 2=You’re at your own peril, and 1=Buyer Beware it’s 5=Everybody, 4=Why did you not get that last star?, 3=Pretty shitty, 2=Stink bomb, 1=Only an imbecile would waste time on this book. So there’s definitely a problem there being “honest” (i.e. following the first, reasonable set of numbers). The problem is, if every horrible book out there is top-heavy with 5-star reviews (and they are), then how bad do you hurt a truly great book by giving it 3-stars.
In the end, not much I hope, because readers should be making up their own minds, checking out a sample, and then deciding whether to risk their $3-4.
Had an author ask me to review her book – said her publisher told her to get 100. Made me uncomfortable but I felt bad saying no, so I agreed. Afterward, she said she will review mine. I think it’s a fine line between fairness in allowing an author to review another author for backscratching on Amazon, and being desperate enough to consent. And nothing worse than having to read a genre you’re not even interested in, let alone the time it takes. We deserve the reviews we get, which makes it our job to become better writers.
I don’t think the consent makes you or anyone else desperate because Amazon has created this Review Monster (Frankenreview?). The pressure the publisher put on by saying “get 100” is at once horrible and understandable. I mean, if your book has two reviews, there are a lot of people who won’t look any further. And something I didn’t talk about but meant to is the fact that actual non-author readers write reviews at a rate of about 1 out of every 100 (or worse) and then usually only if they hate it or think it’s the best thing they’ve ever read. So I think the whole system is suspect and people should rely far more on sampling. It’s not perfect, but usually you get an idea for what the writer’s style, quality, and storytelling skills are like.
Thanks much for the read and sharing your experience, Nancy. 🙂
Wow, I can really relate on this issue. I’ve actually got one more of these “reciprocal” reviews to do, one I feel a bit bullied into doing (the author in question bought and did a 5* review of one of my books without me asking, and then essentially demanded I do the same for him). In this case, I’m just going to bite the bullet and do because I value this person as a friend otherwise, but yeah, that’s it. Now when I get requests to do “writer trade” reviews, my answer is a solid no, unless, as you said, I know the writer’s work well enough to know I can be sure it’s something I would have wanted to read otherwise. Better still if it’s someone I know wants to hear the truth, and not just be stroked as a genius or is desperate for more 5* reviews to boost their sales potential.
I mean, I’m a reader, too…I’m actually a fan of some of my indie writer friends (in fact, that’s how I met them, in a lot of cases). But there’s a certain percentage of my friends who are still very much “new writers”…so new, they don’t even seem to know how new they are. Not only have they not yet learned how to take feedback professionally, but often they are running scared that they won’t be able to build a writing career on a single book that probably would have remained a trunk novel prior to the whole ebook phenomenon taking off, (for those not familiar with the term, a “trunk novel” being one that was purely a learning exercise and never would have been bought by a traditional house since it was written while the writer was still in the apprenticeship phase of being a novelist).
There are tons of indie writers NOT like this, of course, but I think it’s better to keep my integrity intact on this issue and just say no unless it’s something I want to read anyway….then, I will *purchase* a copy and write a review if I like it. If they don’t know I bought it, they won’t harass me for a review, either. More importantly, I won’t feel a need to post one if I didn’t like the book. It’s just a better policy all around.
Wow is right—this post is so cogent and on the mark it should have been a blog in and of itself! Thanks for sharing and well-said. It’s tough. I’ve become friends with some of my writer colleagues, too, and there are some I know are decent enough writers that I will (when I have time; hey, I’ll tell the jokes here) do some ARCs for, but otherwise, it’s a solid no from me. I honestly don’t have the time, but then I think about that next book I’ll be releasing and IT needing a few reviews so I can promote the dang thing.
I’m fortunate enough to have a gaggle of writer friends who like my writing (and with whom the feeling is mutual) so it’s usually not too difficult to get a few ARC reviews up there so that sites I’ve barely heard of anyway (but who’ve built a respectable reader list) will “accept” my book for paid advertising. It’s like I said in a post before, this Review Monster, Frankenreview, is wholly a creation of this Amazon/digital publishing/no vetting environment (no vetting on publishing OR reviewing).
Thanks again for the great comment. It really adds to the discussion and is much appreciated. 🙂
Yes! I think slowly collecting a group of friends whose work you admire is really critical. I know it takes longer, which is why a lot of people just do blanket requests, but it’s so worth it in the end. I mean, really taste is so subjective anyway, and something I really don’t like might be someone else’s favorite book, so it’s really just a matter of taking the time to get to know writers who like the same stuff you do. Thanks for your thoughtful post! One of the best I’ve read on this subject, honestly, (meaning, of course, the one which articulated my own beliefs the most eloquently, ha). I’ll definitely be stopping by again!
And you’ll be most welcome when you do (as long as you agree with my articulated beliefs yet again 🙂 ). Cheers and a great rest of the weekend! Rob
Just say, “No”. That’s what I do now; I think the whole review thing is a minefield for writers. In the beginning (way back in 2010 :)), I wrote a few reviews for people and got a few reviews back. If I like a book I’ll leave a review no matter who wrote it, but if I’m asked – NO.
The worst reviewers are the wannabetradpublishedauthors, who’ve just dl’d a freebie – Lord save us from what we are about to endure – these guys aren’t writing a review; they’re using your book as a vehicle to justify why they’re still writing queries to agents who never read their work (please excuse the pet peeve rant :)).
“No” is the plan from now on. I find it gives me so much more time to write as well. Thanks, Simon. 🙂
P.S. Pet peeves are my, well, pets. Rant approved. 😉
Oh, if only that writer actually understood the agony you went through. Whenever I have to write a slightly negative review, it takes me so much longer than a positive review. I rewrite it several times, trying to be as positive as possible.
Part of me says we should be calling these authors out on their stupid behavior, but I’m not that mean either at the end of the day. I’m surprised that my team of reviewers hasn’t encountered such a situation like you describe. We’ve reviewed over 100 books and not all of them have been positive. All the negative ones are well-thought out, so maybe that’s a defense part of the time.
SO sorry that you had to deal with it.
Thanks, Mark. This was definitely a case where her ego was reading the review and not allowing the good to filter through. It was a good review of both the first book AND her writing ability and potential. Her ego just wanted the bruises from the POV problems I had with books two and three. Thanks again for weighing in. And thanks for realizing my pain. 🙂
So far, I’ve only written reviews for books I enjoyed. That said, I don’t give out five star reviews very easily. Giving a novel (or a song, or a film) five stars really means something to me and I wouldn’t compromise that. I think an honest, nicely worded three or four star review is a credit to the author and am wary of books laden with frivolous five star reviews. Learning to take a little criticism with grace isn’t always easy, but it comes with the territory. As an aside, I’m not certain how many first-person POVs there are in the novel you read, but Nick Hornby’s A Long Way Down switches between four and it’s a wonderful novel.
I stopped counting on the first-person POV changes but there were at least 6-7 per book (it felt like more). It was also the change every single chapter. Breaking it up a bit for the comparative possibilities (and, more importantly, to allow you to get to know the character before slinging you off to quickly greet someone else’s psyche); giving a few chapters at a time to a character, perhaps.
This was done, in my opinion, as a stunt to shock and put you in the head of every character without warning. It was more like a roller coaster ride that rather than taking you on gloriously high-speed turns and loops kept starting and stopping just when you were almost having fun.
Thanks for jumping in the conversation. 🙂
Ouch – sad that your friend lit into you. Perhaps she should have asked a critique before publishing. I’m glad you were honest. I do not have a published book yet, but do read and review on Amazon. To avoid a problem, I only review when I can give a four or five star rating. If I don’t like the book, I may message the author on their website. I am honest and share what I like and what I don’t in my review. What bothers me are the one and two star reviews, which I do read before selecting a book. Most of them seem to be in the category of this book stinks or other words of similar nature. They don’t tell why. It’s almost as if they feel that by giving a poor review it ups their status. Poor reviews that give reasons have credibility, the others are unhelpful. Thanks for this post.
Hi, Heather! Just to be fair, I wouldn’t say she lit into me (she’s a very nice-type person — I’m more the type to light into someone, though I tend to be on the nice side far more often). Funny thing (to me) is I used the word disingenuous, she said she was “hurt” by my review. Hmm. That I really don’t get. I mean, I understand using the word in a broad sense, but she singled it out—a writer carefully choosing a word to describe her feelings. And this was after her taking my advice, waiting a few days, and rereading the review. I honestly thought she’d see what her ego stopped her from seeing on first run-through.
To me, hurt implies an expectation of friendly or kind treatment and then being mistreated. I was kind in the review, mentioned plenty of good things, and in the end, even were I a stranger, it was a 3-star review that was very positive about her as a writer and recommended the first book (and gave it 4-stars!). I ended up telling her I felt she needed thicker skin to continue on being a writer and publishing for the world to see—she’s going to see much, much worse.
She brought up a semi-valid point: that she wished I would have told her first. I say “semi-valid” because she said it in the context of the implication she may have asked me not to post anything but a good review of the first book. By then i wouldn’t have felt right, not after the things she said. She was, when all was said and done (and I told her this, as a friend), a typical “hurt” participant in a writing workshop who believed full well their writing was borderline brilliant and was unwilling to see the value of criticism. I told her that made me sad.
Thanks for the great comment. 🙂
hey rob, excellent topic, so many variables at play but to me it comes down to what you said, “if you can’t say anything nice…..” i just don’t post anything if I didn’t like the book, which means absolutely doodly squat in terms of whether a book is “good” or not…its all just too subjective…..
HOWEVER !! … if you are a writer and you CANT take constructive criticism offered in a fair and positive manner, then you are a fool…. this type of feedback is WAY BETTER than some kind of BS fluffy review that doesn’t come from someone’s heart…. ESPECIALLY when the feedback comes from another writer….. grow up and man up people…. or keep your work on stored on your laptop or in the drawer…
Hi, Andy. I generally only review if I feel people really SHOULD or SHOULD NOT read the book (and I’ve only done the latter twice that I can remember in something like 40 Amazon reviews). I was so disappointed with S.J. Watson’s Before I Go To Sleep because I (and a million other readers) bought his book based on Dennis Lehane (A Drink Before The War, Mystic River, Shutter Island, The Town) gave him a blurb something like, “Once I picked it up I couldn’t put it down!”
Lehane must be an in-law or owed Watson some royal favor because the book’s story (while well-written) was like a record player that is set so the arm picks up when it reaches the end, returns to the start, and replays the entire album again. All. Night. Long. For days. And then the ending is what was obvious from the very beginning.
Ironically it’s my “best” review—sixth most helpful of 1021 total reviews on the book (and has 19 mostly 100% agreeable comments).
As far as your comment on writers taking criticism, amen. Couldn’t have said it better.
Thanks for reading and jumping in the conversation! 🙂
A great post on a really tough subject, Rob. I admire the way you put yourself out there. I agree the review situation is a minefield, and I also agree that the issue lies with us, the authors, our expectations of others and our sometimes-skewed attitude about the quality of our work. Hey, are we five year olds, or what? And oh, by the way – will you review my book? hahahahahaha. Mwah! You’re the BEST.
Thanks, Molly!
It’s tough. Where’s that son of a gumption that said life was easy AND fair? It’s neither, is it? I was sold a bill of goods. Oh well, we stumble along, little protoplasm, chewing on the lettuce of life, doing the best we can. (A bastardization of an old Steve Martin line.) Thanks for checkin’ in! MWAH!!
If writers read writers, writers should review writers.
But should Sam I am eat green eggs and ham? That, sir, is the Universal question. 😉
What a pity this person couldn’t handle a critical review. NOT a negative review, but a critical review, which is likely going to help improve their craft in the future. I was surprised to see this in my inbox this morning, because I just put up a guest post for another author about critical vs. negative reviews! Heh. Anyway, when someone asks me to write a review for them, I make sure they know they will receive an honest review, but I also start from the understanding that if I accept the book, I expect I’ll like it. After so many years of reading, I’m fairly decent at choosing books that I will like, but the occasional stinker still sneaks in. However, I usually save the details for a private e-mail to the author, if I can. Anyway, so sorry this happened to you! Amazon is being so obnoxious lately!
Hi, Katy. Great point on critical versus negative. I just don’t have the stomach for it anymore. I used to run an Internet writer’s workshop and the thins in there were so thin they were translucent. Just people expecting adoration for whatever they wrote. I suppose we were all like that at one time, but even if I was, I learned EARLY to use every critique. Yes, some are better than others (let’s face the facts, you’re going to be more talented than some who critique you and less talented than others at the craft. But everyone reads, and I’ve found something in almost every critique/review I’ve ever read (assuming the person put in a real effort).
Thanks for reading and for jumping in. Again, excellent distinction. 🙂
Hey, Rob. Wonderful post and one that needed to be put out there. I’m going to come at it from a different angle. When an author asks another author to read their book and write a review, in my mind you’re asking for THE most important review. Not taking anything away from readers’ reviews, they’re equally important but a writer conveys status – it’s someone who knows the craft. What’s good, what works, and, what doesn’t. As a writer, you can’t step down to become “just” a reader. You have no choice but to base it on what you know. For instance, I read 50 Shades. If I had been a reader only, never knew anything about writing, I’m sure my review would have been totally different than the 2-star I gave it. I couldn’t turn the writer POV off. Your reply to Andy really hit it. You, the reader, bought a book because Dennis Lehane, a writer you respected, recommended it. Imagine a reader reading a review placed by you or another author, a glowing review – they buy it and to be frank, the book sucks or at the very least be something they feel they wasted their money on. How big a chance do YOU think you’ll have having that very same reader buy one of your books? Integrity. That, to me, is what it boils down to. To sugar-coat a review does both you, the author whose book it is based on, and the reader a true dis-service. While I understand writers need reviews to get their book noticed and promoted. Why would ANY author want anything less than an honest review. I hope that when my book is published I’ll have a thick enough skin that if my book is coming in with 2 or 3 stars, I’ll want to know why and perhaps make some needed edits to make it even better. I’ve gotten to where you are. I’ve read too many books from authors I hadn’t read yet, been asked for a review, found it a hard read, and had a tough time putting a positive spin on it while being true to myself. As far as Amazon, I think they ought to take the whole system of reviews and stars off the plate. You don’t go to the library, or any box store and see reviews posted beside the books – why Amazon or Goodreads? And, frankly, Amazon has too heavy a hand in overseeing reviews. They delete reviews off of books at their own will and discretion, and are always changing the rules on who can and who can’t write a review. It’s almost gotten to the point of censorship. Purchases should be based on the previews or the idea of the story, not someone else’s opinion. I’ll form my own, thank you very much.
Amen about seven times. Its another thing I didn’t mention but have thought about many times: that’s my words I am putting out there; my recommendation. Frankly there are some reviews I’ve written than shame me. I figure if someone reads that review and buys the book because of it, they’ll never listen to another thing I have to say on the subject (AND, as you pointed out, will never read anything I ever write).
As far as the Amazon system goes, to scrap it would be the best thing they could do for the reader and the writers, in my opinion. MAKE the consumer read a sample chapter, read the “book jacket” (just as you would in a store). Amazon’s “surprise me” option on the sample will take you anywhere in the book (not sure if you knew that). The first chapter or so is for continual reading but they used to just drop you in the middle of the book and let you read, say, ten pages. Just as you can in the brick and mortar store, right? If that’s not the case, it should be. Let the reader browse. I put much more in the samples on my web page; I’d be willing to put half the book up. What the heck, they’re still going to have to buy the second half. IRONICALLY, that’s how S.J. Watson sold the book I mentioned. He built his Facebook fan page following by releasing another chapter for every 1000 new likes. Brilliant. For that I really admired the guy. And he’s not a poor writer, either. His plot just blew sour wind.
As far as your attitude toward your first book, I think you’ve already taken a HUGE leap forward by even recognizing you’re going to need a thick skin but that it’s going to help you big time in the end. Like I said in the post, we writers, it’s like we live next to beekeepers. You think shitty reviews don’t sting me? Ouch. But just like a bee sting you examine it and think “that’s not so bad”. And it goes away. And maybe you stop swatting and killing bees that really mean you no harm and can’t hurt you anyway (assuming you didn’t swell up and die).
Great comment. Thanks!! 🙂
Rob, this is a fantastic post –thank you. I think separating reviews by authors would be a good solution. And you are correct that loved ones and colleagues are the ONLY people willing to review our books right out of the gate. I think readers understand that.
I have to share an anecdote that supports your observations about Amazon’s Frankenreview system. One of my books got a 1-star review by a “Bill” who blasted the prologue, gleefully spoiled the story and quit before reaching chapter 1. He used several paragraphs to beg readers to avoid my book as if it was smeared with resistant superbug bacteria. I wrote Amazon and asked them to remove the spoiler review. (Yes, back then I was naive.) Amazon denied my request, explaining that, “We encourage open and honest opinions about products customers have received.”
Turns out Bill copied the 1-star review to Good Reads under his alternate name, William. I looked up “William” on Amazon and found that he’s an author (his review read like it). I contacted Amazon again, explaining that the review came from an author. Poof! The review disappeared. Amazon thanked me for notifying them about it, saying, “We want our reviews to be helpful to customers.” Amazing. I would have accepted Bill’s 1-star review if he had said, “I hated this book and I need twenty words to make this review stick so that ought to do it.” But his flagrant spoiler combined with the hand-rubbing, malicious tone compelled me to attempt the removal. I have a number of other 1 and 2 star daggers I’ve accepted. They’re honest and fair.
On the flip side, a reader couldn’t download my book to her Kindle. She contacted Amazon, they didn’t respond, so she punished the book w/1-star review for non-delivery of the product. I asked Amazon to help her because she never received the product, or temporarily remove the review until it’s about the book. Denied with, “We encourage open and honest opinions about products customers have received.”
I wonder if Amazon’s book review system (forbidding author-to-author & 1-star blood sport) is tenable, long term. Will this flaw of reckless subjectivity regarding review removal become big enough to harm the symbiotic relationship that I may have mistakenly thought Amazon wanted with authors who commit to KDP?
Hey, Mark! You are welcome and thanks for the outstanding response. I love the anecdote—well, you know what I mean. It makes the point very well. I was only half-kidding when I made my Frankenreview comment. Amazon has really become this automaton that spews form letters and other useless dreck when we need a live, human, understanding answer the most.
Oh, hey, write about a product delivery that has gone wrong and it’ll get immediate attention and, especially if it came from them, instantaneous shipment or solution. For the record, I’ve been buying EVERYTHING from Amazon’s site since a decade ago—favorite food that the local store stops carrying; an iPhone case my wife saw and just has to have but doesn’t know where to begin to look; a new cordless Dewalt drill. Honestly, as a product provider I love them, they’ve always been Johnny-on-the-spot helping me with order problems, which are rare, and I am a proud card-carrying Prime Member.
That’s from an “everything but books” consumer perspective.
As an author, I want every other author I know to pick up a pitchfork, help me storm the castle, and burn the monster to the ground. They’re awful to authors, just awful (yet in my mind I hear the guy from That Thing You Do saying, “yeah, allow you to put your book up on their site for worldwide distribution and a 70% royalty…lying snakes.”). They have done a lot for authors, but they’ve also created a “searching for a needle in a pile of needles” syndrome with no vetting, non-responsiveness to author issues, and their attempt at world domination with KDP Select.
I don’t know. I’m just going to keep on writing. I suggest you and everyone else do the same.
Write on.
I had the same angst before reading Black Beast and LOST. Luckily, they were pretty good. 😉 Kidding aside, I lost sleep— lots of sleep. I couldn’t put either book down, though I have put others down— and left them down. I’ve learned the hard way not to tell an author when I’m testing out their novel, until I’m sure I can give it a 5-star.
Well, you were my hero on both of those, so I’m glad you fought through the trepidation and read them (and edited, and proofed, and helped make them what they are—or aren’t)! Elise, ladies and gentlemen, who is credited in several of my books and is a fine YA writer herself with the Cassidy Jones series! 🙂
I am facing this dilemma right now, and I will give an honest review. I put the book down, I was so tired of being led by the nose. Like Emperor Joseph II told Mozart, “There are too many notes.” This non-fiction message could have been delivered in two chapters, not an entire book.
Yes, most mainstream readers are sheep, just as most mainstream TV watchers, sports fans and drivers are sheep.
Glad you are a Tiger. We love meat!
Yes, mainstream America seems to have thrown in the towel. I’m going to stay in the ring a few more rounds. Rocky Balboa in his better, take-a-beating years (i.e. when he could still speak).
I’ve come to believe there’s a readership for every book out there. The sad part? So many bestselling rags I read are as they were written by a sixth-grader, which implies the ten-thousand buyers a month read at a sixth-grade level.
See ya, there’s another right hook coming.
😉
P.S. There’s actually some halfway intelligent television retuning, believe it or not. Dexter. Sons of Anarchy. Southland. Justified. Homeland. Veep. Shameless (and don’t check out that last one until the kids are in bed; it’s truly the first show I’ve watched and was shamed to love it). And with DVR, I watch them on my terms. 😉
I, too, stumbled into the same dilemma you did when I first joined the online community. It only took three atrocious books (one of which I finished, and none of which I actually posted a review for) to conclude this was a very bad idea. I won’t review books on request anymore. If I read a book, and I feel inspired to write a review, then I will, but so far that has happened once with an indie book – although in all fairness I don’t read many indie books, and usually only on recommendation, because of the ‘finding a needle in a pile of needles’ problem you referenced in one of your comments. I generally won’t post bad reviews on indie books because if it was that bad, because honestly I just can’t bring myself to finish it.