Ugh.  They told me it would happen.  Everything I’ve read about publishing a book said that bad reviews were inevitable, that it was part of being an author, that there’s no such thing as “bad” publicity, etc.

I thought I was ready for it, but actually having it out there on Amazon, for the whole world to see and use to help them decide whether or not to buy my book, it’s harder than I expected to not see it as a personal attack.

That’s my baby they’re talking about!  My labor of love that I lost sleep over, cried over, prayed over, sweat blood over, and this person gave it three stars, saying in their title that the book was “disappointing.” The real kick in the teeth is that the reviewer probably got my book for free, since hardly any have sold since my giveaway. (more about that in my next blog)

I’ve not been able to read the review myself yet - reading the title was hard enough - but my husband told me the gist of it. When the sting fades a bit, I will read it and try to use it as constructive criticism for future works. After all, the person who wrote it is presumably a fellow Christian and so I’m sure was “speaking the truth in love”.  And she is also a reader, and I need to cater to the tastes of the readers to a certain extent if I hope to sell any books.

At least she took the time to write a review, which was more than I could get any of my friends to do. (Well, except for one, who admits that she hadn’t even finished the book yet, and wrote such a blatantly biased 5-star review that I’m surprised Amazon didn’t remove it.  It’s kind of embarrassing to have it up there, and I doubt anyone is impressed by it.)  There are a few other decent reviews up there by people unknown to me. And one kind Authors Den author, Julie Thomas, gave me a very nice review. In light of that, one bad review shouldn’t bug me so much, except that when it is one out of only nine reviews total, the percentage is not looking good to me.

One thing this experienced has helped me to decide is that I will never give a three star review on Amazon - it can do to much damage to an author’s self-confidence! I usually give positive reviews anyway - if the book is worthwhile at all, I try to play up the good stuff about it.  If the book is so bad that it warrants less than four stars, I’m ashamed to admit that I read it anyway.  

Recently, after much internal debate, I reluctantly gave one book only three stars on Amazon, a book that had dozens of reviews so I figured mine wouldn’t really make or break the book. Maybe that 3-star review I just got on my own book is just me reaping what I sowed?  But even then I said good things about the author’s work, and I didn’t tear up his writing the way mine was dissected.

I usually end my blog with an applicable scripture, but the ones that immediately come to mind don’t really apply. There’s Matthew 5:11, “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.” but the lady is not “persecuting” me for my faith, rather she is criticizing what she perceives as my lack of skill in expressing that faith. And of course, there’s Isaiah 54:17, “And every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn,” but that’s kind of extreme. I hardly want to “condemn” a reader for expressing her opinion. Even if her opinion hurts.

So I guess I’ll just end by committing myself to developing a thicker skin, to try to learn from criticism instead of withering under it, and to do better and continue to work on improving my writing. 

 Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.    2 Timothy 2:15