Online reviews from your audience can be a source of anxiety, no matter your level of professional experience.
As a writer, you pour your heart onto the page, and wait for the judgement to roll in. You hope your readers enjoy that scene on page 97 that makes you giggle every time you read it, or hope they stay up until three in the morning because they can’t wait to find out how things end.
The truth is, the worry that they won’t is often greater.
So, I’ll rephrase my previous statement for clarity: negative reviews can be a source of anxiety.
Some people suggest reviews are for prospective readers, not authors, or even that they’re an author’s worst enemy.
They say things like, “If you trust the good, then you have to trust the bad, so don’t trust any at all.” (Which sounds like one of those lies your protagonist tells herself at the beginning of her character arc.)
Some say your focus should be on writing the next book and not dwelling on what a bunch of strangers say on the internet. By itself, this isn’t terrible advice, but there’s value in knowing how readers react to your words.
You spend countless hours birthing this metaphorical book baby. It’s natural to want to see if the rest of the world thinks it’s as beautiful as you do.
However, you’ll find that reviews are of greater importance to authors for a different reason.
They can be even more valuable than the glowing trade review or the quote from a best-selling author. Obviously, not for selling more of that particular book, but for becoming a stronger writer for the next. Praise is always nice, but constructive criticism is the only way to learn what isn’t working as intended.
I want you to think of one flavor of ice cream that every single person alive likes.
I'll wait.
Got something?
No?
Exactly.
It doesn't exist.
Receiving a negative review has the potential to crush your confidence as a writer into tiny pieces. You instantly start questioning your future as an author and vow never to touch another keyboard. (Is that just me?) Whatever negative response you might experience, it's because you may be taking it personally.
The reviewer isn't saying you're a terrible person. What they're really saying is that they didn't enjoy the particular blend of your story flavor. It happens, right?
You may like chocolate ice cream, just not the one made by a certain brand. That doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of other people who love that brand’s version. But, if chocolate ice cream had feelings, it might decide to go into retirement and all the people who already love it - or who would have loved it had they had the chance to try it - would miss out on that brand’s chocolate ice cream experience.
And that would be a shame.
Your book will be loved by some, hated by some, and enjoyed or not enjoyed in varying degrees by everyone in between. Just like every flavor of ice cream ever created by every brand in existence.
That's how you should frame your thinking before diving into your reviews. You’ll still be delighted when you find fans of your particular story flavor. But you’ll also see the value hiding amongst the criticism without damaging your confidence in yourself and your abilities.
We often miss the importance of negative reviews. They tell you what readers don’t like and (hopefully) why.
You can’t avoid the people who bought your book expecting a chocolatey story flavor, but found peppermint swirl instead. They usually say things like, “It just wasn't for me,” or, “I don’t usually read X, Y, Z,” or, “You’re right, you’re an awful writer and should never touch another keyboard again.” While those types of comments may point to a branding issue (or someone who enjoys making others cry), for the purpose of strengthening your writing, they can be ignored. Those readers aren’t your target.
Your peppermint swirl story will never please them.
That’s okay.
You’re looking for the peppermint swirl fans. They might say things like, “the pacing was off,” or, “I didn't feel invested in the characters until a third of the way through,” or, “there wasn’t enough happening to keep me engaged in the first three chapters.”
That’s the stuff of value. And if more than a few peppermint swirl fans are saying the same thing, you can be sure you've found your book's blindspot(s). All writers have them. Reviewers are the best at spotting them.
Learn your blindspots. Arm yourself with that knowledge so you can address the specific concerns readers had with each of your books in the next one.
And the one after that.
Negative reviews don’t have to be your enemy. If you need to, think of a flavor of ice cream you don’t care for and remind yourself that others are allowed to feel that way about your book. Focus on the useful information they’ve shared and then move on to your next book idea.
Happy writing!
From the outside, the process of organizing a collection of work should seem the same no matter the project. While it’s true that the steps remain similar, each time a book comes to life, the experience is different.