Struggling Writers discussion

Jen wrote: "Have you ever worried about this? Do you post negative reviews on your blog or goodreads? If you do, do you fear this could hurt you in the future?"

I sometimes rate and occasionally review the things I read. If I don't care for something, I will say so in the review and explain why. I don't see it as "bad". I see it as honest.

If you let other readers know what did or didn't resonate with you and why (it did or didn't), that is simply a review.

No one writer will ever perfectly satisfy every reader with every word he/she has written.

If you post nothing but good reviews,, most of your credibility is lost. Readers will figure you are a friend of the author or exchanging reviews with the author or just doing fluff reviews.

Jen wrote: "But I'm worried about what even a respectful but negative review could do."

I guess my question would be, at this point: Have you heard of anyone having difficulty getting published due to having negative opinions on other books?

Publishers, like everyone else, want to make money. If you write something that is marketable and they feel they can make money from it, they will publish it. I can't see why your opinions on other books, positive or negative, would even enter the equation.

And I agree with Joel. You do lose credibility if you post nothing but positive reviews. I'm not sure if a publisher would see it that way, but that's the only way I can see that your blog might potentially hurt you.

Jen,

Consider it from a different vantage point. Whether you publish or self-publish, if you read and/or write you have an opinion. If you write, you express a viewpoint that you may or may not personally agree with, i.e.: if you write a story about a serial killer it doesn't mean you necessarily admire what the person has done.

With a review, you're writing a personal opinion about what does or doesn't work for you, as a reader. It doesn't mean just write good things or go to the other extreme and trash a book. An honest review may be positive only, or it may be more a mix of good and bad points about the book, or it may point out problems you found with the writing.

Writers, like readers, are entitled to have opinions. It doesn't mean others have to like those opinions all the time, because 100% of the population won't ever agree.

Jen wrote: "I am, quite obviously, an over thinker!"

I wonder if all writers are. I certainly am! I am constantly rethinking my strategies and wondering if I'm going in the right direction.

Most bloggers I've seen won't post a review of a book if they are going to give lower than 3*. How they keep their credibility is simple. They state the fact loud and clear for all to see. How can they lose credibility for not reviewing bad books? To me it just says that the books reviewed are worth looking at. :P

I'm not a blogger myself and I don't make it a habit to review books I'd rate too low. Sure, it happens. Sometimes, you just have to. If I'd blog them, I'd follow the other bloggers examples.

i post reviews both positive and negative and explain why i think it was great/awful. a few authors i gave negative reviews to wrote back nasty emails or gave me low scores in return without ever reading my work. thats just business.

Writing, like serving in the military or customer service, is one of those fields where the practitioner is better off not being easily offended.

Then again I've seen a chef or two who'd start throwing utensils at the mention of a diner who didn't like the food that was served.

Perhaps you should clarify what you mean by "bad reviews." I know bloggers who review regularly who will not post what would be a one or two-star review. They just don't put up any review, and I don't have a problem with that. If you're saying no reviews that aren't glowing, I know bloggers like that, too, and I don't take them seriously.

No, never. I prefer to send a report on what I didn't like about the book direct to the author by private email, show grammatical errors, etc., and I will always start with a positive comment even if its ony to thank them for allowing me to read their book. I try to let them down gently by explaining what didn't work and why rather than simply saying 'sorry but your book is a load of rubbish!' Because nothing good ever comes of being mean to another human being. Karma can be a bitch!

Yes I do. Constructive criticism is an important part of the business. I'm never mean, but I'm not going to lie to anyone. Readers want to know if a book is worth attaining. Writers want to know if people like their books. I expect no less from my readers. If you hate my book, fine. Tell me why. I'll take your criticism to heart and try to improve next time. You as an author should feel the same. Sure, it's disheartening to see a negative review, but in the long run it does help.

I almost never post negative reviews.

If I didn't like a book, I don't see why I would spend my time writing about it. In fact it's unlikely that I would have finished reading it anyway.

I won't post a review lower than three stars, purely in respect for writers and their craft. Reading is subjective and I won't insult another writer no matter how much I hate their book. That said, the ones I do rate, I do give honest criticism, even if it has a four-star rating.

Yes, VW, most of the time I won't complete a book I don't enjoy. Life is too busy to waste my time doing that. I've turned down review requests before.