Every writer gets bad reviews. It can be for legitimate reasons, like publishing poorly-edited crap, but sometimes it’s completely undeserved. Here are some real complaints I’ve seen in book reviews:
- The book was 6×9 instead of a “professional book size”.
- A book advertised as humor “had too many jokes.”
- A book about the author’s grief over her father’s death was “too serious.”
- A book about how to get into self-publishing was self-published.
- The ten-year-old characters in a middle grade book were “childish.”
- A book for babies was “too silly.”
- The characters in a road trip book “kept bouncing from location to location.”
I even saw a reader give a book a one-star review because the used copy they bought at a garage sale smelled bad. For some reason, they blamed the author for it. I still haven’t figured that one out.
Even when writers go to great lengths to point out their book’s content, some readers won’t notice and will end up complaining. I had a reader email me to say that my book “They Ate The Waitress” should have a warning that someone gets eaten. Apparently she didn’t notice the promo banner, the book blurb, the summary on Amazon, the cover art, or the title of the book.
I always remind writers that book reviews are for readers, not you. You probably shouldn’t read them. But if you do happen to notice a negative review, don’t assume your book stinks. It might just mean a reader thought your book had too many cats, or not enough cats, or the wrong type of cat. “Your cat was a tuxedo instead of a calico! How dare you?” Don’t blame yourself, and don’t let silly criticisms keep you from writing the next one. Some reader out there is waiting for a book just like yours. Keep trying, and you’ll find them.
NOTE: Please don’t take this article as a criticism of book reviews or reviewers. Writers love book reviewers! Even if their books aren’t the right ones for you, most of them will still be beyond grateful that you gave them a shot. People only get 1,000 books in a lifetime, so having your book make someone’s list is wonderful.
If you don’t review what you read, here are some great reasons to start writing book reviews. If you are a reader who writes book reviews, you are a god among mere mortals. Thank you for your service to readers everywhere. Keep up the good work!
