Should You Read Online Reviews of Your Books?
- amysmithauthor
- Jun 1, 2021
- 6 min read
All good writers are readers – it’s key to learning our craft. We read for pleasure and for inspiration, to soak up the magic and maybe, see how it’s done. We join writing circles and swap work with people we trust to be honest and helpful. We read and listen to feedback because we want to be better.
But – what about online reviews of our published work? Should we read those, too? Will they help us get better? Or simply crush our spirits?
At a writers conference breakfast I once heard a plenary speaker claim, “We all say we don’t read Amazon reviews. But we all do.” I scanned the table and saw guilty smiles, so maybe the speaker was right. For the most part. Me, I’ve never read an Amazon review, and I never will. I keep track of my stars and number of ratings, on both Amazon and Goodreads. That’s it.
Does that make me churlish? Arrogant and dismissive? Disrespectful of readers? I’d like to think not, because Amazon/Goodreads reviews aren’t really for writers – they’re for fellow readers. Put crassly, they’re product reviews. Should one shell out money for this book or not? I often skim Amazon reviews before purchasing a book, and at times, they’re helpful.
But damn – some of them are cruel. Many 1-stars fall into these categories:
“Boring! Awful!” Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things is one of my favorite novels. Admittedly her style is challenging, but once you get the lay of the land, it’s worth it. Not so for many readers: “I dislike everything about this book. The flat, unlikable characters, the ridiculously over-descriptive writing that jumps all over the place making it taxing to even follow what’s going on.” Or this: “I have no idea how this book managed to win awards. I'm not sure the author was on the same planet as the majority of the population.” Or this disturbing take: “How do you make incest boring?? Well, this author managed it.”
Do shorter reviews sting less? Could be, but still – brutal to see all your hard work dismissed with a single word: “Stupid.” “Pointless.” “Bland.” “Terrible.” “Sucks.” “Gibberish.” “Overrated.” Ouch.
“Not what I expected.” On the audiobook of Dan Brown’s Angels and Demons: “Just couldn't get into it. So much gore and death. Just wasn't working for my drive to Napa. Had to find another book.” How on earth does the writer deserve 1 star for not setting the right mood for somebody’s bougie winetasting junket? But I’ll make lemonade here – “Just won’t work for my drive to Napa” is my new go-to phrase for writers group sessions.
One brilliant reader of Michelle Obama’s Becoming had this to say: “I was expecting something else, I guess. I cannot judge.” . . . but leaves a 1-star review all the same. Not the writer’s fault if someone’s too lazy to actually read the book description. Sheesh.
“I could have written a better book!” These ones tend to be looooong. Terms like “sophomoric,” “claptrap,” and “drivel” are a give-away. Also “plethora.” Reviewers like this often latch onto a few things they’ve learned about writing, maybe in a 101 class, maybe from a Google search. One such review of Twilight (admittedly, low-hanging fruit) lists all the ‘rules’ Meyer broke, as per Elmore Leonard: “Never open a book with weather,” “Avoid prologues,” “Never use a verb other than ‘said’ to carry dialogue,” “Avoid detailed descriptions of characters,” etc. Rules for any art form were made to be broken; wielding them as a stick to beat an author with (whatever you think of Twilight) is lazy and . . . sophomoric. It’s the reviewing equivalent of those people who stand up at talks and ask lengthy non-questions.
“Haven’t read it but hate it anyway." Motivations here tend to be political. Some writers jump on the hater wagon just-because (again, think Twilight) – others trash a book based on its title or author. Joe Biden’s Promise Me, Dad has a bullseye on it. Here’s an entire 1-star review: “I wouldn’t support a child-groping pedophile, on top of that he’s a career politician = 100% lies.” Insightful. And other from Q-land: “This man is not our president!! Those of you who say he is and support him, you are the ones that are letting our country fall apart. Wake up people!!” Partisan readings are easy to spot, easy to dismiss.
Random: Some reviewers have absolutely nothing to contribute to a conversation yet can’t resist weighing in. Here’s a classic random 1-star: “I don't recall this book at all. I'll have to check my library again once I finish unpacking boxes from moving.” WTF?! And another: “I didn’t keep the book for myself, but the recipient was happy.” As the young folks say these days: “Wut?”
Here’s another angle to consider on Amazon/Goodreads. Not only can you pay someone to write positive reviews of your work – for a price, talented entrepreneurs are standing by to brigade your competition (or you) with negative ones. “Boost your sales by defeating others” boasts one website offering this dubious service. Hey, trashed your book, nothing personal. If 1-star reviews lead your sales to tank, you can take out your frustration by getting paid yourself for writing vitriol-on-demand.
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Taking in all that negativity – genuine or purchased, random or political – can really hurt. A brilliant novelist I know, who shall remain nameless, spent an afternoon reading Amazon reviews of his first novel. It’s a beautiful work of literary fiction, praised by every major reviewing source (btw, more on that somewhat controversial term ‘literary fiction’ in an upcoming post). Plenty of Amazonians loved his book. But those who didn’t, hated it. He was so paralyzed by the rancor that he didn’t write a word for six months. Fortunately, he’s back on track and prepping novel #3 for publication.
Maybe his response seems overly sensitive – or maybe it sounds very, very familiar. Writers who listen only to praise pretty much remain stunted as artists. But there’s a massive difference between taking in feedback from fellow writers and listening to internet strangers who clearly want to sink your work and, hoping you’ll read their vitriol, wound.
Bottom line – of course readers are entitled to their opinions. That still doesn’t mean you have to listen. Negative comments get stuck in my head on repeat. Perhaps you can identify. I said above that I’ve never read an Amazon/Goodreads review. I’ll correct that – I’ve never read one on purpose. In 2012 a Goodreads review got caught up in my Google alert for All Roads Lead to Austen. Thinking it was a blogger’s work, I started reading. The writer enjoyed the book – but thought it was “pretentious” of me to include my middle name on the cover. Pretentious . . . for using my actual full name . . . when my last name is Smith. Smith. I read this eight years ago and as you can see, it still bugs me. Can’t get it out of my head. Why should I give anybody free lodging in my brain for a supremely unhelpful, irrational, petty, dumbass (okay I’ll stop now) observation? Never again.
On the bright side, some internet reviews are very worth reading. Bloggers like Dru Ann Love have honed their reviewing craft and offer insightful perspectives that engage a book on its own terms. Reviewers like her can really help authors, and not just with promotion. She’s never reviewed me but I was thrilled with my B+ from Smart Bitches Trashy Books. Even getting on their radar is a compliment, and the reviewer gave me a lot to think about. Austenprose is a hotspot as well, helping readers wade through the flood of All Things Austen.
Still, even with thoughtful reviews (positive or otherwise), there’s an argument for ignoring them. Once your book is out there, it’s out there. Done. Out of your hands. Why learn about a problem you can’t fix?
Two reasons. Insightful reviews can help your next book. This is especially important for series writers. And for those who self-publish, it’s never too late to benefit from constructive feedback. You can update your ebook and/or print-on-demand title, and you can edit the next run of your hardcopies. Considering a good blogger/reviewers as a writing circle friend who came late to the meeting can make you a stronger writer.
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Some final thoughts on dodging Amazon and Goodreads. I’m a junky for r/AITA – “Am I the Asshole.” I spend hours every week down that rabbit hole, where people post their potential asshole behavior for judgment by redditors around the globe. Judgment options: YTA (You’re the Asshole), NTA (Not the Asshole), ESH (Everyone Sucks Here), and NAH (No Assholes Here). The real gold is in the comments. They range from blunt to hilarious to compassionate. AITA has it all. Maybe I should create a throwaway account and jump in, from the ‘disrespecting readers’ angle. “AITA for not reading Amazon reviews of my book?”
If I ever get up the nerve, I’ll report back with my judgment.
Check back for upcoming posts on “fantitlement” and taking online classes, plus guest posts by Hanna Brady and Christy Lenzi!
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