I recently saw a question posed to authors: “Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with bad or good ones?” This immediately reminded me of a YouTube video.

Another author proclaimed that she didn’t read her reviews. She stated that she only read the early reviews then stopped. After that she only read trade (publication) reviews. The author seemed like a genuinely nice person, but she talked about reaching an emotional tipping point with reader reviews that required coping mechanisms. Hearing the phrase ‘coping mechanisms’ almost triggered an eye roll, so I stopped watching and continued with my life.

After seeing this question posted, I thought it was worth speaking up.

I read the reviews of my books, and it’s for one simple fact—I ask the readers to leave them.

Tell Me What You Think!

Whenever I release a new book, I ask my advanced readers to leave a quick review at their favorite sites—Amazon, Goodreads, or Bookbub. Many readers will email me that they’ve left a review along with an additional note of kindness. The fact that they’ve taken their time to do such a thing means so much. I immediately go to whatever site they direct me to and read their review. Afterward, I responded quickly and say thank you. They took time out of their day to be nice, so you know I’m going to do the same.

In the conclusion of each of my books, I ask the reader if they’ve liked the book then I invite them to leave a review. Here’s the thing—if I invited someone to have coffee then decide not to show up, that’s disrespectful. I want a reader to know I appreciate their reviews.

Maybe we’ll never meet, but I know when a reader has read through my series and left multiple reviews. It makes my heart sing to find someone who has cruised through a set of novels and enjoyed them.

As an author—as an independently published author—reviews are the lifeblood of a book. They are social proof that the novel has merit and that the author is worthy of another reader’s precious time and money.

It’s disingenuous of an author to ask a reader for a review and then not bother to go read it.

Why So Negative?

Do negative reviews bother me? Sure, they do. As much as I want to be a tough guy and repress my emotions, there are times when bad reviews bug the hell out of me.

Sometimes, reviews make no sense. I recently read a negative review for a Jack Reacher novel that a reader left about author C.J. Box. The problem is Lee Child writes Jack Reacher—not C.J.

Sometimes reviewers are mean. It’s as if they aim to wound an author with biting words. They don’t realize that their 1-star diatribe stands out like a fart in church amid a plethora of 4- and 5-star reviews. Most will see it as an unhappy person with a thesaurus to grind.

Here’s my hint for leaving a bad review (if you so choose to do such a thing). Make it a 2-star review with a simple, non-attacking message. For example,

2-star. Plot was weak.
2-star. Didn’t like the main character.
2-star. Jack Reacher was better in the movies.

See? Not so hard. I believe people tend to believe 2-star reviews more because there are fewer of them. I know I do. They seem more honest.

And sometimes, negative reviews are nothing about the story but rather the author. They’re filled with unnecessary venom. Nothing an author could have written would likely have made that person happy.

Turning a Negative into a Positive

How do I deal with negative reviews? I’ll give you three quick things.

First, I remind myself that I’ve put a book into the world. Daring such a thing requires the ability to withstand some criticism. I shouldn’t be so naïve to believe that I would only receive praise and pats on the back. If I can’t handle some hurtful words about me or my work, I should pack up my keyboard and turn off my internet.

Secondly, if nothing negative is said about my work, then no one is reading it. Haters are a requirement for success. There is not one successful person in this world who doesn’t have a group of detractors. It’s impossible. Does understanding that about negative reviews make me feel better? Not always, but it helps.

And finally, I’ve got a sounding board. If a bad review gets under my skin, I reach out to a writer friend. I share the comments and get some quick perspective. After that, I move on with my day.

That’s it.

The Good Outweighs the Bad!

But here’s the thing—most readers are nice. They don’t leave mean reviews. Even if they hated a book, they don’t leave nasty feedback.

There have been plenty of books I’ve disliked. Some I’ve downright loathed. What did I do? I simply closed the book and moved on. I didn’t leave a crappy review or write anything negative about the author. There was no reason to do such a thing because I know someone else is going to love the book.

That’s how it is. One person’s least favorite book is another’s treasure.

For example, I hate Catcher in the Rye., but a friend adores it. Why would I try to diminish his joy or anyone elses?

Some readers and the media fall over themselves to promote books that I think are terrible. So what? Big deal. They liked a book that I didn’t. Books are not a zero-sum game. I can love a book that someone else hates and vice versa. In the end, we both get to read.

I’d call that a win-win.