What to do when you, the reviewer or reader, really don’t like a book?
It’s too easy to go on any online…let’s be blunt, Amazon…and write a raving mean negative review and mark a one star or comment how you wish you could do a negative star rating. Way too easy and I’ve seen and talked with authors who have received these reviews/ratings and the pain they cause.
And the bewilderment on my end when I’ve read the same book and know it to be extremely not what the left comment implied.
Yes, some will troll the websites just to leave a nasty comment on something they haven’t read…or read partially for free or read the whole thing and then asked for a refund. I know Amazon has tried to curb these meanies, but it happens too often. And it ends up, at times, deleting legit reviews left by authors because Amazon doesn’t believe an author would ever leave a fair review for another author…they must be in cahoots to share reviews back and forth.
No one wants to be lied to, taken for a ride…you, the reader. No one truly…okay, rewording…most authors do not want to be kissed up to about their writing. We want your truth so that we can learn and improve. We want to know whether we engaged you with our story, maybe we are simply not a match. We’ve grown a pretty thick skin and can take the criticism.
No one wants a hit and run attack. No one wants praising words while fingers are crossed behind backs…think I just showed my age with that phrasing.
Everyone I know wants honest and fair reviews and sometimes that is my dilemma – how to give one.