[xtine]

I really wanted to try and express how we all feel when we get a crummy review.
Maybe I captured it, maybe I didn't.

http://ebooksfreefreefree.blogspot.com/2011/05/response-to-bad-review-authors-open.html

 

[India Drummond]

I thought this was an excellent letter!

I wasn't sure what to expect, considering some of the things I hear authors say about low-starred reviews, but you did sum it up very well.

 

[Mel Comley]

Ecxellent letter! 

 

[kCopeseeley]

I think that's pretty much what author's SHOULD say when they get a bad review.  Reading DOES take time and it DOES suck to read a book and be bitterly disappointed.

On the other hand, as a reader, I realize when I read reviews on goodreads that they are subjective.  A book I read recently and gave a two-star review to (which was NOT yours, btw. hehehe) had 20,000 reviews.  12,000 were 5 star and 200 were 2 star.  There's always going to be a percentage of people who don't enjoy a particular book, whether the subject matter didn't grab them or they didn't enjoy the writing.  I don't take it personally when I read a book that I don't like, so I hope no one takes it personally when they read my reviews.  It's Just. My. Opinion.

 

[Decon]

I would definately give your open letter a 5 star review. Excellent.

 

[aaronpolson]

You nailed it with class.

 

[G. Henkel]

Very inspiring, xtine. Very cool!

 

[xtine]

Very inspiring, xtine. Very cool!

Thanks all.

I have to say I jumped at the opportunity to do this guest blog, and my first letter didn't read like this AT ALL. I think we all have to take a breath after reading a bad review.

I just wish someone else would review it on smashwords because those two stars are hanging there like big honkin' dingleberries.

 

[Rex Jameson]

That was a very nice letter. Good luck with the next novel, Christine.

 

[Grace Elliot]

Great letter. How did it feel to get that off your chest?

 

[xtine]

Great letter. How did it feel to get that off your chest?

Incredible. The blogger offered me a great opportunity.

 

[Bob Mayer]

I don't know, maybe it's me, but it felt a bit apologetic.  Hey, if a reader doesn't connect with the material, they don't connect.  I've loved books others have hated.  I've hated books others loved.  I don't expect the author of a book I hated to say I'm sorry for wasting your time.  It was my choice. 
Actually, I've never really understood people who say they read the entire book then post a negative review.  I know pretty much about ten pages in whether I'm going to read further.  If it's bad, I stop.  And I don't post a negative review, because that's my opinion.
I think we've lost the core concept of a review:  it isn't to say whether I liked it or didn't, it's to give people an idea of what the book is about, it's tone, and perhaps some commentary on how that was accomplished so that others can make their own decision on whether the book might be worth reading or not.  Now I see things like:  I don't like sex in a book, this book has sex in it, this book sucks.

Ultimately it's all opinion.

 

[xtine]

Actually, I've never really understood people who say they read the entire book then post a negative review. I know pretty much about ten pages in whether I'm going to read further. If it's bad, I stop.

I strongly doubt she read even half of it, yet she bothered to post the review.
If you look at her other reviews, she in only really interested in the editing, and that version she read did have some issues (for all i know the current version has issues, too, but I try, Lord knows I try to get them all)

Yes it was apologetic, but I did have all the other normal feelings of irritation and irrational anger. Then an hour later I rolled my eyes and stopped caring. Then MONTHS later I got the offer to write the blog post, so by then I was more like, wow, what's the other side of the defensiveness we all feel? And I felt like what I was saying was that other side.