Bad reviews - What do you think of them?

Face it, if you're an author, you've most likely had some less than stellar reviews. If you're a book reviewer, you've probably given some less than stellar reviews. As we keep telling each other and ourselves, book reviews are subjective. Thus, we shouldn't worry about a bad review...or two. Like it or not, less than stellar reviews can teach us valuable things when we keep an open mind. If reviews honestly critique the story, they can point out things that can help the author write the next story. They've helped me. This is not to say a reviewer should ever attack a book or an author - there's a huge difference. If you have a personal beef with an author keep it to yourself or at least keep it private between the two of you. Here's an example I pulled off Amazon of a less than helpful review, "I was gullible enough to follow an Amazon recommendation on this one; it turned out to be on of my biggest mistakes. I wish I could give less than a star. Its ridicules that these books get printed while books which are so much better barely make it to e form. Just save your money, effort and time. Just stay away." While this hurts, it also doesn't help. I'd really like to know WHY the reader doesn't like the stories, both as a reader and an author. Perhaps the reader doesn't like erotic romance. Perhaps he doesn't like menages. Perhaps he has a beef about e-books. Perhaps he really doesn't like the writing - but of all three authors involved (this was about an anthology comprised of three authors)? Here's an example of a reviewer that still doesn't like one of my books, but gives me helpful insightful into "why". I took this to heart when writing subsequent stories and I owe this reviewer my thanks (even if it hurts a little). ""Pirate's Booty" was my least favorite. The love scenes were hot, but the story felt forced to me and I think I just had a really cheesy porn movie playing in my head (complete with the chick in animal skin bikini) as I was reading parts of it. But maybe if that is your fantasy the story would work for you, it did not for me." (from the anthology "And Lady Makes Three" published by Ellora's Cave at www.ellorascave.com) Funny thing is, this book is my biggest seller out of all 40+ of my published books. Maybe it's because of my anthology partners' contributions. Anyway, it did give me a tip or two so I've toned down my subsequent stories and I've been getting better reviews. (However, not better sales, so I have to wonder what that's all about...) Just to prove that reviews are subjective, here's a good review of the same story "Pirate's Booty" in the "And Lady Makes Three" anthology. "Pirate's Booty by Ashley Ladd is like a treasure cookie; plain golden temptation on the outside and warm gooey decadence on the inside. At first, I was all prepared for another "rich, useless girl falls for bum" type story and was pleasantly surprised to learn otherwise. Melena is a self-sufficient dynamo of a heroine. Keir and Zarod struggle to accept learning new things about themselves as we learn what wonderful hero material they both really are. All in all, this is a satisfyingly decadent jaunt. Ms. Ladd has created a heroine any woman would be proud to identify with and heroes that turn out to be exactly what they should be. Her way with building sexual tension does not hurt a bit either. " So, which review should I believe? I'd say both of the second two. They're both valid opinions. They both state their reasons "why". The first, doesn't give us a clue. As a reader, do you go by reviews in your book buying decisions? Have you ever bought a book because a review was good...or bad? Honestly, when a book receives a really poor review, I'm more curious than ever to see why and to see if I agree with it. I've read where some authors are tempted to write a really bad review of their book and post it under a different name for promo purposes. I wouldn't do that. I don't hope for a bad review. However, with millions of readers (at least we hope), there are bound to be a million different opinions, good and bad. As I've learned working in customer service, there's no pleasing all of the people all of the time no matter how hard you try. It's impossible. You can only do your best, please yourself, and polish a book for obvious mistakes and then set it free like we do our human children. You'll also want to see what Amarinda Jones, Anika Hamilton, Anny Cook, Barbara Huffert, Brynn Paulin, Bronwyn Green, Dakota Rebel, Kelly Kirch, Molly Daniels, Sandra Cox, and Cindy Spencer Pape are up to, so make sure to visit them also. :)

Thursday 13 version 14: Quotes by Famous Writers

Thirteen Quotes by Famous Writers 1.... Benjamin'>http://en.proverbia.net/citasautor.asp?autor=12622">Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist and philosopher. A perfectly healthy sentence, it is true, is extremely rare. For the most part we miss the hue and fragrance of the thought; as if we could be satisfied with the dews of the morning or evening without their colors, or the heavens without their azure. 2.... Henry'>http://en.proverbia.net/citasautor.asp?autor=17230">Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) American naturalist, poet and philosopher. Write without pay until somebody offers to pay you. If nobody offers within three years, sawing wood is what you were intended for. 3.... Mark'>http://en.proverbia.net/citasautor.asp?autor=17353">Mark Twain (1835-1910) U.S. humorist, writer, and lecturer. Writing books is the closest men ever come to childbearing. 4.... Norman'>http://en.proverbia.net/citasautor.asp?autor=14648">Norman Mailer (1923-?) American writer. The writer may very well serve a movement of history as its mouthpiece, but he cannot of course create it. 5.... Karl'>http://en.proverbia.net/citasautor.asp?autor=14768">Karl Marx (1818-1883) German philosopher and political economist. The trouble with young writers is that they are all in their sixties. 6.... W'>http://en.proverbia.net/citasautor.asp?autor=14800">W. Somerset Maugham (1874-1965) British novelist and playwright. The greatest part of a writer's time is spent in reading, in order to write; a man will turn over half a library to make one book. 7.... Samuel'>http://en.proverbia.net/citasautor.asp?autor=13857">Samuel Johnson (1709-1784) British author. You must often make erasures if you mean to write what is worthy of being read a second time; and don't labor for the admiration of the crowd, but be content with a few choice readers. 8.... Horace (BC 65-8) Latin lyric poet. We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master. 9.... Ernest'>http://en.proverbia.net/citasautor.asp?autor=13355">Ernest Hemingway (1898-1961) American Writer. Writing is an adventure. To begin with, it is a toy and an amusement. Then it becomes a mistress, then it becomes a master, then it becomes a tyrant. The last phase is that just as you are about to be reconciled to your servitude, you kill the monster and fling him to the public. 10.... "People think that I must be a very strange person. This is not correct. I have the heart of a small boy. It is in a glass jar on my desk.” Stephen King quote 11.... Action, reaction, motivation, emotion, all have to come from the characters. Writing a love scene requires the same elements from the writer as any other. Nora Roberts 12.... All that is gold does not glitter; not all those that wander are lost. J. R. R. Tolkien (1892-1973) South African-born English Novelist, Scholar 13.... All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players: They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts. [As You Like It] William Shakespeare (1564-1616) English Poet, Playwright, Actor

http://thursdaythirteen.com/ the Thursday Thirteen code here! The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others' comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted! http://technorati.com/tag/thursday+thirteen More Thursday Thirteen Participants

* Don't miss my live Internet radio interview tonight, Thursday July 24, 2008, 10 pm EDT at:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/yolandareneeJoin us Thursday July 24, 2008 @ 10:00 PM EDT

I'll be chatting with Blog Ralk Radio host Yolanda Renee about my new book "Liquid Heat" published with Total-E-Bound.com as well as my writing career and what makes me tick.

** I finished my first edit on "Submissive Dreams" due to be published by TEB August 18, 2008. I was so thrilled that my editor said it was in good shape and didn't require much editing. I was able to do the edit in a couple hours and that was with re-reading the story, too.

Now, I only have two edits and two peer reviews to go that need to be finished this week. Not much. Oi! I'm feeling just a tad overwhelmed. I'd hoped to at least start the second edit tonight, but I'm more than a little tired and it's late. Thursday 13's always take awhile to put together. This post I did Wednesday night instead of the weekend before and preschedule.

So, really, I did get a lot done tonight - one edit and one Thursday 13. I think I just try to do too much and then feel I let myself down when I don't get it all done.

Tomorrow night is the radio interview so I don't know how much else I'll get done before. Perhaps some of the edit. I think the next edit will be tougher than the one I finished so easily tonight.

Don't get me wrong - I've had killer edits that can take days, even weeks. But lately, they've gotten much easier and quicker. I hope that means my submissions are getting better. I think it's that practice makes better. I've only written 40 or 50 or more stories by now and gone through 40 plus edits. I guess I've learned a little something - I hope so anyway. I know my editors really hope so.

To answer a comment Amarinda left the other day, yeah, I think I've gotten jaded on promotion. At least I've not been able to pinpoint what type of promo works. I also have my hubby on my back when I spend any $ on it. I get my kids on my back if I spend an inordinate amount of time on it. Still, I keep trying different things.