As you progress through the world of writing and publishing and you come face-to-face with your readers, you will learn a lot about your writing and about your readers. You’ll discover that a story or a nonfiction book is not always what you think it is and it won’t affect all of your readers in the same way. This seems to be especially true and noticeable in fiction.
The overwhelmingly large majority of those who’ve read my Ojai Valley history (produced in 1983) and my books for authors and freelance writers (which I began writing in 2000), LOVE them. I am accustomed to hearing rave reviews and gushing praise for these books. It feeds an author’s soul to know he/she is making a difference for a segment of readers.
Sure, I’ve received negative comments over the years for these books. While they’re few and far between, there are people who think I should have focused more on certain aspects of the local history or I should have included more tips specifically for fiction writers or more Internet marketing tips in my books for authors. There are always a few who have their own ideas about what your book should be and how it should be organized.
Readers of fiction, however, can be even more critical as to how a story is executed. A work of fiction seems to be more personal to the reader because a story is more apt to touch a nerve. A story often evokes emotions—in fact, that’s its primary job, isn’t it? And if something in the story reminds a reader of a sad or frightening time, it could sour the whole book for that person.
If the reader sits down to read, hoping to be taken away on a white horse and the story, instead, takes her to a place of discomfort, her opinion of that book won’t be favorable. If something in the book angers her, causes her to recall someone she despises, or reminds her of a period in her life she’d rather forget, she may consider the story too sad, too violent, poorly written…
My point is, a negative review or critique might be more about the reviewer or the critic than your story—especially if you receive positive comments from most others.
So should you (or I) disregard negative comments? I don’t think so. I think we need to pay attention to what every critic says about our work. Mull it over, compare it with what others have said, ask people you can trust if the criticism rings at all true to them and then decide if you will make any changes to your book before the next printing, for example.
Reviews are certainly valuable on many levels. So don’t shy away from them. But it can be difficult for authors to accept and embrace all critique as valid.
I hope this has given you a little insight as to how the reviews you collect can vary to such a degree. If not, tomorrow, I will go out on a limb and discuss some of the five-star and one-star (even a no-star) reviews I’ve received for my first two Klepto Cat Mysteries: Catnapped and Cat-Eye Witness.