Create a Plan BEFORE You Get a Bad Book Review
#truthbomb
Some people aren’t going to like your book.
Yes, that sucks. It’s hard to hear. But there it is.
Because I get it:
You’re really proud of that book. You know it (and your message) is here to change the world.
And you’ve done a good job in the whole process: rewriting, editing, getting feedback, and then writing some more. But there’s something really important that is never told to authors – and it really should be.
Somebody will hate it. They’ll hate it so much, they’ll leave you a one-star review. And IF you’re lucky, they’ll keep their comments to how dumb the book was (and maybe how much they didn’t like the writing.) If they’re a true Troll, or simply having a Really.Bad.Day, their one-star review will ALSO be a personal attack.
What happens when you get your first 1-star review?
Take a deep breath. Because let’s be perfectly honest here: it’s going to happen. Somebody is going to hate your book – and if you let it, that little 1-star review will have the power to obliterate all the 4- and 5-star reviews that came before it.
Your best defense is… a plan.
It’s not a plan for how you’ll plead with Amazon to remove it.
It’s not a blueprint for how you’ll hunt down the reviewer and make him change his mind – and publicly apologize.
It’s not a plan for how you’ll fire off a witty comeback that is not only the perfectly placed literary knife to the ribs but also makes you look brilliant, beautiful, and 15 pounds lighter.
Here’s the thing about reviews: there’s not a single way you can respond that leave you looking classy. If you argue with a “bad” review, you’re whiny; if you thank the reviewer for a “good” review, you’re a creepy stalker author.
#authortip Never respond to your Amazon reviews. Nothing you say will make you seem classy. Click To TweetStill, you need a plan for how you’re going to handle it.
Here are some tips:
1. Don’t check on your reviews right before bed.
I’ll admit, when my first book was newly published, I checked sales stats and if there were any new reviews about every three hours. All. Day. Long.
But I knew from past experience, a nasty email from a client had the power to ruin a good night’s sleep. A bad review from a stranger… no WAY I’d be able to sleep. Keep Reading!
Reviews – especially positive, well-written reviews – impact your book sales on Amazon. Rumor has it (because let’s face it, a LOT of what goes on at Amazon is rumor and speculation) that if your book can receive enough reviews, Amazon will more heavily promote the book to its users.
You’ve spent hours writing your book – rewriting, editing, getting feedback, and then writing some more. You’ve invested in the story arc and pulled your hair out over commas. You’ve navigated the murky trails (and trials!) of professional edits, layout, cover design, and book launching.
You’ve spent hours writing your book – rewriting, editing, getting feedback, and then writing some more. You’ve invested in the story arc and pulled your hair out over commas. You’ve navigated the murky trails (and trials!) of professional edits, layout, cover design, and book launching.
I have to say, I’m a big fan of Amazon.com’s reviewing system. Any product or book you’ve purchased (from Amazon or elsewhere) can be reviewed.
But then… you notice that in addition to leaving reviews, you can actually RESPOND to them! When a reader leaves a review on Amazon, good or bad, there’s a little spot where other people can leave a comment.