5 Reasons Bad Book Reviews Can Be a Good Thing

Don't forget to vote for All Things Writing at Goodreads for the Blogger Award. Click on the link at the top left hand side of this page to vote!

Nobody likes rejection, especially authors. All you have to do is Google the words author or rejection and tons of blog posts on the subject will pop up. Heck, we even have a few back posts at All Things Writing that cover the art of rejection, too!

Unfortunately, even after you publish your book, the possibility of rejection doesn't end. The difference is that now you have to deal with reader rejection vs agent/publisher rejection. Readers are pretty good at letting an author know exactly how they feel about what they've read. They aren't always as polite as agents and publishers are either. In fact, some rejections make you long for the good old form letter you used to get that started with: We're sorry, but this manuscript just isn't for us.

Regardless, everything is a learning opportunity. Some readers just like to criticize, and some are honestly confused about things in the story. As an author, you have to learn to deal with these kinds of reviews and perhaps even grow as a writer from them. If you've just published something and have gotten a bad review, consider these five tips to help you get over it!

1. Maybe the reader doesn't normally read your genre. Hey, it happens. Some readers try out new genres because the book is part of the latest trend. That doesn't mean it's going to be their cup of tea. Some styles just don't work for everyone. For example, I like mysteries but not hard core ones. I'd rather read a Janet Evanovich than Sue Grafton book any day, but that's because I prefer one style over the other.

2. Your book cover is misleading. This one comes from personal experience for me! If your book cover hints at one genre, but then turns out to be another, sometimes that makes for confused or even angry readers. Nephilim looks like a bodice ripper, but is actually an urban fantasy with little romance. I recently had a reviewer call it porn for grannies because nothing sexual really happens in it. I can see the reviewer's point. If romance is your thing and you buy my book based on the steamy cover, you will be disappointed. The moral of this story: always make sure your book cover represents your book!

3. The reviewer just read a similar book with a similar concept. You can't predict what is going on in that reader's life. If they just read a book like yours, the comparison is bound to be in their mind. If they preferred the other book, look at the reasons they've listed as to why. Maybe there is something of value you can take from that, something that can strengthen your next manuscript!

4. A bad review can put you in your place. We all get a little full of ourselves and no one writer is perfect.( Except for Harper Lee, which is why I think she only wrote one book. Hey, when you get it right, you get it right!) Criticism hurts but it can make you face reality, too.

5. Reading tough reviews make you appreciate the good ones. Someone took the time to read your work. Maybe they even paid for it (gasp!). For everyone person who hates your writing, there's a few more that love it. Remember that!

You can't please them all and some people just enjoy being rude. However, don't brush off a bad review of your book just because it's negative. Try to turn it into something positive that you can learn from!

Happy Writing!

Oh, by the way, my new YA comes out in June. However, you can register to get an advance copy at my Goodreads Giveaway. Here's the link! Bayou Myth Giveaway

Feeling Rejected

Every time you get a rejection, its hard to stay motivated and positive. Here are some famous rejection stories to see you through, courtesy of Michael Larsen and his book, How to Get A literary Agent

• Mary Higgins Clark got forty rejection slips before making her first sale
• John Grisham received 15 rejections for his first novel
• Dr. Seuss was rejected 24 times before selling his first book
• Jack London received over 600 rejection slips --now he's required reading at most public schools
  
• John Creasy received 774 rejections--he now has over 560 books in print under 13 different aliases
• "the New Yorker rejected a short story by Saul Bellow after he received the Nobel Prize for Literature"

Don't forget that other famous books such as Catch-22, A Wrinkle in Time, Carrie, and The Tale of Peter Rabbit all received numerous rejections. So keep plugging along!

A Big Tip to Help Fight the "AMICRAZIES"

Being a writer is hard. There is so much expectation built into the concept of being a writer, much less each individual story. As such, we're geared toward pushing for getting that agent, making that sale, becoming the next J.K. Rowling or Stephen King. This way of thinking creates a population of stressed out writers always asking that question "AM I CRAZY?"

There is a way out--no, not that way!

First a little background, it will help follow my thought process (I promise). I'm a book and knowledge junkie. I read lots of books on every subject, but I do focus on personal development and spirituality. From the guy sharing secrets to becoming a millionaire to the Swami helping you get a grip on your karma, there is a common message:

DON'T BECOME ATTACHED TO THE OUTCOME, FOCUS INSTEAD ON THE ACTIVITY

Being a writer isn't about the sale, or the movie based on your book, or landing an agent. It's about the activity and practice of being a writer. Life is a journey, not a destination. So is writing. A writer is someone who writes everyday (or as close to it as possible) because they love to write. They constantly educate themselves, read, and write some more. It is the actual activity of writing that makes us happy. When we focus on other people's success and gauge or work's success or failure on them, that's we get that nasty little bug called "AMICRAZY."

When you get three rejections in one week, you also may ask yourself AM I CRAZY? I know, I've been there, but then I remember I write because its compulsive, therapeutic, and it keeps me off the mean streets of Lake Travis (sarcasm noted for those of you who don't know Lake Travis). Plus, writing is subjective. I'm glad they rejected me. I probably wasn't the right fit. My story belonged somewhere else. Or maybe I just needed someone else to tell me, "nice try but you still need a little something to make it great." That's how I learn. That's how I grow as a writer. Believe me, my writing has improved ten fold in the past year from understanding what I was doing wrong just as much as what I am doing right.

So, don't worry about when you finish. If you have a deadline, don't focus on the due date, focus on the daily activity of writing and you'll get there. Don't worry if your book isn't #1 or if you aren't the most talented writer. There are a lot of talented people standing by, scratching their heads, thinking "Am I crazy?" Focus on the activity and you'll pass them up. When you pass them, and success starts to cloud your judgement, remember:

DO NOT BECOME ATTACHED TO THE OUTCOME--FOCUS ON THE ACTIVITY!

Writing the Breakout Hit

So after so many close but not quite comments, I got to thinking if you have everything but the right story, how do you figure out which one is the right story?

Donald Maass put out a book called "Writing the Breakout Novel." I thumbed through it and got the sense that there is a different character or ambiance to a debut novel then other works down the line in a published writer's career. Even Mort Castle, a horror icon, noted how the first book he wrote ended up actually being the seventh one published because the agents/editors decided he had the chops, but not the right story for a breakout novel.

With that in mind, I am still editing/tweaking a novel that is heavy on exploring themes, but focusing my efforts on completing a sci-fi adventure for the (hopefully) debut piece. It's just one more thing to show you how many additional factors beyond talent and tenacity affect a writer's career.

Emerging From the Fog

Okay, so we are all finally emerging from the Nanowrimo fog. For those of you who participated, I hope you met your word count. If you're like me, you met your word count, but have a long road of editing and reworking ahead of you. With that in mind, I wanted to share a fabulous new book I discovered on my last book buying run.

Thanks, But This Isn't For Us by Jessica Morrell is a guide to why your work is being rejected (a.k.a what's missing or what isn't working). I have read tons of books, articles, and agent blogs about editing, but this one by far is the easiest to read and incorporate into your writing practice. Where most books either focus on one aspect of development or technical items, this one covers the whole package. Plus, the Quick and Dirty tips at the end of each chapter let you walk straight over to the computer, notebook, or stone tablet and immediately make improvements to your writing. I've been able to make drastic improvements to several works and know that this will be a key tool in my writer's arsenal.

Good luck to y-all with your editing and Nano masterpieces. There are several manuscript contests coming up in 2010. Who knows?