Reading Reviews as an Author

Many authors will steer clear of Goodreads simply because readers tend to be quite vocal on what they like or dislike about a book, and some of the reviews left there can be brutal. When you spend the amount of time that it takes to create a book, it can be disheartening to read those terrible reviews about a project you poured your blood, sweat, and tears into, so I absolutely understand why not all authors want to read those reviews. 

The last book I published, CURSED BY A SIREN'S KISS, with Riley Hunt as my coauthor, received more reviews than any of my previously published content by far, and maybe it's because most of the reviews have been glowing that I haven't developed the same fear of Goodreads' reviews, but I'd like to think that even when those darker, more harsher reviews do start coming in that I will still be willing to read them all. As it stands now, I have read each and every one of the reviews posted to my books, and I am grateful for them all. Not only did a reader take the time, hours' worth, to read the novel, but they then took time to write a review for it. That will always amaze me, and I will always be thankful for the time readers have given to the books that I write.

Reading glowing reviews is definitely a thrill, but it is also informative. It lets me know as an author what I have done well, and what has been well-received by the reader. Worldbuilding and developing vivid scenes, creating relatable characters with believable arcs, developing an edge of your seat plot with unseeable twists or turns. Readers will let you know what you've done well, if you take the time to read their reviews.

And while I haven't had much experience in the negative review department, I am fully aware that the day will come where my book fell into the hands of a reader who will not enjoy the book as much as I did, and that is okay! As a reader, and an author, I know that not every book will fit every reader. So when that day comes, and those negative reviews are posted, I plan to read each and every one of them as well. It may not feel as warm and cuddly as those glowing reviews, but there is still much to be learned from the readers who did not like the book, and as an author who works to continuously grow her craft, I look forward to learning what aspects of my writing still need improvement.

So, if you take nothing else from this post, know this:

When readers take the time to review my work, I am beyond grateful for the insight they provide. I am honored that they took the time to, not only read my work, but to write that review as well. And I am thankful for the opportunity to read each review written as well.