Book Reviews from an
Author’s Perspective…
I
Peggy Jaeger
’ll be the first to admit this and do so proudly:
written every single time. Some books just don’t
I read my book reviews. Every single one, on
resonate with a reader. This doesn’t make it a bad
every single book. And no, I’m not a glutton
book, it’s just not for that person.
for punishment.
Reviews to me, as the author, are beneficial
in a number of ways—and not just because fabu-
You may think you’re the next Nora Roberts, whereas a reader may think you write like their third grader.
lous ones increase my Goodreads rating. There is
You may think your book is the next best thing
as much to learn from a glowing review as there
everyone’s been waiting for, and a reader thinks
is from a not-so-favorable one, if the reviewer
your story’s been told a million times before, and
explains why they rated the book the way they did.
yours is just meh.
As an author, I know just how much time, effort,
Or you may think every review should be 5
sleepless nights, and worry go into writing, editing,
stars, and many a reviewer is giving you 3 stars—
and releasing a book into the universe. So when a
which is still good. I don’t know why we’ve been
reviewer adores a book, 5-stars it, and then makes
conditioned to think it’s bad, but we have.
sure those in their realm know about the book, as
It’s the dreaded 1 and 2 star ratings that make
the author you float on a success high. Contempo-
authors reach for the emergency chocolate they’ve
rary romance author Kari Lemor says, “When an
stashed in their desks, though, and be consumed
author gets an excellent review, they should sing
with worry about sales and reputations. Writers
and dance and celebrate.”
have fragile egos. We want everyone to adore what
I’ve done all three.
we write, but the reality is that never happens. That
Urban Fantasy author Artemis Crow agrees.
old adage about pleasing some of the people all of
“Positive reviews are great. Who doesn’t love vali-
the time, and all of the people some of the time, but
dation?” Too true.
not all of the people all of the time, is simply a fact
But… there are always those who won’t love
of life. And some people, i.e. readers and reviewers,
your book. The reasons are varied, and can include
are very vocal about why they don't like something
anything from the reader not liking the POV
they’ve read.
you’ve written in, can’t relate to the plot line or
Goodreads, Bookbub, and any other social media
characters, or were expecting a sweet romance and
book review sites are rife with both excellent and
the author had them having steamy sex on every
horrible book reviews. A book can have 50 glowing
conceivable surface they came across.
4-5 star ratings and reviews, but the author will be
Just like every single human being on the
engrossed with the one review that’s negative.
planet won’t like you as a person, every single
My advice for authors when this happens,
reader on that same planet won’t like what you’ve
because it happens to us all: Grow some thick skin.
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InD’Tale Magazine
