3 Tips On How To Deal With Negative Book Reviews

I’ve been there. I understand completely how it feels to receive negative reviews. You might feel hurt and worried that you don’t have the talent for writing. But it’s not the end of the world.

Here are some tips on how to deal with negative book reviews.

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1. Take Reviews With A Pinch Of Salt

Firstly, don’t be quick and blame yourself when receiving negative reviews from readers.

Everyone has their own likes and dislikes. Just like how I love reading fiction books (especially fantasy and paranormal) while my best friend enjoys reading non-fiction self-improvement books.

This means that you shouldn’t take in all reviews and assume that everyone feels the same. Instead, you should sieve through this feedback and ask yourself:

• Does the review make sense?
• Is the review correct?
• How many readers have this same comment?

If many readers have similar feedback, only then do you consider taking this review seriously. It would be wise to fix the issue since many people have pointed this out.

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2. Don’t Rebut, Stay Calm

Don’t, I repeat, don’t ever retort.

Arguing with your readers will only damage your image. Plus, it’s very unprofessional.

These readers spent time reading your book and writing a well-thought-out review of what they liked and didn’t like about your book. You should appreciate them taking the time and effort to leave a review.

It’s okay to disagree with their reviews but you don’t have to voice it out. You simply don’t have to incorporate their feedback into your book. Remember to stay calm and collected.

How, you might ask?

You can walk away and take a break. Come back to read the reviews again the next day. Or you can change your mindset. Bear in mind that these aren’t personal attacks. Instead, they are just opinions about your books.

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3. Learn From Your Readers’ Honest Criticism

Some of the reviews from your readers might include things that you can improve on. Consider incorporating this honest criticism into your books. But of course, do sieve through the feedback and see which are constructive.

Some comments may not be helpful. For example, readers may point out spelling mistakes like “s” and “z” which are actually differences in British and American English spelling. You can ignore this but consider mentioning in the front matter or blurb that the book is written in British or American English.

However, some reviews are valuable. For instance, a few of my readers mentioned that they couldn’t connect with the protagonist. This drove me to make a conscious effort to elaborate on the protagonist’s thoughts. I noted these down in a document on Google Drive to remind myself of these learnings. It could be a simple table with one column about the reviews and another column about the action (what I can do to solve this issue or improve this). Likewise, you can create something similar~

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Now It’s Your Turn

It’s not the end of the world.

Yes, negative reviews hurt. But they’re part of the process, part of the journey as we become successful authors.

I believe that most of us aren’t born as gifted writers (myself included!). Writing is a lifelong learning process where you continuously hone your craft. Thus, I feel that negative reviews will help you become a better writer.

How do you deal with negative reviews? Do share your tips with fellow authors~