Book Haven discussion

Hi folks. Brooklyn here...Goodreads author.

I'm wondering if readers enjoy hearing from authors on reviews of their books? Say a reader reviews my novel, The Boots My Mother Gave Me: Does that reader mind if I 'like' their review and thank them for their time in reading the book and writing the review?

I don't want to overstep boundaries here, as I know a lot of Goodreaders post such reviews to start conversations with their friends and fellow readers. I like that action, and do not want to stall it with an author post. However, I do want readers to know I am grateful when they choose to read my book and take the time to review it (regardless of the rating...readers should be able to be honest with their opinions).

Readers, please let me know what you think:

Do you like it when authors 'like' or comment on your review thread (of their book)?

Or, do you find it intrusive? And would rather have the liberty to discuss the book with other Goodreaders without the author chiming in?

Thanks & Happy Reading!

It does not bother me at all. I think it makes for good inter-action.

It does not bother me either; I even feel gladly surprised when they press the 'like' button. Although I do admit I feel kind of nervous, especially if my review was not too positive...

Absolutely. Authors are also readers. Their our input can help us as long as the comments, whether pro or con are constructive and help us hone our skills.

I don't mind as long as the author respects my opinion, good or bad. It must be hard when an author gets a bad review, but it is an OPINION. Everyone sees things differently. I don't mind questions nor a discussion, but I hate being trashed because I didn't like a particular book.

I agree with you Tammy. Not everyone likes the same genre. There are some who seem to trash everything they read. You should not be trashed if you do not like a particular work...

As an author, I usually thank a reader for posting a review, even if the review isn't favorable. What I never do, and what no author should ever do, is to respond defensively to a negative review. A bad review can sting a bit, but authors have to have thick skin. Not everybody is going to love everything... Either way, I am grateful when readers take the time from their busy lives to post a review. Just my two cents here...

For sure...

I always appreciate reviews, but I normally don't respond to them unless a reader asks a specific question. I don't want to come across as pushy, or spammy, or needy. I'm always willing to discuss my work, but I don't think a review is the place to do it.

I was blown away when an author sent me a thank-you note after I wrote a five-star review. I took a page from her book (as it were!) and started thanking folks who review my book. As a rule, I tend to remain silent on one- and two-star reviews, but I really want readers to know I'm grateful for both their reading and reviewing.

I'm excited to be interviewing the author who made such a good impression on me by responding to my review. Of course, first I have to think up the questions!

Definately I believe that's ok. And not to just like or thank them but why not find out possibly how to do better on your next book. Nothing wrong with improving and bettering yourself!!

Frank wrote: "I always appreciate reviews, but I normally don't respond to them unless a reader asks a specific question. I don't want to come across as pushy, or spammy, or needy. I'm always willing to discuss ..."

I agree, Frank. Authors interacting with their readers seems to be frowned upon in the Goodreads community. You have to be very careful not to alienate potential readers if you respond to reviews because it's so easy for your comments to be misinterpreted. Which is a shame, really, because I'm always so appreciative when someone takes the time to read my books and I would love to thank them for that support, regardless of whether or not their review was positive or negative. I'm just leery about crossing some kind of invisible line and being labeled as a spammy, intrusive author.

I think it's unfair to authors, and, probably the way it should be... I've had positive comments from authors who accepted my criticism of their book as valid and valued. Sure, it's an ego stroke for me, especially when I rated their book at 3 stars and wrote a long review about the problems.

I've never had a writer post on a review I've written on his or her book to argue my point down and defend thier book. I don't know what I'd do if that happened but, I'd like to think I'd be as gracious as the writers who have commented on my reviews. As long as the comments aren't personal attacks no matter what veil they are hidden behind and they are delivered respectfully, I hope I could accept them and move on. I'm not one for arguing with an author about my opinion or his intentions when writing a story so, I don't see confronation over comments as "a lasting conversation." It's no-win at best.

I have written some good reviews that I wished just once the author would come on and go "thanks Hugh, great review." or something like that. It's not pandering if I don't hear from him before I post is it?

So generally, for me, the bottom line is, that I like praise, I'm okay with criticism as long as it's not a personal attack or designed to belittle and humiliate but don't expect me to stay in the conversation long, and I would like to hear something positive about my review but I don't expect it.

Hmmm... Call a review a book and I sound like an author... maybe there's common ground here?

Cheryl wrote: "I'm just leery about crossing some kind of invisible line and being labeled as a spammy, intrusive author..."

Cheryl, I saw your comment in my updates, and joined the group just to answer you. ;) I think the simple fact that you said that means that you won't be likely to be perceived as a spammer. You get it. I have no doubt that you know where the line is, and won't cross it. The problems I've seen have all come from authors who don't even recognize there is a line, much less where it is.

As Deborah wrote about above, I've had authors stop by (mostly on my blog) and leave comments on positive reviews, and it's been wonderful. Reading is a solitary activity, for the most part; reviewing can be as well, at least when you're a little fish in a huge pond like me. To read a book that I liked (or, better, loved), and write about how much I liked it, and discover that what I wrote came under the eyes of the author of the book - and for that author to come and respond ... it's contact. Stephen King said in On Writing that writing is telepathy; it's fulfilling when that connection is made for the reader - and even more for the writer.

Also, as Frank Burns once said, "It's nice to be nice to the nice." :P Interaction with a couple of authors has changed me from "reader" to "fan", and from "fan" to "squeeing fangirl".

I've had one of my favorite authors respond - that had me grinning for a week. I've had the brother of a favorite, now deceased, author respond to a review, and that was amazing. (I also had the guitarist of a favorite band respond to a post about a concert, and that was another week of grinning.)

I say this as someone who (*knock on wood*) has never had any problem with an author-behaving-badly (yet). I did have one writer come and discuss with me one of the reasons I gave her book a one-star review. She was polite, and she went away after a short and civil conversation, and I respected her for all of that.

Unfortunately, all the advice in the wide internet about interacting with readers seems to be in the realm of 'preaching to the choir' - the only ones who will read, and process, and understand, and act on the good advice that's out there (see here, and here, and take a look at the rest of the thread if you have the stomach for an example of What Not To Do) are the ones who probably weren't in any danger of being trolls. The trolls never think it applies to them.

Talk about a book! (Hi, Hugh!)

(Hi Tracey!)

Cheryl wrote: "I'm just leery about crossing some kind of invisible line and being labeled as a spammy, intrusive author."

I am, too. I haven't ever posted a link to one of my books without being asked first, and even that makes me nervous.

I think it's just a common courtesy to thank people for their time, but I'm a little biased, lol. I'm an author, so I'm not exactly a good judge of what a non-author would feel is all right. But I am a reader, too. If an author thanked me for a review I did, I think I would pleased.

This was an excellent question, Brooklyn. :)

Tracey wrote: "Cheryl wrote: "I'm just leery about crossing some kind of invisible line and being labeled as a spammy, intrusive author..."

Cheryl, I saw your comment in my updates, and joined the group just to ..."

Hi, Tracey! Welcome to the group. :)

Commenting on reviews of your book will cause you a hell of a lot of trouble, no matter how nice you are, and if you have a publisher, it will piss them off too. Whatever you say will get twisted around. Most of us learn this the hard way. I did

All righty then.

I wrote: Commenting on reviews of your book will cause you a hell of a lot of trouble, no matter how nice you are, and if you have a publisher, it will piss them off too. Whatever you say will get twisted around. Most of us learn this the hard way. I did.

I think that came off wrong. I make myself accessible to readers more than almost all others, and I enjoy that interaction. I answer every reader email, unless they're abusive. And if I'm familiar enough with a reviewer I will on occassion express thanks, but in general, stay away from reviews unless I've interacted with someone and feel I'm on safe ground and messaged them. And in those cases I've respected their opinions and wanted to hear more, in the hopes of learning something. And have. But I've had some really bad experiences as well. People actually trailing me around the internet like hounds and picking apart my every word, even given my books bad ratings because they don't like someone who does like them. Other authors using sockpuppet accounts to give me a bad rating simply because they view me as competition. I think only three times have I objected to a review as a public comment. To put that in perspective, just here on GR I have 564 text reviews at the moment, so worldwide, there have been thousands. Once, I was glad i did, because I only voiced an reasonable objection to a prejudiced miscreant, but the other two were really nasty reviews, more about the reviewer than the book. Both times, I was caught off guard in a bad mood and gave sarcastic responses, which just made me look bad. I've also learned from watching other writers that like as not, any comment other than 'thank you' will be twisted into something the author didn't intend. So while I like to talk about books, if it's a text in the form of a review, not just discussion forum chat, It's safer to just keep my thoughts to myself.

Brooklyn wrote: "Do you like it when authors 'like' or comment on your review thread (of their book)?"

I like it very much. It gives me a thrill to have a celebrity like an author notice my reviews. I certainly hope that any comments an author makes will be positive ones, but I would certainly do my best to respect any comments they might make.

Joseph wrote: "Brooklyn wrote: "Do you like it when authors 'like' or comment on your review thread (of their book)?"

I like it very much. It gives me a thrill to have a celebrity like an author notice my revie..."

It's so frowned upon for an author to comment on a review that GR (or is it Amazon or both, post a warning when the author hits COMMENT) warning you that a negative response will make you look like a jerk (paraphrase). Also, I don't know how it is for most authors, but I live in relative solitude and don't feel in the least like a celebrity. Ours is a lonely profession. I guess if you're Stephen King it's different. But I get a real day brightener when someone writes to tell me they enjoyed a novel.

James wrote: I get a real day brightener when someone writes to tell me they enjoyed a novel. ..."

I know that when we started receiving positive reviews from people we don't know, we decided that maybe we should write a sequel. You tend to dismiss positive feedback from friends because you suspect that they don't won't to hurt your feelings. Positive reviews from strangers confirm that you didn't waste your time fleshing out your new world.

Friends just tell me what they think. Friends and family don't write reviews. I don't really want them to. Algorithm sniffers pick it up over time and start deleting reviews.

James wrote: "Friends just tell me what they think. Friends and family don't write reviews. I don't really want them to. Algorithm sniffers pick it up over time and start deleting reviews."

Agree. From feedback from friends I was referring to beta testers. I've also been avoiding the review groups because to me they seem tainted.

I rarely comment on reviews unless the reviewer asks a specific question. After my first book, I responded or liked every review, but after some reviewers started getting upset and attacking authors because of their likes or comments, I stopped. It wasn't worth the potential fallout.

I like it when authors comment, it shows they are listening to the community and willing to communicate with them.

My concern would be that it seems like it might cause the review to appear other than impartial.

Sherri wrote: "I rarely comment on reviews unless the reviewer asks a specific question. After my first book, I responded or liked every review, but after some reviewers started getting upset and attacking author..."

Yeah Sherri, exactly. If a reviewer has a question, he/she can message me. I comment and chat in discussion groups like this, so I can interact with readers and stay away from the reviews. My first novel published in the U.S. was reviewed in NYTBR. A fan got mad and emailed the reviewer. It had nothing to do with me, but they haven't reviewed any of my books since then. To be fair, a lot of writers ask their fans to criticize negative reviews. How could the reviewer know I didn't? I didn't even bother to write and tell her that. Why would she believe me?

As an author, I generally "like" their review of my book but may not start conversation, unless they do and then I love to interact! As an avid reader too, I love it when an author responds to me about a note to them about their book. I think it bridges that gap that used to exist between reader and author before the days of The Internet and social media - and it allows for both to get to know one another better and show appreciation for both.

James wrote: "Sherri wrote: "I rarely comment on reviews unless the reviewer asks a specific question. After my first book, I responded or liked every review, but after some reviewers started getting upset and a..."

You're right, James. I've seen a few authors out there who, in an effort to get around the 'don't respond to negative reviews' policy, I guess, get their readers to do it for them. I have specificly, on a number of occations, told my readers the exact opposite. The last thing I want is for them to respond to negative reviews. It gives the reviewer more traffic. Why would that be a good thing for me as an author?

Sherri wrote: "James wrote: "Sherri wrote: "I rarely comment on reviews unless the reviewer asks a specific question. After my first book, I responded or liked every review, but after some reviewers started getti..."

In the debacle known as "Leathergate," all this came out. Authors encouraging fans to attack even reader reviewer, using sockpuppets to do the same. Trying to intimidate reviewers into removing the rating and drive up the overall rating. I was really shocked when I learned what lengths some authors went to in order to sell books. It was really disillusioning.

On a Goodreads review, I generally press the "like" button and leave it there. If someone raised a specific error in on of my books, I would thank them for drawing it to my attention and fix it. If they wish to say that I am a talentless loser who writes the worst garbage ever to defile their Kindle, then I shall sob quietly, but never respond.
As a reviewer, I don't mind being thanked.....I don't bother finishing or reviewing books I hate.

An interesting thread and terrific comments. I do comment on 3-4-and 5 star reviews of my books, thanking the reader for taking time to do the review, because they don't have to do this and it takes time. I never respond to negative 1-2 star reviews. My three novels haven't received many, but I agree with what others have said. No need to respond, especially since most of them have no specific comments, just a general "I didn't like the book" or something.

I can see both methods of thought here, but to me it's just bad customer service not to show some recognition to the community.

I usually "like" thorough reviews, good and bad. I want other readers to see the likes, and know that they're getting good information that may help them make an informed decision, even if that information leads them to believe the book will be a bad fit for them. I also send thank you messages to reviewers(regardless of whether the review was positive or negative) if we had corresponded prior to them reviewing the book. It's just common courtesy.

The only time I'll contact negative reviewers is if I'm concerned there's a larger problem, and I want to hear more of their opinions, to resolve it. Whether it's correcting an issue with the item's presentation, offering a refund, what have you. Some of that feedback has been the most useful, and I'm profoundly appreciative of those who have given me negative feedback. Of course, I've yet to have any real "I didn't read it but I know it sucks..." stuff yet. Can't see that stuff ever being worth responding to.

It's not about everyone "liking" something to me, but it is about a mutual respect. It's hard to respect people who ignore you, or whose unenjoyable stuff you've spent money on, and it feeds a cycle of resentment and negativity that can make it harder to view future books with a clear mind.

I can see both sides of the debate. I, personally, do not respond (either commenting or liking the comment) because I do believe there is a fine line there. To me, if I start to at least 'LIKE' something, I have to for the positive AND negative. It's an all or nothing thing. You shouldn't pick and choose.

I think it's okay if an author likes a review. I even don't mind if they make a comment. I try very hard not to say anything really horrible in my reviews but I misunderstood where the author was coming from, I don't mind a semi-negative comment to my review. I don't rate the majority of the books I don't finish because I didn't give read the entire book so how can I review it. But I will comment on why I couldn't finish it. There have been a few times when I've given a bad rating to a book I couldn't finish but that's because I felt it wasn't because I didn't give the book a chance, it was because there was something definitely wrong with the book. I've never heard from those authors - either the did-not-finish or the bad ratings authors. I'd be open to constructive dialogue but I've seen some authors attack a reviewer calling them names, making fun of where they're from, and then having the author's friends make hateful comments. That was so out of control, Goodreads removed the comments. Crossing my fingers that hasn't happened to me yet.