Goodreads Authors/Readers discussion

I have had two one star ratings. I could live with this if I thought either rater had actually read the book. The one that bugs me the most is someone who received a paperback copy in a giveaway, knowing that the book is 576 pages long. She contacted me outside Goodreads by email (an invasion of my privacy). She said the book is much too heavy to read and asked for a second copy, this time electronic. I was quite annoyed by this as that paperback copy cost $40-$45 to put in her hands, between cost of the book to me, Giveaway fees, and postage. And the Giveaway states that one copy is sent to each winner. She said she was surprised I was affronted as it was simply a case of me sending her a file with my manuscript in it (all kinds of exposure to fraud here). A month later, this member wrote a slamming review which made it clear that she had not read more than the first twenty pages. For example she commented that the only date she saw in the book was 1880 and that there was no medieval content. This is contradicted by the presence of at least three real and famous people directly associated with the medieval era. I have responded to this review pointing out her factual errors and disclosing her outside contact with me, hopefully illustrating that her rating and review are not motivated by an honest opinion but by malice engendered by some sense of entitlement.

The second rater is a person I encountered in this group. Responding to my comment that I just want to get people to open the cover and let the book do the rest, she let go a stream of nasty and ill informed opinions. I was extremely grateful that people in this group stepped up to my defense and that person was silenced here. However, she has now rated my book with one star, and according to what I can see on Goodreads has produced a review of some kind that is private, so I can't even read what she is saying.

These two reviews have pushed my overall rating below 4 stars, and I am panicked about this as many people base their choice to read a book on the rating here. I realize the best thing to do is to simply ignore and get more reviews, but these two people, I believe, have deliberately sabotaged me and made it more difficult to get the book read and reviewed.

I have contacted Goodreads both about the nasty review that I can see, and asking for both ratings to be removed as I consider them both to be malicious. I received a message saying that the review is being addressed by them but I can still see it, and so can everyone else who goes to the book page. I have received no response about removing the ratings.

I have committed five years of my life to this book, three writing and two promoting. I have thrown my entire being into it. I realize it still has problems and know that I need to have a professional editor look at it. However, there is no excuse for the absolute nastiness I am seeing here. I was raised to be honest and ethical as much as I am absolutely able. I have spent many long nights in my life agonizing over choices I have made and whether they were the right thing. Even though I am now an old woman, I am surprised to find that there are so very many people in this world who are not motivated by what is right but by their own selfish and malicious emotions.

one-star reviews hurt, there's no getting away from it. But reviews are for readers, not authors.
The golden rule of handling reviews is never to respond to them, you simply come across as bitter and whiny to the public. You have good reviews, leave it up to the reader to make up their own minds.
I'm in no way threatening you, but I do know authors who were buried under a sea of one-stars after complaining publicly about a review.

The second one-star review is not 'hidden', the reviewer simply rated the book and has a non-public profile. That is their right. They might not have read it. That is their right too. Goodreads is for readers, NOT authors.

EVERY author gets one-star reviews/ratings. We can't please everyone all the time. Authorship does need a thick skin, you need to move on, maybe pay for a proofreader/editor familiar to your genre.

GoodReads WILL NOT remove the reviews. The only reason that GoodReads will remove a review is if it attacks an author personally, rather than critics a book. This is not the case here.

I advise removing your long comment, sucking it up, and carrying on.

Not easy news to hear, but you put your work out there for people to praise or throw tomatoes at. Sometimes, both happen.

Hi Maggie,

First off, I just want to respond to your statement that contacting you by email is an 'invasion of your privacy'. I don't see how it could be. You put your email on your website; the reviewer found it, and they contacted you. The End. If you don't want anyone emailing you, don't share your email 🤷‍♀️ I will agree that the readers excuse of 'the book being too heavy to read' is feable, but I still don't think it's an invasion of privacy (unless they SOMEHOW found your private email out of thousands/millions/billions of others and used that and not the one you have on your website)

As for your other comments, I have to agree with Emma. Yes, one star reviews hurt, but every author gets one stars. And reviews are for the readers, not the authors. Besides, people reading good reviews and bad reviews will usually believe the good reviews over 1 star ratings or a trashy one star review that says no more than 'this book is bad'.

I just read the review you were talking about. It was honest and shared the reviewers opinion. Sure, it was a bit nitpicky, but that's the reviewers right - you put your book on the goodreads giveaway! Not anyone else. And how much money it took to send it shouldn't really matter. You made the choice to invest in it (though I realize you're mentioning it because she asked for an electronic copy, but this same rule still applies)
Also, she said the same thing you said - it needs to be proofread. You commented and told her that it was only edited by friends and family. That's a weakish excuse. You put your book out there, she thinks it's badly edited, you move on - and get an editor ASAP.

" but these two people, I believe, have deliberately sabotaged me and made it more difficult to get the book read and reviewed."
I'm sorry, what? I hope I read that wrong. The one that you claimed said nasty stuff about you on the Goodreads chat and got stood up to, maybe that was with malicious intent. But the other one where the reader shared THEIR HONEST OPINION? No, sorry. If every author came here and complained about how they're getting bad reviews & readers sabotaging them, then no one would read!

Also, PLEASE do NOT comment on reviews; it doesn't reflect well on you. I don't know if you've seen the news story, but a couple of years ago an author got a bad review, commented on the reviewer, and then STALKED THEM. I hope you're not planning to stalk the reviewer and confront them, but...the same principle applies. Authors do NOT answer reviews. Again, they are for the readers not authors.

All this may come across as harsh, but I'm trying to be honest here, and sometimes that hurts (as you may have learned with your 1-star review). I am in no way threatening you, nor am I going to go rate your book one star. I still agree with Emma - remove your topic thing, maybe delete your answering comments to reviews, and move on. Not everyone's going to like your book.
I wish you all the best with your book!
~Yasmine

It seems clear that aside from nasty personal insults and outright slander, Goodreads won’t remove a review.

We had a one star review appear last month that simply stated “What the f*ck were you thinking? The 1980s???!!!” (referring to the time period the story is set in)

Clearly this idiotic comment does not serve a purpose to an author or other readers. Not to mention the “reviewer” did not have access to the novel ARC, and therefore could not have read it.

Despite this, one month and 10+ attempts to get Goodreads to remove it have been fruitless.

I was going to do some advertising here on Goodreads. That is NOT going to happen now.

Thanks to everyone who commented here. i am sure I am being thin skinned

Sorry, thin skinned. I agree I need to remove the long comment. However I disagree with one point here. The reviewer who wrote nasty review did NOT read the book and therefore cannot offer an honest opinion. Her review, and her rating, is motivated, I believe, purely by malice because I would not give her a second copy of the book. For good reason, a giveaway only entitles her to ONE. Also, the email she used is my private one - not one publicized here or on my web site. she had to creep me on the net to find that. And if she needed to contact me she should have done so on Goodreads, or as you say, the address on my web site. The fact that she did not mades it clear to me that she knew what she was asking for was something she would have been slammed for it had she done it publicly here.

i do appreciate all your opinions, and as discussed am budgeting for an editor. I mostly needed to vent about this. Thanks for listening.

Faith, yeah I did that. Thanks though.

Maggie wrote: "Responding to my comment that I just want to get people to open the cover and let the book do the rest, she let go a stream of nasty and ill informed opinions. I was extremely grateful that people in this group stepped up to my defense and that person was silenced here. ..”

As a reader, I went out of my way to critique what a reader considers when buying a book - cover, blurb, sample. I pointed out how low production standards were hindering anyone giving your book “a chance”. If you want to sell books you need to present a product comparable to what trad publishers offer for sale. Which means a genre appropriate cover, and professionally edited as a minimum.

Your over reaction made it abundantly clear that you have never had independent eyes on your work. That you never worked with critique partners, beta readers or editors to polish your book before offering it for sale. As a thin skinned author, you overacted to my critique and attacked me.

Many users in that discussion agreed with my assessment. I note you have since changed the cover as I suggested. The new image is better, but the amateur typography is still not conveying the right first impression. One hopes you are also planning to follow my other suggestion of finding CPs and an editor.

I was not “silenced”. I simply don’t see the point in engaging with authors who attack readers.

I read 10% of your book, sufficient to see there were basic craft issues and the lack of editing was distracting. No reader is obliged to read 100% of a book to leave a review. Since I could see you had already attacked another reviewer (in violation of GR’s author guidelines and which they can ban you for) I didn’t see the point in writing a review pointing out the lack of editing and craft issues and having you attack me again.

Goodreads has zero tolerance for authors who attack and harass readers (as per their TOS). Your public behavior and inability to take criticism will be doing as much damage to your chance of finding readers as the lack of care in crafting and presenting the story.

Maggie wrote: "Sorry, thin skinned. I agree I need to remove the long comment. However I disagree with one point here. The reviewer who wrote nasty review did NOT read the book and therefore cannot offer an hones..."

Do you feel that way about every two-star or one-star rating? If so, you might be right. But it sounds like you're more like me.

I recently had one person rate every single one of my books with one star. I felt cheated.

I can handle a legit one or two star rating if the person actually read the book and didn't care for it, but just randomly giving bad ratings. That's just not fair. Regardless, Goodreads will not do anything about them. That's every person's right--to give bad reviews or good reviews.

Maggie, you’ve got an average of 3.87 stars on your book. I don’t think these two 1stars are a problem. I am a writer myself, and I know that it can feel personal when one get bad reviews on something one has worked on for a long time, but most of the time it’s not. It is usually just a matter difference taste. And the stars aren’t for us writers, they are for the readers. The good thing is, you are getting reviews.

And best of luck with your book. It looks interesting.

Hi Maggie,
Whoops, sorry! I thought you meant the public email you have. I wouldn't have judged so harshly if I had known. The reviewer is creepy, if that's the case!
Also, are you 100% sure that she didn't read the book? Did she tell you that? Sorry I'm so skeptical - I've learned not to believe everything I see online :)

Yasmine: She said herself she only read 20 or so pages. She also stated things about the story, such as there was no medieval content, and that the date 1880 was specified -both of these things are blatantly wrong. She wouldn't have said them if she had actually read the book.

If someone truly thinks my work is poor, that's one thing. I had about ten beta readers and trust me they weren't always kind. I have respect for the opinion of someone who is genuine and has actually read my work. This is not the case here.

Lynne wrote: "Maggie wrote: "Sorry, thin skinned. I agree I need to remove the long comment. However I disagree with one point here. The reviewer who wrote nasty review did NOT read the book and therefore cannot..."
I would take a one or two star rating to heart if it was clear the book had actually been read. But reading 25 pages with a preconceived notion is not an honest opinion. Both of these people have an axe to grind.

Lynne wrote: "Maggie wrote: "Sorry, thin skinned. I agree I need to remove the long comment. However I disagree with one point here. The reviewer who wrote nasty review did NOT read the book and therefore cannot..."

Sorry, meant to comment on the second part of yours. That's exactly how I feel.

Mellie wrote: "Maggie wrote: "Responding to my comment that I just want to get people to open the cover and let the book do the rest, she let go a stream of nasty and ill informed opinions. I was extremely gratef..."

https://www.bryndonovan.com/2015/08/3...

Maggie wrote: "https://www.bryndonovan.com/2015/08/3...
"

I'm not sure of the relevance of an old article about beta readers?

If you have some problem with your betas you should have sorted it out before publication, which is when authors use beta readers to determine any story issues before release date.

If you need new betas, then there are numerous online author communities where you can find some for your next book. There are even some editors who offer beta reads as a cheaper alternative to developmental editing.

Readers (who pick up a book from a retailer, library or elsewhere) are not obliged to read 100% of a book before leaving a review. If a book is not edited, has craft issues, or simply isn't to someone's taste, they can leave reviews indicating that for other readers.

From the beginning of the book in question: "...any review good or bad, draws attention to the book." (emphasis mine).

Life is too short to read bad books and many readers (like me) are tired of being told that self published books shouldn't have to meet certain basic standards because indies can't afford covers, editing etc. That's an excuse from lazy writers. I read about 60% self pubbed books, 40% trad. The self pubbed books I read are of such a high quality, they easily sit alongside traditionally published books and readers wouldn't even notice unless they followed the authors on social media.

Perhaps you should refamiliarise yourself with the GR's author guidelines you agreed to when you set up an author account.
https://www.goodreads.com/author/guid...

In particular:
Don't engage with people who negatively rate or review your books. We cannot stress this enough. Goodreads is a community for all readers to express their honest opinions about the books they choose to read and shelve. Engaging with people who don't like your book will not win you any new readers.

Mellie wrote: "Maggie wrote: "https://www.bryndonovan.com/2015/08/3...
"

I'm not sure of the relevance of an old article about beta readers?

If you have some problem with your betas you should have sorted it o..."

I've definitely had a negative review or even two -- by competitors. I figure some other people will eventually review too and counterbalance, which also has happened.

Even aside from unfair competition -- some people will NOT like your book. Either improve your book or ignore their critique. Try to view criticism constructively, as a spur to action. "How could I make my book better? What would please CUSTOMERS."

Every author is Asking readers to give MONEY Just for reading Your writing. Seems a bit arrogant? Unrealistic? Well, in any case just be glad you got a buyer, a reader, who bothered to review.

Amazon formerly offered authors the chance to reply to criticism. Idk if they still do.

Eric wrote: "Amazon formerly offered authors the chance to reply to criticism. Idk if they still do.”

No. Amazon removed the ability to reply to reviews some years ago, due to authors bullying and harassing readers who did not enjoy their book.

Perhaps it is time they likewise removed the ability for author accounts to respond to reviews on GR - since some seem incapable of abiding by the rules.

It is important to remember that ratings and reviews are personal, and therefore, subjective opinions. Some may think a book they read was very good, while others may feel the same book was not worth reading. Individual tastes vary.

There will always be scammers who, for whatever reason, choose to discredit and villify an author's work, whether they have actually read the book or not. They often target novice authors who aggressively solicit reviews and sometimes even offer some type of compensation such as a free book, reciprocation, or money.

The vast majority of avid readers never post a rating or review. Those who do, for the most part, are doing so for the benefit of fellow readers, not authors. They neither anticipate nor appreciate a response from the author.

Very few novice authors ever experience commercial success or even notoriety within this extremely competitive field. That said; some have. There is no reason why you might not eventually become one of them. I wish you success.

Jim wrote: "It is important to remember that ratings and reviews are personal, and therefore, subjective opinions. Some may think a book they read was very good, while others may feel the same book was not wor..."

Thanks Jim.