I do not read reviews. Strange right? Yes I beg readers to leave reviews because they do matter but I often opt out of reading them. My thoughts on reviews are a bit jaded after my experiences. When I had my first book published and reviews started coming in it was exciting for a time. That was because friends and family loved my stories. But when real readers wrote reviews some were good and some were not. I have a thick skin but I am truly annoyed by reviewers who retell the whole story in their review and give the story away. I think that hurts sales in the long run. And I have a bit of a gripe on the fact that as an author I have to study the writing craft. I have to invest in learning and jump through all the hoops for over a year to release a story that one reader with no experience in the book world can trash however they like. What I dislike is that just because your story isn't a readers cup of tea they can write a poor review but who are they to judge just like the vacuum cleaner they are rating on Amazon. And the same. Beware of book bloggers. Some are fantastic to help get the word about your book out. But some can come up nasty on reviews. Same on the world of a blog hop...where you are put on someone else's blog and or several blogs to get word out about your book. This can be fantastic but....beware...if something bad is said you cannot take those comments down. You have no control. My other less than favorite is Goodreads. Yes a good place to promote your books but I promise you are at the mercy of subjective readers who don't care if they trash your story. While other do really nice reviews. I enjoy Bookbub better but spend little time either place. I just think Bookbub doesn't end up in a gossip session over something your character said that they find to make fun of about your story. Yes that happened to my first story on Goodreads enough to leave me in tears. So you won't see me on there much. I am a nurse. I have very thick skin but a review should be just that. A nice write up of how a story was enjoyed not a place to make fun of a character or authors style. Truthfully I leave reviews with only 1 or 2 sentences. I give 5 stars for a story I love and 3 stars for one that was so so. If I hate a story or find it poorly written I just don't leave a review. Why hurt someone's potential sales or feelings because you subjectively didn't find it a atory you liked. I write historical western romance. It's so funny to me the numbers of women who say "oh I don't read books like that." Like its a sin to read something sexy. Sorry even Christians have sex. What are those people abroad of? The label they read a Romance novel? Get over yourself. I have some say in my reviews..."while I don't usually read historical novels" and then rate me a 2 because it's not their prefernce. See subjective. Here is how I tell it on my and my historical cowboys. I love cowboys. I love most historical reads. But I do write cowboys. Cowboy are rough around the edges. They swear and shoot guns and screw the ladies in rhe brothels....if this isn't your cup of tea go read a nice Amish love story. You'll love it much more. If you like real cowboys come and hang out with one of my stories. So again I gave up reading the reviews a while back. I wish reviewers had to complete a course to prove they are trained but they can give you a 3 star like a friend of mine because my stories had too much cursing and sex and "would have been perfect without all that." Sorry I don't write sweet either. I am board to tears over a happy little romance with a few kisses and assumed closed the door sexies. Where is the fun in that? I read romance for a reason. I like looking forward to the sexies for the characters. To me it makes the story real. Amazon also watches connections to make sure it isn't your friends who are leaving you reviews. I have had reviews removed just because I know someone but they had given a very honest review of a story. This isn't fair either. Amazing also plays with pricing and honest to God if you purchase one of my books please do so through any other bookseller. I am tired of making Amazon rich off my books. For instance: Sawyer's Rose sells for $24.95 in Audio on Audible. So by the time Amazon, ACX and Audible have their cut what it left is split between my narrator and press and I get a small percentage of what my press makes. I get about $1.19 a sale. And Amazon owns ACX and Audible sort of...3 cuts before I see a penny go their way. But it is what it is. So funny some people assume all authors are making a killing. It's sure isn't me. So not to be negative Nellie here but a lot of aspiring authors don't know these things. Also sitting at a table selling books. I just hate it and here is why. Most often I purchase a table at conferences to sell my books but if I am at a writers conference I already know I am not going to sell many books. That is because everyone is selling and not interested in buying. And on another front if I have gone to a readers conference I am not well known. I get a little exposure but sell little. And interestingly enough I have bailed on a table somewhere alone. It is not good for me to sit and stare at rhe walls while folks pass my table snd smile....I have social anxiety. Nope you won't even catch me alone at a bookstore doing that. Maybe with a group of authors but not alone. So as I have said. In place little store in reviews which are a necessary evil. And a few other things in the writing world just do not seem right. But here I am still working on the latest manuscript. Write on.
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