Don’t Feed the 1-Star Review Trolls
It's inevitable. Every author worth their weight in paperbacks will eventually get a 1 star review. Some are simply that, the star. No commentary, just that 1 ugly star. Others are diatribes of misinformation based on misreading a blurb with zero indication the person actually read the book. Still others are carefully worded dissertations on all the things they were offended by. And then there are the individuals (I’m reluctant to call them “readers”) who complain they didn't know about something that was clearly stated in the blurb and other reviews, and write a victim/martyr statement rather than a review of the book.
While some 1 star reviews are amusing (there was too much sex in the clearly labeled erotica book I read from cover to cover), others are hateful (I don't believe in "gayness" and this book tricked me into reading it because one of the characters had a girly sounding name), and still others are simply frustrating (I read this because an author I love recommended it, but I didn't understand what an interconnected standalone was and didn't read the other books in the series and didn't understand the character because of it and now I'm mad).
Readers react very differently to those types of reviews. Personally when a romance novel review says it has too much sex or foul language, I 1-click that baby so fast my kindle has scorch marks. When it's hateful, I report it. When it's stupidly self centered on the reviewer, I roll my eyes and move on.
But how many readers and reviewers think about the authors’ reactions? Most authors don't read reviews of their books unless they're sent to them. And typically those are sent by their PAs to help boost a writer's confidence. Authors are sensitive souls. It's a trait that allows them to write all the amazing, beautiful, deep, emotional stories we love to read. It's also a trait that causes them to internalize emotions and words written about their writing.
If you’re an author, please, for the love of all things bookish, DO NOT read the reviews on the Zon, GR, BB, etc. If you really want feedback, get someone to vet the good ones and send them to you. Please please please, spend your talent and time creating those characters and stories we flove and crave, and avoid letting some twatopotamus reviewer live rent free in your head.
I love to find solutions to things like this. And while it won’t be a “be all end all” kinda resolution, how about this: Let's start a new trend. Instead of sending an author a copy of that horrid 1 star review (yes, people do that), let's hype the good reviews. And the author. How? Oh, there are so many ways:
Like/ Click as helpful the 5 star reviews for that author's books on the platform you saw the 1 star review.
Write and post a 4 or 5 star review you wrote on the platform you saw the 1 star review.
Become a member of the "1-Click Review Krewe"* (I just made this up, tell the others): hype the author on social media by sharing 5 star reviews of their books. These can be reviews you wrote, or reviews you read that reflect what you love most about the book.
But here's the thing.... just as there are things you should do, there are things you shouldn't do:
Do not send a copy of a bad review to the author. If you feel the need to make someone aware of it, message their PA a heads up instead.
Do not message the author with a "hey, have you seen that awful review" message. Just don't.
Do not share the review on social media. Don't give it standing or legitimize the reviewer by giving the review wider attention or reach. In other words: don't feed the trolls.
If you're pissed off and need to share, message your bookish friends privately to make them aware, and encourage them to take the positive steps above.
There's a saying that all publicity is good publicity, but that's definitely not the case with reviews. Don't give anonymous keyboard warriors the power to denigrate an author or their work. Be a positive force for your favorite writers instead. Because there's another great saying that works even better here.... only light can drive out darkness. So, be a light.
* I’m using the word Krewe as an homage to the Mardi Gras social groups who gather together to create beautiful floats for the parades every year (among very many other charity and social action activities all year long). Although social in nature, krewes have a common bond of friendship and community involvement that centers around lifting others up and forming ties that go far beyond just throwing things from a flatbed truck once a year. I thought it fitting that we bookish sorts have something like that to celebrate all of the amazing authors we love.
