tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7693503672686441477.post8436534456848124596..comments2023-07-30T03:47:19.745-06:00Comments on Aaron Patterson's Blog: What NOT to do when you get a bad review! AKA THE GREEK SEAMANAaron Pattersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147714545040369509noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7693503672686441477.post-60571332330407881972011-04-05T02:48:30.189-06:002011-04-05T02:48:30.189-06:00I am a Brit too, and am truly appalled at this wri...I am a Brit too, and am truly appalled at this writer's unprofessional attitude. We all hate having bad reviews. In this case, it may have been only two stars, but it was actually quite a positive review and Al balanced the points about poor grammar with the fact he thought it was a good story. <br /><br />I once received a really terrible 'one star' review from a professional reviewer who obviously hated my story. It was obviously not a genre this reviewer enjoyed and although I was hurt and shocked, I just posted a brief 'thanks for taking the time to review my story' and left it at that. In this case, the reviewer had not said one single good thing about my book, and gave away most of the story, including the ending, and gave no examples of why they hated the book so much, that would have allowed me to take stock and work on the problems to avoid them in the future. It seems it was the story they didn't like, not the writing. I had several comments on the post afterwards, supporting me and saying they really liked my story, which hopefuly minimised the 'damage' and I was very grateful to them. Thankfully all my other reviews were four to five stars, so this one was the exception.<br /><br />The point I'm making is that sometimes, if a review really is completely negative, one just has to swallow ones pride and move on. If it's a constructive review (like Al's was) after the hurt feelings subside, learn from it, and avoid making the same mistakes again. It also shows how important it is, if you're self-published, to hire a decent editor before putting your book out there! No writer is perfect when it comes to self editing! <br /><br />(And Aaeron, I think your response is perfect - just perfect!)Hywela Lynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13789711554354184386noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7693503672686441477.post-68790169432191445182011-03-31T17:36:44.376-06:002011-03-31T17:36:44.376-06:00What a fantastic post and I loved the video. I he...What a fantastic post and I loved the video. I heard about the broohaha and where I've been down with bronchitis I haven't made any proper public post about the matter but here's what I feel about it. Number One the author was in the wrong to backlash at the reviewer. Number Two - I have a story for number two. A few years ago, I co-wrote a book with 2 other authors. I knew the book wasn't ready to go out into the world but they insisted and well to make a long story short, it's terrible editing shortcomings was announced in an Amazon review by a FRIEND. Now. It doesn't matter if it's a friend or someone who is giving you an honest opinion of your book but when a review goes live on the net, it's out there. And it does influence others no matter what anyone says. In my case, the friend was right. It did need a bad case of editing but to this day I have not talked to her. But did I go off on her? No. Did I want to? yes. Like Vincent said, you have to develop a back bone because baby in this business where everything is so out there, you better grow two sets of balls.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03003573327391172252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7693503672686441477.post-79090816718811910972011-03-31T10:34:24.338-06:002011-03-31T10:34:24.338-06:00Okay, just read the review and comments. All I ca...Okay, just read the review and comments. All I can say is "WOW!"Aprilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02026539637409766437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7693503672686441477.post-44115084265689960272011-03-31T10:20:30.322-06:002011-03-31T10:20:30.322-06:00Excellent post, Aaron! I also love your response ...Excellent post, Aaron! I also love your response and think that it is the perfect way to go about responding to a no-so-shining review. I haven't been over to check out the review yet, but have it up in another tab, so on my way that way. It seems as though there are more and more authors that are getting truly upset with reviewers for their honesty. I can understand how important an authors book is to them, however, not everyone is going to love it. As long as there are positives to balance out the negatives in a review, I see no reason for authors to get in such an uproar. Positive criticism is vital to improvement and honesty is the foundation to success.Aprilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02026539637409766437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7693503672686441477.post-65368642601674671832011-03-31T00:30:34.062-06:002011-03-31T00:30:34.062-06:00Lol... Everyone knows I can't spell and make e...Lol... Everyone knows I can't spell and make editors quiver in fear. But I am good at story so I focus on that... I guess no one is perfect... HAS WENT... that is dang funny, just goes to show you, anyone can make it in this business. =)Aaron Pattersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11147714545040369509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7693503672686441477.post-91005117417311923942011-03-30T18:45:55.897-06:002011-03-30T18:45:55.897-06:00I just read some of Jaquelines responses...I too,...I just read some of Jaquelines responses...I too, am from the UK... and I too, am confused... who was her editor? Proof reader?? Ummm,( in far less confusing venacular) Someone need to fire they ass!Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15124888148954395598noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7693503672686441477.post-73469675244841934952011-03-30T18:38:56.888-06:002011-03-30T18:38:56.888-06:00"With what Vincent Zandri is doing with his b..."With what Vincent Zandri is doing with his book The Innocent and how it "HAS WENT" beyond the tipping point"<br /><br />HAS WENT??? Seriously? Never mind the article...Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15124888148954395598noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7693503672686441477.post-73069461293543970622011-03-30T14:28:07.857-06:002011-03-30T14:28:07.857-06:00That's prime example of a self-published nutte...That's prime example of a self-published nutter. They mean well, but they can't take adversity. She would have benefited of a paid editor.Benhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11483490020980574428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7693503672686441477.post-38548727013128387362011-03-30T13:45:33.764-06:002011-03-30T13:45:33.764-06:00This comment has been removed by the author.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11311137731266031785noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7693503672686441477.post-28399537310459967502011-03-30T13:01:37.260-06:002011-03-30T13:01:37.260-06:00Oh wow, agreed. The F-bomb is what killed it for ...Oh wow, agreed. The F-bomb is what killed it for me too. Hope she has better luck with a pen name.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18421928919601722343noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7693503672686441477.post-53773369732508078102011-03-30T12:40:10.164-06:002011-03-30T12:40:10.164-06:00I felt sorry for her until she dropped the F-Bomb ...I felt sorry for her until she dropped the F-Bomb at everyone. Then I *thought* about feeling sorry for her again until she reloaded and dropped a second F-Bomb.<br /><br />At this point she just needs to come and apologize and hire an editor. Maybe she can salvage this, people are very forgiving. I honestly think that not saying anything right now isn't good enough, because everyone is operating off of what she said last which was.......Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7693503672686441477.post-88667642085245577382011-03-30T11:49:32.193-06:002011-03-30T11:49:32.193-06:00I can't help but feel a tiny bit bad for the a...I can't help but feel a tiny bit bad for the author, mostly because the point-and-stare reaction from so many people on the web just makes me feel icky. But maybe she's saved some others from making the same mistakes.K.C. Nealhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14481097410954385741noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7693503672686441477.post-45856927474625088212011-03-30T11:46:45.199-06:002011-03-30T11:46:45.199-06:00I'm so glad you repsonded to this. I wanted to...I'm so glad you repsonded to this. I wanted to hear your thoughts. <br /><br />V always a please. <br /><br />Rick Pen Name is her only Salvation I think<br /><br />Becca, Rick Dale I think you all are spot onAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07707709087040036470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7693503672686441477.post-11345233457266688572011-03-30T11:26:45.991-06:002011-03-30T11:26:45.991-06:00I wonder if after this firestorm she'll start ...I wonder if after this firestorm she'll start writing under a pen name.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7693503672686441477.post-9700579166854402202011-03-30T11:22:00.600-06:002011-03-30T11:22:00.600-06:00This is a thicker than thick skin business...I rem...This is a thicker than thick skin business...I remember once coming close to losing my temper over a bad review in a workshop I had to attend for my MFA in Writing degree...I forget the circumstances but I raised my voice at a particular writer who said my work was "tired." I think I shot back, "Sorry I'm keeping you up!" It was an entirely unprofessional response regardless her ambiguous response to my work, and I was considered unprofessional for responding to her at all...I learned my lesson then. Take it all with a grain of salt. For a coda, I remember being up in the editorial offices of Bantam/Dell with my then editor, and who's manuscript do I see on the editor's desk for review? Ummm, this same woman whom I went to MFA school with. Says I to the editor? "Oh my God I know her, are you going to take her on?" The editor looked at me and said, "I hated it,....No." Goes around comes around!!!!Vincent Zandrihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00034793324551937995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7693503672686441477.post-34445396986635460372011-03-30T11:04:32.415-06:002011-03-30T11:04:32.415-06:00Well said. As a sensitive author myself, I felt si...Well said. As a sensitive author myself, I felt sick reading her comments. She was way out of line. But she is also a good lesson to other writers. How NOT to act.Dale Eldonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15215416448871983665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7693503672686441477.post-39638485617052066202011-03-30T11:03:33.085-06:002011-03-30T11:03:33.085-06:00I agree with Rick in his comment that the review o...I agree with Rick in his comment that the review of her book was not that bad. However, the author chose not to recognize the review, blamed the reviewer for not getting the right copy of the book, (was there a good and a bad copy of the book?) and when all was said and done she defended her ungrammatical sentence structure as "there was nothing wrong with it." Well, it sure seems that a lot of other people could pick out what was wrong with it. It is unfortunate that this author lacks professionalism.Rebecca https://www.blogger.com/profile/00945969129138214472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7693503672686441477.post-51571539363372952752011-03-30T10:33:07.258-06:002011-03-30T10:33:07.258-06:00As far as "bad reviews" go, the one she ...As far as "bad reviews" go, the one she got wasn't really that bad at all. It said she wrote a nice story which is the most important thing anyways. All the errors can be fixed. <br /><br />If she had responded graciously she might have been able to get the book fixed and have Al take a second look at it again.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7693503672686441477.post-66968534995501085132011-03-30T10:29:01.567-06:002011-03-30T10:29:01.567-06:00I started reading that link.... whoa Nellie!
Yo...I started reading that link.... whoa Nellie!<br /><br />Your response is definitely the more professional, responsible, and mature one.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com