tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6662316995305232662.post2892632936367335358..comments2024-03-24T14:58:10.815-07:00Comments on Two Old Farts Talking Romance: Writers and ReviewsLorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09603287422043758944noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6662316995305232662.post-90525065159907333452012-05-16T19:38:59.054-07:002012-05-16T19:38:59.054-07:00A negative well written (or at least thoughtful) r...A negative well written (or at least thoughtful) review can help readers on the fence decide whether to give a book a chance. It can intrigue other readers, who were unaware of the book, enough to try it.<br /><br />It can help a writer--whether it's her book or not!--discover what drives a segment of her readership (i.e., romance readers) up a wall.<br /><br />For readers, well written reviews can be gold.<br /><br />For writers, they can be great promo--word of mouth *is* priceless, particularly for small press/self-published authors.<br /><br />But until now, until right this moment, I didn't understand (viscerally, as it were--I knew it, intellectually, but didn't actually internalized it) the impact a thoughtful review has on a writer.<br /><br />Thank you, Lori.aztecladyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14857872357667370906noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6662316995305232662.post-25854972196524524362012-05-16T16:54:27.914-07:002012-05-16T16:54:27.914-07:00I'm not a confident writer. I love to write, I...I'm not a confident writer. I love to write, I love to paint a scene with words, but I don't have the confidence that anyone will want to read them.<br /><br />That's why my few reviews have meant so much to me. Lori is completely right - someone besides my short, mouthy BFF read my book and it worked for them. <br /><br />Lori has trained me to be ready for a bad review ;-) and I completely agree they are most helpful to a writer, as long as they're written honestly and without snark. I can take critique; I don't want to fool with snark because there's no constructive criticism, nothing to help me learn.<br /><br />As willaful says, a well written, negative review can turn things completely around.Carolynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05151587271439513617noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6662316995305232662.post-90013663343107913202012-05-16T16:41:31.964-07:002012-05-16T16:41:31.964-07:00Bad reviews have other uses, as well. We all know ...Bad reviews have other uses, as well. We all know about the trainwrecks, but one of the proudest moments of my reviewing life was when one of my GoodReads friends hesitantly asked if she could have my copy of a book I had only rated two stars. My description of it had worked for her.willafulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17201963128584310884noreply@blogger.com