A reader, Corinna, was quite upset to learn that I do not spend time reading my reviews and check stars for health of a series / profitability… and that my PA scans reviews for people sabotaging series, etc.
I can understand their stance on this, but the reality is, I am not trashing my emotional health to appease readership. Reviews can often be toxic, and nothing makes me want to quit writing more than when angry readers decide to dogpile because they didn’t like a creative decision I made when writing a book.
I would not, for the record, change my creative decision for the book, by the way.
Reviews are absolutely a horrible mine field for many authors. Most authors I know, especially the ones with thriving readership… don’t read reviews. We just don’t. They’re meant for other readers. We tend to stay out of this conversation for many reasons.
Here is an incomplete list of those reasons:
1: I talk with my readers directly on discord, Patreon, and similar locations. I also interact with them here, on my blog. I cannot interact on commercial sites, nor do I want to.
2: I do not accept critiques from anyone outside of paid staffers or people who are specifically invited to critique or edit my work. So the negative reviews are not going to be doing anything anyway… reviews are there to express why others might or might not like a book.
3: Reading thousands of reviews takes a LOT of time… time I could have spent writing more books.
I’m not going to be investing a great deal of time reading reviews when I could be writing books or doing something personally enriching instead.
I literally HIRE someone to go through my reviews, cherry pick the nicest ones, and share them with me. It’s a PAID position. But the negativity amongst some reviewers is enough to be seriously damaging to my emotional health.
And frankly spoken… if your personal need to feel like I’m holding your hand outweighs my ability to live in a happy mental headspace… please, please, please don’t read my books.
Please.
I value my mental health, and I already suffer from anxiety and depression. I do not need nor want some angry reader further adding to my mental health woes.
You, as a reader, are NEVER owed that, nor are you entitled to it.
Demanding an author seek out and read your reviews is… not okay.
I stay off goodreads, for the most part, because the toxicity is absolutely real and it’s hugely damaging.
I can’t write books if I’m in a corner crying because people were mean, okay?
I love my readers dearly, but I have boundaries, and this is one of them. If you’re so fragile, as a reader, that you need validity from an author over a book written for your entertainment… I’m not the author for you.
I’m not responsible for your triggers. While I absolutely do want to make all my readers happy, I’m under zero obligation to write books. I am choosing to do a spree of finishing all my series close to completion in the next few years because I want to, not because I have to.
I am a human being, and while I write books for your entertainment, I do not exist to be your entertainment.
I am under zero obligation to cater to any reader’s ego. And yes, that means reviews. If your review is so glowing it catches my PA’s attention when I hire her to go over them and cherry pick them for the best, I’ll see it. I won’t respond to it, but I’ll see it.
She legit, when I hire her to do this task, goes through and just makes a huge word document of all the nice things readers have to say.
The not-so-nice things stay where they belong, out of my sight. Because someone purchasing a book is not an invitation to directly access me as a person. That’s invitation only.
As it should be.
If I attend a signing, and you have something to say to me, I will listen to you, because yes… at that point, that’s my job. (Even the negative stuff, and all you’re going to get out of me as a reply is “Well, I’m sorry to hear that. I hope you find an author you like better. Have you read (this person?) You might like their works better…”
Because I want to write books for people happy with the reading experience. I love interacting with my readership… but not in reviews.
The bad is soul-crushing, and nobody is entitled to do that.
And I mean just that: nobody.
$6.99 does not buy you access to my personal time. It buys you a copy of the book, which I genuinely hope you absolutely love.
Reviews are appreciated, but no… for more reasons than there are stars in the sky, I do not read them unless my PA (or someone I hire) is handing them over to turn a bad day into a good one.
Because all it takes to ruin my week is a bad review.
Anxiety and depression can turn that bad week into a bad month or an entire whole depressive cycle… and I’m sorry, your $6.99 does not buy you the right to do that to me.
If you feel you need an author who will cater to you and always read your reviews and spend their time in that fashion, I am not the author for you.
I hope you all have a better day than I am having, and if you need more from your authors than the books written, I truly hope you find the perfect people who write the perfect books for you.
I am not that person.
Reader entitlement kinda blows my mind. I really think the social media/easy access thing in the past decade or so has worsened the attitude. Glad to hear you have good boundaries, energy is limited even before you add anxiety and depression to the mix.
I’m so glad you don’t waste your time on reading reviews. There’s no reason for you to do so, especially if you have someone that you’ve paid to do it. I believe your time is much better spent on your creative pursuits . I love your books! I don’t think I’ve read any of your books that I didn’t like. But I know that some reviewers can be brutal, and people get so nitpicky about spelling and grammar without actually realizing whether or not they’re correct. Again, I say, I love your books! You are an auto buy for me.
Thank you so much, I really appreciate that!!
And yes… most days, I feel like readers treat authors like they must be perfection for every penny spent, and they will let you know if their pennies did not acquire them absolute perfection.
Writing books is an art… and I’d be more worried about books that are not creatively flawed, truth be told. Because people are hugely flawed in general, especially us authors.
… I’m pretty sure most authors suffer from some form of mental illness, and that’s why we write in the first place…
Don’t let us bother you!
Be yourself. Do what you need to do for your continued well being. Rest when you need to – Work when the story grabs you – or when you feel you must. Stay as healthy as you can.
I am being totally selfish. I want to read that next book – whatever it is.
Thank you for writing your books. I enjoy them a great deal and often re-read.
I am working on my “have read everything” status. My Patreon support is the least I can do to keep you working.
Have fun, my friend!
I can honestly say you are one of my favorite writers and so far out of all of your series I’ve read under RJ Blain and others, there’s not a single one I haven’t loved. I always trust that you are gonna write something special and amazing and wow, you never ever disappoint. There is no reason for you to ever have to read a review unless it’s absolutely positive because if people ruin your mood I don’t get good books and that’s gonna make me mad and then I’m going to have to hunt them down…Cheers! Thanks so much for being you and making me laugh and putting a smile on my face with your awesome imagination and putting it into writing
Awwww, thank you so much. And yeah… I love helping people escape into books. I just wish the rest of the details were a bit easier at times. This jobbe is hard enough without adding reviews to it!
As a reader, I’m on board with all of this. Live your life. Do your thing! Thank you for the many, many fun books.
P.S. I am a non-complaining Client from Hell fan who is very excited to hear that, perhaps one day, there will be a next book in that series. Take all the time you need!
I mean, it’s on the list of upcoming things to be worked on and when it’s getting worked on, so… yeah. hahahahaha it’s definitely there.
💖
Ah. I happen to be one of the people who likes wandering through your creative mind – you go rather interesting places, and I’m never left hanging or disappointed by your decisions. I buy books because I would rather not stay in my headspace alone. Same reason I buy books from other authors as well. Like you said, I am always free to stop reading if I don’t like or can’t handle what you write. That’s the basic agreement between authors and readers. You write it, I buy it and read it. If I like it, I buy the next book.
Anyone who thinks the creative world revolves around their opinion of what should happen next has a few serious reality issues.
I’m so sorry that the day is not going well. my day turned around when the MIL lets us turn on the ac, I dont handle 90 degrees and 80% humidity any more.
I love your patreon as I can leave money, praise and comments. And I can read in small bites as its hard to find big chunks of time anymore. I’m hoping to read Death Dance tomorrow, I already know it’s 5 stars from the wip on patreon.
Your detailed series sale out excel report is helpful. I’m annoyed at what the AI group did but happy the pay out will give you options.
I hope your day improves.
I will thank you here in advance for reading and responding to my email. However, I never asked for you to change your creative process or to hold my hand. Neither does my ego as you put it require you to do so. I was merely attempting to explain my view regarding reader reviews and why I felt having an author read some would be beneficial. I am sorry if you took offense to that, for that was not my intention. I hope you can take a breath, relax and realize that we’re all human and not everything is meant to be an attack to you personally. Take a breath, relax, maybe have a cup of tea. I wish you only the best in the days to come.
Sincerely Corinna
No author owes you anything, and I’m going to just revisit that. And your comment absolutely was intended to make it clear you feel authors owe you.
We do not.
It is NOT beneficial, and reviews are not meant for authors. They’re meant for other readers and people purchasing on commercial sites.
When I want to feel good, I hire someone to show me the nice stuff. And that is the ONLY time it is beneficial.
Have a great day, and I really hope you find authors who better match your needs.
I read several of your titles . I like that I can pick by mood/author name. I have been lead to other series with previews from your posts. I love your updates and am very excited for whatever is next. I am a stars reviewer. Those rambling toxic comments are not worth your energy or health. Do what makes you happy and whole.
Reviews are for other readers so they know if a piece of work is for them
That’s it. Writing a review for an author on something that is finished would be a waste of time and actually, quite rude.
If you have an issue with a piece of work, then contact the author and ask quietly. (Although, I must warn you that it needs to be an ACTUAL issue and not spelling or grammar or something from different culture.)
Otherwise, if you have great ideas about how things should work, why don’t you pick up a pen and write? It’s a wonderful way to get the scary stuff out of your head and you may enjoy it.
Ack! People who expect personal connection with you are the epitome of “Entitled”! You do you and I hope you have a better day, month and year than it sounds like you’ve been having. By the way. I love All your series and how different they are. They stretch one’s imagination and sooth the need for my reading pleasure. And I don’t need validation from you for this comment.😂
I’m sorry that someone was offended by your choice! You are absolutely right in the decision NOT to read reviews. They are depressing, even for other readers. If I was an author or entertainer in any way I wouldn’t want to read reviews either.
Mental health is important and I’m so glad you are taking care of yourself. I hope your day picks up!
Loved your painting as well!
Well done, down with the haters. You are a wonderful writer and totally sensible lady. Go you.
I’d personally rather not have my review read by the author – what if I wanted to leave something overly saccharin, and they’re creeped out enough by my over the top and rambling praise that they base a horrible character on me. I don’t need that kind irrational, entirely self imposed, pressure.
If I’m not willing to say the thing to the author’s face I’m not willing to leave it in a review! XD And I’m of the opinion… unless I’m going to be reading this book and absolutely GUSHING about it to my readership, hoping they join me in reading the book… I’m not going to review.
For me, the best review I can give an author is my recommendation to other book lovers to please read it.
I do not do this often, because I have to LOVE the book with every fiber of my being to have the umph to shove it at other people. XD hahahahaa
I don’t review with my pen. That’s a waste of my time. I review with my wallet. And considering I own everything you’ve written, that pretty much speaks for itself.
I never leave a bad review. If the book doesn’t suit me it is on me not the author.Sometimes it may be that I am too tired or stressed to pay attention.
Yeeeep, I haven’t left a negative review on a book in yearrrrrsssss. Now, will I say if I didn’t like a book if asked? Generally, yes. “It’s not to my taste” or “I don’t like books that end in cliffhangers, it’s too much anxiety for me.” But other than that? I’m not exactly looking at bad reviews when I’m buying books unless the book has a LOT of them…
I usually can tell within the first few pages of a new book whether I am going to enjoy it enough to continue reading. If I don’t find the authors writing style to my taste, I simply put it back on the shelf of the library, bookshop shelf, or return the sample to the on-line store. There are plenty of other books by other authors to try, and it is just a waste of my reading time to bother with a poor review, especially as many other folk will enjoy the books that I don’t! People who have nothing better to do than write negative stuff aren’t usually doing so from any constructive criticism point, but rather because they are generally negative in outlook, and probably convinced that their opinion matters a lot more than it actually does. What they say still hurts the recipient, so I think that Kitty not reading the reviews makes perfect sense, especially since the critic had the choice to NOT read something that they didn’t enjoy!