In the last six days since it went free, “From the Ice Incarnate” has had almost 2,250 downloads, and with so much attention, reviews are starting to trickle in. Amazon has a very elegant system, which not only allows other readers to vote on whether a review is helpful, but to comment and start a discussion.
This raises a question, however; when is it appropriate for an author to respond to a review? I’ve seen answers that go all over the board; some readers love it, while others are adamant that writers should never respond in any way–that to do so would be consummately unprofessional.
From an indie writer’s perspective, this is especially tricky. On the one hand, we want to engage with our readers, since that’s a crucial part of making this into a viable career (Seth Godin makes some excellent points on that subject). On the other hand, because reviews are so subjective and judgmental, there’s a very real danger that any discussion involving the author could turn very nasty, very quickly.
Whenever anyone posts a positive review of my work, I want to thank them. If I only respond to positive reviews, though, that could make me look like I’m ignoring the critical ones. But if I acknowledge the critical reviews that are thoughtful and well reasoned, what do I do with the inevitable one star reviews written by someone who’s just plain crazy?
The last thing I want is to be forced into taking a reactionary position in a public discussion. While I’m confident I can keep my ego in check and avoid outright argument, that’s not the only danger I foresee here. Besides, I believe very firmly that the story should speak for itself, and for that reason I think it’s better for the author to be as invisible as possible.
At the same time, I really do want to thank those who take the time to post a glowing review. Perhaps the best option is to acknowledge them here or on twitter instead of Amazon? I’m not sure. And sometimes, questions arise that aren’t related to the story, where responding directly to the review is the most efficient way to handle it.
In any case, I’m going to be cautious for now, at least until I find a position that makes sense. If you have any suggestions for how I can balance these concerns, please let me know.
And for those of you who have posted kind reviews: thank you!
I remember on the first one-star review for Dashner’s The Maze Runner he actually replied with simply “I’m really sorry you didn’t like my book.” While I suppose you could interpret it as sarcasm, I felt it was a good response (even if he probably could have just left it be…but it was not a very helpful negative review to begin with).
Paradise Seekers got a one-star review on an indie blog I submitted it to. When the reviewer emailed me she was very polite, stating simply that she thought the book was fine but completely not in her style. I politely thanked her over email for reading through it and being honest in her opinion, and making a comment similar to “I hope a future novel of mine is more your cup of tea.”
I didn’t, however, reply publicly to her blog post because I felt that would be tacky.
So yeah, if it’s possible I’d speak personally with negative reviews. Honestly, even the one-star review didn’t bother me, because her points were valid and presented in a helpful way. It’s the ones that are “This sucks, don’t read it” and that’s it that are more troublesome.
It’ll be exciting to see reviews for Ice Incarnate roll in! I helped contribute to that 1500, and I might throw a review up myself (I read it, and then realized it was really similar to the same scene in Genesis Earth. But I read it anyway, so there you go. :P).
Yeah, it was pretty much an excerpt from the novel that I took out and tried to turn into a story of its own. I hope you enjoyed it!
I agree, if the reviewer explains their reasons in a way that makes sense, it makes a big difference. I got a three star review for Genesis Earth, and while it stung a little, the reviewer did such a good job explaining their views that I came away with a much stronger resolve to write better.
But again, I’m not sure how to respond to it, so I haven’t yet. Probably when I submit my next novel to the review site (after Bringing Stella Home has a couple of positive reviews up first, hehe), I’ll thank him for the other review. Although, come to think of it, it’s probably better to send an email right after the review is up…
Dang! It’s so hard to figure out the proper etiquette in this rapidly changing field!
Uhhhm. Personally, I would let reviews speak for themselves and not respond to them at all unless they’re seeking information, such as–“I wish there were more in this world to read!” and then you link them to a freebie story on your website, very helpfully. Something that’s not really related to the work on hand, but still is nice to the fans and reviewers.
And then, yeah, any glowing reviews you’re happy about you can tweet or mention on your blog.
Basically, so people will be free to give their honest opinions in a safe, neutral space.
I think it doesn’t matter as long as you’re consistent. Being an author, especially one with such a strong internet push, is not any different from being a tv celebrity. Everything you do can and will be analyzed by fans and critics alike, and if you’re hoping to become big (which I assume we all are) then people will expect you to behave a certain way and stick with it.
I’m of the opinion that reviews should be left to others and comments about reviews should be private, but I think if you wanted to be the guy who thanked people for their reviews and critiques, that could be a really cool branding for yourself as an author. The only problem would be if you didn’t usually comment and then responded to one or two, or if you did respond regularly but started ignoring a certain person’s reviews.
Yeah, I agree with both of you. In any forum where the author is being judged, it’s more appropriate for the author to remain aloof–but if I get a really good review somewhere, you bet I’m going to blog and/or tweet about it!
I haven’t published anything so I may not even have grounds to speak but it seems to me that if someone takes the time to write a review in a public forum they deserve to be thanked for their time.
If they post a negative review and you thank them anyway I would think that they’d remember you as someone who has some class and professionalism even if they didn’t particularly care for what you wrote.
I think they would be more likely to be open to reading something else you wrote that might be more to their liking and they’d be more likely to recommend you to someone else who likes the kind of thing you wrote.
And if you do it publicly on a blog or whatever, then other folks will see a little bit of class and professionalism in you and I don’t think that can hurt in any profession.
Those are good points, and the main reasons why I would want to respond to reviews. However, when you’re the creator of the work, any review (whether good or bad) will put you through an emotional roller-coaster, and that makes it EXTREMELY difficult to respond with class and professionalism. I could probably do it for a while, but it would be extremely taxing and I wouldn’t trust myself not to screw it up. Heck, even bestselling authors have made fools of themselves when responding to reviews!