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How to Deal With Bad Reviews

April 7, 2011 by Nathan Bransford 90 Comments

Publicly: Ignore them completely.

Privately: Complain like hell to anyone who will listen.

And to cheer yourself up, remember what the great Oscar Wilde used to say:

Filed Under: The Writing Life Tagged With: Life of a Writer, Staying Sane While Writing

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Melanie says

    April 7, 2011 at 2:02 pm

    Amen

    Reply
  2. Sasha Barin says

    April 7, 2011 at 2:03 pm

    Perfect pic!

    Reply
  3. Ted Fox says

    April 7, 2011 at 2:04 pm

    You might also try screaming at pigeons. I've never had a review, good or bad, but this seems like it might help.

    Reply
  4. Lisa Desrochers says

    April 7, 2011 at 2:05 pm

    Yup. No one book is going to appeal to every reader. You're never going to change their minds and you just come off looking bad for trying.

    Reply
  5. Richard Mabry says

    April 7, 2011 at 2:05 pm

    I noticed when my first two novels were made available as free Kindle downloads they garnered some bad reviews by people who were shocked that they had Christian content. Come on, people. They were free!

    Now, that's my complaining. And I've otherwise kept my mouth shut. See, Nathan. I've taken your advice.

    Reply
  6. Mira says

    April 7, 2011 at 2:06 pm

    Very wise. I believe this is how one should approach their entire life. Especially the 'complain like hell' part. Very satisfying.

    Here's an Oscar Wilde quote for you:

    "Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much".

    Oscar Wilde

    Thanks for lightening things up a bit, Nathan. 🙂

    Reply
  7. Timothy Coote says

    April 7, 2011 at 2:09 pm

    You mean creating a big public shit fight is bad?

    Reply
  8. Lucinda Bilya says

    April 7, 2011 at 2:09 pm

    Awesome!

    Voice your complaints to a two-year old. They seem to listen, agree with everything you say, and don't mind if you cry a bit.

    They also don't repeat it. (if they do, no one understands them).

    Reply
  9. kellye says

    April 7, 2011 at 2:10 pm

    Well said, as usual. Love the photo/haters mashup. Haters gonna hate, and writers gonna write. Back to it…

    Reply
  10. kellye says

    April 7, 2011 at 2:12 pm

    Here's an Oscar Wilde quote for you:

    "Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much".

    Love that, Mira! Thanks!

    Reply
  11. Tahereh says

    April 7, 2011 at 2:13 pm

    hahahahaaaa

    WIN

    Reply
  12. Stephanie Faris says

    April 7, 2011 at 2:16 pm

    I've never had an actual review, but I don't think we could exist as writers without getting feedback that hurts over the years. I've found that it hurts initially but it strengthens us in the long run. Kind of like working out tears muscle down so it can build back stronger. Of course, that's just the CONSTRUCTIVE criticism. The rest is just personal opinion and we know to toss that out because no book will appeal to all readers. It's not possible. Some people, however, are sure that their opinion is gold somehow and everyone should listen to them, not realizing that when it comes to any kind of art, there is no definite good or bad, only what each individual likes…

    Reply
  13. K. C. Blake says

    April 7, 2011 at 2:16 pm

    Great advice.

    My first ebook, Vampires Rule, is going to be getting reviewed starting in June, and I am extremely nervous. My mom and I were talking about it the other day. A few of the book bloggers say they'll let you know if they're going to give you a bad review and you can ask them not to post it, but I think a bad review is better than no review. Most people want to judge a book for themselves and won't take someone else's opinion too seriously.

    Reply
  14. Caitlin says

    April 7, 2011 at 2:18 pm

    Haha love that picture! And how very true.

    Reply
  15. djpaterson says

    April 7, 2011 at 2:18 pm

    It's a pity Jacqueline Howett didn't subscribe to your views, Nathan: https://booksandpals.blogspot.com/2011/03/greek-seaman-jacqueline-howett.html

    Reply
  16. See Elle Oh says

    April 7, 2011 at 2:19 pm

    Haha…love it!

    Once again, the importance of a strong network of friends and fellow creative folks. Who else is going to listen to you complain, whilst ensuring you don't slosh red wine on things you really don't want to stain?

    Reply
  17. L.G.Smith says

    April 7, 2011 at 2:23 pm

    Quick and to the point. I like it.

    Reply
  18. Susan Kaye Quinn says

    April 7, 2011 at 2:24 pm

    Awesome!

    Reply
  19. Jenny Maloney says

    April 7, 2011 at 2:25 pm

    Important safety consideration: Do Not Burn Bad Reviews.

    Remember that only you can prevent forest fires. =)

    Reply
  20. Mira says

    April 7, 2011 at 2:27 pm

    Kellye 🙂

    Oscar Wilde is one of my favs, so clever (despite his issues with women).

    If Nathan will indulge me, here's another one:

    The play was a great success, but
    the audience was a total failure"

    — Oscar Wilde

    Okay, I'll stop now. 🙂

    Reply
  21. Bri Clark says

    April 7, 2011 at 2:27 pm

    Hate on me haters hate on me….hmmm hmmm

    Reply
  22. Darlene Underdahl says

    April 7, 2011 at 2:29 pm

    Lived with it all my life…

    Reply
  23. wry wryter says

    April 7, 2011 at 2:32 pm

    Ms. Trite says:

    To err is human and so is eating to much, drinking to oblivion, screwing to many strangers and spouting off your, opinions, thoughts and all around vitriol to a world of dingoes.

    To forgive is not only divine it’s necessary.

    Reply
  24. E.J. Wesley says

    April 7, 2011 at 2:34 pm

    Is his chair made out of Wookie or Ewok?

    Reply
  25. Cynthia Lee says

    April 7, 2011 at 2:40 pm

    I used to have a roommate that would complain to a framed poster of Johnny Cash that he'd hung in his room.

    He would talk to Johnny and then go quiet for a minute, like he was listening to what Johnny was saying, nod his head, and continue with his vent. It was both funny and creepy.

    Reply
  26. Hillsy says

    April 7, 2011 at 2:40 pm

    I stop eating cheese before bedtime

    Reply
  27. Melanie says

    April 7, 2011 at 2:42 pm

    "Is his chair made out of Wookie or Ewok?"

    bwahahahahaha…

    Reply
  28. Matthew MacNish says

    April 7, 2011 at 2:43 pm

    The credit for this goes completely to Steve Abernathy, who you should know from the forums, but I love to think about Gore Vidal and Norman Mailer when it comes to negative reviews.

    Reply
  29. Dick Margulis says

    April 7, 2011 at 2:44 pm

    Funny. But while that's great advice for anyone whose work has actually been accepted for publication by a traditional publisher (large or small) and has been edited, it's perhaps not the best advice for the do-it-yourself publisher who just writes some drivel and uploads it to Smashwords. For that author, it would perhaps be helpful to take a deep breath and then to consider that the reviewer may have something to teach her. Reacting defensively, even in private, is not going to result in better writing.

    Reply
  30. Michael Offutt says

    April 7, 2011 at 2:49 pm

    Thanks for the great advice.

    Reply
  31. Mr. D says

    April 7, 2011 at 2:51 pm

    It's true for any art, be it writing, fine arts, performing arts, etc. Heck, it's even true for just being you. The haters are out there, and they will hate anything. Even apple pie!

    Reply
  32. Loree Huebner says

    April 7, 2011 at 2:51 pm

    Love it!

    Reply
  33. RobynBradley says

    April 7, 2011 at 3:09 pm

    And then, of course, there's always chocolate. 🙂

    Reply
  34. Bryce Daniels says

    April 7, 2011 at 3:16 pm

    Okay, so the guy had a few quirks. But this blog illustrates more than any what all of us, I think, aspire to. I would be ecstatic knowing my words were still being quoted a century after I left this world.

    Reply
  35. AderuMoro says

    April 7, 2011 at 3:20 pm

    Can't we try to look like goodie two-shoes in public and thank them for their time? 😛 Stephanie Faris and Dick Margulis both mention considering what they have to say to improve writing, and I don't disagree.

    Reply
  36. Mary Connealy says

    April 7, 2011 at 3:29 pm

    Hopefully you've built up a hide like a Rhino from years of abuse adn rejection before getting to the bad reviews.
    All those years had to have SOME purpose, right?

    Also, i've found sucking my thumb makes it a little better.
    🙂

    Reply
  37. D.G. Hudson says

    April 7, 2011 at 3:29 pm

    Smart guy – Oscar Wilde.

    Had to visit his gravesite in Pere Lachaise to see the kisses covering the lower half of the monument. (there's a photo of the monument on my writing blog: (scroll down – it's on the right sidebar)

    https://dghudson-rainwriting.blogspot.com/

    Yeah, haters will hate–and sheep will follow like lemmings as they fall into the black hole that is swarming (of any kind).

    Ignoring a bad review is best. It's there, so what. Consider the source, but use the 3 day rule if you must reply.

    Most likely you'll cool off.

    Reply
  38. Anonymous says

    April 7, 2011 at 3:36 pm

    You can also get them back in future novels. You have to be discreet. But there are ways 🙂

    It's great therapy to eat a reviewer for dinner in fiction. You're safe there. And no one can point any fingers.

    Reply
  39. Nick Lewandowski says

    April 7, 2011 at 3:37 pm

    HA!

    Brightened my day significantly.

    Reply
  40. Bryan Russell (Ink) says

    April 7, 2011 at 4:10 pm

    And Wilde also said:

    A man can't be too careful in the choice of his enemies.

    Reply
  41. Laura says

    April 7, 2011 at 4:14 pm

    reading a book is so subjective. Just because one reviewer hates it, doesn't mean they all will. It's one person's opinion. it should not be taken personally.

    Reply
  42. J. T. Shea says

    April 7, 2011 at 4:21 pm

    How to deal with bad reviews? That's what hitmen are for.

    Timothy, of course creating a big public shit fight isn't bad.

    Lucinda, don't just complain TO a two-year-old, complain LIKE a two-year-old. Terrible tantrums are just the ticket.

    Jenny, burn the REVIEWERS instead of the reviews.

    Reply
  43. Krista D. Ball says

    April 7, 2011 at 4:32 pm

    Sage advice: tell your dog. She will listen, cuddle, and tell you that it's going to be fine.

    Do not tell your cat. He will say how shocked he was that it took this long to get a bad review and he thought your book was rubbish from the first moment you told him your plot.

    Oh, and you have a typo on page 237.

    Now, feed me.

    Reply
  44. The Red Angel says

    April 7, 2011 at 5:34 pm

    I take criticism harshly, so whenever I received bad reviews I smile and nod and take them with as much grace as the Queen, and then rant later on to my two poor turtles.

    ~TRA

    https://xtheredangelx.blogspot.com

    Reply
  45. JohnO says

    April 7, 2011 at 5:38 pm

    I had one, from a supposedly reputable organization whose name you would recognize, that got the plot completely ass-backwards.

    But, you know, I'm taking Oscar Wilde's advice (that Mira so helpfully posted). No biggie, Supposedly Reputable Organization. I'm sure you were trying your very best.

    Reply
  46. Pamala Knight says

    April 7, 2011 at 5:39 pm

    *Chuckles* Really? I missed that exact quote from Wilde. But, I get the message and it's totally on point. Thanks for reminding us, Nathan.

    Reply
  47. Emily Hill says

    April 7, 2011 at 5:49 pm

    Have You heard what is happening to Michael Connelly?

    Bad reviews for bad pricing! As a storm of protests roll in on his (some say) over-priced Kindle titles, he and his publisher are nursing a black eye this week.

    Ouch! I'd love for someone to get a quote from his on this topic.

    Reply
  48. Steph Sinkhorn says

    April 7, 2011 at 6:22 pm

    Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahaha. Well-played, Nathan. And solid, simple advice, too.

    Reply
  49. Lyra says

    April 7, 2011 at 6:22 pm

    This is fantastic.

    Now Nathan, does this go for positive reviews as well, or is "Thanks, Mom!" too much?

    Reply
  50. Anonymous says

    April 7, 2011 at 6:32 pm

    Wry wryter, ha, great quote.

    Reply
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