tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5214139537886339178.post5328940094162830048..comments2024-02-28T06:35:13.275-06:00Comments on Pamela S Thibodeaux ~ "Inspirational with an Edge!": #ThursdayThoughts: Do Reviews Help or Hurt?Pamela S Thibodeauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12951038997223264816noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5214139537886339178.post-87814725596868378352015-10-17T08:06:25.467-05:002015-10-17T08:06:25.467-05:00I recently received a similar type of review for o...I recently received a similar type of review for one of my books, unsolicited, on Amazon. The reviewer's position is that I "tricked" her into buying the book by =not= labeling it as "Xtian" fiction. (reviewer's spelling)<br /><br />Thing is, I don't write Christian fiction. I write fiction with characters who experience spiritual journeys, usually with a Christian bias (in this case, the heroine converted from a paganism so primal that the term "Christ" wasn't even in her people's vocabulary; i.e., an ancient, remote culture). But the spiritual element is just one facet of my fiction and is in fact a subplot of the book in question. With a limited number of category tags that one can assign to one's books, the "Christian fiction" category is never at the top of my list.<br /><br />The reviewer (while grudgingly admitting that the book was well written) went on to deliver a personal attack on my faith as the parting shot of the review. I didn't respond to the reviewer, of course, though the review hurt like you-know-where and the temptation to respond was as strong as it ever gets for me. I did ask Amazon to take down the review on the grounds that it contained a personal attack that was offensive to me, but of course that went nowhere.<br /><br />If anyone is curious, the review in question is <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dawnflight-Dragons-Dove-Chronicles-Book-ebook/product-reviews/B00BLNN6XS/ref=cm_cr_dp_synop?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=0&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending#R2CPD9IFR36HO8" rel="nofollow">here</a>. If after reading it you feel moved to ask Amazon to take down the review, thank you.<br /><br />Either way, have a blessed weekend. :)<br />Kim Headlee<br />Stories make us greater.Kim Iverson Headleehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05727645730975728896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5214139537886339178.post-50593536793684751922015-10-16T14:24:31.055-05:002015-10-16T14:24:31.055-05:00Normally I do rely totally on God, Carol H. Thanks...Normally I do rely totally on God, Carol H. Thanks for the reminder.<br /><br />Thanks Susan and Carole, I'm the same way about not reviewing if I don't feel the book deserves at least a 3 star. <br /><br />Thanks Marilyn!<br /><br />Thank you all for stopping by.<br /><br />Good luck and God's blessings to each of you.<br />PamT<br /><br />Pamela S Thibodeauxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12951038997223264816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5214139537886339178.post-89375617913634347192015-10-16T13:20:09.876-05:002015-10-16T13:20:09.876-05:00Your blog today, Pam, is the fleshing out of God&#...Your blog today, Pam, is the fleshing out of God's promise that He can turn ashes to beauty. Thank you so much for letting us learn from your situation by being open and honest. I appreciate you. Cheersmarilyn leachhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01474270484117099359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5214139537886339178.post-10846227061316378382015-10-16T12:21:26.158-05:002015-10-16T12:21:26.158-05:00Nicely said, Pam. So sorry you had to go through t...Nicely said, Pam. So sorry you had to go through that. If I can't say something nice about a book, I won't write a review. There's one review I wanted to have deleted, but decided not to. I felt I was getting back at her by letting the review remain on Goodreads. She gave it one star ("one of the worse books she'd ever read") while others had high praise and gave it five.Carole Pricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12878208750636105503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5214139537886339178.post-51223502723161194712015-10-16T08:09:02.572-05:002015-10-16T08:09:02.572-05:00That sounds like a tough experience. I've had ...That sounds like a tough experience. I've had a few bad reviews that sounded very personal, but there's nothing I can do about it and I've tried to learn to let them go. Easy to say but some bad reviews rankle because the reviewer clearly didn't read the whole book or wanted something very different. <br /><br />If I can't give a decent review, I won't review a book. I know how much work it takes to produce something worth reading, and I don't' want to discourage writers willing to do the work. Thank you for sharing this experience. It helps the rest of us to be reminded that everyone goes through this once in a while.Susan Oleksiwhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02693057997469296068noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5214139537886339178.post-32668819983493883562015-10-16T08:08:47.577-05:002015-10-16T08:08:47.577-05:00That sounds like a tough experience. I've had ...That sounds like a tough experience. I've had a few bad reviews that sounded very personal, but there's nothing I can do about it and I've tried to learn to let them go. Easy to say but some bad reviews rankle because the reviewer clearly didn't read the whole book or wanted something very different. <br /><br />If I can't give a decent review, I won't review a book. I know how much work it takes to produce something worth reading, and I don't' want to discourage writers willing to do the work. Thank you for sharing this experience. It helps the rest of us to be reminded that everyone goes through this once in a while.Susan Oleksiwhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02693057997469296068noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5214139537886339178.post-83726391414125021022015-10-16T01:51:46.763-05:002015-10-16T01:51:46.763-05:00I think the answer is: Do NOT ask for reviews. I d...I think the answer is: Do NOT ask for reviews. I don't. As you say, we all her a few one and two stars (those who don't usually have requested Amazon to remove them). I like mine - they are all crazy, from people who should've read the free sample and I'm always suspicious of people who only garner five star reviews anyway. Nobody is THAT good.<br />It is now possible to get 'fake' reviews to move you up the Amazon charts. Pay for reviews to do ditto. If, as you say, you rely on God to direct the path of your book, then why not stop trying to help him and just see what happens...you might be surprised!!Carol Hedgeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10359578624109905400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5214139537886339178.post-69931274485721518992015-10-15T20:38:47.540-05:002015-10-15T20:38:47.540-05:00As a writer, I refuse to post a negative review be...As a writer, I refuse to post a negative review because I know how much hard work it takes to get a story to market. As a reader though, I appreciate thoughtful reviews, regardless of the overall score. Sometimes what one person hates us something I like. :-) I'm sorry this reviewer personally atracked you. She should have told you your genre isn't her thing and declined to review.Leah St. Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01738532052396774131noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5214139537886339178.post-52698294598814716972015-10-15T20:38:27.028-05:002015-10-15T20:38:27.028-05:00As a writer, I refuse to post a negative review be...As a writer, I refuse to post a negative review because I know how much hard work it takes to get a story to market. As a reader though, I appreciate thoughtful reviews, regardless of the overall score. Sometimes what one person hates us something I like. :-) I'm sorry this reviewer personally atracked you. She should have told you your genre isn't her thing and declined to review.Leah St. Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01738532052396774131noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5214139537886339178.post-43406096317659388682015-10-15T18:59:52.305-05:002015-10-15T18:59:52.305-05:00Thanks Diane for your support. I pray God works in...Thanks Diane for your support. I pray God works in her heart and those who commented without reading the books..alas we're called to practice grace, forgiveness and humility. <br /><br />So glad the post made you think about your own reviews Kara...it's important that we do so which is why I put the Takeaway points for Authors and Reader/Reviewers.<br /><br />Thanks for stopping by Ladies!<br />Good luck and God's Blessings to both of you!<br />PamTPamela S Thibodeauxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12951038997223264816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5214139537886339178.post-47568997871678646522015-10-15T15:17:51.586-05:002015-10-15T15:17:51.586-05:00Thank you so much for this. I am very sorry you ha...Thank you so much for this. I am very sorry you had to deal with someone like that. However, it does make me reflect on myself, and I can be very judgmental about books. I am such an avid reader that I sometimes think my opinion is "all important" and it's not. I hope I have never hurt a fellow writer with my words. Thank you for posting.Karahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15334260455871664144noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5214139537886339178.post-26111179968814682172015-10-15T14:24:47.246-05:002015-10-15T14:24:47.246-05:00After reading about this incident, you have all my...After reading about this incident, you have all my respect and the reviewer has none. Small consolation but the reviewer's readers were probably erotica readers and wouldn't have been into Christian fiction anyway, so maybe no harm done.Diane Garnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06000110555204777912noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5214139537886339178.post-7039905075773040132015-10-15T14:20:39.903-05:002015-10-15T14:20:39.903-05:00Yeah Susan, I think we put too much store in them....Yeah Susan, I think we put too much store in them. That said, I've had negative reviews before that didn't smack as a direct slur or attack on me/my faith.<br /><br />I hear you, Jacqueline...there is always something positive to be said!<br /><br />I agree Robin, being kind is the key word here....she wasn't at all. But that's OK! God's got it covered.<br /><br />Thank you ALL for stopping by<br />Good luck and God's blessings to each of you.<br />PamT Pamela S Thibodeauxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12951038997223264816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5214139537886339178.post-64200679053659430322015-10-15T13:36:39.043-05:002015-10-15T13:36:39.043-05:00Sorry you had that experience, we all seem to go t...Sorry you had that experience, we all seem to go through it sometime. Nothing worse than reading a review of your baby and the first thing you see is, 'I usually don't review this type of story because I hate them, but...." Ugh.<br /><br />We all have to take it in stride. And remember to be kind and considerate when reading someone else's baby.Robin Baynehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02640632701164428942noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5214139537886339178.post-89519826442403379822015-10-15T13:34:07.582-05:002015-10-15T13:34:07.582-05:00Thoughtful comments, Pam. As a writer who has at t...Thoughtful comments, Pam. As a writer who has at times been hit by what I considered unfair negative reviews, I feel completely sympathetic. But the same novel that is criticized by one reader/reviewer will be praised by another. As you observe, reviews are subjective. I myself do not post negative reviews. Like you and Susan I believe if nothing positive can be said then I simply wouldn't review the book. But usually there is much good in books that are published.Jacqueline Seewaldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09177500620940251009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5214139537886339178.post-90388516477271006092015-10-15T13:20:49.786-05:002015-10-15T13:20:49.786-05:00Reviews and reviewers--something all writers live ...Reviews and reviewers--something all writers live by. Your advice is sound and I am sorry you were treated harshly. If I cannot give 3 stars or better, I tell the author why and ask if they still want me to post the review. They always say do not post. We have to be considerate of each other! Nice post.Susan Coryellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04700818086229953333noreply@blogger.com