As an author do you want to know what’s worse than a one star review?
A one star rating with no review, words, explanation or even evidence said ‘reader’ has taken on your work. Not to mention the mindfu** it will give an author for a long time constituting to the round in circles question; why didn’t they like it?
One of my previous ramble post’s was half rant and half response to a one star review that had an actual explanation which I tried my best to debunk and move on from. This is different and it appears a particular book of mine keeps getting ‘pot shot’ with these random ratings (Open Evening) via Goodreads. In fact you can compare the reviews on Amazon (UK) to Goodreads to see the inconsistencies which just leaves me flapping my arms as to why?
I don’t want it to appear as if it’s getting to me, but it is, because we’re only human right? As authors we live and die by the currency that is reviews and as a reader if there was something I thought deserved a one star review I probably wouldn’t have finished reading it and then would have just moved on (and I have done that very recently). We’re all entitled to an opinion, that’s fine and I am not contesting that, what I am contesting is conduct towards writers. Leaving that one star might turn someone away from the craft forever.
Another huge factor is Open Evening like all my books was funded entirely by me including the sequel and the other book it is linked to Darke Blood; there is plans for further sequels but thoughts of that turn me away from it.
The question that remains in my head; Is Open Evening that bad? Does it justify someone swooping in to leave a one star rating and think nothing of the consequences? Maybe some like minded writer folks should swoop in and help an author in need…
Lee's Hall of information 
Frustrating? Absolutely! But I wouldn’t beat myself up over it. The stinky 1-star is probably someone who is not a reader of your genre but downloaded the book with the purchase of a new Kindle and a FREE 2-yr. membership with Kindle Unlimited. (Thanks. No Thanks, Amazon). I’d focus on the good reviews instead.
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Thanks for some rational words š
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I got a one-star review right out of the gate. I got an explanation from the wicked-doer, but the catch is she didn’t read the book. It’s an enormous book at 625 pages in paperback (I don’t know what it is on Kindle). My book was released on Feburary 7, she left the review on February 8. There were no ARCs given nor any beta readers. There was no way she could’ve read the book that fast. I notified Amazon as did my publisher. I gave them supporting evidence that the book hadn’t been purchased and there was no way to read a book that long in such a short amount of time–I don’t care who you are–and they didn’t do a damn thing about it. It’s still sitting there. Yet they’ll lower the boom on me for not being a “verified purchase” when the book was given to me as an ARC and I did read the book.
I do wish everybody would either explain their star rating or not post anything about it all. I know that’s not going to happen, but it would be nice.
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I very much agree and I’m sorry to hear that it happened literally on release. Luckily I have some great authors willing to swoop in and take a read/review. Those are people whom I take on board any critiques, everyone else, doesnt know what its like to create a story…
Thanks for reading
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It is kind of like the readers that like blog posts without actually reading it. It provides no value to the writer. How are we to know if the content we’re putting out there is good or not? I removed a few of my short stories from Amazon because I didn’t like the fact that readers could vote for them on Goodreads.
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