So this is something that I debated talking about, but since it keeps on happening, I feel like I need to say my thoughts on it. Authors…please say it with me, “Reviews are for Readers!” They aren’t for us!
And look, authors, I get it. Trust me, I do. My debut book is in ARC form right now and I’ve seen bad reviews of it. They hurt. They do, but they also aren’t for me. I shouldn’t even be reading them. The only reason that I do is because Netgalley emails me every time someone completes a review. (Note: if you buy a listing outright this happens, if you go through a PR firm that has co-op or something else this probably won’t happen for you.) There is NO way to turn it off, I hate it, because those reviews aren’t for me, they are for other readers to gauge or decide if they want to read my book. I’m making it. A policy to just delete those emails and never check reviews. Again, they aren’t about me.
Sure authors can read their reviews, but I definitely don’t recommend it. The reason why I’m talking about this again, is that constantly authors behave badly by going after bloggers who left a bad review. NO! STOP! Never do this! Please, I beg of you authors, do not do this! I come from book blogging and I’ve seen a lot of bloggers leave blogging because of this. Some bloggers have been assaulted or stalked just because they gave a book a bad review. Like what? No!
So decide for yourself if you need to read reviews, but for the love of the hockey gods, don’t comment in reader’s spaces. Or try to argue with a reader because they didn’t like your book. Or send your significant other to argue with them. Stop!