I Don't Mind Reviews

It is advice, often repeated, that authors shouldn’t read book reviews. I ignore this advice. I find it interesting to read reviews of my books. Mostly.

Not the mean ones, of course. Some reviewers must feel particularly grumpy or aggressive when they write reviews. Maybe my book hit them wrong or used one of their pet peeves. Maybe their boyfriend just broke up with them. Or they had a cup of really bad coffee. But something set them off and they took it out on my book. I might not like those reviews, but I recognize them when they appear, and I figure everyone else does too.

There are two types of reviews I actually like.

1) Constructive reviews: When a reviewer points out problems in my books, that information can help me grow as an author. I want to write better, and kindly-worded criticisms and questions can help me get there. Here are two examples.

I have a YA time-travel series where a magical waterfall is the portal through time. After the first book released, several reviewers commented that they would like to know “how the waterfall works.” That surprised me. The way it works is…magic. Why would anyone want to know more? But I began to think harder about the rules the waterfall followed; it definitely had some. By the third book, I had written the rules into the story, making them more understandable for readers.

My current series is YA magical realism, about a genie who belongs to a league of supernatural beings. The ending of the first book has an unusual twist. Many of the reviews used the word “cliffhanger.” That shocked me. The story doesn’t have a cliffhanger. The big questions are answered in the last chapter, at least I thought so. But had I hinted too much? I consulted with my beta readers about how to balance being subtle with being clear. My next books won’t repeat that mistake.

2) Glowing reviews: Yes, I confess. I love to read reviews where the reviewer “gets” the book and the characters. I’m a relatively new author, and my sales are still modest. I hope that one day I’ll be able to write full-time. But until then, a huge part of my compensation is knowing that I have fans who love my stories.

I especially enjoy when reviews include obscure details. In the first time-travel book, one reviewer mentioned how gentle the hero was with his ex-girlfriend after their breakup. That tiny detail only took four sentences of the story, but a reader noticed! Nice reviews can make the hard work of writing worthwhile.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY, Elizabeth!

Do any of you love time-travel stories?

Do you love the OUTLANDER series on Starz?

I'm giving away a copy of WHISPER FALLS or I WISH to one commenter.

(in US, print or e-book; internationally, e-book only).

or

So leave a comment and tell us what your favorite time-travel series is, or where you would go if you were the main character of your own time-travel story?

Author:

Elizabeth Langston writes YA magical realism. Whisper Falls is a time-travel series set in 18th- and 21st-century North Carolina. The I Wish series features a "genie with rules."
Elizabeth lives in North Carolina, USA and works in the computer industry by day. She has two college-age daughters and one old, geeky husband. At night, when she isn't writing, she's watching TV (dance reality shows, Outlander, Elementary) or trying to decide which restaurant deserves her business.