No, reviews Are Not Just for Readers

A few years ago, I came across the worst review ever written about any of my books.

According to the reader, the cover looked amateurish; the poems made no sense; and the whole concept was poorly implemented. The book had zero redeeming qualities and did not even deserve a second look.

Did that review impact sales? Could I have prevented it from being published? Should have I lost sleep over it? No, no, and no.

In a perfect world, readers would always use the sandwich method to share their thoughts. But we do not live in a perfect world, so expecting that is a waste of time.

An increasing number of indie authors now refuse to read reviews. Their reasons?

"Reviews were written for other readers, not for me. I don't need the added stress of knowing whether readers like or dislike my work. Indie authors, you are better off without those kinds of things."

(Interestingly enough, the discourse changes as soon as their books receive 5-star reviews...)

Yes, many readers do not write reviews to please indie authors. Actually, I do not think they have other readers in mind either when they do. And yes, of course, authors do not have to read comments about their books if that makes them uncomfortable or they do not have time. But, here is a question:

Why then invest hundreds of hours and dollars to create something whose success is mainly dependent on word of mouth, if you do not care about said word of mouth?

Let me state two things that indie authors often conveniently overlook in conversations:

• As soon as you hit the publish button, your book is no longer yours per say. You may own the copyright, but the product it becomes will have a life of its own.
• Readers are consumers. When they buy your book, they have the right to tell the rest of the world what they think.

Reviews are for readers AND authors alike. Any indie author telling you otherwise clearly does not understand how business works.

"Cendrine, you are so wrong! Feedback from beta readers is the only thing that authors should worry about."

Yes, beta readers are wonderful. My books would certainly not be as good as they are without those I have worked with. However, beta readers can only do so much for me. Even if I asked 50 of them to help on each project, that number would still not be enough for me to cover the full spectrum of my current and future readers.

That is why I and all the indie authors I know force themselves to read reviews. We want to know how impactful our work can be. For many of us, reviews are pretty much the only tool we have to gauge who our ideal readers are.

On the fence about reading reviews of your own books? That is okay! However, I would recommend asking yourself why. Chances are that you will find out that Imposter Syndrome might be the culprit.

Trust me on this. Reading readers' comments, even when they are not as praiseworthy as we would expect, can be a very educative experience. Here is what I learned on my end:

You cannot please the whole world. Readers have specific tastes, opinions, and expectations.

A bad review is (very) rarely a personal attack against you or your book. It is someone’s way of telling you how your words have affected them. 

Readers are allowed to have opinions, especially if they believe that you did not deliver what you promised in your blurb. A bad critique is not evidence that the person is stupid or does not understand your message or passion.

Not every review is meant to be helpful. Always separate the wheat from the chaff. Take what you deem constructive enough, ditch the rest, and move on with your day.

Of the two examples below, which one do you prefer? Number 2, right?

Finally, and this is probably the most important lesson: Learn to let go. Bad reviews are certainly not nice to read. But it is the way you react to them that will determine your success as a creative. Because nothing turns people off more than a person who lets their ego do the talking.

Now, go follow your bliss! 🙂

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This essay is part of the collaborative series on writing and self-empowerment that Mackenzie Davis and I started a few months ago. For more information about it, click below.

• Essay 1 (Mackenzie Davis)
• Essay 2 (Cendrine Marrouat)
• Essay 3 (Mackenzie Davis)

That's it for today! Thank you for reading.

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Cendrine Marrouat is a writer, photographer, podcaster, blogger, anthology editor, and the co-founder of Auroras & Blossoms and A Warm Cup of Cozy. She has authored and co-authored more than 40 books, including The Train: A Short Story (2023), In Her Own Words: A Collection of Short Stories & Flashku (2022), After the Fires of Day: Haiku Inspired by Kahlil Gibran & Alphonse de Lamartine (2021), Rhythm Flourishing: A Collection of Kindku and Sixku (2020), Walks: A Collection of Haiku (2019-2020), and In the Silence of Words: A Three-Act Play (2018).

Cendrine's work has appeared in many publications. She is the creator of the Sixku, Flashku, Sepigram, and Reminigram; as well as the co-creator of the Kindku, Pareiku, Vardhaku, and Hemingku.