Scalzi's meme: Owning my one star reviews
Apr. 30th, 2008 12:15 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
julesjonesJohn Scalzi has started a new game for writers -- posting choice excerpts from their favourite one star reviews of their books on Amazon. Initial post here:
http://scalzi.com/whatever/?p=663
with the follow-up here:
http://scalzi.com/whatever/?p=685
Why? Because we can. And because grown-ups can handle getting bad reviews. Since I'm epublished, I've only got the one book available on Amazon (not counting a couple of anthologies that include a short story of mine), and that book has only the one bad review. It so happens that the review in question is a good example of what I was saying last week about even a bad review can sell a book to a reader with different tastes. Here's an excerpt:
Now, he was being snarky. But the review he wrote has almost certainly sold a few copies to people who thought that a book with a misanthropic gay geek as hero sounded mighty fine. So although I wince every time I read that review, I have no problem at all with the guy having posted it. It's a competent review that's all about the book and not about me.
[I will copy-and-paste something Charlie Stross said when he posted his: "(NB: please don't contact Amazon about these reviews, or pester the reviewers. (I've deliberately left their names off in order to make it harder to do that.) They're perfectly entitled to their opinions; as every novelist learns very early on, whatever you write, you can guarantee that at least 20% of the population will hate it. If you disagree with them, that's your problem, not theirs. I'm posting this for my own amusement, and because I happen to agree with John: "Own your one-star reviews, man. And then, you know. Get past them. If you’re lucky, some of them might actually be fun to read.")"]
http://scalzi.com/whatever/?p=663
with the follow-up here:
http://scalzi.com/whatever/?p=685
Why? Because we can. And because grown-ups can handle getting bad reviews. Since I'm epublished, I've only got the one book available on Amazon (not counting a couple of anthologies that include a short story of mine), and that book has only the one bad review. It so happens that the review in question is a good example of what I was saying last week about even a bad review can sell a book to a reader with different tastes. Here's an excerpt:
If you're a misanthropic, gay, IT geek with a chip on your shoulder, you might enjoy this book. Otherwise, I'd get something else.
Now, he was being snarky. But the review he wrote has almost certainly sold a few copies to people who thought that a book with a misanthropic gay geek as hero sounded mighty fine. So although I wince every time I read that review, I have no problem at all with the guy having posted it. It's a competent review that's all about the book and not about me.
[I will copy-and-paste something Charlie Stross said when he posted his: "(NB: please don't contact Amazon about these reviews, or pester the reviewers. (I've deliberately left their names off in order to make it harder to do that.) They're perfectly entitled to their opinions; as every novelist learns very early on, whatever you write, you can guarantee that at least 20% of the population will hate it. If you disagree with them, that's your problem, not theirs. I'm posting this for my own amusement, and because I happen to agree with John: "Own your one-star reviews, man. And then, you know. Get past them. If you’re lucky, some of them might actually be fun to read.")"]
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(no subject)
Date: 2008-04-30 12:52 pm (UTC)*slinks away*
(no subject)
Date: 2008-04-30 05:32 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-04-30 05:36 pm (UTC)I was replying to Jay's post about the One-star review challenge on Scalzi's site. I suppose (I'm not on LJ right now my reply got put under your comment, is all.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-04-30 05:37 pm (UTC)...so now I see, it was you who originally posted that.
*sob* I get so confused...
(no subject)
Date: 2008-04-30 04:59 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-04-30 05:34 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-04-30 08:30 pm (UTC)That would have sold it to me!
(no subject)
Date: 2008-04-30 08:35 pm (UTC)(Which has probably puzzled the other half of my flist.)