Contrary to the excitement of getting published, the true fun really begins afterwards. NOT!Usually print releases are a year out, but in the world of ePublishing, it's expedited...most often ePublishers purchase only completed projects so besides the short turnaround on editing, you're going to have to be your own marketing and promotions department. That's not to say that print publishers don't require you to promote but if you want that extra push, the extra buzz to stay visible, you should do it anyway.
I spent a good part of the morning just emailing to review sites. Not all of them will review my book but that's the chance you take when you query. Promotions can be a number of things but in my experience, I've had better luck when I get reviewed. I think it's because some sites have a different readership and a new opportunity for visibility whether it's a good or bad rating. The readers will have a chance to decide for themselves if they want to read it for themselves based on your blurb and cover.
Of course, I always feel the added stress after I send out my books for review. Every author hopes a reviewer will love their stuff, but if they don't, you have to be prepared to take the negatives with the positives. It's a nail-biting wait but when you get that one reviewer who adores your writing, you get to walk on cloud nine for the rest of the week. Personally, I don't view smaller review sites any differently than larger ones. I try to pick sites that give constructive criticism. I avoid those sites that specialize in author bashing. Can I just say I LOATHE THEM? For one, if these sites proclaim their love of reading, why do they go out of their way to ridicule the authors who have poured so much love into their creation? Just between you and me, they don't do the publishing industry any favors nor do they help a romance author's cause. In the beginning of my publishing journey, I was reviewed by a very popular international romance review site. She proved that she didn't really read all her submissions. She gave a low rating but 50% of the facts were incorrect. When I sent her a nice email about her inaccuracies, she banned me from ever sending her a submission. Isn't that kind of her? Since then, I decided that my time could be better utilized sending books to sites who truly love romance and reading. I often like the reviewers take on the book and it helps me to understand how to improve in my storytelling. Believe it or not, a review has the ability to teach you or inspire you.
As a writer, one good review makes a difference in how we feel about ourselves. It also shows that people are excited about our work and they respect our storytelling--and that's all we could ever hope for. To me, readers and reviewers are precious. When I get an email from them, I feel as if they want to connect with my characters as much as I do and I never grow bored of discussing my works with them. In all honesty, it's the little things that has the biggest impact.
So this post is to THANK ALL MY READERS AND REVIEWERS...
Hello Jax,
First and foremost, good luck with your pending reviews. I know how difficult it is to put yourself out there and hope you get someone to read your work that appreciates your voice.
As for the second bit...
I'm of the opinion that those that review hatefully are people that probably don't write themselves. I've noticed a trend recently in which reviewers will say, "I really liked the story!" and will rate low (in which case, you are left in the dark about what they didn't like) or they'll bash the story all together without providing any informative feedback (repetitive, slow paced, one-dimensional characters, etc).
That is one of the reasons I don't really like goodreads all that much. An author that shares one of my pubs was flamed there by a reader that didn't say much aside from the heroine was "too weak to live" and "it was the worst story I've ever read". Oddly enough, the author has won awards for her work, and many of her fans rallied to her defense.
Subjective reading aside, this is one of the worst road blocks an author can have. It's maddening at times, but what can you do?
*puts away soap box*
I wish you nothing but success in your writing aspirations. Good luck with the new release!
Jaime
Thanks Jaime for visiting! I agree that the most frustrating thing is to get a review that doesn't help you understand the reason why they didn't care for it. I've had 3 star reviews but they raved about the story. It was a head scratcher but who knows what their rating scale means. Maybe it was a B+ in their eyes but, you're right, it would be good for clarification. I've been lucky that I've gotten reviewers who just got my story.
I've grown a thick skin since being flamed because a reviewer seemed to automatically hate my book just because she probably had her own internal issues. Not everyone is going to love my voice but that's just the way it goes.
I agree with you on the part about some reviewers who aren't writers. They don't understand how much work and effort it takes to finish a story. They don't understand the writing process or the fact that we wrote certain scenes for certain reasons. It's always interesting for me to see individuals and their take on books. It runs the gambit but, personally, it also gives me insight into that person.
Thanks again for commenting! :)
Hey Jax,
Good luck with your reviews. You inspire me with your work ethic. You take the risk of putting yourself out there.
And I don't think many people appreciate or understand the time and effort an author puts into their work. It's assumed that everyone can write a book and therefore everyone can bash a book.
So anyway kudos to you for being proactive. Even though it's not the most fun you've ever had.
Amen, sister, amen.
Banned? How preposterous! It's not like you were complaining about your review and bashing the site publicly, which...ahem...some authors are known to do!
I'm scared to death of getting reviews. Writers really leave themselves completely open and vulnerable. Good luck with those reviews sites and looking forward to the release!