The Writer's Constant Companion...Doubt.

I just found my very first one star review for Aphrodite's War. I wasn't hurt or angry. Not at first. I was godsmacked and shocked. The reviewer hated it. Loathed it. Would give it zero stars if she could. She made it twenty percent in before giving up on it.

She was rather vague, but I figured out a few reasons why she didn't like it. She didn't like the multiple POVs, I'm guessing, and didn't like my voice. I also guessing the sex scene between Ares and Strife turned her off. She also found a glaring mistake in the way I portrayed the relationship between Aphrodite and Hermes--definitely my fault.

The part that hurt was how she said it seemed like a bad knock off of a series she'd already read. She didn't say which author or series, so I've got no idea who she's talking about. It bothers me because I try to write original material, and HATE the idea that I may have copied someone else. I wouldn't have written the book if I'd known. Why would I regurgitate something that's already been done?

Now I'm working on a novella based in the time of the Funnelbeakers. I'm six chapters in, and I realize that despite my research, I know very little about them. I went to write about a feast, and discovered I don't know what they eat. I googled it, but I'm shaken with the idea that I might be wrong, and my novella will be filled with holes and inaccuracies. I tell myself I'm not writing a historical document, that my readers are more interested in the story, but shouldn't I be as authentic as possible?

I wasn't going to blog about this incident at all, but it's giving me Writer's Block. I'm afraid to write.

My friend Kathy pointed out that this is a rite of passage for a writer, and she's right. EVERYONE gets bad reviews, no one is that good that everyone loves them. My friend Delvina told me this one star is validating. One can't have only four and five star reviews all the time, because they look 'planted'. She's right. I think I'd be suspicious too if every single review I saw for a book ranted about how great it was. This blogger probably did me a little favor with her blunt honesty. Actually, I appreciate her honesty. Strangely glad she didn't fake anything, even if it stings.

So I'm venting here, on my blog. Now that I have it off my chest, I'm going to write that feast scene. I'm going to describe the fire-roasted deer, pig and mallard. I'm going to comment on the rich bowls of barley and carrot and the charred crabapples and hazelnuts. They're going to drink copious amounts of beer from clay bowls made by Agneta. I WILL keep writing. After all, this is just the first draft. I can always fix it later.

Bad Reviews Bare

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All writers get bad reviews. It's a given in this business. And if you can't take it, you are in the WRONG business. Every one of us knows that.

I remember my first bad review. It was a two star, and the reader 'just couldn't get into it'. I was surprised at my reaction....It didn't hurt. In fact, it was a bit of a relief as I came to the realization that I couldn't please everyone. Not everyone would understand or like my work, and it took the pressure off a bit.

Of course this meant giving up the dream of uniting the planet in peace and love, like the 'Wild Stallions' of Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure.

Bummer as it was, this is reality. You can't please everyone.

Now, since I know that, why is it so hard to GIVE a bad review?

This is my third time with this dilemma, but the difference is...I didn't finish the last two books. They just couldn't hold my interest. To be fair, both were YA (Young Adult) and I've come to the conclusion that besides 'Hunger Games', I simply don't care about that particular genre.  No finish, no review. It wouldn't be fair.

So I won a collection of short stories from an indie author. I'm almost finished the book, and I am faced with an uncomfortable situation.

This writer gifted me with a FREE copy of his latest work, and politely asked me for a review, which we all do. Here's the problem:
      I hated it, and since it's short stories, I kept reading, hoping for something I could immerse myself in and enjoy.

I found ONE creepy, awesome ghost story. All the other shorts are negative, devoid of pleasantness or happy endings. The characters have constant, circular arguments that only add as filler. They all have the same accent. Some of the stories have no point at all. There's a lot of typos. (But who doesn't do the occasional typo? This blog and my Facebook pages are LITTERED with them, because I type with two fingers.)

I don't want  to point out their shortcomings in public. If it wasn't for relentless, brutally honest critique partners, I wouldn't be any better. (Again, thank you Suzanne, Jan and Dawn.)

My publisher tells me to never give a review for an indie author unless you can give it at least THREE stars. Which is well and good, but it looks like I love everything and everyone like some kind of throwback flowerchild. I'm scared I won't look 'legit'.

Does anyone have any advice? How do you give a crap review when you are an author yourself?