How to adjust after first ever review?

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Hraynyk123
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How to adjust after first ever review?

Post by Hraynyk123 »

I am a first time self published writer. My approach has been to take in all information and suggestions. Learn from what people tell me and what works and what does now. Getting a first review finally gave me an idea of where I am and what to work on. Editting and format is clearly what needs to be adjusted. Also, I opted for a trilogy but I'm starting to think it needs to be one book based on the reviewer. I need feedback. My concept and roller coaster story was said to be entertaining, so now need to make some decisions. All suggestions and comments are welcomed.
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Darront24
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Post by Darront24 »

Full disclosure - My WIP isn't at the point of publishing so congrats on making is that far!
I have had several beta readers come back to me with ideas left and right and the feedback has been helpful overall. That said, the book is ultimately your story and everyone has different tastes.

Let a couple reviews come in and look to see if there is a common thread between them before overhauling your plans. Is your book up for review here or online somewhere? I think you can get a not so shameless plug out of it here if you wanted!
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NRoach
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Post by NRoach »

It's important to bear in mind that reviews are, fundamentally, for the reader, not the writer. That's why a lot of professionals don't bother reading their reviews.

Of course, if you're self publishing, it's hard to get feedback if you're not reading reviews, but it can be helpful to keep reminding yourself that the people reviewing the book aren't looking to help you become a better writer; they're looking to tell other prospective readers whether or not they liked it.
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kandscreeley
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Post by kandscreeley »

Norach wrote: 10 Apr 2018, 04:54 It's important to bear in mind that reviews are, fundamentally, for the reader, not the writer. That's why a lot of professionals don't bother reading their reviews.

Of course, if you're self publishing, it's hard to get feedback if you're not reading reviews, but it can be helpful to keep reminding yourself that the people reviewing the book aren't looking to help you become a better writer; they're looking to tell other prospective readers whether or not they liked it.
I agree and disagree at the same time. While reviews are geared towards other readers, the author can learn from the reviews. Especially if the problem has to do with editing. It sounds like the next step (from what little I can gather from what you said), is to get a professional proofreader or editor to take a look at your work and then go from there. Good luck!
A book is a dream you hold in your hands.
—Neil Gaiman
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DustinPBrown
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Post by DustinPBrown »

Hraynyk123 wrote: 04 Apr 2018, 10:42 I am a first time self published writer. My approach has been to take in all information and suggestions. Learn from what people tell me and what works and what does now. Getting a first review finally gave me an idea of where I am and what to work on. Editting and format is clearly what needs to be adjusted. Also, I opted for a trilogy but I'm starting to think it needs to be one book based on the reviewer. I need feedback. My concept and roller coaster story was said to be entertaining, so now need to make some decisions. All suggestions and comments are welcomed.
Hey man, congrats on getting the book published! You did the toughest part of the process, kudos! And it's good you're keeping an open mind to try and listen to what people are suggesting and saying, that's a smart way to always be improving.

But don't put so much stock in one review. A review is one person's opinion about a book, nothing more. Yes, a reviewer should be able to express what it is that they found lacking in your book (and express it well), but at the end of the day, it's just one guy's opinion.

Now, if you get, say, 10 reviews that all say your main character is unrealistic and terrible, then you may want to look at what you're doing and maybe change it up. Or if the reviewer points out more technical problems (as yours seems to have done) like editing and typos, you can take that at face value since it's not as subjective as whether or not the story is good. I, for example, would never, ever recommend you decide to completely change your entire story from a trilogy to one book based on one reviewer. Don't give them that kind of power! You don't have to please everyone, and in fact you can't.

If you really want feedback (and good feedback you can count on) then get yourself an editor and some beta readers to give you constructive criticism. A review is not really meant for the writer, per se, it's meant for other readers, so a review is going to just list the things wrong with the book. You need an editor or a beta reader to tell you how to fix those wrong things.
Tzara Drusak
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Post by Tzara Drusak »

It's my opinion that the best books bring to the table creative plots, fresh writing styles and an exceedingly strong foundation in grammatical correctness and, as you said, formatting. As a newly published author, my focus would be on making my books stand out and making sure they leave indelible stamps on my readers memories.

The first step is getting a proper editing tool, be it in the form of editing software, or if likely, a professional editor. Most reviewers often complain about the tragically unedited work of an author leading them to either put down the book despite the plot maybe being extremely interesting and novel or having no understanding of what exactly the book is about.

You've demonstrated, from all appearances, a willingness to accept feedback in order to improve the quality of your work. This is really good. Focus on reviews that share a trend in opinions. However, not every reviewer has an accurate basis for their review, and reviews should be critically assessed and the claims put forth must be examined against the contents of the book to test for their validity.

You mentioned that a trilogy may not be the best way to go. This is true in some cases but if you feel like the story has a lot of substance and can imagine new avenues to explore then go for it. Please take into consideration that the problem with some series is the seemingly inevitable boring path they trod, and avoid that at all costs.

Finally, good luck with your endeavours.
And in the end, we were all just humans... Drunk on the idea that love, only love, could heal our brokenness.

-F. Scott Fitzgerald-
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