I couldn’t resist this picture. It’s like a fancy version of me. It’s not me, but it could be a picture of me as I read reviews. It’s so nerve wracking! Whenever I check on the Amazon or Goodreads pages, I take a deep breath. “Please don’t let them hate it.”
My Mr. Tilney just looks at me funny. “Haven’t people already said they like it?”
Yes. But…what if everyone else hates it?
Then yesterday, while reading a fair review with just criticisms, I realized how helpful reviews could be. For one thing, thoughtful comments from people that have read my work are like golden pearls of information. Learning what my readers liked and disliked will only help me be a better writer. I’ve already been inspired by one reviewer to write a sequel of sorts to A Chance Encounter.
So I decided to write this post for myself. That way, when reading reviews freaks me out, I’ll just bring this up and talk myself down.
Brigid Huey 