Twitter Tuesday: 07.06.10

On July 6, 2010 we tweeted: Authors, how do you react to a bad review? Do you ignore it? Respond to it? #twittertuesday

Here were your responses:

@truebldtwilight: @fictionistawksp I haven’t received one yet but I would be devastated if I did. I believe if you don’t like a story. Stop reading it.

@StarlightS_: @fictionistawksp It brings me down a bit, but I respond to it. I always try to be objective and thank them for their comments.

@vixen1836: @fictionistawksp I almost always kill the nasty reviewer with kindness, while logically replying to any critique objectively. #TwitterTuesday

@subtlepen: @fictionistawksp ignore, esp if comes across hateful. if sincere concrit, i usually try to email the reviewer or reply
@subtlepen: @fictionistawksp hard to swallow sometimes w/o majorly derailing ur plot bunny & story flow, to have to constantly defend your plot choices
@subtlepen: @fictionistawksp i have a harder time when reviews contain rants abt the direction the reader thinks the plot should take. instant derail.

@hmonster04: @fictionistawksp Eat a piece of choco, try & take something constructive away, then carry on. Not everyone will always love what I write.

@PinkFluffGirl: depends on what they attack. Personally? Yes, respond. Story? No, they have a CHOICE to flounce or read

@bookjunkie1975: @fictionistawksp I’m waiting for this to happen…I think I would just thank them for taking the time to read and be done with it.

@roglows: @fictionistawksp i whine to my friends & allow them to coddle me. if the review is signed, i reply civilly. then i get over it. like ystrday

@javamomma0921: @fictionistawksp if there is something to reply to, I do. I try to learn something from it and then move on.

@wordninja_ali: @fictionistawksp If it’s concrit, thank them for honesty and reviewing. If it’s tween angst-y, ignore or simply thanks for r & r’ing.

@babetteab: @fictionistawksp I try to assume they don’t mean to be rude, it’s just coming out wrong (unless obvious), and always try to reply kindly

@VivaViva9: @fictionistawksp If it’s constructive, I thank them and sometimes make the suggested changes. If it’s just rude, I ignore it.

@bbwraven: @fictionistawksp write back….be polite of course.

Here were some responses on Facebook:

Lily Kleiman There’s no such thing as a bad review of published fiction. Professional reviewers will critique based on both the positives and the negatives of the story. A story that’s so bad, it gets a “bad” review, would never get published in the first place.

Personally, I take it all with a grain of salt, and no matter the review, I always thank the reviewer for their time. Anything else, I don’t consider a real review and so, I ignore it

Mary Anne Landers My favorite quote on the subject is from the old Hollywood studio boss Harry Cohn: “F— the critics. They’re like eunuchs. They can tell you how to do it, but they can’t do it themselves.”

Todd Taylor I save a lot of time by giving MY OWN bad reviews of my writing, etc…haha

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