How To Read Your Reviews — And, Love Them

Negative reviews can be devastating. “I know people who have never recovered,” says actor/director Seth Rogen of Green Hornet fame speaking recently about movie reviews. There are probably many authors who know exactly what he means. Well, here’s how to recover from your negative book reviews — maybe, even enjoy them.

Don’t Look For 5-Stars All The Time

Here’s the thing. As authors we all look for the five-star reviews on Goodreads, Amazon, and on any book blog tours for which we’re signed up. The closer we get to launch date, the more nervous we get about reviews and ratings on the Advance Review Copies which have been sent out by the author or publisher. But you’ve got know that not all your reviews are going to be 5-star reviews.

Fool Her Once Book page on Goodreads

Why? Because some readers just aren’t going to be into your novel. Ask any bestselling or award-winning author who’s received rave reviews from all the industry trade publications. They’ll tell you they get their fair share of 1-star and 2-star reviews on Goodreads or Amazon. Not every reader is going to absolutely, totally, love your book. And, even if they are, their 3-star rating may mean the same as another reader’s 5-star rating.

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Why Did I Ever Get The (Insane) Idea To Write Another Novel?

There comes a point for many authors — published or aspiring — when you pause to wonder why you ever got the (insane) idea to write a novel in the first place? It may take a while to reach that point. Continue reading “Why Did I Ever Get The (Insane) Idea To Write Another Novel?”

How A.J. Finn Landed At #1 On The New York Times Bestseller List

You may not be instantly familiar with the name A.J. Finn. But I bet you’ve heard of his book,The Woman In The Window ? Yep, that’s the one that catapulted straight to #1 on the New York Times bestseller list the week it was published.  Okay, now you know the one I’m talking about, right?  The NYT one-liner description of this psychological thriller is: “A recluse who drinks heavily and takes prescription drugs may have witnessed a crime across from her Harlem townhouse.” Continue reading “How A.J. Finn Landed At #1 On The New York Times Bestseller List”

8 Great Thriller Plot Twists — Why 4 Of Them Are Perfect

They’re called plot twists. You’ll recognize them almost immediately because one minute you’re reading, happily turning the pages faster and faster, and then suddenly, wham! You have to read the sentence again. You re-read the paragraph. You go back a couple of pages, and you think to yourself: WTF? What just happened? Continue reading “8 Great Thriller Plot Twists — Why 4 Of Them Are Perfect”

So You Think You Can Be A Journalist? It’s Not That Easy

Twice this week I was flummoxed, maybe even a little miffed, by things I heard about the craft of writing (specifically screenwriting) and journalism (specifically investigative journalism.) In the latter case, I received an email from Brad at MasterClass and this is what it said: “Bob Woodward Teaches Investigative Journalism.” In the email trailer, Woodward promises to teach students how to research,  gather information, interview people, and how to find the story and build the story. Wow! Continue reading “So You Think You Can Be A Journalist? It’s Not That Easy”