Usually, I buy books based on the back summary and first chapter, but sometimes I read reviews beforehand if I'm really on the fence about buying it. After I finish reading a book, I want to talk about it, but I never have someone to do that with, so the next best thing is checking reviews and seeing what other people thought. I specifically like reading both extremes of opinion to see why someone might love/hate it when I didn't.
That's an interesting point. It's easy for me to say either extreme is bad, because no book is perfect and very few have 0 redeeming qualities, BUT I absolutely agree that they can be entertaining haha
Imo, authors can read the reviews of their books... but they shouldn't interact with the reviewers themselves. Just like you, I fall into the category of people who usually read reviews to validate my opinion on a book, but that might not be the case for other readers and reviewers.
The validation thing is legit! At first I was like "naah, I never do this", but after thinking about it for a few seconds I realized, I do this all the time when it comes to RUclips videos. I always read the comments not just because I'm curious about what others think but also, if people have the same opinion as me. Oh and welcome back, hope your nap was great and replenished you with new energy ! 😂
I feel like there is a correct way for authors to interact with reviewers. When I was still a baby book reviewer I wrote a 3-star review and felt so bad because it was one of the first books I ever got for review and I wanted it to be a 5-star but also obviously wanted to be honest (no point in reviewing otherwise) and the author reached out to me a little later privately to say that it was one of her favourite reviews she ever got because of how I talked about her book despite it being "only" a 3 star and it made my whole week and stopped me being so anxious about writing reviews! Never fight with reviewers tho, it won't end well for either party and isn't worth the energy or anger. It's impossible for everyone to like something and it's okay to feel hurt but talk about it privately and not online
😅 I try not to read my reviews, but sometimes I can’t resist. My pet peeve is the 1 star review for the distributor’s screw up. 😡 Nice to see you again, Cam. 😊
Great to see you too Regina! Yeah, I think all of us who have put books out are familiar with the 1 star reviews that seem meant for Amazon itself hahaha
This. I had a book turn up the other day absolutely sodden (and yet the outside of the package was fine? 🤔) and those sort of reviews were my first thought when I saw it. 😂
Awesome video! Glad you are back from your nap😂. I always buy books based on covers and blurbs, but a review sometimes puts it on my radar. Even bad reviews make me want to check them out myself more. I agree with your points 100%, great discussion!
Good to see you and your interesting topics again! I almost feel like "always rating high" undermines the point of rating as much as bombers. I think it's fantastic when readers want to support the authors, and for some people that book is bound to be a 5-star, but surely you enjoy some books more than others?
Oh for sure! Review bombing can go both ways. Positive review bombing, (e.g. influencers who publish a book and their fans give it waves of 5 stars) can hurt people's trust just as much as the negative reviews
I found a Sara j Maas book on my shelf that I had bought ~10 years ago, and thought I’d give it a shot because I couldn’t remember if maybe I was just too young to like it at the time. Before I started reading, I looked up the reviews on Goodreads. the top review is a 1 star. Because of that I held off reading it for another few months and didn’t read it until recently. And, tbh, I didn’t hate it but I’m not continuing the series because it just wasn’t for me. I went back to look at the review to read the whole thing and it’s absolutely *unhinged*. It’s so long that it’s a novella in and of itself. And I didn’t even read the whole thing, this person just like went through the whole book with a red pen. I think because of the level of engagement on Goodreads, that’s what made it the first review you see
I get annoyed when a reviewer whines about representation in fantasy books. These are the same people who dislike historical books/movies for being somewhat historically accurate. I've read a review on GR once of a Chinese fantasy book. The cast of characters was mostly male. The reviewer completely trashed the book for only that. It's so weak and says more about the person writing the review than the book itself.
I tend to avoid reciews until after I've finished something, ir gakf way through if I'm starting to flag on it, then ill search out negative reviews who say what I'm feeling to see if I should bother continuing to finish it. Especially with movies. I came across Shad's book yesterday and added it to my TBR. I think it might come off now. 😂
Thanks! Hey, did you know that you've left me the most comments on all my videos since I started here? I just thought you should know I noticed, thanks for all the support mate, I appreciate it more than words can say
I rarely connect with those who review my books. My interactions with readers usually occur when they comment on my social media posts, although I'm consistently cautious and courteous in my responses. Truth be told, reading reviews stresses me out, even the positive ones. Nice video. btw
I feel you just need to detach from the book you published , it's out there it's no longer yours. People can hate and love it as much as they want now , just what it takes to be an artist out in the world.
That's a very interesting topic. I absolutely agree that once you publish your book, it's out there to be consumed however anyone sees fit, although... I'm not sure where I stand on it being "no longer yours". It's definitely interesting to think about either way, thanks for watching!
Hey are you alright man? You Haven’t posted any videos on here in a while,what you been reading and how is the writing going ?! Hope to hear from you and see new videos soon!
I also totally read reviews after watching/reading something for validation too--- only when I have quite a jarred reaction though--- if I liked it I don't really care as much what other people thought (trying to make sure I'm just not being unreasonable I guess, although I am happy to watch content pointing out something problematic in something I liked that I didn't notice [in those cases I care]). The kind of reviews I dislike the most (as a reader seeking insight) is definitely the "re-synopsis" reviews. You don't need to have spoilers in a review for it to be useful, but the reviews that just rephrase the actual book-back summary of the novel are just.. why? lol I can read that already. If they said something different or disagreed with the author's description, I'm all for it, but the reiteration of the vague plot, who is that for? ':P
The Goodreads mean girl reviews can be annoying for authors and can be performative a lot of times. Also: you are talking about fantasy books in this channel, D&D is probably too mainstream for this channel, not niche
That was a hefty nap 😂 People claim Brandon Sanderson is a bad writer just because he writes more basic prose, failing to understand that he does it on purpose. Hopefully see you back on Twitch soon, I miss the chaos haha
People can call anyone a bad writer for any reason because they don't write like other writers do. It's lame in my opinion. Everyone's writing style is different. My problem is if someone compares a book I written to like Harry Potter... When my book isn't supposed to be like Harry Potter 😂
Hey Jenni! Great to see you again. I 100% agree, in fact I think I spoke about exactly this in a video I did about an article that guy wrote about Brando Sando. The article suggested he is a weak writer because he doesn't use flowery Tolkien'esque prose, and it's like... yeah, because he has his own writing style?
A pet peeve of mine is when reviewers say things like "....for me" or "me or my taste weren't in mind when this was being written." I didn't realize a book or any piece of art/entertainment was supposed to be created specifically for them. It sounds obnoxious & entitled.
I can definitely see what you mean. I think it's a good skill for reviewers to be able to tell the difference between something being bad, and just not being their taste
Reviews are the only way for an authors to gauge how they can improve? Hard disagree. Pay an editor, reach out for beta readers, join a writing group, but authors are not supposed to rely on amazon or goodreads reviews for writing lessons. Reviews are not free labour.
That's a fair point, if I said it was the only way, I shouldn't have, but I do think it's good for Authors to gauge feedback from a wide range of reviews as well. Even in doing that, I don't think anyone would expect the reviews to be treated as writing lessons. I'd hope not anyway haha. Thanks for watching
@@Cam_Wolfe yes, it's a good way to glaube how people react to your book. If they like a certain character etc. But that's pretty much it. All in all, reviews say more about the reviewer than the author.
anyone who rates a book before reading it is a massive red flag. Yeah I know you like this author but you don't need to give a book 5 stars the second its published. It's so annoying looking at reviews and all you can see is "five stars i can't wait to read this" "five stars this sounds so interesting". I swear it takes forever to find actual reviews buried under all of the pre read ones.
Absolutely! That's exactly what I was referring to when I mentioned review bombing (positive or negative) running the risk of invalidating reviews as a whole
I think as a whole authors shouldn't interact DIRECTLY with reviewers, but I think there's room for nuance that a lot of people don't allow. What if there's a recurring theme in your reviews that is, for example, perpetuating racist or queerphobic beliefs (for example, people criticising a book with a black protagonist for the exact same things they say they love in white protagonists, or people saying that a protagonist is queer or black so why isn't their entire storyline based on that)? I think there's a conversation that can be started using those reviews as an example that people are too dismissive of.
Usually, I buy books based on the back summary and first chapter, but sometimes I read reviews beforehand if I'm really on the fence about buying it. After I finish reading a book, I want to talk about it, but I never have someone to do that with, so the next best thing is checking reviews and seeing what other people thought. I specifically like reading both extremes of opinion to see why someone might love/hate it when I didn't.
That's an interesting point. It's easy for me to say either extreme is bad, because no book is perfect and very few have 0 redeeming qualities, BUT I absolutely agree that they can be entertaining haha
Imo, authors can read the reviews of their books... but they shouldn't interact with the reviewers themselves. Just like you, I fall into the category of people who usually read reviews to validate my opinion on a book, but that might not be the case for other readers and reviewers.
I think we agree on that. Thanks for watching!
The validation thing is legit! At first I was like "naah, I never do this", but after thinking about it for a few seconds I realized, I do this all the time when it comes to RUclips videos. I always read the comments not just because I'm curious about what others think but also, if people have the same opinion as me.
Oh and welcome back, hope your nap was great and replenished you with new energy ! 😂
Thanks Lena, missed ya!
I feel like there is a correct way for authors to interact with reviewers. When I was still a baby book reviewer I wrote a 3-star review and felt so bad because it was one of the first books I ever got for review and I wanted it to be a 5-star but also obviously wanted to be honest (no point in reviewing otherwise) and the author reached out to me a little later privately to say that it was one of her favourite reviews she ever got because of how I talked about her book despite it being "only" a 3 star and it made my whole week and stopped me being so anxious about writing reviews!
Never fight with reviewers tho, it won't end well for either party and isn't worth the energy or anger. It's impossible for everyone to like something and it's okay to feel hurt but talk about it privately and not online
Well said!
😅 I try not to read my reviews, but sometimes I can’t resist. My pet peeve is the 1 star review for the distributor’s screw up. 😡 Nice to see you again, Cam. 😊
Great to see you too Regina! Yeah, I think all of us who have put books out are familiar with the 1 star reviews that seem meant for Amazon itself hahaha
This. I had a book turn up the other day absolutely sodden (and yet the outside of the package was fine? 🤔) and those sort of reviews were my first thought when I saw it. 😂
STOKED for your D&D channel!
thanks!
Awesome video! Glad you are back from your nap😂. I always buy books based on covers and blurbs, but a review sometimes puts it on my radar. Even bad reviews make me want to check them out myself more. I agree with your points 100%, great discussion!
Good to see you and your interesting topics again!
I almost feel like "always rating high" undermines the point of rating as much as bombers. I think it's fantastic when readers want to support the authors, and for some people that book is bound to be a 5-star, but surely you enjoy some books more than others?
Oh for sure! Review bombing can go both ways. Positive review bombing, (e.g. influencers who publish a book and their fans give it waves of 5 stars) can hurt people's trust just as much as the negative reviews
I found a Sara j Maas book on my shelf that I had bought ~10 years ago, and thought I’d give it a shot because I couldn’t remember if maybe I was just too young to like it at the time. Before I started reading, I looked up the reviews on Goodreads. the top review is a 1 star. Because of that I held off reading it for another few months and didn’t read it until recently. And, tbh, I didn’t hate it but I’m not continuing the series because it just wasn’t for me. I went back to look at the review to read the whole thing and it’s absolutely *unhinged*. It’s so long that it’s a novella in and of itself. And I didn’t even read the whole thing, this person just like went through the whole book with a red pen. I think because of the level of engagement on Goodreads, that’s what made it the first review you see
As an author I don't have any reviews but look forward to reading them if they do eventually come so I know where I can improve.
CAM WOLFE IS BACK!!!!
Hell yeah!
I get annoyed when a reviewer whines about representation in fantasy books. These are the same people who dislike historical books/movies for being somewhat historically accurate. I've read a review on GR once of a Chinese fantasy book. The cast of characters was mostly male. The reviewer completely trashed the book for only that. It's so weak and says more about the person writing the review than the book itself.
I tend to avoid reciews until after I've finished something, ir gakf way through if I'm starting to flag on it, then ill search out negative reviews who say what I'm feeling to see if I should bother continuing to finish it. Especially with movies.
I came across Shad's book yesterday and added it to my TBR. I think it might come off now. 😂
Hi Cam! Long time no see. Hope your doing fine. Keep up the Awzum and Godbless! 😎🙏👍
Thanks! Hey, did you know that you've left me the most comments on all my videos since I started here? I just thought you should know I noticed, thanks for all the support mate, I appreciate it more than words can say
@@Cam_Wolfe 😎👍🔥🔥🔥
Naps are dangerous man. I never know if I'm going to wake up 6-minutes later or 6 months.
I knoooow :(
Cam we missed you!
Aw, thanks! That means a lot to me
Welcome back Cam!!! The hibernation is over! 😭🤣
Thanks Ronaldo! Great to see you again
I rarely connect with those who review my books. My interactions with readers usually occur when they comment on my social media posts, although I'm consistently cautious and courteous in my responses. Truth be told, reading reviews stresses me out, even the positive ones. Nice video. btw
I feel you just need to detach from the book you published , it's out there it's no longer yours. People can hate and love it as much as they want now , just what it takes to be an artist out in the world.
That's a very interesting topic. I absolutely agree that once you publish your book, it's out there to be consumed however anyone sees fit, although... I'm not sure where I stand on it being "no longer yours". It's definitely interesting to think about either way, thanks for watching!
Hey are you alright man? You Haven’t posted any videos on here in a while,what you been reading and how is the writing going ?! Hope to hear from you and see new videos soon!
I also totally read reviews after watching/reading something for validation too--- only when I have quite a jarred reaction though--- if I liked it I don't really care as much what other people thought (trying to make sure I'm just not being unreasonable I guess, although I am happy to watch content pointing out something problematic in something I liked that I didn't notice [in those cases I care]).
The kind of reviews I dislike the most (as a reader seeking insight) is definitely the "re-synopsis" reviews. You don't need to have spoilers in a review for it to be useful, but the reviews that just rephrase the actual book-back summary of the novel are just.. why? lol I can read that already. If they said something different or disagreed with the author's description, I'm all for it, but the reiteration of the vague plot, who is that for? ':P
Oh yeah, 100% haha. I've seen a bunch of those reviews that summarize the entire plot over a full page, then end it with "it was pretty good" haha
The Goodreads mean girl reviews can be annoying for authors and can be performative a lot of times.
Also: you are talking about fantasy books in this channel, D&D is probably too mainstream for this channel, not niche
You know, I think you're right. When I think about it, Fantasy book reviews are probably a lot more "niche" than D&D nowadays haha
nice to see you mate
glad you fell in love
That was a hefty nap 😂
People claim Brandon Sanderson is a bad writer just because he writes more basic prose, failing to understand that he does it on purpose.
Hopefully see you back on Twitch soon, I miss the chaos haha
People can call anyone a bad writer for any reason because they don't write like other writers do. It's lame in my opinion. Everyone's writing style is different. My problem is if someone compares a book I written to like Harry Potter... When my book isn't supposed to be like Harry Potter 😂
Hey Jenni! Great to see you again. I 100% agree, in fact I think I spoke about exactly this in a video I did about an article that guy wrote about Brando Sando. The article suggested he is a weak writer because he doesn't use flowery Tolkien'esque prose, and it's like... yeah, because he has his own writing style?
A pet peeve of mine is when reviewers say things like "....for me" or "me or my taste weren't in mind when this was being written." I didn't realize a book or any piece of art/entertainment was supposed to be created specifically for them. It sounds obnoxious & entitled.
I can definitely see what you mean. I think it's a good skill for reviewers to be able to tell the difference between something being bad, and just not being their taste
You look rested. :-)
Thanks Chris!
He's not dead!
I'm the bad reviewer! that's me lol
hahaha I refuse to believe that, Ben
Reviews are the only way for an authors to gauge how they can improve? Hard disagree. Pay an editor, reach out for beta readers, join a writing group, but authors are not supposed to rely on amazon or goodreads reviews for writing lessons. Reviews are not free labour.
That's a fair point, if I said it was the only way, I shouldn't have, but I do think it's good for Authors to gauge feedback from a wide range of reviews as well. Even in doing that, I don't think anyone would expect the reviews to be treated as writing lessons. I'd hope not anyway haha. Thanks for watching
@@Cam_Wolfe yes, it's a good way to glaube how people react to your book. If they like a certain character etc. But that's pretty much it. All in all, reviews say more about the reviewer than the author.
anyone who rates a book before reading it is a massive red flag. Yeah I know you like this author but you don't need to give a book 5 stars the second its published. It's so annoying looking at reviews and all you can see is "five stars i can't wait to read this" "five stars this sounds so interesting". I swear it takes forever to find actual reviews buried under all of the pre read ones.
Absolutely! That's exactly what I was referring to when I mentioned review bombing (positive or negative) running the risk of invalidating reviews as a whole
I think as a whole authors shouldn't interact DIRECTLY with reviewers, but I think there's room for nuance that a lot of people don't allow. What if there's a recurring theme in your reviews that is, for example, perpetuating racist or queerphobic beliefs (for example, people criticising a book with a black protagonist for the exact same things they say they love in white protagonists, or people saying that a protagonist is queer or black so why isn't their entire storyline based on that)? I think there's a conversation that can be started using those reviews as an example that people are too dismissive of.
Yeah, absolutely! I think "nuance" is the key word here, I agree