When it comes to your book gaining traction, the biggest question mark lies in reader reviews. As such, you might ask yourself, “are reviews really that important?”
The short answer is yes. Yes, reviews are really that important. Now, it should also be noted that they are not the end-all and be all. Just because someone doesn’t give your book a glowing review, it doesn’t mean it’s bad. Moreover, you need to take reviews with a grain of salt. It could be that readers agree or disagree with the topic and opinions presented in the book, but not the writing itself.
So, we are going to take a look at why reviews are important for a book while considering that they are not the most important thing.
Reviews Are Not Always About the Book
It might seem paradoxical. Yet, most reviews are not about the book itself. Reviews are the perception the reader had of the book. Therefore, a good review is not necessarily a reflection of the book itself. It’s a reflection of the experience the reader had when reading the book. Likewise, a negative review is not an indictment of your book’s quality. It’s a reflection of the experience the reader had when reading your book.
Do you see the pattern here?
Unless your content is filled with typos, grammatical errors, and inaccurate information, negative opinions will be a reflection of what readers discovered in the book and how that made them feel about themselves.
By the same token, positive reviews are a clear indication that your writing struck a chord with them. Thus, you managed to hit your target audience right on the mark.
Reviews Help Future Readers Get a Sense of What They Can Expect
A negative review is not a death sentence. Likewise, a positive review is not a guarantee. Ultimately, a potential reader will make up their mind based on the comments they find. It could very well be that negative comments actually entice readers to read your book to see what the fuss is all about.
Have you ever read a book even though people said negative things about it?
Often, negative comments create buzz and interest. So, negative comments should not discourage you. Also, positive comments should not lull you into a false sense of security. Take the welcome feedback and strive to improve more and more.
The More Comments the Better
Whether positive or negative, comments are a way of helping readers get on board. The only thing that’s worse than negative comments is no comments at all. No comments mean that no one has read your book. In contrast, a healthy number of comments means that people are reading your book. Plus, the book has struck them, for better or worse, in such a way that they are willing to take the time to comment.
That is powerful stuff.
So, learn to take both positive and negative comments in stride. You’ll be better off for it.
