Thoughts on someone leaving harsh reviews on your novel?

[StoneInky]

I've actually been holding off harsh reviews because I thought authors would dislike them. Who wants to be suddenly pounded into a pulp when you haven't even asked for it?

But I recently found a couple scathing reviews(?) written to the author, not the reader. That...surprised me. I didn't know that was ok.

I've come to this site from NU. That site is filled with translations, and so nobody writes reviews hoping to get the author's attention. That's why my reviews are written more as a guide for other readers. Usually in cases where the story doesn't have a proper synopsis, or when it gives something drastically different from what was promised. I just add no, this is what the story is actually about!

But now I'm pondering whether to start plummeling random authors. I hope people don't think I'm being mean...

Are you guys ok with this? Or nah?

 

[Macha]

I am ok with this as long as they use condoms.

 

[Daydreamers]

Reviews aren't just for readers, but for authors too; what most provide isn't the final product, any review, no matter how harsh, serves as a valuable feedback
me personally, I don't mind, but that's because I suck and I wanna learn

 

[Assurbanipal_II]

I've actually been holding off harsh reviews because I thought authors would dislike them. Who wants to be suddenly pounded into a pulp when you haven't even asked for it?

But I recently found a couple scathing reviews(?) written to the author, not the reader. That...surprised me. I didn't know that was ok.

I've come to this site from NU. That site is filled with translations, and so nobody writes reviews hoping to get the author's attention. That's why my reviews are written more as a guide for other readers. Usually in cases where the story doesn't have a proper synopsis, or when it gives something drastically different from what was promised. I just add no, this is what the story is actually about!

But now I'm pondering whether to start plummeling random authors. I hope people don't think I'm being mean...

Are you guys ok with this? Or nah?

Harsh reviews are usually suspicions. Either done by evident smurf accounts or rival authors that just want to put you down. Like come on, a freshly created account. No reading list. Giving me a review. Or genuine haters.

 

[Alski]

As long as its constructive go nuts and burn them.

 

[StoneInky]

Harsh reviews are usually suspicions. Either done by evident smurf accounts or rival authors that just want to put you down. Like come on, a freshly created account. No reading list. Giving me a review. Or genuine haters.

Oh, god I didn't know that. That makes things all so more complicated.

 

[Esia]

I think it's all about approach and context. Providing constructive criticism and honest opinions is one thing, but personal attacks or overly harsh critiques can cross a line.

It's important to maintain a level of respect and empathy, offering feedback in a way that's helpful and constructive for the author to grow and improve their work.

If the reviews genuinely aim to help readers understand the story, I'm ok with that.

As long as the reviewer's goal is to better inform readers and contribute to discussions, I believe most authors would appreciate that.

But if the goal is to make those authors stop writing...

I'm not entirely ok with that. Some authors work hard on their story. They deserve respect and encouragement.

Remember, you always have the option to simply not read a story and move on if you find a story not to your taste.

 

[Assurbanipal_II]

Oh, god I didn't know that. That makes things all so more complicated.

You are cuddly~. So do not fear~. But I am just talking from my experience. The two lowest reviews I have are from a fellow Naruto fanfic author that is not on this sit any more, and that even admitted in PM with me that they were fundamentally wrong a central point of their critique when I showed them the manga referenced with pages.

And the other review is from an inactive smurf that was following an author I had some considerable beef with back then. Only a single review. Promised to respond to my points in PM after they conceded that I had a point, but never reappeared again. So go figure.

 

[StoneInky]

You are cuddly~. So do not fear~. But I am just talking from my experience. The two lowest reviews I have are from a fellow Naruto fanfic author that is not on this sit any more, and that even admitted in PM with me that they were fundamentally wrong a central point of their critique when I showed them the manga referenced with pages.

And the other review is from an inactive smurf that was following an author I had some considerable beef with back then. Only a single review. Promised to respond to my points in PM after they conceded that I had a point, but never reappeared again. So go figure.

Oh yeah, I saw those. You gave the link to me. That's actually the very review I looked at and thought, oh, so it's okay to be mean when reviewing? Lmao. I haven't watched Naruto, so I had no idea what they were talking about.

That makes me even more nervous now! Yay. Thanks for the cuddle.

 

[Assurbanipal_II]

Oh yeah, I saw those. You gave the link to me. That's actually the very review I looked at and thought, oh, so it's okay to be mean when reviewing? Lmao. I haven't watched Naruto, so I had no idea what they were talking about.

That makes me even more nervous now! Yay. Thanks for the cuddle.

They are the most intellectually dishonest of them all~. Pure backstabbing~.

 

[Corty]

I didn't know that was ok.

It isn't ok if it attacks the author. Whenver I see reviews like that under books, I tend to report.

Reviewing is fine, even if I disagree with the points they bring up. But going after the author? Nope. I'm gonna report those whenever I see one.

 

[Paul__Michaels]

If the review is earnest and in good faith. Then the author should take in as a critique to do as they wish.

Me personally, I hate "reviews" that are trollish.

 

[RepresentingPride]

I've actually been holding off harsh reviews because I thought authors would dislike them. Who wants to be suddenly pounded into a pulp when you haven't even asked for it?

But I recently found a couple scathing reviews(?) written to the author, not the reader. That...surprised me. I didn't know that was ok.

I've come to this site from NU. That site is filled with translations, and so nobody writes reviews hoping to get the author's attention. That's why my reviews are written more as a guide for other readers. Usually in cases where the story doesn't have a proper synopsis, or when it gives something drastically different from what was promised. I just add no, this is what the story is actually about!

But now I'm pondering whether to start plummeling random authors. I hope people don't think I'm being mean...

Are you guys ok with this? Or nah?

We are authors (If I cann call us like that), just burn us, the weakest will burn into ashes and not come out again, while the strongest will just laugh and find what could be used in your review into their stories.

 

[Representing_Tromba]

I want it as harsh as possible because sadly, the harsher it is, the better the applicable feedback.

 

[OokamiOkuri]

I accept all reviews as long as they are, you know, reviews.

 

[StoneInky]

I think it's all about approach and context. Providing constructive criticism and honest opinions is one thing, but personal attacks or overly harsh critiques can cross a line.

It's important to maintain a level of respect and empathy, offering feedback in a way that's helpful and constructive for the author to grow and improve their work.

If the reviews genuinely aim to help readers understand the story, I'm ok with that.

As long as the reviewer's goal is to better inform readers and contribute to discussions, I believe most authors would appreciate that.

But if the goal is to make those authors stop writing...

I'm not entirely ok with that. Some authors work hard on their story. They deserve respect and encouragement.

Remember, you always have the option to simply not read a story and move on if you find a story not to your taste.

Yeah, I agree. It's just not easy to tell where that line is sometimes...

 

[AnonUnlimited]

They paid nothing to me of material value, therefore their comment is worthless.

 

[expentio]

As a general stance, if you intend to do it for the author, I'd rather recommend a comment below the chapter or a direct pin. You can give fair critique and issues you see that you'd like they'd take care of. You need to consider, given the number of reviews, that a negative one is going to bring down the rating and viewership of the story. Now if you want to warn other readers, then that's your point, but it's definitely not helping the author create a better story if readers drop before giving it a chance, because the perceived quality is so low.
I'm not saying it's wrong to write a negative review, but you should make sure that your intentions and the likely results of your actions align.

As a personal point, it certainly isn't a great feeling to see someone talking badly about the project you poured your heart into. While I'm open to suggestions and admit to faults, oftentimes I just can't do much with negative reviews. Problematic I find emotional ones. Like, the development wasn't what readers hoped for and therefore a 1-star review is apparently warranted. Recently got one of those from someone who dropped my story at Chapter 174. Clearly, it was apparently at no point engaging. So, I'd at least ask reviewers to try to sort out their feelings before acting upon them.

 

[Corty]

I also think reviews have to have certain limits.

What I mean is this:

• If you review a book after 1 to 5 chapters or with another metric, below 15-20% of the actual chapter count?
  • Then you better be critiquing the grammar and other related issues and not about the plot.

I won't take anything else seriously in reviews that come under such a short chapter count because nobody, not even Sherlock Reading Holmes, could discern the plot of a 100+ chapter story from just 5. Even if they turn out right, it simply isn't right to do so because there is no guarantee.

Plus, many times, what I see is not critiquing a book or a story. It is nothing but bitching about what the reader didn't like. Usually, what others call critiquing something is just complaining. They are not offering examples or insight into why they think it doesn't work in context with the story. There are no possible examples of how it could be made work or comparisons with other works where the same thing worked. It is usually just:

"I don't like it, so it's stupid."

So, once again, disliking something doesn't mean you are critiquing it. It is bitching about it.

I especially hate those reviews that come early, predicting what the book is about, wholly off the mark. Because they left the review early, they never realized that their words were proved wrong later on regarding the plot and their critique of said plot. But their damage had already been done and sent possible readers away because they began crying in the name of critiquing.

It was what made me ignore all reviews on movies, shows, games, books, and everything else. People bitch and call it critiquing. I don't believe anything, only my two eyes. Ratings are worthless.

And if I dislike something, I don't stick around, just move on.

 

[AnonUnlimited]

I've come to this site from NU.

I heard you were also from Korea.
There are some... comics... my friend wants translated.
Can you help?