Ever had to give a bad review??

[Shannon]

I am totally new to the blogging/review thing and so far, I am absolutely loving it.  I love reading and so far I have honestly enjoyed the ones I have read for review. 

 

My question is: Have you ever had to give a bad review?  I am interested in being honest with my followers, but would never want to hurt the author.  I want to be constructive in my critique, but not destructive to the writer.

 

I would love to hear from some of you who have already encountered this and hear how you handled it, and what the author's response was to you.

 

Thanks!

http://chipsransomreads.blogspot.com/

[Laura Ellis]

I read a book that I just could barely make it through and said some nice things about the book but also gave what I didn't like as to not be too harsh.  However, a good friend of the author posted harrassing comments to me on my blog, my goodreads account for weeks afterwards.  I would still do it again as I think it is only fair to give your honest opinion.  I don't want to lie about a book and have my blog readers mislead. Hope this helps.

Laura

[Katie]

I think the key to writing a negative review is to just be tactful. I tend to begin every review with something positive, even if it's something very small, and then I talk about what didn't work for me. I make sure to make very specific references to the text, and to explain how I think those particular aspects could be improved. As long as you're respectful and give reasons for disliking the book, I think your followers will respect your opinion, and the author, if he or she looks at your review, will be less likely to have hurt feelings, even if he or she is disappointed that you didn't enjoy the book.

Katie
http://sharingsoda.blogspot.com

[Daniel L Carter]

As an author I never like hearing negative reviews however I also realize that not all people are going to like my stories. I can appreciate and respect a readers review if they give good reason why they didn't like the story. Their advice may be something that is truly valuable for me to consider for my next book.

 

Now as a reader who does book reviews, I have my own set of rules. I review every book that I pay for regardless of whether I liked it or not. If I receive a review copy for free and don't like the book then I simply notify the author or publisher that sent it to me and let them know I can't give a favorable review and then I thank them for giving me the opportunity to read the story. If I pay for a book and don't like it I try and find positive aspects of the story or writing style but I also give my honest opinion. I've had to do this a couple times now. I do have to confess that if an author is well established I will be harsher than with a newer author trying to get established. I did a very negative review for one of Stephen R. Donaldson's recent books. He's been writing for over thirty years and my review is not going to make or break him so I feel I can have a little more freedom with the review. If I truly enjoy a book I will often do author interviews on my site or even book giveaways but I'll be honest there have been few really good books lately. (sigh) 

 

Blessings,

Daniel L Carter

Author of The Unwanted Trilogy

dlcacmp.blogspot.com

[Shannon]

This makes alot of sense to me...I would never want to crush a new author.  The point you make about whether it is a book you have been given to review versus one you have paid for is very true and I hadn't looked at it from that perspective.  Also, the author's experience should also factor in there as well.  I am in the process of writing a review policy for my blog and I think this is a point that I would like to be very up front with when someone requests a review. 

Thanks for the great insight!

Shannon

http://chipsransomreads.blogspot.com/

[Ashley Wiederhold]

The trick is to talk about the story, the writing, the characters, never about the author. When reviewers get too personal it can get nasty. There's a huge difference between "The writing was a bit jumpy, the plot didn't flow" and "So and so sucks at writing." I do write honest reviews and I try to cover every aspect of the book-- from the title and the cover to the characterization and writing style. If you look at every aspect of a book there is almost always at least one positive thing you can say, but don't be afraid to be constructive (never cruel). You may have gotten this book for free, but others are going to buy it and deserve to know whether or not it is worth their investment.  

[Shannon]

Very true...I want my reviews to be fair and honest.  After all, they are just my view on the book and maybe someone else would have a totally different take on it.  I guess I just don't want to hurt or anger anyone, but  I would want my reviews to be trusted and seen as honest.  Thanks for sharing!

Shannon

http://chipsransomreads.blogspot.com/

[Gina]

The key to reviewing a book that falls into the "did not like" category for me is finding a balance.  List the good AND the not-so-good because let's face it....SOMETHING drew you to the title, otherwise why did you even pick it up for a read?  Good luck...and happy reading!  ^_^

[Kari Boardman]

I have had to write a bad review.  But I always try to find something positive about the book.  I try to write about the things I didn't like in a nice way and balance it with at least one thing that I did like. I want to be honest and I think it is all a matter of opinion anyway. I have read books that I thought were so boring that other people have loved.  As someone said here, it is the book you are reviewing, not the person who wrote it.

[Kati Lear]

I am new too but I have already had a few bad books you can choose to not review some books if thats in your policy. I honestly will never give anyone a score under three because I would feel bad and if I don't like the book someone else might like it. So im honest about that. Like i'll say it wasn't for me but I know other people who liked it. I guess thats just the way I go about it. 

 

http://klearsreviews.blogspot.com/

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Kati Lear