Guest Blogger -- Shelia Goss

Please welcome guest blogger Shelia Goss!

Reviews - Don't Take It Personal

By Guest Blogger Shelia M Goss

When I decided to pursue a career in writing, I thought I knew what to expect on this writing journey. I did my homework, took the workshops, courses, etc, but nothing prepares you for "the review." Not just any review (the ones we all love to get–the one saying your book is the best thing since sliced bread), but the review that not only tears your work apart, but also takes a stab at you personally; although 99.9 percent of the time, the person writing the review doesn’t even know if that’s really your name or a pen name.

How do you respond to such an attack? Some people ignore them and others go head to head with the reviewer. How should you respond? No simple answer here.

What is a review? A review is a critique. It’s a judgment about a body of work and can be written favorably or unfavorably. Keeping that definition in mind, realize that when you do get a review on your book or body of work, that it’s not a personal reflection of you (although it might seem like it). A negative review shouldn’t define you.

If written correctly, an author can learn something from a review regardless if it’s positive or negative. Don’t let a negative review deter you from your course. Reviews, whether good or bad, are just one person’s opinion.

Yes, there’s a difference between criticism for the sake of tearing someone down and constructive criticism. I’m sure some of you have encountered or read reviews that seemed to be personal attacks and they don’t back up why XYZ book is the worse thing since the stock market crashed. This is a gray area. It's hard to tell if the person has a hidden agenda or not, so tread carefully when responding to reviews written in this manner.

As writers, we have to develop a thick skin and go with the flow or as some people would say, roll with the punches. Know that a review is only one person’s opinion; whether you agree with it or not and most importantly, try not to take it personally (I know there are exceptions but rise above it). A review doesn’t define you–unless you let it.

If you receive a review that is a personal attack instead of an actual book review, don’t fret. Readers are smart enough to read in between the lines. The person writing the nasty review may have done you a favor. Controversy also sells books.

Shelia M Goss is the national best-selling author of six women's fiction novels: Hollywood Deception, His Invisible Wife, My Invisible Husband, Roses are thorns, Paige’s Web, Double Platinum and three young adult books: The Lip Gloss Chronicles series: The Ultimate Test, Splitsville, and Paper Thin. For more information, visit her website: www.sheliagoss.com or www.thelipglosschronicles.com.

Hollywood Deception is Shelia's 9th book and she decided to make my blog a stop during her Hollywood Deception Red Carpet Tour.