…I’m appalled to learn from news snippets on the Web recently that the pernicious practice of false reviews being purchased on Amazon is rife… as a scribbler myself, I consider each and every review that any of my WURKS attract is a a precious commodity…
…since first dipping my authorly toe into the swirling maelstrom that is the Auntie Amazon Kindle universe ten years ago, my wee literary babies have been honoured with in excess of 500 reviews… the majority of these have been 4-star and 5-star offerings, for which, of course, I am indebted to the reviewers for taking the time and trouble to record their opinions… but I never lose sight of the fact that they are simply that… opinions… if sumb’dy buys one of my books, then I firmly accept they are at liberty to say whatever they want, positive or negative about it…
…I recall the first time I had a negative review, with only 2 stars out of 5… the dagger to the heart felt real… however, when I checked that reviewer’s other reviews, I found he had only published one other, and given 1 star out of 5 stars for a John Grisham novel… thankfully, teaching me early in this game, to treat ALL reviews with a pinch of salt… why?… because I think that not too many people will be troubled to publish anything below 4 or 5 stars anyway, so the average balance in the critical mass of reviews is biased toward the positive side… also, after a while, an author’s own internal HONESTY gauge can sense when the reviews are real, which, by the way, are the only type that I wish to have… which brings me back to the dreadful trading of reviews for money… it besmirches the landscape for the vast majority of excellent writers who offer the products of their own sweat, blood, tears, and endless, sleepless nights… however, ‘fessing up, there is a pleasant frisson attached to any review which compliments my books…and I believe that the reading public are not daft… quality titles will surface regardless of the charlatans… see yeez later… LUV YEEZ!
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