Bad reviews taught me not to read them. Seriously. True story. I do my best to avoid reading bad reviews. Not always successful but I try.
Here are a few reasons why:
– I don’t want it in my head. It’s a case of ‘author know thyself.’ I’m not someone who thrives on criticism, I know some people do, not me. It’s crushing. So, I just don’t see a need to push that into my brain.
– Reviews are for readers–not authors. End of story. Once my precious word baby goes out into the wild, the response to it is out of my control.
(And don’t get me wrong, good reviews are lovely. I’m always thrilled and beyond grateful if someone loves my work. But, writing is an art and art is subjective. Not everyone will enjoy my style of putting words together. *shrugs* The world doesn’t end when that happens. Though, I will eat a lot of ice cream to feel better. Don’t judge me.)
Watching other authors react to their reviews has also taught me something important.
Never. EVER. Respond to a negative review.
Seriously.
Ever.
Nothing good can ever come from it.
How about you? If you’re an author, do you read bad reviews or avoid them?
If you’re a reader, are reviews important to you when selecting books?
Author Dahlia Donovan 
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