Reading bad reviews of your work can be tough – we might feel that they’re unsubstantiated, that the reviewer simply “didn’t get it,” or that they have a bone to pick with us personally for some reason.  Regardless, bad reviews can hurt, and we may feel tempted to respond in kind, with harsh words and criticism of our own.

Three words:  don’t do it.

Not once. (Okay, five words.)

The one thing you’ll have to remember as an author with published material out in the world is that all sorts of different people are going to read it, and they’re going to have all sorts of different opinions on it. Art is subjective, and you’re not going to be able please everyone. There will be some who simply don’t like your work, and they’ll tell you about it. Sometimes they do so constructively, politely, and thoughtfully. Sometimes they go for the jugular.

Bad reviews don’t often go viral – they might if they’re particularly harsh and hilariously-written, but by and large, reviews don’t get much attention from anyone other than those who are either thinking about reading a particular book or have just finished reading a particular book. But there is one way to make sure a bad review gets seen by everyone in the industry: react poorly and publicly.

There are countless examples online of authors (or their agents, or their spouses) getting defensive and antagonistic in comment threads on bad reviews about their books. There are even reports of authors creating “sockpuppet” accounts from which to praise their own works and trash the reviews of those who dare to disagree. None of this behaviour is appropriate, professional, or helps convince people that the reviewer is mistaken and you’ve in fact written a brilliant piece of pure genius.

Here are some tips on how to read criticism of your work and minimize the personal impact:

• Allow yourself your first reaction, but keep it private. Rage, cry, vent to a good friend, write a scathing reply, do whatever you need to do to rid yourself of the initial emotional reaction to a bad review – but keep it to yourself.  Rage into a pillow, vent in person to a friend (not in email or on social media), or write the reply by hand and then destroy it. Feel your knee-jerk emotional reaction, and then purge it. Letting it run away with you will do you no good.

• Once calm, re-read the review. Pay attention, and look past the insults, if any.  Sometimes the criticisms that cut us closest to the quick are those that hit closest to the truth. Does the reviewer have a point? A valid concern? Are these things you can keep in mind for your next story?  Something to bear in mind is that if you’re getting multiple bad reviews that all make similar points; it might be worth it to listen, and give it some serious consideration.

• If you must reply, you can. If you’re just starting out building your fan base and are trying to engage your audience as much as possible, don’t suddenly fall silent on the one review that doesn’t praise you. Don’t stoop to their level, however. Returning insults for insults will make you look petty, unreasonable, and unprofessional, no matter how vicious the initial attack.  Acknowledge the review and thank them for their time. And that’s all.

• Move on. Don’t obsess. Bad reviews happen to even the most successful and popular authors of all stripes. Think of it this way: you’ve just joined their illustrious ranks! Rejection and bad reviews are all part and parcel of being an author. Call it a learning experience and get on with your next project.

Regardless if the reviewer has some well-articulated, polite, and valid criticism, or is an erupting volcano of vitriol insulting you, your skills, your parentage, and your pets – your reaction should be the same in all cases: either complete silence, or a polite acknowledgement and genuine gratitude for the time they spent reading, thinking about, and writing about your work.

We want to make 2013 the year YOU break through! So we’ll be supplying some helpful tidbits on how to accomplish this.

If you don’t already have a Facebook Page, we would highly suggest creating one. Facebook is one of the largest social networking sites, with more than 90 million active members; it is the most visited social network site out there right now.

You can connect your blog (if you have one) to your Facebook Page by adding a hyperlink to your blog in the description area of the page. You can also add a widget onto your actual blog that will allow you to connect your visitors to your Facebook Page.

Once you’ve shared your Page with your friends and family, and they have shared it with their friends and family, this should be the beginning of your fan base. But there are some do’s and don’ts to posting on Facebook to keep your Page “Likes” up instead of down.

Do:

Engage your fans. Ask your followers questions. Get them to share, comment or “like” your posts. This activity shows up on their friends news feeds and this could potentially increase your fan base even further.

Use the tools you’re given. Facebook allows you to see which of your posts are the most popular, it tracks your likes, what time of day gets the most activity, you can check out your follower’s demographics and there is so much more. You can use this information to your advantage to create future posts.

Don’t:

Don’t use your page to sell. We know the main point is to sell more books. But there is nothing that will lose fans quicker, then trying to sell to them constantly. You can use your page for discounts, coupons and even new arrivals. But don’t make it the bulk of your posts. Try and be more creative with your posts by having pictures and contests for extra content etc. that will help drive traffic.

Think before you post. Remember that you never know who might be reading your post, so be careful of the things that you say. Always be politically correct and never use the page to verbally harass or harm another person or site. This will result in traffic declines and maybe even being shut down in general. And always remember your audience: they are the ones who will be reading your posts therefore the content should be interesting to them, not only you.

by Rebecca Hamilton

Being inclusive toward an international audience is something that has been important to me since I first published. If someone wants to read my book, no matter who they are or where they live, I want to make it as easy as possible for them! This is why my website, www.paranormalfantasybooks.com, has a purchase page that links to opportunities to buy my book in any country. Where some authors might only show their US and UK links, I think it’s important to remember that someone from India or Spain or France or Germany or Italy or Brazil or anywhere might want to read your book.

Is it worth it to put this effort in? Absolutely. You might think you’ll only reach one person, so why bother, but there’s a few reasons you should bother.

1. It’s the right thing to do. As an author, I’m sure you don’t want to send the message that you only care about people who live in your own country. Because I know that’s just not true. Most of us authors have met amazing people and formed amazing friendships all over the world.
2. Social Media doesn’t discriminate to location! I talk to people from all over the world all the time. They are often asking where they can get my book (and I like being able to easily link them to one place where they can find the right option for them!) And you make 1 happy reader in, say, Spain, and before you know it you have 2 readers in Spain. Then 10. Then 100.

Sometimes authors focus only one purchase venue, too. But not everyone reads on the same device! Not everyone wants to buy their print books through the same stores! I’ve met many readers who have a preference for various online retailers and many readers who have different reading devices. You want to be inclusive. Send the message that you care about your readers and want them to be able to read your book, as easily as possible. A reader is more likely to buy and read your book if they don’t have to spend an hour figuring out where they can get it that actually applies to them.

Also, by doing so, you improve your exposure and success! Consumers are more likely to buy a product if they’ve seen it in 3 or more places. This is why you want your books in as many stores and on as many blogs and mentioned on as many social media networks as possible.

I owe a lot of success to my first novel, The Forever Girl, to my devoted overseas fans. It means the world to them to know that there are people that care about including them. And when they find an author like that whose work they enjoy reading, they will promote you endlessly to their friends—both in their own country and around the world, once again, thanks for the wide world of social media!

Of course, I have limits. For example, I don’t speak every language, so my book is currently only available in English. And it always makes me feel a little sad when people message me and ask when my book will be available in their language. With the help of my amazing agent, that is starting to turn around. Already there is a planned release for a German edition of my book.

Here are my top three marketing tips to get your book out there with international inclusivity.

1. Create a website landing page that makes finding the purchase links to your book easy. This page should include links to every possible purchase options—be it print, eBook, international, etc.
2. Promote across all platforms. Tweet/Facebook/Email/Blog—whatever you do, be sure you are targeting all device users, either together or separately! Keep in mind those devices that are just starting to grow in popularity are also less likely to have a lot of authors marketing to that audience—meaning it’s going to be a lot easier for you to stand out in that crowd!
3. Engage your fans internationally. If they can’t find your book in their country, help them find it. If it’s not available in their country, find a way to change that. And if all else fails, consider sending along a free copy for them to read. They might not live in your country, but if they can talk to you, they can talk to other people in your country as well.

My biggest, most supportive fan lives in India. She has helped to sell countless copies of my book. I know I owe much of my success to her and people like her—people from all over the world who wanted to read my book. They were able to because I made it easy to do so. And you can do this, too!

Happy writing, and I wish you tons of international success and may 2013 bring you new friendships and book sales from across the globe!

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Rebecca Hamilton writes Paranormal Fantasy, Horror, and Literary Fiction. She lives in Florida with her husband and three kids, along with multiple writing personalities that range from morbid to literary. Having a child diagnosed with autism has inspired her to illuminate the world through the eyes of characters who see things differently.

Click here to see Rebecca Hamilton’s books at Kobo (and yes, they are available INTERNATIONALLY)
Click here to download a free extended sample of The Forever Girl