O is for One-Star Reviews: #AtoZ Challenge Writing Inspiration

4/17/2014

The letter O is for one-star reviews. You may not consider one-star reviews inspiring. In fact, you probably think of them as a source of creative derailment. But not these!

Travis Jonker has a created a series of "guess the one-star review" posts at 100 Scope Notes that will help put reviews of your own work into perspective. Thank you to Kate Messner for introducing this to SCBWI NYC Conference attendees during her speech on failure.

Click here for the list, currently up to its 18th review for your guessing pleasure. Number 15 made me laugh out loud.

How do you handle (or plan to handle) unfavorable reviews?

100 Scope Notes: One Star Review Guess Who

Tasha link

4/16/2014 09:00:32 pm

I don't tend to read one star reviews simply because I have found in the past they are often left by idiots who have entirely missed the point anyway :) Occasionally they are funny, but usually they are just fury inducing.
Tasha
<a href="http://tashasthinkings.blogspot.co.uk/">Tasha's Thinkings - AtoZ (Vampires)</a>
<a href="http://fantasyboysxxx.blogspot.co.uk/">FB3X - AtoZ (Erotic Drabbles)</a>

Yvonne link

4/17/2014 01:13:09 am

Yes, fury-inducing is a problem. :)

Sabrina Garie link

4/17/2014 12:06:20 am

A writer friend once advised me that controversial books tend to be better sellers, so the one star reviews as part of a wide set of reviews is actually a good thing. The more readers, the more chance of a bad review.

Yvonne link

4/17/2014 01:14:19 am

That's an interesting way to look at it. Thanks, Sabrina.

C. Lee McKenzie link

4/17/2014 05:47:03 am

If you're not controversial at all, you haven't provoked much thinking. I guess I'd ignore a one star review.

Yvonne link

4/20/2014 02:37:32 pm

You've been so kind about stopping by often, Lee. I got backed up O, P, Q but hope to be back on track tomorrow for R!

Crystal Collier link

4/17/2014 05:48:36 am

Unfavorable reviews? I read the good ones instead, then go for a run, then eat cheese, then read something I've written that someone has raved about. Yup. I wish I was one of those people who could just sit back and ignore them.

<a href="http://crystalcollier.blogspot.com">True Heroes from A to Z</a>

Yvonne link

4/20/2014 02:38:28 pm

Cheese can cure a lot of things. :)

Laura Hile link

4/17/2014 12:40:41 pm

Oh happy day! Thanks for the link to this Guess The One-Star Review list, Yvonne. Just the thing to cheer me up when the chips are down. Because we can't please everyone, right?

I haven't had a one-star yet, but I have had one two. I tell myself that I won't read reviews, but then I cave in and I peek. And after that I remind myself that there are people who enjoy whining in a public forum.