Why You Should Listen to Your Book Reviews

And why you should take no notice of them (timing is the thing)

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Photo by Matthew Henry on Unsplash

My crime novel, Woman, Missing was published at the beginning of July 2024, so now — two months later — I’m able to take a little step backwards and think about the experience.

Firstly, I’m so pleased that nearly every review has been positive, some overwhelmingly so. I really grateful to all the people who read the book and wrote reviews (and just as happy with those who gave stars and left it at that — not everyone is into reviewing).

So many writers say — DON’T READ THE REVIEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hmm, well, I can’t help myself, to be honest. I’m sure if I wrote a terrible book, I’d soon be shutting myself off and crying myself to sleep. Most reviewers are honest and don’t hold back.

So my book is doing OK. What I love the most is how many people said, “This must be the start of a series — I want to read the next one!” Since I’m currently writing Book 2, that was music to my ears (a cliché I avoid in my books, by the way).

But I do read the less favorable reviews. Why? Because that’s where I learn what I’m doing wrong. Or more to the point, what readers see as things that detract from their reading experience.

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Sherryl Clark - writer, editor, poet.

Writer, editor, book lover — I've published many children's books and three crime novels for adults so far. I edit other people's fiction and poetry.