Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 45:25 — 34.8MB) | Embed
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | TuneIn | RSS | More
The duo had to persevere technical issues to get episode 26 recorded. They’re true professionals, although Clare is heads above TB when it comes to pronouncing difficult words.
On Tuesday, TB finished a project and celebrated by going to the beach on Wednesday. She ended up having too much fun and checked into a hotel, turning her beach day into a short vacation in New Hampshire. But she needed a break since she’s about to release the first of two standalone novels. Exciting!
Clare is still having family time, which has involved a lot of karaoke. TB learned Clare’s sister, who is 18 years older, is way cooler than TB. On the work front, Clare is going over a draft of a novel she penned six months ago, and it’s like a brand-spanking-new story she’s never seen before. Don’t fear; she plans to punch it into shape and look for an October release!
They move onto the topic of the week: reviews. In order to get your book noticed, you need social proof, which means getting reviews. Simply put: reviews are the lifeline of books. Dealing with reviews isn’t always easy, and Clare shares a story about how easy it can be to internalize a negative one. TB reads reviews and tries to see similarities, good and bad, in them in order to hone her writing. Clare points out reviews are great for quotes. Both share some of their favorite one-star reviews. Also, they discuss the importance of ARC teams. While reviews are vital for authors, it’s important not to let them get you down. They’re one person’s opinion, and no author can please everyone. The best thing to do is to keep writing.
Stop back next week for a lively discussion about going wide versus Kindle Unlimited. If you’d like to leave a comment on the episode, head over to www.lesbianswhowrite.com. They’d love to hear from you. Or you can email them at: lesbianswhowrite@gmail.com.
Happy listening!
Clare and TB
I found this episode very interesting. I take my responsibility as an ARC Team member very seriously. If an author entrusts her work to me for free, then I feel the least I can do is write a review. I love this podcast. You and Clare are perfect together! Brava!
LOL @ clueless, homophobic and prudish readers! These days I try not to read reviews before reading a book, because they may contain huge spoilers.. or just bash my fave authors! Hey, I don’t adore everything my fave authors write, but criticism on a book is quite different from calling the author names or making assumptions about their person.
(and the malicious little nitpicker in me always cackles at the poor spelling and/or grammar of these trolls)
I’m totally with Kathy here: a free book deserves a review every time.
Hi Miira!
Some have asked me why I haven’t reported some of the name-calling reviews, but honestly, what’s the point? They show their true colors by making comments like that.
I also enjoy reading a review bashing grammar/editing with misspelled words.
Thanks for listening and for commenting!
TB
Hi Kathy!
I appreciate everything you do as an ARC team member. It means so much!
Thanks for listening and for the kind words.
TB
Loved this episode. I no longer read my reviews – it’s now my wife’s job! But my favourite bad review was a 2-star, because my clearly marked young adult, sweet (ie no sex) romcom had no “down and dirty sex”. You can’t please everyone and you can’t make everyone read the blurb before they buy lol.
Hi SR!
How dare you not write down and dirty sex in a sweet romance! These types of reviews make me toss my hands in the air, while laughing. You’d think readers would read, but that’s not always the case.
Thanks so much for listening and for commenting!
TB
Interesting episode re reviews…I tend to read reviews before buying a book and have noticed some negative comments but tend to ignore these ones. Some do sound like trolls lol. I buy a lot of lesfic books (via my kindle) and won’t leave reviews on books I didn’t like, I don’t like leaving neg reviews….thought I was the only one TB!! : )
In saying that I would like to leave comments on books (I’ve liked) as soon as I have read them but my kindle makes it impossible to do so, I need to get on the Amazon site to leave comments. I have left comments before but still have a back log. Once I find some time I’ll be leaving lots of comments (good ones of course) to write about the books I have read. Also, I have recently switched over to Aussie amazon from the US one and have noticed we don’t have as many comments as the US one does…I think we have been forgotten about lol. It would be nice if Amazon integrates all comments coming from the UK,US and Oz.
Keep the pods coming ladies…haven’t missed out on one yet! Cheers.
Hi Raffie!
I find it interesting that your Kindle makes it hard to leave reviews, when Amazon is always wanting reviews. Although, Amazon has made recent changes making it harder for people to leave reviews in other Amazon stores. Maybe since you recently switched from US to AUS that’s the reason you can’t. I’m only spittballing and have no idea if this is correct.
As an author, I think it’s fab you go out of your way to leave a review. I can’t stress enough how vital they are.
Thanks so much for listening and for commenting!
TB