What to do if you are a writer and you receive a negative book review on GoodReads/NetGalley/Amazon/etc. etc. etc.:

Step 1: DO NOT post ANY response on social media or reply to the reviewer online either directly or in a subtweet.
Step 2: Text and/or DM your trusted writerly friends (if desired) & discuss it. THEY should not post on social media about the review either.
Step 3: Go back to your life.
Thus ends the lesson...
HOWEVER...>>>
Step 4: Is the review racist, bigoted, and/or threatening, and/or abusive? Let your trusted writerly friends know so THEY can report the review to the platform where it was posted. Also in this case only, notify your agent and editor.
STILL DO NOT POST ABOUT IT.
Step 5: IF the review is racist, bigoted, &/or threatening &/or abusive, you & your team have reported the review, & it has not been removed from the platform in 48 hours (72 if over a weekend), have YOUR CREW (not you!) post abt the review on social, so the wolf pack can assist.
AUTHORS: you still SAY NOTHING.
The negative whiplash of replying directly to reviews and/or negative reviewers will bite an author. Every. Time.
Reviews are for readers, not writers, & the reviewers who forget this & feel entitled to tag authors should not be rewarded with an author's attention.
Don't give responses.

P.S. Yes, you may RT positive reviews.
Thus end-th the lesson.
You can follow @AnneTibbets.
Tip: mention @twtextapp on a Twitter thread with the keyword “unroll” to get a link to it.

Latest Threads Unrolled:

By continuing to use the site, you are consenting to the use of cookies as explained in our Cookie Policy to improve your experience.