While being an author can be incredibly rewarding, it can also be exhausting when the dreaded negative comments or reviews come rolling in. Unfortunately, negative reviews and rejection are part of the process. Everyone will get a bad review at least once, if not many times, throughout their career. Even though it’s not easy to hear someone bash your hard work, there are a few tips you can learn that will make accepting them easier. Otherwise, it could stress you out or even make you want to quit. Instead of doing something rash, like giving up, here are a few tips to help you handle rejection or bad reviews as an author.
Learn From The Bad Reviews
Not every comment or review out there will be constructive criticism. There will be some bad reviews for either no legitimate reason or for something minute. It’s impossible to please everyone. Not every reader will love your book, and that’s okay. However, look out for patterns of constructive criticism. If you see practically the same comment made by multiple people, you may want to consider it when writing your next book.
Separate Yourself From Your Work
You worked incredibly hard on your book, and when someone says something negative about your book, it’s challenging not to take it personally. However, it’s important to know that a bad review or rejection doesn’t reflect who you are as a person. Learning how to separate your work from you as a person will help you to cope with rejection or bad reviews better.
Find Support
Handling bad reviews as an author isn’t a simple task. Even though you don’t want to take it personally, it’s hard not to sometimes. One of the best ways to cope with it is by getting support from your loved ones, fellow author friends, and fans. You can either reach out for support or read the good reviews and know that there are people out there who appreciate and love your work.
Don’t Forget Why You Started In The First Place
If you start to get discouraged from bad reviews or rejection, take time to reflect on why you became an author. Sometimes, making a list of why you started writing and why you want to continue will give you the motivation you need to keep going.
Prepare Yourself For Rejection Or Bad Reviews
It’s natural to receive rejection or bad reviews as an author. While it’s not an enjoyable part of the process, it happens, and it’s to be expected. When you expect rejection to happen at least once throughout your journey as an author, it makes coping with it a lot easier. However, don’t give up. Like they say, “When one door closes, another opens.”
Don’t Forget All That You’ve Achieved
Writing a book, or several, isn’t easy. Not everyone can do it, but you did. You should be proud of how far you’ve come. It can be tough hearing comments about your pride and joy but don’t forget how far you’ve come. Don’t punish yourself for a bad comment. Acknowledge it and keep moving forward.
In Conclusion
In conclusion, rejection and bad reviews are never easy; however, it’s all about how you handle it. By utilizing these tips, you’ll hopefully be able to navigate and cope with rejection and bad reviews a little better. Just remember, don’t let bad reviews or rejection stop you from reaching your goals and achieving your dreams.
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