But writing, boy does it seems to kick you in the teeth. Unless you have skin like a rhino, then you will not last long in this game.  Some of the reviews that you receive can be pretty hurtful, if you let them get to you. Some authors I know don’t even read reviews anymore, they simply flat out refuse to.  But that in itself, I think can harm you a lot more.

When your first starting out, and you don’t have beta readers to highlight where the story lags and where it doesn’t work, reviews can do that for you. Not every review will be helpful, but the ones that tells you what didn’t work for them you can disgust that and use it in your later work.

Reviews like “Rubbish.” With nothing else written, just ignore. As well as any personal attacks, these do not help and can just be met with a shake of the head and move on.  But others that really break down your book, use it to your own advantage so your next book is tighter, stronger, better.

I will admit the above is not easy to do.

Trust me, I know.

It will have you doubting your work, hating everything that you write, and can sometimes led to writers block if you let it. But what I have learned and what works for me, is that once your book is out in the world for people to buy it, you can’t be that attached to it.

If you are a self published author, then you must treat your book like a publisher. If something doesn’t work change it. If a cover is wrong for the genre, that you write, change it. If the story sucks then it may be time to un-publish it and try again.

When you are creating your work of art, treat it like your best friend, lover, soul mate, to get the most out of that book. But once the work is done. It’s done.

Treat it like a brief love affair, then move on. Get what you can from it, experience, knowledge, what works and what didn’t, but once you hit publish.

Thats it!

It really doesn’t belong to you anymore.

I know we all get attached to our work, but getting better at anything is a painful process.