My 1-Star Review!

Well, it hasn’t happened yet, but the point is…it will.

To venture through life unscathed is one of the most defeating expectations there could possibly be.  Not only is it ridiculously unrealistic, it just sets you up for disappointment over and over again.  The way I tend to prepare for most things in my wacky brain is “worst case scenario thinking.” I admit that is NOT the healthiest way to handle situations, but in this case it will ease my mind and soften the blow.

In preparation of my inevitable future 1-Star Review of my debut book, I took a gander at some 1-star reviews of people that have influenced me, write what I've read, and are people I respect.

Here’s what I learned:

• Some are correct.  I don't necessarily mean that the comments warranted giving the book 1 star, but in that reviewer's opinion, that’s what it earned.  The types of comments I read that might actually pertain to my own book revolved around word choice. The writing is either overly simple, too flowery, too wordy, or juvenile.  So what?  I chose the words I chose.  And to quote my own book here, “You can’t unpoop it.”
• Others were about the book quality.  Cheap-looking, small print, or poorly designed.  Well, I have a small thin book that can be read in under two hours.  I imagine some folks could see it as cheap or amateurish.  Again, so what? Yes, my book is a very quick read, but it isn’t supposed to be.  It’s supposed to support you across twenty-six days. My dream is that somewhere out there, there will be a tattered and well-used copy of my book that wears the scars of holding someone’s emotions for them for an entire month.
• Some are just mean-spirited.  So what? These are fairly easy to spot, and in my trying-to-be-kind and easy-going way I have to just hope that typing those mean words gave someone some sort of emotional relief they needed in the ten minutes it took them to type it out.  As I try to remind my students, someone else's reaction toward you is 99 percent never about you. From my experiences it’s usually about something else in their life that is none of my damn business anyway.
• And finally, it’s actually a great thing! It means that my book is being read beyond the friends and family circle! It means that somewhere out there, people I haven’t met have been able to find my book and read it. For some it’s a good and helpful book, and for others it isn’t.  So what?

For my first book, the entire process holds a mountain of learning opportunities. In the days after I finally approved the work and edits I found mistakes, had edits I wish I hadn't approved, and I made of list of things I will do differently for book number two. So I already have my list of things readers could pick apart and determine it a 1-star book.  That's okay.  It has to be okay because that is the whole point of learning through challenges.

What I do know is regardless of how many people I come into contact with through this experience, it has helped me start writing again, helped me step out of my cozy hermit lifestyle, and helped me connect with some pretty amazing people!  And if you’re reading this, then by default you are one of my amazing people! Thank you!

If after reading my own 1-star reviews of my work, you want to pick up your own copy of 26 Days to Practice Peace, click HERE.  Sign up for my Newsletter for inspiring random fun notes in your Inbox too!