That title makes it sound like the average is bad, but honestly it is not.
On the first day of this year, I got my first 2-star review for The Oasis of Filth. I am 100% certain that the reviewer felt that the rating was deserved and so I in no way discount it. A lot of other people have read the book and not commented. And many others have read it and given it favorable reviews.
But I get it. I have been told countless times in my life, “You’ve GOT to see this movie!” or “You’ve GOT to read this book!” or whatever. And it turns out, many times, that something that completely floored a friend or relative had no effect on me. Or worse, I flat out didn’t like it.
I understand that there will be people — maybe even a lot of people — that dislike my writing. That’s okay. It isn’t for them. It’s for me. And it’s for the people that find it good. More specifically, if the writing resonates with you, makes you think about the ideas behind it, then okay, I am doing something right.
So I got a 2-star review. It’s still better than a 1-star review (which I am sure I will get soon).
And besides, sometimes the opposite happens. That 2-star review was my first review of 2014, and so it kind of set the tone for the year to date. Then something better happened.
Another review came in that was, well, unbelievable. Here are some quotes, from the review in Self Publishing Review by James Grimsby:
“While a book about outcasts banding together may seem as overdone a trope as zombie fiction itself, once again I have to assure anyone reading this that the author, Keith Soares, is in all ways a step above those expectations in his ideas and his execution.”
“The theme has shifted from a more rebellious adventure against The Man, to a more introspective account of loss and renewal; a “Two Towers” leading to “The Return of the King”.”
(the very notion of relating my work to Tolkien has me speechless!)
“I don’t recommend reading this book; I recommend reading every book this author publishes, as I have no doubt he will continue raising the bar…”
Now, I weigh the good, the bad, and think about the average. Since that is what all the ebook stores work from — the average rating. Still, I am happy to find kinship, almost, with the stellar reviews, like they understand me. I don’t mind the bad reviews. I don’t understand everyone else or like what they like either, so I realize that not everyone will like what I am doing.
In the end, here’s to individual opinions, and more importantly, to those who connect with what I am doing, no matter how small that group might be. May you be vocal and active, always!
Cheers,
K.