I’m Stressing You Out
Occasionally I check Goodreads to see what people think of Angst. I’ll tell you, it’s hard sometimes to see that someone rated your book as 2 stars when you feel like you’ve poured out your heart and soul, exposing your inner feelings and essentially how crazy you are, especially when you’re not sure why they felt this way. But today when I checked, I found that someone had given Angst 3 stars and she was someone I had sent a free copy to a few weeks ago for review. The refreshing part was that when I went to her blog, I saw her review and it was honest and actually a fantastic review that gave me an insight into why people might give my book less than 5 or 4 stars.
And the truth, as I knew it to be, but hadn’t really considered or thought of recently for your average reader, is that my book is a difficult read. It makes people uncomfortable, it elicits emotion. It isn’t an easy beach read that you’d pick up to escape and for this reason people like it but they also find the subject matter difficult. But you know what? For me, this means that I have succeeded 100% in my goal to express how life feels for a person suffering from mental illness. It isn’t linear, it doesn’t always make sense. It isn’t easy, it isn’t pretty, it’s shitty, it’s stressful, it makes you question your desire to continue living and if I’ve been able to express that feeling, if I have elicited emotion and kept the reader with Victoria in the moment, than I feel that I’ve done my job. So fuck stars and ratings and worrying about whether people will like my book. People like it, they feel it, but yea, it’s not easy and it makes readers uncomfortable. And you know what, I truly appreciate an honest review because honesty is how I roll and even if there are criticisms, I appreciate it, because how else will I learn and grow as a writer?
To check out this incredibly thoughtful review that just made my day, visit The Library Life.
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ 🙂 I like this post. 🙂
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I wasn’t sure if I should post or no because typically responding to reviews is BAD. However this was good for me! A revelation of sorts. And a happy/positive one. 🙂
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Okay now have to move your book up again to my next one read and will read as soon as I finish my current one!(almost finished less than a quarter of the book left) It was scheduled for about 3 weeks from now. Why you might ask, because the more I hear of it the more it sounds like what I love to read. And would love something that makes me think! The best books I have ever read where not easy reads. You couldn’t just quickly read through it. I love those kind of books. 😉
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Well I hope I can meet your expectations. It is a difficult read. It’s kinda funny to me because my novel basically describes how I feel personally and I am familiar with feeling that way, but most people are not, so I’m sure it can come as a shock to them to get inside my head! It can be a depressing, difficult place in there. Definitely let me know what you think when you read it, I’d be curious. Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
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You said it – makes people uncomfortable. I think we need more of that – so keep going!
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Thanks! I plan on it, def gotta keep shit real. 🙂
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Well said! We read for so many reasons: to learn, to be entertained, to be challenged, to be encouraged, to laugh, plus more. You’re one of the brave ones asking more from the reader 🙂
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Thanks Bel! I appreciate it. And I guess it depends on your mood what you want to read. Sometimes I want that escapism story, other times I want to be challenged, to think, to understand what someone else experiences in their life. All are valued for different reasons, we’ve all got a place out there in the book world. 🙂
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