Bad Book Review? How to Alchemize That Online Critic into Gold

If there’s one thing that can keep a potential author from publishing their book or a business owner or creative from starting a blog, newsletter, or social media account, it’s this. 

😱 Criticism from others. 

It’s one thing when the critisizer speaks their peace in private. Like the fellow entrepreneur who slid into my Instagram DMs to tell me once,

“Your post has a typo in it. You should really be more careful. As a writing coach, people shouldn’t see typos on your stuff.”

My response, “Here, hold my cacao latte.”

Of course, that’s not what I actually said.

You’ll find the occasional typos in my blogs, newsletters, social posts, and on my website. I often do a quick self-edit and catch most of them. But I find typos all the time. My books are different. Typos in a book can be distracting to a reader. Especially if the book’s in print. I always invest in professional book editing and proofreading. I suggest the same for my students, too.

I’ve learned some critical lessons in navigating shitty comments — even if the critic thinks they’re being useful. 

Let’s start by looking at this gem of a book review someone left on Goodreads about Intuitive Writing after “rabidly consuming” 115 pages: 

Now that my book has been out for a while, I’m not checking for new reviews every day like I did in the beginning. I also forgot all about Goodreads and the book giveaway I hosted there a week after its release.

I saw I had some new reviews and a 1-star review. 

Curious, I dug in and uncovered the words anonymous “S” left about Intuitive Writing.

Some important things to note about this 1-star book review: 

1. This person is anonymous. No name, private profile. Anyone who anonymously leaves poor reviews is an internet troll. Disregard, delete, not relevant, move on.

2. She won the book for FREE in a Goodreads giveaway I hosted. Goodreads allows you to run a giveaway for a signed book or 100 copies of eBooks. At first, I thought it was a great way to get the book into more hands. This review is a clear reminder that people value what they pay for. When you pay for something, you put energy into it.

3. I won’t respond to her directly. See A and B. I’m sharing this blog post as a teaching. I know my students will find this lesson helpful.

4. There’s a compliment in this review, which is odd to me. She declares that I’m smart and have a good grasp on how our attitudes and health can help us move forward. Yet, she doesn’t want to move forward. She wants writing to be a hobby. Writing used to be a hobby for me when I started a plant-based food blog in 2012. Now, my blog has evolved, I’ve published two books, and my writing and coaching provide a full-time income. Pass the kale smoothie?

5. Anyone who leaves shitty reviews like this is probably triggered. Triggers come from unhealed wounds. She may be triggered by the fact that I can unapologetically speak Truth without a filter. By the way, triggers are a gift.

6. Some people are professional readers. Which, if you love reading, you do you. I love reading too. But if you’re reading more than you’re writing, and you want to write. Hold the reviews, and save that keyboard warrior energy for your writing (which S would have figured out if she read the book and integrated the lessons).

I shared this review in a private chat with fellow 12D Business School students as an example of turning shit into gold. 

In 12D BSchool, Liana Shanti teaches in one lesson (The Law of Increase) that energy isn’t created nor destroyed — only transmuted.

“S” took the time out of her day to leave this review. S is giving me free energy — woohooo!!! So instead of freaking out and second-guessing my whole approach to writing this book on a holistic approach to the writing life, I KNOW that her energy is fueling my expansion. 

Thank you, “S!” Shit to gold!

A fellow BSchool student, Malana, who I’ve known for years and who contributed her story to my book, said this…

“She’s basically saying, ‘this book is for smart women who want to become professionals, which I do not, so I’m gonna keep eating my Oreos and Doritos and leave this book a bad review because I’m mad that she’s telling me stuff I don’t want to hear because deep down, I know I’m too lazy to be anything but mediocre, and I’m jealous that she doesn’t want to be mediocre like me.”

I nearly spit out my kombucha when I read this. Her quote was too funny to leave out or paraphrase (she’s also a kickass writer & coach).

I was actually quite happy to receive this 1-star review. 

Because I’d spent much of my life being a people-pleaser and telling people what they wanted to hear, seeing that someone doesn’t like what I have to say means they’re triggered. 

So this lonely little 1-star review shows me without a doubt that I’m on the right track — the authentic track. It's the only track I want to be on.

The day you receive a negative review or some shit in your inbox about your work, celebrate!

Here are 7 tips for turning bad reviews into gold

When reading negative reviews, I recommend a bunch of things: 

1. Make sure you’re in a calm, grounded, and present state. Before reading reviews, get into a peaceful state however you prefer — sit in the sun, meditate, play a favorite song, and take a few deep breaths.

2. Consider the reviewer. Are they someone you look up to and respect? Or is there some aspect of their life that you want? If the answer is no to any of those questions, you can skip reading the review altogether or let it show you where they’re coming from. 

3. Remember that no one who is smart, successful, and has a beautiful life will criticize you. If they’re a mentor, they’d provide helpful feedback. The internet (and the world) is full of soulless people like “S” — no need to engage. 

4. Witness how your body feels when reading. Simply notice the emotions and thoughts that come up. Stop believing everything you think. Journal about the experience.

5. Notice if you have an instinct to reply to them to “defend” yourself. I initially noticed this reaction in myself and stopped in my tracks. This comes from wounding.

6. Go read all the positive reviews of your work, testimonials, or other emails of gratitude (I save all of these in a folder called “Thank Bank.”

7. If there’s an opportunity to teach, take it. Sometimes, it’s best to delete and block people. If there’s a teaching opportunity for your clients or students, take it. Note that we’re not trying to justify here or “teach that bad reviewer a lesson.” It’s to respond in a way that models what to do with crappy comments for your readers who are there to learn from you.

For every 1-star review, there are probably many 5-star reviews.

Like this one on Amazon from R. Foster.

“…This book is not just for authors… but anyone that wants to learn to effectively communicate in writing in their everyday world…”

Another thing I noticed about some 3-star reviews of my book is that they were ALL authors. 

I took a quick look at the kinds of books they write. One author was clearly super dark. So, of course, a light-filled book like Intuitive Writing wouldn’t resonate with her. Perhaps this is a marketing strategy some authors employ? Leave shitty reviews on all other books to help boost yours? Not a strategy I’d recommend.

Which also baffled me. As an author (and in general), I don’t leave crappy reviews of books or services online.

I’ve read more books that I didn’t like than books that I did like. If I invest my valuable energy into writing a review of a book I didn’t like, I’m not only putting negativity into the world, but I’m also giving something I didn’t like energy.

Take that one-star review, sweary comment, or triggered keyboard couch warrior and alchemize it into energy you can use to boost your business, improve your life, and expand.

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