The Agony of the 1-Star Review - Should We Rethink Harsh Critique?

[AuthorsDread]

We've all been there as creators - the crushing blow of seeing a 1-star review appear for something we poured our hearts into. It stings deeply, even if other reviews are positive. So I strive not to dole out such harsh critiques lightly. Don't get me wrong - I'll still offer thoughtful critical feedback to help writers improve. But in ratings/reviews, I'm mindful that even a "bad" book represents someone's creative efforts.

Rather than a blunt 1-star, I try leaving 3 stars minimum, coupled with constructive comments on issues I had. I focus on advising how the author could enhance future works. My goal is to inspire, not discourage. And if a book is truly not for me, I just don't leave a rating at all. Why tank someone's average over subjective taste differences? I'd rather boost authors I love.

I know reviewers must be honest. Yet often critique seems to tear down rather than build up. Do we sometimes forget the vulnerable creator behind each work?

What do you think? Should we reconsider when to dole out the crushing 1-star? Does creative effort itself deserve some baseline acknowledgment? Or is that sugar-coating valid criticism authors need to improve? Where should reviewers draw the line between constructive feedback and needless discouragement?

 

[RepresentingEnvy]

the crushing blow of seeing a 1-star review appear for something we poured our hearts into. It stings deeply, even if other reviews are positive

I know it is hard to not fall into a negativity bias, but do not focus on one horrible review. You can read through it, but ask yourself if any of what they say has merit.

Rather than a blunt 1-star, I try leaving 3 stars minimum, coupled with constructive comments on issues I had.

I think 1-stars should be reserved for things that are particularly bad if anyone should leave them. The work that is reviewed should have horrible grammar, prose, etc. Or you should send them to @K5Rakitan.

Should we reconsider when to dole out the crushing 1-star?

I have never left a one star review on anything. I have never actually left a review on the main site.

 

[sanitylimited]

"i try leaving 3 star minimum"
video game reviewers do that because they get paid to do it. not because they are nice.

"i know reviewers must be honest"
nothing is required of reviewers, including honesty. exspecialy when noone here is getting paid for it.

a star rating isnt feedback. it is a rating. its imposible for a star rating to be constructive to an author. it provides next to no information

 

[SailusGebel]

1-star is basically unreadable stuff, so it's more than okay to give 1-star reviews. No. No. Yes. If you can't understand what's written, it's 1-star, this is the line.

 

[Succubiome]

With reviews, the words are more important than the stars to me personally, as they're potentially writing feedback.

As for the number of stars in non-review ratings... the biggest downward shift in those I ever had was when my story hit the front page for the first time. Naturally, lots of people who hadn't been looking for a story of the sort I was writing saw it, and equally naturally, it wasn't to quite a few of their taste in the least.

So I just assume everyone giving me low ratings just doesn't like what I'm writing, and move on, rather than taking it as a reflection for the quality of my work itself. I could be wrong, but it doesn't really help to jump at shadows.

 

[EternalSunset0]

We've all been there as creators - the crushing blow of seeing a 1-star review appear for something we poured our hearts into. It stings deeply, even if other reviews are positive. So I strive not to dole out such harsh critiques lightly. Don't get me wrong - I'll still offer thoughtful critical feedback to help writers improve. But in ratings/reviews, I'm mindful that even a "bad" book represents someone's creative efforts.

Rather than a blunt 1-star, I try leaving 3 stars minimum, coupled with constructive comments on issues I had. I focus on advising how the author could enhance future works. My goal is to inspire, not discourage. And if a book is truly not for me, I just don't leave a rating at all. Why tank someone's average over subjective taste differences? I'd rather boost authors I love.

I know reviewers must be honest. Yet often critique seems to tear down rather than build up. Do we sometimes forget the vulnerable creator behind each work?

What do you think? Should we reconsider when to dole out the crushing 1-star? Does creative effort itself deserve some baseline acknowledgment? Or is that sugar-coating valid criticism authors need to improve? Where should reviewers draw the line between constructive feedback and needless discouragement?

Same reasoning for me. In my opinion, I don't think anything deserves a 1-star unless it's actual unreadable mess. I also just don't leave a rating on something I don't like for the same reasons you do.

The world is largely full of negativity these days, and I won't like to contribute much to that. Personally, I can still try to be critical and harsh, but only if someone particularly asks me to because that request already assumes that said person is ready for whatever people can throw at him.

It's not just creative effort that "deserves baseline acknowledgement." Heck, add the bravery of putting your work out in public and the effort in typing away for hours on end to the list. I know so many people who refuse to upload their stuff or get burnt out because of lack of affirmation, and we don't need to add more authors to that crowd.

I also think that some readers often forget that some authors share their stuff out of love or passion without ever desiring to actually "become a good writer" if you get what I mean. To be a bit more cynical and selfish, some people also share their stuff out of wanting appreciation or affirmation, and while it's not something we should /always/ give, I think throwing them a bone is fine. The real world is bleak and depressing already as is, why spread the same energy to casual writing sites or social media?

Of course, if someone puts their work out and explicitly says that they want harsh critique, that's a different story.

That's just my personal opinion formed from my experiences and what I saw in real life. Then again, people think differently, and I know my opinion doesn't hold true to anyone. We can't exactly force people to "rethink" this harsh critique thing, as it's their decision and they have all the right to do it.

Nothing much we can do for those people, but I do hope more people will learn to help raise each other up or encourage each other because we already have more than enough of the "tough love harsh training" thing in real life with our family and authorities as it is. There are enough assholes in your workplace or school as it is, so having a safe space on the Internet would be great for people.

 

[Temple]

Here's the thing. A vast majority of readers treat the 1 and 5 stars as dislike and like respectively. Most people aren't going to be bothered to think about author's efforts and feelings and whatnot. And why should they be bothered? Who's paying them to put time and effort into writing an actual review? I've written a few million words for several years, and I've been in that phase of wanting validation and getting hurt from negativity.

Only last year have I ascended to enlightenment to not care about numbers. Only care about numbers if you're in this as a business.

If the whole world is against your writing, will you still continue writing or give up? I'd continue because I don't have a choice; no one's going to write my stories but me.

 

[TheMonotonePuppet]

We've all been there as creators - the crushing blow of seeing a 1-star review appear for something we poured our hearts into. It stings deeply, even if other reviews are positive. So I strive not to dole out such harsh critiques lightly. Don't get me wrong - I'll still offer thoughtful critical feedback to help writers improve. But in ratings/reviews, I'm mindful that even a "bad" book represents someone's creative efforts.

Rather than a blunt 1-star, I try leaving 3 stars minimum, coupled with constructive comments on issues I had. I focus on advising how the author could enhance future works. My goal is to inspire, not discourage. And if a book is truly not for me, I just don't leave a rating at all. Why tank someone's average over subjective taste differences? I'd rather boost authors I love.

I know reviewers must be honest. Yet often critique seems to tear down rather than build up. Do we sometimes forget the vulnerable creator behind each work?

What do you think? Should we reconsider when to dole out the crushing 1-star? Does creative effort itself deserve some baseline acknowledgment? Or is that sugar-coating valid criticism authors need to improve? Where should reviewers draw the line between constructive feedback and needless discouragement?

I will gladly dole out 1-stars to those who give r*** or sexual assault a very positive view and give disgusting prejudice of any form a platform. It’s not a matter of taste. It’s despicable to have that be promoted. Otherwise, I wholly agree with your points.

 

[Tyranomaster]

Not giving 1-star reviews just invalidates the point of having a 5 star system. Why not just have a 3-star system where we all agree 1 isn't mean.

As an author, if you want to improve (myself included), then you have to harden yourself against low reviews, because they're the ones that can actually tell you your weaknesses.

Are there invalid criticisms? Of course. If someone gave you 1-star because they said the story "isn't a litrpg" and the story isn't tagged as such, then it's completely invalid. If, as a writer, you don't enjoy your own story enough to continue writing it if a handful of people don't like it, then you probably shouldn't be writing. Simple as.

I've left a 1-star review at a Sonic Drive-thru once. It's one of my few reviews. I waited 2 hours to get food, after watching three people cut in line, and hearing the people inside talk about how they were looking out for their friends who were having a party. It deserved that 1 star.

1 - Mockery of writing. Inferable that the author hates their audience, or needs to heavily practice writing before resuming.
2 - Story is nearly unintelligible, or struggles to maintain attention for even short periods of reading.
3 - Story is entertaining enough, but lacks in a few key areas of writing.
4 - Very good story. Good plot, interesting premise and characters. A few missteps here or there.
5 - Exceptional Story. Few or no errors, maintains interest continually. You want to see what happens next and prioritize reading it over other past times like video games.

That's my story scale.

 

[Deleted member 113259]

As someone that has experienced getting 1 star on a story for no reason I don't think its mean to leave 1 star on a story. If the author randomly drops the series or there are glaring flaws in the work, the worst possible rating can be a good warning to potential readers to not get too invested in the story. Even as I'm taking a couple weeks off to stock up on chapters I find it completely understandable why a reader would leave 1 star on my story.

 

[TheEldritchGod]

We've all been there as creators - the crushing blow of seeing a 1-star review appear for something we poured our hearts into. It stings deeply, even if other reviews are positive

No.
I've gotten many a 1 star review and it never stung, never crushed me, never cared.
The stars mean nothing to me. If you don't write anything, I could care less. I will read your words, but a click of a button is meaningless as far as feedback is concerned. It tells me nothing and so I don't care.

 

[Deleted member 113259]

If you don't write anything, I could care less.

That means you do care.

 

[TheEldritchGod]

That means you do care.

IF/THAN statement. IF No, THEN no care. IF Yes, THEN care.

I care about people unable to handle logic.

 

[Deleted member 113259]

I will gladly dole out 1-stars to those who give r*** or sexual assault a very positive view and give disgusting prejudice of any form a platform. It’s not a matter of taste. It’s despicable to have that be promoted. Otherwise, I wholly agree with your points.

What about genocide?

 

[TheMonotonePuppet]

What about genocide?

Is it a positive view of genocide? Genuinely promoting it for sapient creatures that aren’t attempting to genocide the others? Then definitely. I haven’t come across ones like that yet, so I didn’t mention them.

 

[Deleted member 113259]

Is it a positive view of genocide? Genuinely promoting it for sapient creatures that aren’t attempting to genocide the others? Then definitely. I haven’t come across ones like that yet, so I didn’t mention them.

According to one SHF user there are tons of them out there.

 

[TheMonotonePuppet]

According to one SHF user there are tons of them out there.

Really? Haven’t found them. Who?

 

[Deleted member 113259]

Really? Haven’t found them. Who?

HA! NO, I'm not saying who. Not tagging them either.
Feel lucky you've never experienced this.

 

[TheMonotonePuppet]

IF/THAN statement. IF No, THEN no care. IF Yes, THEN care.

I care about people unable to handle logic.

Isn’t the correct version “If you don't write anything, I couldn’t care less” not “If you don't write anything, I could care less”?
Edit: … Yeah… I’m pretty sure the former is the correct version.

 

[Deleted member 113259]

Isn’t the correct version “If you don't write anything, I couldn’t care less” not “If you don't write anything, I could care less”

Yes, puppet. The fake god was saying he cares about himself.

He's a bit of a narcissist in case you couldn't tell.