Updates:

Thank you to everyone who has been keeping current with the Frozen in Line series. Has the story gone where you expected? At the least, I hope you keep enjoying it. Myers Fiction now has 61 registered followers! If you’re receiving this as an email, you’re one of them. Thank you to all of you. I know it doesn’t sound like a lot compared to other bloggers, but I appreciate all of your support.

The Extoria Rewrite is still chugging along, but has slowed because of my wife and I deciding to hunt down a house. Therefore, my posts have been staggered and infrequent. Thank you for your continued support, and I’m hoping to have something physical for your patronage here soon.

What to Expect:

April turned into a catch-up month on Frozen in Line and World-Building Writing Tips Posts. I appreciate the comments I’ve received and would love to hear more feedback. You can expect more of both as we enter May. The intended book review for The Chrysillium Tree by Laken Honeycutt for last month was one of those lapsed items that will come in May. And don’t forget to check into the Myers Fiction Instagram or Twitter for the daily content posts!

Favorite Quote:

My favorite quote from April may be a reminder of why you write, or why you read.

Not Everyone Will Like Your Novel:

I finished Red Rising by Pierce Brown last Friday and when I logged it in Goodreads, I thought about checking the reviews. Now, I’ve always told people that Amazon reviews are gentler than Goodreads reviews. If you ever need a firm opinion on a piece, go there. But after finishing Red Rising, I thought it was a masterpiece. Yet, the first review was 2.5/5 stars and the opening line was “Sorry, was I supposed to feel something?” I was shocked for a moment that someone could say they felt nothing after reading Red Rising, but then I remembered that there are books I hated others loved.

The Variables of Liking, Loving, or Hating:

I’ve found from my reading experiences and those of others, many variables contribute to someone’s appreciation of your work. Sometimes, like with music, you’re not in the mood for that novel. Other times it’s covering the topic in the right way that you resonate with the novel’s message. Another variable can stem from life events. A good example from my life is that it wasn’t the best idea to go see Marley & Me a few months after burying my own yellow lab. Sometimes the stories touch a raw nerve that we aren’t ready to face yet.

The list of variables could go on forever, but I hope this gives you an idea.

How to Respond:

If it’s a review on your own book, take the reviews as you will. I always say the three or four-star reviews give you the most honest feedback, and sometimes the most useful. If you finished a book that you loved and your best friend hated, that’s okay. You can talk about your points, debate, remind yourself internally they’re wrong, but remember that reading is often a solitary experience until you converse with other readers. If you read the book, hated it, almost burned it, but ended up donating it to charity, and your friend loved it, that’s okay too. Everyone has their own taste and you’re not wrong for disliking the book.

Overall, not everyone will like your novel, or the same novels as you. Share your opinion, have healthy debates, but never attack people just because they didn’t love a book the same way you did.