What to Do When You Get a Bad Review

Every author gets them eventually: the one-star review, the reader who “just didn’t connect,” the stinging line that runs through your head at 2 a.m. Negative reviews hurt, especially when they’re sitting on your Amazon page where every potential reader can see them.

They’re also a normal, even healthy, part of having a published book. Beloved classics and bestsellers have plenty of one-star reviews. What matters is how you respond, and in most cases the best response is no public response at all.

This guide covers why negative reviews aren’t the disaster they feel like, what to do and avoid, when a review can be reported, and how to use criticism without letting it derail you.

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Why negative reviews aren’t as damaging as they feel

Every book has them. No book appeals to every reader. A negative review often says more about the fit between book and reader than about the book’s quality.

A few critical reviews make your book more believable. Research from Northwestern University’s Spiegel Research Center found that purchase likelihood typically peaks for products rated between 4.0 and 4.7 stars and drops as ratings approach a perfect 5.0. Shoppers tend to distrust perfection. A handful of critical reviews signals that your ratings are real.

Negative reviews can attract the right readers. “Too much romance for me” or “very slow-paced and literary” can be exactly what another reader is looking for.

One review rarely changes sales. Readers look at the overall rating and the general pattern of reviews, not a single opinion.

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What to do when you get a negative review

1. Give yourself time before reacting

It’s natural to feel hurt, defensive, or angry. Close the tab. Talk to a friend, take a walk, or write a response you’ll never send. Don’t do anything public while you’re upset.

2. Don’t respond publicly

This is the most important rule. Even a polite, gracious reply to a negative review usually backfires:

➜ Readers see the review space as theirs, and an author’s response can feel intimidating to other reviewers, however kindly it’s worded.

➜ A response draws more attention to the negative review.

➜ Exchanges between authors and reviewers can spread quickly online and damage an author’s reputation.

Goodreads’ author guidelines are blunt about it: “Don’t engage with people who negatively rate or review your books. We cannot stress this enough.” The same approach is wise on Amazon, retailer sites, blogs, and social media.

3. Don’t ask others to respond for you

Don’t ask friends, family, or your launch team to argue with reviewers, mark negative reviews as unhelpful, or post reviews to “balance it out.” This can violate platform rules and tends to make things worse.

4. Look for patterns, not individual opinions

A single review is one reader’s taste. A pattern across many reviews is useful information. Ask yourself:

➜ Are several readers pointing to the same issue, such as typos, formatting errors, a confusing section, or a slow opening? Those may be worth fixing in a future printing or a new edition.

➜ Are readers saying the book wasn’t what they expected? That often points to a mismatch in the cover, title, description, or categories, not the writing itself. Better positioning can bring in readers who’ll love the book.

➜ Are the complaints matters of personal taste? Those you can let go.

5. Keep the big picture in view

Look at your overall rating, your positive reviews, reader emails, and the people who showed up at your events. One critical voice shouldn’t drown out everyone your book has reached.

6. Protect your energy

Many experienced authors limit how often they read reviews, or stop reading them entirely. Some ask a friend or their publisher to scan reviews and pass along only anything that truly needs attention. Your job is to write and connect with readers, not to keep checking Goodreads.

7. Focus on what’s next

The best long-term answer to a negative review is to keep going: promote your book to the readers it’s for, start your next project, and keep growing as a writer.

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When can a review be reported?

Authors can’t remove reviews simply because they’re negative or unfair. Platforms do, however, remove reviews that break their community guidelines. A review may be worth reporting if it:

➜ contains hate speech, harassment, threats, or personal attacks on the author rather than comments about the book

➜ shares the author’s personal information

➜ is spam, promotional, or clearly about a different product

➜ focuses on shipping, pricing, or seller problems rather than the book itself

➜ appears to be part of a coordinated attack (“review-bombing”) or comes from someone with a conflict of interest

On Amazon, use the “Report” link under the review. Amazon’s Community team investigates but, for privacy reasons, won’t tell you the outcome. On Goodreads, use the flag option on the review rather than responding to it.

A review that is harsh, sarcastic, or simply wrong about your book, but still discusses the book, will almost always stay up. Reporting reviews like that rarely works and can take up energy better spent elsewhere.

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What about negative professional reviews?

A critical review from a trade publication, blogger, or paid editorial review service can feel especially painful. A few things to remember:

✦ Some paid review services, such as Kirkus Indie, let you choose not to publish a negative review.

✦ Mixed reviews often contain a quotable line. Use it fairly, without changing its meaning.

✦ One outlet’s opinion isn’t the final word. Other reviewers and readers may respond very differently.

See: Paid Editorial Reviews: Are They Worth It?

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What not to do: quick checklist

✘ Don’t reply to negative reviews, publicly or privately.

✘ Don’t argue with or try to identify the reviewer.

✘ Don’t vent about specific reviews or reviewers on social media.

✘ Don’t ask friends or fans to retaliate, vote reviews down, or flood your page with five-star reviews.

✘ Don’t pay for, trade, or swap reviews. That violates Amazon’s policies and can get reviews removed.

✘ Don’t let a single review dictate your next book.

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Negative Book Reviews FAQ

Should authors respond to negative reviews?

Generally no. Platforms like Goodreads explicitly advise authors not to engage with negative reviewers, and even polite responses can come across as defensive or intimidating. The professional move is to let the review stand.

Can I get a negative review removed from Amazon?

Only if it violates Amazon’s Community Guidelines, for example with hate speech, personal attacks, spam, or content unrelated to the book. Use the “Report” link under the review. Reviews aren’t removed just for being negative.

Do negative reviews hurt book sales?

Usually less than authors fear. Readers look at overall ratings and patterns, and research suggests shoppers find ratings slightly below a perfect 5.0 more believable.

How many bad reviews are normal?

There’s no set number, but nearly every book that reaches a wide audience gets some one- and two-star reviews. As your readership grows, so will the range of opinions.

Should I stop reading my reviews?

Many authors do, or check only occasionally. If reviews are hurting your confidence or your writing, it’s perfectly reasonable to step away or have someone else monitor them for you.

What if a negative review points out a real mistake?

If the issue is real, like typos or a factual error, consider fixing it in a corrected printing or an updated file. Don’t reply to the review. Just make the fix quietly.

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KEEP WRITING!

Negative reviews are a sign that your book has reached readers beyond your immediate circle, which is something worth celebrating. Take what’s useful, let go of the rest, and keep your focus on the readers your book was written for.

For more on handling criticism and setbacks throughout a writing career, see Handling Rejection: A Writer’s Guide. Authors who want a professional team behind their book, from editing to marketing, can learn about Atmosphere Press’s publishing process or submit a manuscript.

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