Please welcome Tamar Sloan as our guest today. Tamar really struggled writing this bio because she hasn’t decided whether she’s primarily a psychologist who loves writing, or a writer with a lifelong fascination for psychology. Somehow she got lucky enough to do both. Tamar is the author of the PsychWriter blog—a fun, informative hub of information on character development, the science of story and how to engage readers. She is also a passionate writer of young adult stories of finding love and life beyond your comfort zone: A Moment for Tara and A Prophesy Awakened.
I have two passions in this world—capturing life in words, and making a difference to others. Becoming a psychologist and a writer has allowed me to do both.
Find out more about Tamar’s books here. Connect with her on Facebook and on Twitter.
The Top Two Reasons a Reader Will Leave a Bad Review
Personally, I don’t leave a review under four stars. I don’t want to inflict the pain of rejection and self-doubt on others when art is so subjective. And although constructive feedback is invaluable in growing as a writer, I don’t believe it has to be done publicly. On the other hand, I also understand that low-scoring reviews are valuable for other readers. That’s the whole point of a review—so others can learn from those who have been here before. We do it with cars and vacuum cleaners and hairdressers. So I respect those who leave honest reviews, whether they be five stars or the heart-ripping single stars.
But a lone star staring at you from your screen, harsh words marching beside them, can be crushing. I think it’s important that writers appreciate why someone would take the time to record this, publicly, and irreversibly.
- You forgot who you were writing for.
As a psychologist, I see this in my clients as they sit in the chair and can’t figure out why their children are running away, why they can’t get that promotion or why their marriage is falling apart. In a nutshell, our egos get in the way. For writers, ego becomes the barrier to a product that ticks ALL the boxes. We believe that our prose is enough, that the three act structure doesn’t apply to this masterpiece. We design our own cover. We want to bedazzle the reader with our knowledge of the working parts of an AK-47. We forgo editing in the rush to get our baby onto virtual shelves. [Read more…]