October 8, 2022 - Update
Added 2022-10-08 07:45:59 +0000 UTCHi!
This week I found myself thinking a lot about the past. Specifically, the launch of Shade’s First Rule. Unfortunately, this wasn’t for a good reason.
When I published Shade’s First Rule, I received many negative reviews immediately. This almost sank the book, and the entire series nearly didn’t happen. Thankfully, enough people who enjoyed the book submitted enough reviews that the book survived.
The exact same thing happened with The Grey Warden this week.
Now I know you can’t please everyone and what one person loves another dislikes. But the real hatred some reviews had for the book shocked me. Worse, because I had a lot of emotional attachment to the book, it bothered me.
I know some reviewers hope for and enjoy this exact reaction, which is why with Divine Apostasy, I have successfully learned to ignore them. But with this book, they won, and I spent a lot of this week depressed about the book’s launch.
Despite this, and an insane week at work, I still managed to get three chapters written.
Now you might be wondering…Then why AFK, did you only release two chapters this week?
The short answer is, I am unsure of a decision I made in the third chapter, and I want some time to think the consequences through. I don’t want to talk too much about it because of spoilers, but that is the reason. I rarely do this, as I’ve learned to trust my intuition. But after discussing it with @fcafk, I’m calling a timeout to think it over.
Hopefully, I can let you know the results in next week’s update. I know many of you will be curious about what it involves, and I’ll share what I can. Thanks for your understanding.
I opened up chapters 24, 25, and 26 to Root.
I opened up chapters 27 and 28 to Harvester.
I added chapters 29 and 30 to Step Master, Blapy’s Favorite, and Divine.
Enjoy!
As bad as this week was, knowing that many of you here love and support my work made things easier for me. I appreciate you so much for that. Thank you.
Take care,
AFK
Comments
Excellent points. I wish we had more control over when audio releases. Audible makes it very difficult for us little guys while giving the production companies many advantages. I will see what I can do though. Thanks!
A. F. Kay
2022-10-22 01:06:24 +0000 UTCYou should consider waiting until the audiobook and whisper-sync is ready before launching. The LitRPG genre is unique in that it is extremely beneficial to audio listeners to have the visual reading aid for character sheets and system notifications. With whisper-sync the Kindle edition becomes the primary source of interaction and therefor also the source that receives reviews. By launching before the audiobook is released you are excluding your most forgiving and easy going reviewers while simultaneously exposing yourself to your most critical ones.
FRED MOWERS
2022-10-19 01:14:54 +0000 UTCThank all of you so much. I really appreciate the support you provide me and the series. Honestly, I say it every week, but its true...without all of you I wouldn't be doing this. I would probably still be revising book 2. You are all the best!
A. F. Kay
2022-10-10 03:11:46 +0000 UTCIllegitimi non carborundum
Aaron Lack
2022-10-09 03:05:30 +0000 UTCNow- to get you over your depression - Let's talk about your next book -- What you think you could with nanites ? :)
Darren Lee
2022-10-08 20:06:23 +0000 UTCGray Warden: It was a cute story. I liked it - still a 3 - I haven't rated it and probably won't as that is the rating that I would give that book [ We've discussed this before ] --- 4's and 5's are rare
Darren Lee
2022-10-08 18:57:19 +0000 UTCSo with the above stated, and revelations of that 3rd chapter - let me revisit my first Review of DA: "IF ANYTING HAPPENS TO MY PRECIOUS CHARACTERS...." - i will be so angry. Do ruin a good book by putting characters through more and more hardship - they've had enough-- maybe you should consider more pancakes and get creative with maple syrup flavored whip cream!
Darren Lee
2022-10-08 18:55:35 +0000 UTCI joined Patreon years ago but have never supported an author, though I do buy books for my own to keep and I like to revisit some as audibles. I skipped over Shade's First Rule 100's of times while scouring for something to read and finally took a chance and got hooked- It's a great story. When I look through reviews of books - I've seen trash.. I mean literal TRASH with a 5 star rating! Books entirely describing mechanics and systems with no meat other than that! HOW? No true litrpg fan would find this entertaining - some of us are even tough reviewers. I find DA to be a rare gem, and even a few of my friends have given it 4 and 5 when they too typically hand out a rating of 3. Reviews don't make or break a book and I have found Amazon to favor the author on some negative reviews - they are in to make money regardless of the book content!
Darren Lee
2022-10-08 18:46:48 +0000 UTCThe reality is that it's easy to speak poorly of someone else's hard work. Most of those who make those comments don't have the same level of accomplishment so they really don't fully appreciate what they are talking about. And even if they have, the truth is that no matter how good a person is, there are those who will decide they don't like them or their work - no good reason, just sour grapes. Most of the greatest people who ever lived had naysayers. The naysayers are not who you are writing for, anyway. There are those of us who truly love your work and will read it, and ask for more. Write for us. It's hard to say what the end of anything will be from the beginning, but in my opinion, you've started well with the Grey Warden. I haven't finished reading the released book, but I'm about 43% through. It truly isn't DA, but neither was DA what it is now when it first began. Just keep being you and doing what you do. You are great at it regardless of what some sourpusses may say.
Joe
2022-10-08 13:04:02 +0000 UTCI read the Grey Warden through in a day, so it's a definite page turner! . I wanted to wait for the Kindle version as with the episodic patron posts I find hard to get proper sense of a new world. I haven't bothered looking at the kindle reviews, but I liked it and found I wanted to know more about the world. It seems aimed at a younger audience than DA, with many of the same themes. I like that DA has more space to explore the themes and longer for the characters to grow. I am a patron as I find the gap at he end of a book really frustrating and want more immediately! 😁
Matthew Dodwell
2022-10-08 12:15:07 +0000 UTCScew the naysayers. The rest of us love your books
Dennis Bigelow
2022-10-08 12:06:37 +0000 UTCIf I remember the poll, most people hadn't even read Grey Warden yet. I haven't, actually I haven't even started book 7 yet, but I fully intend to read it. Life has been crazy for me, but hopefully I'll be able to catch up now. Don't let the mean people win. You're an excellent author, just keep that in mind and you'll be good. I hope Grey Warden gets an audiobook version, because that is mostly what I do.
Stephen Neville
2022-10-08 09:20:28 +0000 UTCMate you’ve done a great job on both series I read which is grey warden and shades first rule and both were great and completely different from one another which a lot of authors struggle with so great job and as long as you keep dishing out these stories I’ll keep reading them
frankie doerr
2022-10-08 07:59:31 +0000 UTCI haven’t read The Gray Warden yet and I’m mostly an audiobook person. But I’m looking forward to it when/if audio is released. I’m sorry these people “won” this time, but I honestly can’t imagine having to read bad reviews on something you put your heart and sole into. One thing I noticed when reading reviews is the negative reviews are overwhelmingly mean, they not only review the book but often time disparage the author directly or indirectly as well. I also know a lot of people who love the book tend to only leave a star rating without a review. I know it doesn’t help but I do know there are a lot of people out there like me. I really only look at the star level of the book, and I only read 4 or 5 star reviews as any lower stared reviews never are helpful. You have many fans that love your work. I for one have enjoyed all your books I’ve listened to and look forward to many more.
Justin Zaun
2022-10-08 07:58:43 +0000 UTCIt seems mad to me that people review bomb a different book for not being the same as, well, a different book. I've enjoyed all of your books. ♥️
Andrew Goudie
2022-10-08 07:48:59 +0000 UTC
