PART TWO OF: WHY P.L. STUART SOUGHT PEER REVIEWS and PROFESSIONAL REVIEWS FOR “A DROWNED KINGDOM”2/1/2021 Hi everyone and welcome back to my blog post!
Here is part two of the blog I posted last month about the value and impact of author reviews. In January I spoke about seeking professional reviews. Now, I will conclude the topic, speaking about author peer reviews. I mentioned last time that, regardless of whether we love it or hate it, we need the opinions of others, in many respects, to help validate our work. I noted that sales and critical acclaim are the two main indicators of your book being “successful” in the general definition of how many of us creatives define “success”. Of course, we, of all people, as writers, must first love and appreciate our writing. We must be satisfied with the fact we have accomplished something very few people ever achieve – publication. Yet, many of us strive for even more. We want those big royalties coming as a return on investment, especially for those of us who have spent considerable monies on self or Indie publishing. We are human and desire the praise of others to affirm that our work is worthwhile reading. And those praises, coincidentally, in sufficient amounts, can help drive sales. Professional reviews are ones paid for by the author, to an organization, typically one with some measure of perceived influence, to have an honest review completed. Peer reviews are where an author seeks the candid feedback, and hopefully endorsement, of a fellow author, about their work. Personally, I found the peer review process far more stressful! It’s one thing to have complete strangers, who are paid to do reviews, and detached from you and your work, to provide their opinion. It’s another to have the prospect of a peer, whom you know, like, and respect, potentially think your work is garbage! Yikes! Talk about nerve-wracking. Yet, I spoke to the dichotomy, in the last blog post, of needing to put your work out there, if you want your profile to be raised. So, prior to publication, I gave copies of A Drowned Kingdom to fellow authors whose work I so greatly admired, and whom I highly respected as wonderful people. Two of those writers whose reviews coincided with release of A Drowned Kingdom, were the amazing Elizabeth Eckstein, author of Quicksilver and Brimstone, and the incredible Matejs Kalns, author of Beasts of the Night. I must be honest, it was intimidating having two formidable, established writers, read A Drowned Kingdom. I have read both Quicksilver and Brimstone and Beasts of the Night, and they are both phenomenal novels. I was unsure how my work would measure up to that of such esteemed creatives! There was quite a few nail- biting days, waiting for feedback! I am pleased to say, they both enjoyed reading A Drowned Kingdom! That said, one of the authors, who is another fantastic writer, did not like my work. I truly value his opinion, and I learned that A Drowned Kingdom was not for him. It was not the type of fantasy book he preferred, and my writing style was not a fit for him. In these cases, you very much should take any constructive feedback from your peers under advisement and consider the merits in terms of things you could potentially change or improve in your work. Ultimately, receiving this feedback was certainly as critical as receiving praise! Moreover, it helps steel oneself against the inevitable fact that, not everyone will like your book, and that’s OK! Not every blogger, professional reviewer, fellow author, or reader will end up falling in love with the book you write! That’s the beauty of reading a book! Everyone will see different things they like, or dislike in a book, and preferences for books are as highly subjective and individualized as the people who read them. Life would be quite boring if everyone liked the same things, including the same books. Nor would there be much room for growth, and development, if no one said anything that could potentially be construed as negative about your book! My advice, take any such feedback graciously, as the person took the time to read your work, and NEVER lash out or be rude towards someone who bothered to provide you with input. Absorb the input, consider any merit, and continue forward. I will provide some of the praise for my book, as it will appear in the inside page of my novel, that is dedicated to reviews, from Elizabeth and Matejs, here: “Richly detailed, Stuart draws you into a land of bitter rivalries and political intrigue, a novel of pure escapism…Not only does Stuart conjure a vast kingdom in vivid detail, he writes as if he himself were an old sage raised in Nantyx narrating from an ancient scroll…In a time where we find ourselves more confined than ever before, Stuart provides a welcome adventure transporting us far and away plunging us into a distant realm of magic and mystery.” Matejs Kalns, Author of Beasts of the Night “Author P.L. Stuart thrills and enchants with his debut book, A Drowned Kingdom…Beautiful descriptive writing…Through skilfully written dialogue, actions and mannerisms, each character is vividly brought to life, counterbalancing one another in gripping political intrigue, alliance, and romance…Lovers of book series like A Song of Ice and Fire and The Witcher will find themselves right at home. Political power play and an intriguing magic system in the hands of beguiling all-female mages along with thrilling battle scenes drives the pace forward, yet depth of character remains so poignant that every bit of action is filled with emotional stakes. A Drowned Kingdom has been one of the highlights of my reading list and with this strong first entry I expect great things for the series. I personally can’t wait for the next book, and I can highly recommend it to any Fantasy lover looking for an original and exceptionally crafted novel…I give this book 5 stars! I could give it 100! I could give it it’s own galaxy, it shines so bright!” Elizabeth Eckstein, Author of Quicksilver and Brimstone So, in conclusion, take the leap of faith, and open your work up to the opinions of others! It can enhance the credibility and marketability of your work if you seek peer author and professional reviews. Please feel free to comment on this and future blogs and I will be sure to get back to you. Chat soon!
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P.L. Stuart's BlogI am a Canadian high fantasy author. My debut novel, A Drowned Kingdom - first in The Drowned Kingdom Saga, is now available! Book 2 in The Drowned Kingdom Saga, The Last of the Atalanteans, is now available here! Archives
May 2023
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