Freelancewritingtips.com: Latest feedback on The Greatest Freelance Writing Tips in the World

IT'S a while since I've collected together reviews and so on for The Greatest Freelance Writing Tips in the World so here I go.

Catherine Goddard writes here about what she reckons while Elaine Everest has posted an Amazon review.

As you can imagine, I am delighted to see that Catherine puts me in the same breath as those kick-ass Renegade ladies and that Elaine recommends my book as a teaching aid.

Freelance writer Sarah has also added an Amazon review.

Carole Anne Strange from Writethismoment also got in touch to say she would like to provide the following testimonial:

The Greatest Freelance Writing Tips in the World certainly lives up to its name! Whether you've just started out as a writer or are firmly established in literary life, you'll find some really useful suggestions and insights that can make your freelance writing career easier and successful. Linda draws upon valuable experience and packs a lot of sound advice into this smart, little book. Highly recommended! - Carol Anne Strange, Writer and Founder of www.writethismoment.net.

Fran Sandham also posted on Amazon.

I'd like to say a heartfelt thanks to everyone who has been so positive about my book.

But that of course brings me to another recent review on Amazon - and it's very negative. I feel duty bound to point it out and respond. I contacted several other authors for their views on how (and if) to respond when you get a negative review and opinions were mixed. I'm going to write about this more fully as soon as I can.

Some of course said, don't respond and don't even mention it. But as this website includes links to all reviews, I thought it was only fair that I did. When I worked behind a bar and somebody told me I had a face like a slapped ar*e (not that hard to believe, I know) I used to say that I was big enough and erm, ugly enough to take it, and years later, here I am thinking the same about a book review!

If this was a mass market publication then I don't think I would have batted an eyelid, even if in some way, any criticism, can potentially sting. As I have worked said ar*e off making contact with various specialist publications etc just to get my book a mention, my concern is that such a review will inevitably do some damage.

I'm sure that when a book is a mega-seller because it's by a celebrity or high-profile author, that the odd negative review doesn't matter - but promoting this book has been really hard work and I am fearful that such a review will have an effect - even if the average 'score' on Amazon remains at four and a half stars.

The negative review comes from a writer called Susan Williams in Cardiff and says:

This book calls itself 'the greatest freelance writing tips on the world' but doesn't come anywhere near. I know this is not a guide on writing, it's a book of tips, but as such I expected it to be packed full of gems and nuggets of information and it wasn't. Despite 158 pages, there wasn't a page devoted to advice or tips on the subject of using quotes - and that's something an experienced writer should have provided

Of course I'm bound to say that I found this review surprising. When the book first came out, I waited anxiously for a first review and when it came, breathed a huge sigh of relief. When more glowing reviews followed, I was delighted. Writers took time to email me personally to say thank you for the help they felt my book had provided.

So to read such a scathing review gave me one of those lurching feelings in my stomach - like before you step in for a particularly personal medical examination!

I can respond to the concern about not providing tips on quotes by saying that actually, there is a section on interview technique but I didn't go into the elementary business of "using quotes" as this is not a 'how to write' guide. For anyone wondering how to use quotes in their features for newspapers and magazines, I'd say check out your target publication so that you can see what their style is exactly.

As to there being no nuggets or gems of information in the book's 158 pages, I have to admit this part of the review rankled. I have provided checklists for what to include when you write a feature for a magazine, newspaper, website or blog and lots of other stuff, including examples of pitches that worked.

On a much more positive note Gary Andrews picked up on my post about getting your views into print here. He says it's one of the best things he's read on blogging.

Cheers Gary.