Writers usually love to get reviews of their books. They ask for them, plead for them, and get excited when they find that someone has left a new review on Amazon or Goodreads or some other book site.

But they also begin reading them with a bit of trepidation. What if it’s a bad review? What if the reader didn’t like the book? What if the reader trashed the book and then no one else will buy it?

All writers get at least an occasional bad review–yes, all! even the best seller writers whose books get made into blockbuster movies. So, as you can see, writers are justified in feeling nervous about new reviews.

When one of my writer friends complains about a bad review and feels miserable, I usually tell him or her to check out one of the bestselling authors’ books and read their bad reviews. Believe it or not, that usually helps.

Another thing to remember is that everyone has different opinions, different tastes, etc. When I read through posts on Facebook–especially political posts–it becomes rather obvious that people don’t look at the world or anything else the same. They don’t like the same movies, the same books, the same TV shows, the same games. They don’t like the same politicians, the same laws, the same foods, the same sports teams.

It can be upsetting that people don’t agree, but then again, that’s what makes life interesting and what gives us so many choices.

So, if you’re a writer and get a bad review, don’t let it get you down and keep you from writing your next book. Remember, to each his own. Although someone might not like what you’ve written, plenty of others will and that makes the work worth doing.