Some industry gurus say never read your book reviews.

Maybe if you are selling tens of thousands of copies and the reviews come in too fast to read, sure. Put your assistant on the task to pick out those snippets you want to use in blurbs, in ads, and on covers.

But for those without assistants, those still climbing hard in this business, and those still seeking sure footing, you may want to measure the pulse of things. I, for one, believe in reading reviews.

Do I awaken each morning and rush to Amazon to see if there’s another review since I went to bed? No. But once or twice a week, I might slip in and read them, and this is why.

1) Out of respect for my readers. If they took the time to read my book, then took the time to post a review, I can darn well take the time to read their words in return.

2) To learn what DID NOT work. One has to learn to accept the scorching, stinging barbs of criticism in this business, and nothing tells you what didn’t work better than a person scorned because they bought your book and did not like it. Sometimes these opinions are anomalies. Other times, they make a point.

3) To learn what DID work. Are the characters still carrying their weight by book four? Are the plots still intriguing? Is the momentum of a series still there? Is the writing still flowing well?

Do I crash and burn when I read a one-star? No. As a matter of fact, I release my breath when one finally occurs, to get it out of my system.

Reviews are tools. Reviews are lessons. Reviews are rights of passage. Learn to appreciate them. Learn from them, period.