Do I care about bad reviews?

Keith Lee, Rebrands, and more!

Some context and thoughts before I answer!

The Fate of The Fried Chicken

The other day I came across a video from a restaurant that’d received a bad review from one of the most popular food reviewers on Tiktok—Keith Lee. If you don’t know Keith Lee, he has about 12 million followers, and his opinions on an establishment’s food can make or break its business. Chicken Fire, a viral fried chicken spot, asked him to give them a try, as most restaurants on the platform do, and…it didn’t go so well. He gave them one of the lowest ratings, if not the lowest rating, he’s ever given.

At first, I was moved by the response from Chicken Fire. In the video I saw, the owner gave his team a pep talk, telling them it was just one man’s opinion (technically true) and that they did a good job. I don’t see any harm in empowering the people who work for you, as morale is important in business. But, after watching Keith Lee’s response to the owner’s response, I left with a different opinion.

If Keith Lee was asked to review the restaurant, and they wanted him to try the food…then his opinion does indeed matter, and it’s a slap in the face to minimize or belittle the platform he’s built through his honesty and integrity. The platform he graciously opened to them for free. Yes, the expectation differed from the reality, but there’s always a chance someone won’t like what you create. And while you can be disappointed, you can’t be mad, especially when the person is respectful in their review.

While I understand the fear and even the embarrassment of having your life’s work being discussed negatively on a massive platform, dismissing his opinion reads as a more personal dig at Keith Lee (“his opinion doesn’t matter!”), rather than situational disappointment (“We’ll get ‘em next time, team”). There was an opportunity to receive feedback and adjust, which could have led to redemption. But now, there’s a bad taste in everyone’s mouth.

Bad Reviews and Me

I’m not a stranger to reviews. As a business owner and comic creator, I had my share of all kinds of feedback. I try not to look at reviews, but I do end up reading some—both good and bad. The good reviews make me happy, of course, but I’m also grateful for the bad ones. Bad reviews that come from a genuine place, like Keith Lee, can help you improve your craft, highlight things you may have missed, and can explain gaps in marketing and communication. If people are expecting a cute romance, and instead get a bleak and weird book, that says more about the marketing than the reader. You get me?

Like the Chicken Fire situation, a bad review can sometimes jab at your feelings. It can feel personal…and sometimes it is personal. But, after a second, I remember…someone spent considerable time and mental energy engaging with a thing I created. They used the breadth of their own life experiences to dissect the content and came to a conclusion that moved them enough to share. In a world where we all have limited time and capacity, I can only express gratitude for that. And gratitude is what Chicken Fire was missing from their message.

Let’s Chat About Expectations

I know I’m in a transitional period where I’ve cultivated an audience over the years that expects hyper-feminine, magical stories from me. And I love those. I still indulge in those as well. But I also love surreal novels centered around odd, socially outcasted women—like Convenience Store Woman (loved!) or Freshwater (on my TBR) or Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine (suggested by a reader). If someone were to read the Magical Girls Guide to Life and bounce to How to Be a Better Adult, they’d be confused af by the tone shift! I get that, and I accounted for it in my mind.

I’m accepting that I’ve started over in a sense. I’m in limbo between my magical girl self and my sadgurl self, and it’ll take time for expectations to adjust—for me and my readers.

A friend/collaborator suggested I switch up my style completely. He said how I dress, even after my mini mental health makeover, doesn’t reflect my actual content. And he’s not wrong. A reviewer described the atmosphere of my book as more Invader Zim-like, which I was stoked about because I LOVE Jhonen Vasquez…but you wouldn’t know that by how I present. It’s an insecurity I’ve spoken about a few times online. I smile too wide, I’m too awkward, I love dolls, and I laugh too much to be taken “seriously” as a writer of strange fiction. I admire artists like Scarlxrd and Akwaeke Emezi, who wear their content on their bodies. You look at them, and you know exactly what to expect.

People like Donald Glover and Jordan Peele have shed their goofy, comedic personas and explored new realms of story-telling…

…Muni Long completely rebranded from a sweet girl next door to a sultry siren….

…and yet here I am, stuck. I’m creating new things, but on the outside, I’m the same old Jacque. The thing is…even though it’s an insecurity…I kinda like that Jacque 😆. I like short skirts and cleavage and giggling at silly things. Even if my mind is a morose cesspool of strangeness, I like wearing girly sh*t on my body!

So, I must admit…I don’t know what to do. I want to create an accurate brand image to sell my books to the correct audience and meter expectations. But I also don’t want to abandon what I’ve done in the past, which I still love.

Edit: I saw this tweet after writing all this, and now I’m even more confused because she’s so right.

Ok, now to answer the question

Do I care about bad reviews? Yes. I care about the person on the other side who cared enough to read and share their thoughts. 💞 Bad reviews are also learning experiences. They’ve got me thinking…am I marketing to the right audience? Is my branding accurate? Should I expand the page count on my next book?

Ahhh, I’ve got some planning to do! 😆

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

Listen to my girly podcast!: The Magical Girl’s Guide to Life

Read my nerdy self-help book!: The Magical Girl’s Guide to Life

Follow me on Instagram!: @Jacqueaye