Note: beware of BookLikes, Wattpad, the Amazon fora and Absolute Write. These are also popular bully hangouts.
A GR bully is any member of Goodreads who engages in bullying behaviour. This includes, but is not limited to:
1. Harassing
2. Humiliating
3. Insulting
4. Gossiping
5. Name calling
6. Teaming up on
7. Verbally attacking
8. Sending friends after
9. Writing a bully review
10. Spreading false rumours
11. Attempting to destroy reputations with lies
12. Trashing an author’s book just to get revenge
We do not consider honest, critical reviews of books to be bullying. However, we do consider attacks on authors and other GR members to be bullying. We also consider attacking an author’s book for revenge and/or rating and reviewing an author’s book without reading it first to be bullying behavior as well.
I have just received a one star rating on a brand new book just published which I know has not yet had any sales, except the ones I personally purchased as gifts, and therefore cannot have been read. It’s hard enough for a new author to emerge without being stamped on right at the start.
Congratulations on your new book, I hope it sells a million copies. I don’t know how i found this site or even how I found your post but i am also an author and I’ve read some of the bullying articles here. Very simply put, ignore it. All these so called bullies are doing is looking for energy, your energy. If you engage in any way you are giving it to them.
One rating does not a book make, the only power they have is very short lived and once you get some honest reviews you’ll forget the one star they gave you. Best of luck to you.