I am a writer and most importantly a reader. But, I will always advocate for first chapter reviews. Hell, even the first 250 words reviews like most publishers do.

Why? Because it's simple, instead of drawing me in, your novel is so terrible, I closed the dam thing and never went back. Or, maybe what I read was so bad that I went and made a review just to vent and feel better about myself.

How bad is your writing that I had to push myself to read 500 words or so to write a review? Did you spend time on it? I should consider you're feelings? No, why don't you consider mine? I have to read your word vomit that is likely about an abused woman or some MC who cheats his way past life. Or, we can hit the jackpot when the ML cheats for the FL.

Yep, I read 500 of your novel and judged it to be

A. Terrible writing.
B. Unreadable.
C. So bad you started the whole thing with chicle, or you used it to appeal to me.
D. The events are not even logical.

In short, I want these spoiled brats for writers to stop whining about the reviews they get and instead listen to the readers who give input as they are the unsung heroes.

#Trolls are awesome thanks for the input.

    Yet some of these novels receive a lot of high praise haha, I have to force myself at times to pass the first few chapters... It’s frustrating but I try to be open minded at times

      Acutelittletrap

      This arguement is the other half of the thread that was pinned for a while about reviewers being abusive, entitled, demanding assholes. Writers can also be untalented primadonna hacks who whine about anything other than fawning adoration.

      It's almost as if a lot of people on both sides of the equation are emotionally immature children

        I'm guessing a lot of authors/readers here are in their teens. I remember getting good marks on my high school essays. But if I go back and look at them now, I kind of puke a little at how bad they actually were.

        I'll probably get shot down for this, but I think reading the first 500 words or even just the first chapter alone isn't enough to make a fair judgement. Yes, you could probably level the criticism that it didn't hook you, or that the grammar or writing style is atrocious, but you can't possibly make any fair or objective content analysis if your criticism is "it starts off as a cliche! The story starts off talking about an abused woman or a trash protagonist or a cheat MC!"

        For all you know, in the next 500 words, the author completely subverts the tropes or cliches and makes fun of them. The review would then become a total joke when it turns out that the story he/she was reviewing was meant to be a parody. Can you imagine some reader ranting about Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo being cliched and unappealing just because it starts off with the protagonist being killed and reincarnated?

          Acutelittletrap haha, this is so accurate.

          though i don't want to do bad reviews because it's gonna make the other side bad and i'd feel guilty

          Acutelittletrap well the problem with these kinds of writers is, QI gives them the freedom to gag you as a reviewer, your review gets deleted. It does not matter how good your arguments are, authors can just delete unwanted reviews and this is where the problem lies. The problem is not this immature author, no it is the power given to him by QI to gag you.

          I don't understand.

          If there are bad novels with cliche plot and all, you can just drop it though. Yeah, leave a bad review and it's author's choice whether she/he wants it on her/his book or not since she's writing it. If it's bad, it won't gain readers anyway. If it has readers despite having most cliche plot in the universe, doesn't it mean that there are readers who want to read cliche? Why make a big deal about reviews or author deleting reviews? If it's bad, it will be dropped eventually.

            As I always say, first chapter isn't enough to review, specially negative one. I know it's our right as a readers to say what we don't like but throwing away a book just because you hated it's cover and telling others that the book was bad doesn't sound good either

              Demonic_angel

              Agreed on the not enough to review part. Disagree about the not enough to drop. All gods know I'm guilty in this departement since I'm pretty awful at creating a first chapter that hooks the reader.

                Norah_Koch well you have a point there that people will read what they like.
                But what if an author is deceiving you with a plot in their synopsis and it is left untouched for 70 chapters?
                Would it then still be bad to have some reviews warning you before you dump 200 spirit stones into a story which promises one thing but doing something completely different?
                If the synopsis is talking about revenge and action, but the actual story is giving you a teenage love story for 70 chapters. Would you not want to have a warning then?

                  before_after Usually, first 60 chapters are unlocked/free. That pretty much gives an idea of the story, writing style, plot etc. 60 chapters are minimum 30 k words if each chapter is 500 words. Is 30 k words not enough to give an idea?

                  About the plot going haywire later? It's up to the author really. I do agree that it's unsatisfying if the story's quality decrease. But usually, a story has highs + lows. In the end, it's up to the author what he/she wants to do with her story. If you don't like, u can drop it anywhere u want.

                  Lastly, yes, constructive reviews aren't bad. The author must have a strong heart if he/she is posting a story pubically. Must be able to take criticism well. Instead of posting bad reviews that might give a heart attack to the author or make them cry (I know authors who spend days in depression after getting bad reviews or lose motivation to write including), how about thinking what each star means when you are reviewing it? When you are rating, the five stars have categories -- Writing Quality, Stability of Updates, Story Development, Character Design,
                  World Background.

                  Tell me... how many of the authors deserve 1 star in each category? If the plot is going haywire then, story development is bad. If character design seems bad, then that category deserves 1 star. When you are reviewing a translated novel, there's a translation category. I don't think that the translator is doing a bad job of translation. When does he/she deserve 1 star in that category?

                  You might be bitter because the plot didn't go the way you like or ML abused FL vice versa or the grammar is bad or the story development was horrible or the world background sucks. You might be upset coz ML did a stupid mistake and you want to drop the novel instantly. Then you review it in your bad mood and give it 1 or 2 stars. Then blame the author for deleting it.

                  Constructive or honest reviews are different than rants/spams in reviews. If you are badmouthing an author, remember it's a person with a heart. Authors also need to steel their hearts/minds and accept criticism. Criticism are good to improve/motivation.

                    Norah_Koch Are you even paying attention to what I said?
                    There is a synopsis which describes the plot in said novel and 70 chapters in it remains untouched.
                    The synopsis talks about powers given to the MC and revenge. The actual story of the novel is a teenage love story, at least for the first 70 chapters.
                    Free chapters were up to chapter 34, unlike what you think, 36 chapters only unlockable with spirit stones = 200+ spirit stones.
                    When I wrote the plot in the synopsis remains untouched I get an answer from the author about me "shittalking".
                    Alright the author is a human, but the reviewer isn't?
                    So my question stays, is it too much for potential readers to ask for a warning that the plot remains untouched?

                      StenDuring I never said not enough to drop, that's your choice if you want to do it. I'm sure Many people dropped books which all of us consider masterpieces. Its all subjective :)

                        Frankly, everything is relative. You have the right to write a review the author has the right to delete them.
                        I read a story about a hero who was betrayed by all his friends. He went back in time before the time he was summoned swearing revenge. The revenge part didn't begin before more than 200 chapters since the first hundreds of chapters he was still on earth with his family. That didn't really bother me since I liked what the author was writing. So it's a question of taste and perspective.
                        For example, in most CN the synopsis says that the mc will become a god. But generally, he won't become one before the very end of the story.
                        Of course, an author should be ready to accept bad reviews. I received a 2.5-star review once, but it didn't bother me. But 1 star is too much. 1 star means that everything the author did is shit. Just so you know there is stability update in the rating. So imagine a bad writer who still posts at regular times. How could he accept having 1 star since it would mean that even his release rate was given 1 star?
                        Anyway I understand your frustration, but try to understand the authors

                          Novel Ask