Looks like a competitor has taken notice of my book… first 1 star review! Yay!

Wait. Yay?! Why celebrate?

I don’t check reviews often but after 1.5 years of having only 4 and 5 star ratings on Amazon – an AVERAGE of 5 stars – I suddenly notice the average has dropped to “only” 4.5 stars.

Naturally I check, and spot this eloquent review:

“Absolutely poor quality work! Author has made no effort to bring in any original thought…”

First, I feel sick to my stomach. Wait, whose work have I supposedly stolen? Did I not give (enough) credit where it’s due? (That’s the thing about stories. They happen to be how old, again?)

Then I start to smile. My smile gets bigger:

1) A book with at least one bad rating is probably more credible than a book with ONLY good ratings.

2) It means the book is finding new readers – breaking out of my immediate circle of contacts. (I hope! Do I know you, one-star rater?)

3) Then the light dawns… Oh, this is probably some kind of Storytelling competitor. Perhaps they’re jealous. That’s it!

OK, maybe I just tell myself No. 3 to feel better.

BUT if this person is indeed someone who thinks of themselves as a competitor of mine – and if they happen to see this – then I think there’s a really important message for you, sir or ma’am. Something that helps me to not feel jealous when I see others succeeding in my chosen areas.

1) A rising tide floats all boats. (Except the ones with holes in them.) Isn’t there research that shows how competition increases the SIZE of the pie? It’s not a zero-sum game.

2) Competitors push us to be better, faster, and hopefully help us ALL up our game, providing better value to our clients.

3) A successful competitor is a potential partner or mentor. Their success means I can trust their quality. I don’t have to make painful mistakes working with them (hopefully).

I believe there’s enough for everybody and prefer collaboration over competition. So… if you are a potential competitor and are interested in collaborating instead, let me know!

(I just had to turn down a client because I’m too expensive and might be able to pass a lead or two your way!)

What about you? Have you ever made a competitor into a collaborator?