I don't know about you but I prefer to be liked. I think most of us do. Especially if we're female. But unfortunately (or fortunately) being liked by everyone (an impossible goal) isn't conducive to success.
One of my writing buddies recently had her first novel published (my first, Breach Of Trust, is coming out in May – yikes! Some day I'll have to tell you all about that experience.). She got some great, great reviews. Reviews that glowed, that screamed "this is one for the keeper shelf." Heady, reaffirming stuff.
Unfortunately, she got a few stinkers too. Why? I don't know. Maybe the reviewer was simply in a bad mood (had a puking child at home or was just ripped a new one by his boss). Maybe the book simply wasn't her cup of tea. Maybe the reviewer was trying to get attention by being contrary to the other superb reviews (we all know people who play that game). It doesn't matter. The bad reviews happened.
Now my author buddy is rethinking everything. Was that first book too angry (You want to see an angry romance? Wait until my second novel, Invisible, comes out.)? Were the love scenes too graphic? Was it too long? Was…
Honey, get over it. No matter what you do, you won't please everyone. And you don't want to please everyone. As Robin Sharma says in Greatness Guide Book 2 "Businesses that try to be all things to all people end up being nothing to anyone. You need to stand for something. You need to play ferociously. Passionately. Emotionally. To get to world class. Or don't play at all."
Ironically, I know people who can't stand Robin Sharma's books either. Why? Because to be world class, you are going to exclude someone.