I've recently run across several review sites on Amazon and Goodreads were a book reviewer and the author of the book they reviewed was behaving badly. And by badly I mean, badly. I'm pretty sure there was both virtual hair pulling and nipple twisting involved in several of these cases. While I admit that a part of me was intrigued and somewhat excited at this display of unprofessional behavior, I couldn't help but think, wow. That's so sad. In the end, it made me think that about the importance of being a good, but fair reviewer and how as an author, you have to not let a review or even a comment about the review, get under your skin.
Since I work on both sides of that slippery slope, I know how hard it can be!
So I thought about a few things that both reviewers and authors can try to keep in mind.
1. Opinions are like first time manuscripts. Everyone's got one shoved away in the back of their closet, and they can make or break any relationship. You don't have to like everything a writer has written. There is no rule book I've seen as a reviewer that says that you do. It's okay to write that you don't like something, but my opinion is that if you want people to respect your thoughts, think carefully about how you express them.
Authors, opinions are not the end all, be all, final last word on your book. It may sting to hear criticism but be professional. You'll get a lot more respect if you keep your mouth shut than if you start talking smack on the internet about the reviewer. That just makes you look petty.
2. What are the good things? I believe as a reviewer that there should be a least one positive aspect that you can write about the book. It may be the book cover. It may be a minor character that keeps you from falling asleep. Maybe it's the way the author handles the setting. Try to find something that sounds positive. Why? After all it goes back that opinion thing, doesn't it? Yes, but saying at least one thing that positive can make you not look like such a giant jerk.
Authors take the positive and learn from the negative. Better yet, take the negative and ask yourself if perhaps the reviewer is right. Is the pacing of your story off? Should you try to cut some backstory? Maybe hiring an editor isn't such a bad idea for the next book….
3. Genre can sometimes be to blame for a bad review for a good book. Let's face it: I don't like erotic murder mysteries with a touch of steampunk in them. It's just not my thing. As a result, I try not to review the genre erotic mystery steampunk (I'm making that genre up, by the way). Surely, I'm not alone in not enjoying every type of genre out there though. Sometimes a reviewer's review comes off as negative because it's just not their favorite style of book--not because the writing is poor.
Authors, before asking a reviewer to read your book, make sure they understand what genre it is, especially if your book cover or synopsis is misleading. In fact, don't send it to a reviewer who doesn't like that style of novel. If you are part of a book tour and the tour manager sends it to a reviewer who gives it negative press, it may well be a genre thing. Don't worry about it!
A few weeks ago I read a book about how negative reviews can actually be helpful for the author. Sometimes a review suggests that something is bad that a reader has to see for themselves just how bad it is. However, sometimes negativity can be bad for the reviewer. If you are malicious or tip up a book just for the sake of doing it, then people won't see you as a credible source.
about character defects
One of the greatest challenges in ongoing sobriety is to repeatedly confront the same character defects over and over again. Or, more accurately, the consequences of those same character defects -- especially if you have really tried to address them via the tools offered in Alcoholics Anonymous.
It has been my experience (my painful, embarrassing, experience, actually) whenever I am in that place again, that my real problem is twofold:
The first is that I am looking at the result and not the process. In other words, it is easy to want to have money in the bank, but where I need to ask for HP's help is in spending differently. It is easy to want to get to work on time, but the focus should be on the willingness to go to sleep at a decent hour and get up at a realistic time to actually get ready and go. It's easy to want a different body, it's hard to be willing to eat differently or become disciplined about exercise.
My character defect is really not in the result, i.e. the bank balance, the tardiness or the numbers on the scale ... my character defect is to be found somewhere in the process.
The second thing -- and somehow I have found that although, logically, it doesn't appear related to the above, it actually is in powerful and unfathomable ways (cue spooky music) -- if I'm applying the principles and ideas from the 12 Steps to these things, the main point of the 7th Step (which, for the new kids, is "Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.") is about humility -- not the shortcomings. Not the defects.
Humility.
I need a constant reminder of this, since, in certain areas I keep trying to make it about the problem, and not about a spiritual solution -- which I reach via humility.
Frankly, on some days it seems like this whole thing would be a lot easier if we could just scrap this "humility" thing altogether.
But apparently, some people have tried that.
From what I understand, they can be found down at the bar.
~~ author unknown
It has been my experience (my painful, embarrassing, experience, actually) whenever I am in that place again, that my real problem is twofold:
The first is that I am looking at the result and not the process. In other words, it is easy to want to have money in the bank, but where I need to ask for HP's help is in spending differently. It is easy to want to get to work on time, but the focus should be on the willingness to go to sleep at a decent hour and get up at a realistic time to actually get ready and go. It's easy to want a different body, it's hard to be willing to eat differently or become disciplined about exercise.
My character defect is really not in the result, i.e. the bank balance, the tardiness or the numbers on the scale ... my character defect is to be found somewhere in the process.
The second thing -- and somehow I have found that although, logically, it doesn't appear related to the above, it actually is in powerful and unfathomable ways (cue spooky music) -- if I'm applying the principles and ideas from the 12 Steps to these things, the main point of the 7th Step (which, for the new kids, is "Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.") is about humility -- not the shortcomings. Not the defects.
Humility.
I need a constant reminder of this, since, in certain areas I keep trying to make it about the problem, and not about a spiritual solution -- which I reach via humility.
Frankly, on some days it seems like this whole thing would be a lot easier if we could just scrap this "humility" thing altogether.
But apparently, some people have tried that.
From what I understand, they can be found down at the bar.
~~ author unknown
see you.
Almost three years since my last post! I must be resting on my laurals. Hope I spelled that right. No, I didn't relapse. Still not drinking, just neglecting my blog. I will be fixing some broken links and uploading some more graphics. I still attend one AA meeting a week and see my sponsor/AA friend weekly as well. Since my last post, I think I've had two more back surgeries. Those are fun. I have to deal with the chronic pain thing, and the stigma that goes with it. My depression issue is alive and well. These things are much easier to manage without alcohol however. Anyway, as always, I'm starting my day with two hours of quiet time and a pot of coffee. This isn't easy to do using a smartphone! I will use my computer most of the time. That keyboard is larger than my phone. This one finger typing is sort of a bitch. Ok, got to take on the day! Bye for now, AB.
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