I would like to dedicate this note to authors who do not like the review I posted on their book. This is in response to one author in particular. But it is in NO WAY limited to that author, as I'm sure I'll be sending this link out many a time as I continue this blog.
Let me start out by say that I am seventeen years old, going in to my senior year of high school. I have written several lengthly english papers throughout my school years. On some of them, my grades are spectacular - A+. On some of them, I receive lower grades.
Those are the most important papers. Those papers teach me things I didn't know. They point out my flaws, and show me how to improve. Every writer should be constantly striving for improvement. I may not agree with my teacher's 'review' and grading of my paper. To me, it may be the most spectacular paper in the world! But the teacher's opinion is the ONLY one that matters. MY feelings, my opinion, the long hours I spent sweating over that stupid paper on To Kill a Mockingbird's black dog symbolism... that doesn't factor in. The only thing that matters is what the teacher thinks.
It's the same way with books. This time, I (as the reader and reviewer) am the teacher, the authors I select are my students. I read their 'essay's with a critical eye. I do not wish failure on them, I wish success. And for success I must be honest. I do not consider what the author's feelings will be when they read my review. I don't say 'Aw, a DNF review will make this author's self esteem drop and it will be all my fault so I'd best bump it up to a B to make them feel satisfied.' No. That's not how it works. That would mean spectacular books and terrible books would receive the same grade. And if your book was a spectacular book - and it received the same grade as a bad book - wouldn't you be a little bit annoyed?
I provide HONEST reviews. They are not nice, they are not pretty. They are meant to provide a resource as to which books are worth the time of other readers as well as critique/feedback to the author's themselves. Keep in mind, as a reader I am your customer, and treating a customer poorly when they provide you with critique is NEVER a good idea. Some authors, such as Lori Foster or Miranda Neville (who have both received less than stellar reviews from me for some books) let it roll of their back. THESE are authors I consider reading again. These authors read my review and file it away with all the other negative and positive reviews. They may disagree with me entirely - they probably do. But they have the etiquette to realize that responding negatively back to someone who's sharing their thoughts and opinions - even the critical ones - is a bad idea. It's poor customer relations. If you don't have something nice to say to your reviewer... don't say shit.
The way I see it, every review of an author's book - positive or negative - is getting their name out there. So next time, author dearest, don't send me a note saying how much you hated my review. That's not nice. I was trying to help you, give you some critique, spread your name. This was not an attack, nor was this personal. This is the world of reviewing. I send out a link of every review I write to the author who wrote the book I reviewed. I let them know when they did something really spectacular and when their work was so-so. THAT is honest reviewing.
Bottom Line: If you can't handle the heat, get outta the kitchen. Not everyone's going to like your book and they can, and will, damn well tell you that. If you can't handle it, tough. But don't bitch to me about it. Swallow it, learn from the criticism, and move on. It's one review. Be mature.
P.S. If you're reading this link - and I sent it to you - I didn't appreciate your attitude in regards to my review. Please understand if I don't read another book of yours again. I support NICE authors. Only.
P.S.S. Sometimes I do misjudge an author. In the case of the author this post was originally written about, there was a slight misunderstanding. What I stay still stands... but this author had been removed from my naughty list.
Let me start out by say that I am seventeen years old, going in to my senior year of high school. I have written several lengthly english papers throughout my school years. On some of them, my grades are spectacular - A+. On some of them, I receive lower grades.
Those are the most important papers. Those papers teach me things I didn't know. They point out my flaws, and show me how to improve. Every writer should be constantly striving for improvement. I may not agree with my teacher's 'review' and grading of my paper. To me, it may be the most spectacular paper in the world! But the teacher's opinion is the ONLY one that matters. MY feelings, my opinion, the long hours I spent sweating over that stupid paper on To Kill a Mockingbird's black dog symbolism... that doesn't factor in. The only thing that matters is what the teacher thinks.
It's the same way with books. This time, I (as the reader and reviewer) am the teacher, the authors I select are my students. I read their 'essay's with a critical eye. I do not wish failure on them, I wish success. And for success I must be honest. I do not consider what the author's feelings will be when they read my review. I don't say 'Aw, a DNF review will make this author's self esteem drop and it will be all my fault so I'd best bump it up to a B to make them feel satisfied.' No. That's not how it works. That would mean spectacular books and terrible books would receive the same grade. And if your book was a spectacular book - and it received the same grade as a bad book - wouldn't you be a little bit annoyed?
I provide HONEST reviews. They are not nice, they are not pretty. They are meant to provide a resource as to which books are worth the time of other readers as well as critique/feedback to the author's themselves. Keep in mind, as a reader I am your customer, and treating a customer poorly when they provide you with critique is NEVER a good idea. Some authors, such as Lori Foster or Miranda Neville (who have both received less than stellar reviews from me for some books) let it roll of their back. THESE are authors I consider reading again. These authors read my review and file it away with all the other negative and positive reviews. They may disagree with me entirely - they probably do. But they have the etiquette to realize that responding negatively back to someone who's sharing their thoughts and opinions - even the critical ones - is a bad idea. It's poor customer relations. If you don't have something nice to say to your reviewer... don't say shit.
The way I see it, every review of an author's book - positive or negative - is getting their name out there. So next time, author dearest, don't send me a note saying how much you hated my review. That's not nice. I was trying to help you, give you some critique, spread your name. This was not an attack, nor was this personal. This is the world of reviewing. I send out a link of every review I write to the author who wrote the book I reviewed. I let them know when they did something really spectacular and when their work was so-so. THAT is honest reviewing.
Bottom Line: If you can't handle the heat, get outta the kitchen. Not everyone's going to like your book and they can, and will, damn well tell you that. If you can't handle it, tough. But don't bitch to me about it. Swallow it, learn from the criticism, and move on. It's one review. Be mature.
P.S. If you're reading this link - and I sent it to you - I didn't appreciate your attitude in regards to my review. Please understand if I don't read another book of yours again. I support NICE authors. Only.
P.S.S. Sometimes I do misjudge an author. In the case of the author this post was originally written about, there was a slight misunderstanding. What I stay still stands... but this author had been removed from my naughty list.
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