Most writers deal with bad reviews very gracefully. They act like grown ups, in other words. They read the review and leave it as is, which is a great way to go, or they thank the reviewer for the added perspective.
These grown up writers do the right thing, and I Love Them. Or You, if you are one.
What these grown up writers who act like grown ups do NOT do is complain about the review, cry, whine, threaten the reviewer with a correspondingly bad review, and rant about it in public forums.
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| Waaaaah! |
Writers who do that are not acting like grown ups, and I do not love them.
Luckily, it doesn't happen very often. Writers are polite and pleasant for the most part. So when it does happen, when someone decides to act like a child in front of the entire universe, it blows up and everyone comes running to see the train wreck.
I'm not going to mention the names involved, since the author of the review has decided to act like an Extra Mature Grown Up and not publicize this (even if doing so would further her career, since all observers sympathize with her.)
But I must offer this as a cautionary tale. And it is a chance to say it again - those of you who act like pleasant grown ups - I love and respect you.
That is all.
4 comments:
I should add, I also love you, adolescent and child writers who act like grown ups.
Yes, it's very difficult to watch some of the self-destructive behavior that goes on. It's cringeworthy.
How will authors learn about what their readers want, or don't want, if they don't take the good with the bad. I appreciate seeing a bad review. What if my favorite blogger "stretches the truth" in his/her review and I get the book. I don't like the book then who do I blame - it won't be the author. I prefer honesty in everything and that includes reviews.
The author needs to grow up and suck it up. They need to consider it a learning experience and grow from it. They don't want to make the same mistake twice. It also could turn readers off.
Thank you for a great post.
Lynn
I read a lot of reviews mostly to see if I want to read the book.... The ones who re-tell the story are not good or helpful ... I do not review that way... I tell what I liked and how I felt reading the story. As an author, which type helps you more. Oh and yes, plain old mean infantile reviews only make the reviewer look bad .
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