Soap box: Negative Reviews

I’ve heard (not experienced mind you) a few blogger friends complain that an author has ripped their heads off for a negative review of their book. Which of course to me, doesn’t sound very professional and it doesn’t really sound like the author was willing to take it as a learning experience either. Thereof, I’d like to ask what’s going on?

I’ve never experienced it directly probably because I posted very clearly, in my blog policy that there were strings attached to asking me to read a book.  I WILL be HONEST. BRUTALLY SO. I would think that was something any author would want regardless of good or bad. 

Let’s face a cold hard truth. NO ONE is perfect. There is no perfect book, no perfect way of writing, no perfect premise that is undoubtly flawless in its theory. 

On the other side of that coin, we are ALL individual and unique. What I like I know for a fact my BFF doesn’t. I have close friends completely opposite of me. What does this have to do with a negative review?

Taste, my friends. It’s all about what we like and don’t like. One of my closest friends has a bachelor’s in English and she is the most nitpicky grammar etiquette reader I have even met. She will tear a book apart by grammar alone. Another of my friends likes any book that keeps her entertained regardless of how it’s written. Me? I’m a steady balance of the two.

Now, that we’ve established everyone’s tastes are different, a negative review (or several of them) should be expected. They should actually be anticipated more than a positive review. I also think they’re more important than a positive review too. Why?

A negative review gives an author insight. It tells them this person read your book but didn’t like it because… Well, this is a perfect learning and growing opportunity. A negative review is like getting that C+ grade back from the teacher with a little note saying you could have done this here in a different way and it would have made better sense. 

Does this make the author’s book a bad book because it got horribly negative reviews? No. Not at all. The only thing that’s ever bad is if one ignores the lesson behind it.  What it does mean though is it wasn’t to the tastes of the person that reviewed it. However, when the author begins to write the next book, maybe they’ll think back and take into consideration the negative reviews they got on the last one. Maybe they’ll change the way they word something, or maybe they’ll write full backstories for their characters before having them interact with each other so they’re not cardboard cutouts. 

The point is this. Negativity is only negative if you think it that way. When a blogger takes the time out to read a book, that they’re really not required to read and it’s not on their TBR list they shouldn’t have their heads bitten off for providing a less than amicable review. It is constructive criticism that we hope you’ll take into consideration so when we read your next book, we can see that you’ve grown as an author. 

“Only a Fool thinks he knows what is best. A Wise man listens to advice.” –Anonymous

Soapbox: Reader versus Writer

I’ve been hearing (second hand as I’ve not experienced it myself yet) about book bloggers that are being less then amicable about book bloggers that also write.  I’ve been told some book bloggers are downright rude about it. The most common thing vented off to me is the saying, “’We’re not writers we’re book bloggers.” Which is quite fine. I have no issues with that but it bothers me that some of my book blogger friends are thinking about closing their book blog because the book bloggers are being hostile about their writing talent. 

The book bloggers shouldn’t demean those that do write. My first question is what did you learn to do first read or write? We don’t actually have one without knowing the other.  Generally they both occur hand in hand do they not? I’m still trying to figure out why it’s so terrible someone that reads is being chided for writing too. 

I am both a reader and a writer. I have no qualms about announcing it. I am a video game art and design student at the art institute of Pittsburgh. As part of my major I’m often required to create complete characters and stories for them. Why shouldn’t I write them out? What does my creativity have to do with me being a reader? I can still be creative and enjoy someone else’s creativity. It gives me a break from my own. 

There’s another thing that I want to point out. Advice. Advice from whom? From other writers. I won’t list them off as that’s not the point, but I’ve been a part of several video chats, twitter chats, blog chats of several different authors that practically all give the same advice. I even have it written in one of my autographed books as I asked what she would say to an aspiring author. Would you like the answer?

I’ve been told directly and indirectly: “Read Everything you can get your hands on.” Thus since I am now reading the way a fat man eats cake why should I NOT share what I’ve learned about reading the book? Why should I not give my thoughts on the characters and stories and what I liked and what felt off to me? Why shouldn’t I share that with others? And I would like to point out that by reviewing a book you are writing. It’s called critical writing in case you didn’t know. So now we’re down to a catch 22. 

I have no issues with book bloggers or bloggers that are writers or bloggers that do both.  More power to you. I know life was hectic during Nanowri and I can proudly say I finished my first book during that and still read and posted reviews. If you’ve got the time there’s no reason not to do everything you love to do. 

As I said before this hasn’t even been said directly to me so I’m not really taking the offensive for me. However, if it were I’d just blow off the person as a spoilsport that probably can’t write creatively and that’s why they’re downing on those that can. Honestly, are we so petty that we have to bring others down to make ourselves feel better? 

Here is my bottom line then I’ll hop off my box. I don’t think it matters whether we read or we write or do both. What matters is we have fun. What matters is if we’re reviewing it’s fair and critical and if we’re writing that it’s true to ourselves. Whether we’re the ones writing them or the ones reading them or doing both; we all love books. That’s what it comes down to at the end of the day. We’re here for love and I for one am not going anywhere. 

The Soapbox: Author Events

I can say from a fan’s perspective author events, signings, panels are very much appreciated. The interaction is great and getting inside the head of someone who’s “been then, done that” is certainly helpful for all aspiring creative minds. The problem is they go to the same places, repeatedly and never give anyone else a chance to meet them. 

I can’t really blame the author for this either. There’s the publisher that probably has a say, the agents, the bookstores, but still.  Why can’t anyone else get a turn? There has never been an author event here worth going to.

For the record, I don’t even live in a backwater town, or out of the way location. Well, maybe it’s a little out of the way. I live in the capital of my state in the mountains right along the river. There’s an airport, a train station, even a bus terminal. Thereof being able to get here shouldn’t really be too traumatically stressful. 

My biggest grievance is that no one ever comes here. What’s wrong with here? We have a really big Barnes and Noble that I’m sure can properly accommodate. And the population is a little over 300k for the county so it’s not like there’s not enough of people to promote to. It’s just frustrating. 

I would love more than anything to meet some of the authors and sit at a Q and A or even a signing and a handshake. Instead I have to buy pre-signed books with generic messages in it, if I want an autograph. Or I have to read articles from other bloggers or other interviews if I want the incite of my favorite author. 

It’s tragic that we never get a chance. It’s tragic that a lot of places never get a chance. I wish NYC would be passed by. Give Albany, or Rodchester, or Saratoga an author event every now and then. We’re starving up here. 

Saturday Soapbox: Cost of Books

I’m going to be painfully honest and say, it’s very hard for me to buy books. I usually loan my books from other friends or check them out at the library. The last book I had the ability to buy was Julie Kagawa’s Iron Queen. Why is it so hard to buy books?

With Borders going out of business I thought I’d take advantage of the sales and get some of my favorites that I haven’t had the ability to purchase. I spent a little over a hundred dollars on nine books. Not bad right? Considering most of them were hardbacks and brand new. However, once I got home I looked at my receipt and noticed something. 

Books are freaking expensive. No joke. I bought, Divergent, The Girl in the Steel Corset, Anna and the French Kiss, Die For Me, 13 to Life, The Goddess Test, Falling Under, Dreams of Joy and Last Letter From Your Lover. (The last two are for my sister and not my cup of tea.) One hundred thirty two dollars and ninety four cents. No one can say I don’t support the authors when I have the ability to. 

Seriously though, why are books so freaking expensive? What makes them cost so fricking much? 

Let’s think about something really quickly. The books I bought were teen/young adult reads.  The cheapest one originally priced was 9.99. Let’s round up to ten. The normal price (when I say normal the average of the other seven I bought for myself) was 17.99 originally priced, we’ll say eighteen. Around twelve and twenty after tax respectively. Can I provide some food for thought? 

A teen/young adult is what? A middle school/high school kid, right? If they’re lucky they work part time after school on some days and on the weekends. If they’re not, they hopefully get an allowance from mom or dad or both. In what right dimension do these prices seem affordable for a dependent? Especially if they’re supposed to be saving for college or homecoming or prom? 

Don’t get me wrong. I love to read. I pray one day I’m fortunate enough to have a library of my favorites. However, right now, I’m a full time college student, with not only student loans, but my car loan, my cell phone, my rent, and the food in my belly.  Tell me where am I supposed to get the spending money for books too? This is why I borrow from friends or the library. I wish I could support more often but I quite literally can’t. It’s too costly. 

I can’t even afford to buy the ebook as it’s the same price as the hardback. Can I ask why an electronic file costs the same as ink and paper? Is there something special about the epub file that makes it worth the same amount as being able to physically hold and smell the book? (I love the smell of books, someone should patent that as a perfume.) 

I hear and see a lot of stuff about authors complaining that they don’t sell enough books, or they’re mad that people pirate their books. But when you look at it this way is it any wonder why? And in today’s economy what parent in their right mind is going to let their kid pay twenty dollars for a book? 

I just needed to put that out there. There are a lot of great writers in this world. A great many great authors. I wish with all my heart I could support all my favorites. However, with the economy in crumbles, food outrageously priced, and college demanding my first born child in payment, it’s not possible to support everyone. I pray there are others who are well off enough that can, so I may continue reading their great stories.  

How can this be fixed? I honestly can’t say. Lower the cost of ebooks? Find cheaper ways of printing that can lower the cost of a physical book? Who really knows? I wish I did.

Saturday Soapbox: Jace

Hello, hello! It's me again. ^_^ While not intentionally trying to start a new discussion this came to me days after a conversation with a fellow blogger. I can't say this will be every week, but I think it's appropriate to have a Soapbox discussion on characters, plots, book genre, etc that we'd like to rant about (whether good or bad) and discuss. And what better day to have a Soapbox discussion then Saturday? ^_^ So, here's what's been pestering me for the better part of the week.

I had this conversation with a fellow blogger a few days ago and I’ve been still thinking about it, so I’ve decided what the heck, let me post it as a conversation piece and see what everyone else is thinking. This is her part of the conversation:

Question, do you like Jace? How do you perceive him as a character? Do you get the vibe that even though he's always self loathing, that there's really nothing for him to be hating himself about really? b/c that's how I feel. He's good; we know he's good, he just won't acknowledge it and that’s why he drives me up the wall and the author I was arguing with told me... "Is he really good if he was still willing to have sex with Clary after he knew she was his sister?" and I was like whoa…

I’m sure everyone can see where she’s coming from. And I’m sure everyone knows the author she was arguing with had a valid point… but what do you think? Here’s my input on Jace:

In my opinion Jace is really confused. He’s been raised by a really bad man for the most impressionable years of his life. This is bound to leave scaring. I think he knows that he’s a good guy, but instead of examining the light in him, he’s always focusing on the negative in him. Because his father was always quick to point out flaws and weaknesses Jace automatically tortures himself over flaws and weakness that aren’t really significant. 

As far as still wanting Clary even after thinking she was his sister… this doesn’t make him a bad person. He was always acknowledging that it was wrong. That he shouldn’t love her the way he does. This very response is what makes him a good person. As the Seelie Queen said, “Desire is not always lessened by disgust. Nor can it be bestowed, like a favor, to those most deserving of it.” Jace was disgusted with himself for loving his “sister” as more than his sister. He knew it was wrong; he tormented himself over it; and he tried really hard to walk away from it. 

And really we can determine Jace’s goodness by comparing to Sebastian. Sebastian IS Clary’s brother. He wasn’t all disgusted by kissing her and he knew. He was in fact disappointed with her rejection of him. Obviously, there’s something wrong with his head and he’s the bad guy. He didn’t think it was wrong in the least. Which makes him another kind of sicko as well, but we’ll skip over that for now. 

End result of this rant: Jace isn’t a bad guy he’s just massively confused and needs to take some meditation time to figure out what the hell he really wants.

What do you think? I’d love to read it. ^_^ Feel free to share in the comments or link back your post. ^_^