This subject interests me particularly because I write, as well as review. If a writer asks me to
review their book, then I expect they’ll come by at some point and say thanks on
the blog or do so privately. Either is fine with me, and I don’t think there’s
anything wrong with this practice.
When the review is not so favourable, I believe it’s
in the writer’s best interest to be polite anyway, if he/she chooses to leave a
comment on a blog.
Not so long ago, one unfortunate writer asked a
blogger to review her book and he pointed out—among other things—that the novel
had a significant amount of grammatical errors. Instead of thanking the
reviewer and moving on, the writer started an argument around the fact that the
blogger must not have received the updated copy of the book. The end result was
a thread of over three hundred comments because the writer kept responding to
other bloggers’ opinion on the matter. The brouhaha went viral early and, of
course, the writer soon felt the ire of some, who went on to leave one star
reviews of the book. The writer had no choice but to eventually remove the story
from Amazon.
As a writer, I am passionate about the work I’ve
bled and sweated over for years. Naturally, low ratings will sting, however, I
don’t think it’s wise to do anything beyond expressing thanks for a review. After
all, the person did take the time to read the book, when they could have been
doing something else. Indulging in a war of words is usually an indication that
a writer is not yet ready to be in the public’s eye.
The only line I’d draw here is that it’s more
prudent to choose not to review a book, than to give it a low rating because it’s
not a genre I usually read. Some reviewers do this, which is unfair to the
writer.
As a book blogger, I’m mindful of the time writers
spend on each novel. With that in mind, I strive to be respectful in my
reviews. I say what I like and what didn’t work for me. I refrain from saying
what I think could have improved in a novel, since it isn’t my story. This
formula seems to work, as to date I haven’t yet been blasted by a writer.
What’s your take? Should writers comment on reviews
of their books?
Please visit the other book bloggers on this hop.
Please visit the other book bloggers on this hop.
