tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post7196457956292491624..comments2024-03-28T18:40:05.789-04:00Comments on Writers Who Kill: What Do You Mean, You Don't Like It?Jim Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15090252530437277145noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-86754599432109837872014-10-14T21:46:59.821-04:002014-10-14T21:46:59.821-04:00Kara--Amazon is a force unto itself in everything,...Kara--Amazon is a force unto itself in everything, including reviews. Us peons just have to try our best to figure out how to make the whole thing work to our advantage.<br /><br />Kara--ah, yes. The editorial "correction" that makes the author look ignorant. I'm not sure there's a cure for that.KM Rockwoodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03973749764907859829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-80951032417557920792014-10-14T15:25:30.703-04:002014-10-14T15:25:30.703-04:00I once got a bad review because my novel misspelle...I once got a bad review because my novel misspelled the name Wynton Marsalis (and did I ever get a lecture about it!). Of course, I had gotten it correct--the publisher changed it to "Winston Marsalis." carlahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15985823239660829148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-16492407745772595942014-10-14T12:43:42.851-04:002014-10-14T12:43:42.851-04:00I should probably review books I like more often. ...I should probably review books I like more often. Two things I don't like about reviewing on Amazon are the technological snafus that can sometimes happen and that people vote on whether a review is helpful or not. If my review is considered unhelpful to someone who is considering purchasing a book, does that mean it didn't help the author make a sale? That would be unfortunate and not what I intended.Kara Cerisehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16484336785514235707noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-57328790133960387392014-10-14T11:23:52.200-04:002014-10-14T11:23:52.200-04:00Daveler, I'm delighted that you like our blog!...Daveler, I'm delighted that you like our blog! To tell the truth, I never thought about reading blogs to fuel my feelings and deal with frustration, but it's a great idea. Next time I feel the need to vent, I'll look into it.<br /><br />Gayle, at least those wacky people are reviewing your work. And have a reaction to it. Too "Jersey?" all I can think of is the show, "Jersey Shore," and that's so unrealistic.<br /><br />Jim--that's a good policy. It makes a big difference for some books & authors, and really doesn't matter for others.<br /><br />Shari--the anthology was a lot of fun. We're planning to do another one soon. We'd hoped Christmas, but guess what? Too many things got in the way. So maybe a spring one.<br /><br />Warren--that's a sensitive approach. Sometimes I read things and wonder how anyone could like them, but then I remember that not only must some people like them, someone felt strongly enough to write them, and their feelings need to be respected.<br /><br />E.B. You certainly do your share (and then some) of reviewing. And you say such nice, insightful things about other people's books.<br /><br />Gloria--I've discovered that, if I'm going to write a review, I'm much better off doing it when the book is fresh in my mind. Especially when it's a book I liked, if I go back to look it over, three hours later I often find myself rereading my favorite parts.KM Rockwoodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03973749764907859829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-65277104840442717702014-10-14T11:00:31.425-04:002014-10-14T11:00:31.425-04:00Like E.B., I won't give bad reviews, but somet...Like E.B., I won't give bad reviews, but sometimes I just get too darn busy to go to Amazon to review books I do like. It's not that I forget about them - they're stacked on the shelf next to my computer, and I really, really, really do plan to go to Amazon to review them - someday after I refresh my memory about what I especially liked about them. And then there's the problem of remembering which ones I actually did get around to reviewing already.<br /><br />As for my own reviews? I'm just as lax about reading those. I have no idea how many reviews I have on each of my books are what is being said about them. I probably should go there and read them some time - that is when I find the time.Gloria Aldenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13581719606924364447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-56994650211322451712014-10-14T09:46:46.496-04:002014-10-14T09:46:46.496-04:00I feel much the same as Warren and Jim. However, s...I feel much the same as Warren and Jim. However, since I interview authors for this blog, I don't feel the need to review as many books because interviewing is helping to promote. Reviewing a book properly takes time. When Amazon prompts me to rate books I've bought, I don't respond. I don't have the time to review each book in the way they deserve. I also won't give a bad review. I will make a note of pros and cons, but I try to be balanced.E. B. Davishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16746747050278597888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-81882368130355257922014-10-14T09:22:53.329-04:002014-10-14T09:22:53.329-04:00I review books that I like. I seldom review books...I review books that I like. I seldom review books that I don't like. I know each book is somebody's baby and just because I didn't care for it doesn't mean another reader will not love it.Warren Bullhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07789270258599769915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-82552273606441659132014-10-14T08:43:41.293-04:002014-10-14T08:43:41.293-04:00Best wishes with the Swamp Mansion anthology. (I j...Best wishes with the Swamp Mansion anthology. (I just checked Amazon and it has 4.5 stars!) I hope that means lots of new readers for you all.Shari Randallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16425493627354028820noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-43806997939863897662014-10-14T06:33:32.382-04:002014-10-14T06:33:32.382-04:00I sometimes write reviews. I don’t bother with any...I sometimes write reviews. I don’t bother with any book that has been reviewed a gazillion times. Life’s short and my review would not matter to anyone, including me. However, I know the value of reviews for self-published works or those issued by a small publisher and so I do make the effort to write them for those books.<br /><br />Best of luck with your anthology.<br /><br />~ Jim<br />Jim Jacksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15090252530437277145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-42213289324440007562014-10-14T01:00:46.706-04:002014-10-14T01:00:46.706-04:00I had a 1-star review for my short story because i...I had a 1-star review for my short story because it was too short. I've had a 1-star review for my mystery HIT OR MISSUS because it was "too Jersey" for the reader. I don't even know what the hell that means. The book is set in southern California, for Pete's sake. <br /><br />My point being, I love and cherish my 1-stars. They are as unique as little snowflakes. <br /><br />And I scrub myself daily with steel wool. You need thick skin to be in this business.Gayle Carlinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15783449240138097315noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-86840900387098128742014-10-14T00:27:52.828-04:002014-10-14T00:27:52.828-04:00On a not so related note, I follow a lot of writin...On a not so related note, I follow a lot of writing blogs, and it's gotten to the point whenever I click on a title in my RSS feed, and realize it's yours, I'm always excited. You always have something interesting to say, and I've never left feeling ticked off. (Though, granted, that's why I read so many blogs is because I liked getting pissed.)<br /><br />On a on topic note, I totally agree with you. It's very frustrating for me when people don't realize that the things they like and what they prioritize is not necessarily true for others. I once listened to a man telling a woman writing a detective novel that he didn't like detective novels, here's why... And proceed to tell her every trope she should avoid. Which would have been good advice if she was trying to appeal to people like him. But what a person who doesn't like the genre doesn't like might be exactly what why the person who does like it likes it. <br /><br />If everyone wrote books I'd like to read, there'd be a lot of bored readers. But that doesn't mean that the books I like shouldn't exist. I think that's obvious, and yet it's still a common sentiment for books to be labeled as "just bad" no matter how many other people get something from it.Davelerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11144628296824568015noreply@blogger.com