When Charlie mentioned that some of RTB’s columnists were ranty, one name came to mind: mine. A day without a rant is like…well, I don’t know, it’s never happened. If I can’t get worked up about something, I stay in bed. As my cats demand only the best, I make it a point to get worked up regularly.
A long time ago, I reviewed romance novels. I was (I believe) good at it, but as my fiction writing skills grew, I became unfairly picky. I blamed authors for not writing the way I would, and this was wrong. Plus, I wanted to read for pleasure, not work. So I retired, remaining an observer of the art.
One thing we do in this genre is sell ourselves short when it comes to critical reviews. One reason, of course, is that some reviewers are friendly with authors. You don’t want to hurt feelings. I understand that, but I think it’s a disservice to everyone. There is also a hands-off approach when it comes to peer review. I nearly blew a gasket when I read a newly published author’s proud announcement that now that she’d joined the club, she couldn’t speak frankly about other romances.
That’s bad. That’s sad. That’s really scary. Do you see this approach in other genres? In literary fiction? Peer reviews are valuable — and they should be honest. Not cruel. Honest.
Authors don’t always help. Some take bad reviews personally, reacting publicly. Anne Rice did this after she read Amazon reader reviews of her latest book; I’m not going to say she came out looking defensive and whiny…oh, okay, I am going to say that. She came out looking defensive and whiny. Nobody wants bad reviews. Recently, my friend Jill Monroe received her first less-than-glowing review. Because our relationship is best described as co-dependent, I knew exactly what she was feeling (and, yes, absolutely, the reviewer was wrong!). Then she said something that really struck me: after years on the contest circuit, she takes negative comments in stride. The review rolled right off.
I’ll take it a step further. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t love feedback filled with smiley faces and glowing comments and high scores. My ego is healthy enough to admit the need for lots of strokes. But the lower scores made me work harder. Sometimes it was clear the judge didn’t get me (I write funny, and funny is really subjective). Other times I’d failed to connect on some level — good judges articulated where my writing missed for them. I took this feedback and used it to improve.
And yes, I whined and complained to friends. I’m only human.
I think educated, critical reviews of the romance genre can only make us better. Sure, we all want to be loved, but I’ve yet to meet an author who doesn’t want to grow. An endless stream of glowing reviews doesn’t light the fire the way thoughtful dissent does.
No related posts.
I totally agree, Kassia! A writer can’t let bad reviews send her into a downward spiral of depression, or get publicly ugly about it (as you mentioned, the Anne Rice thing was a good example of how NOT to handle a bad review), but I don’t let them roll right off my back, either. A good reviewer may actually identify something that’s wrong with my work (shocking though that concept may be to me:-), which I can fix in subsequent books. So a bad review can be a tool, of a sort, albeit one that’s a little hard on the ego!
Maybe I’m weird this way, but I tend to take a not so glowing critique or “review” much more seriously than I do one that is dripping with sweetness. To me it says the judge/critiquer is being honest with me, and I value honesty/frankness above just about anything.
And since I want this sort of feedback, it’s the kind I give in return. (which sometimes lands me in hot water)
The only kind of commentary that shoves me into auto-rant mode is opinion parading as fact — or “misfacts” that show up a lot in historical critiques.
I don’t mind negative, I even welcome it — particularly before a book’s in print. Any kind of feedback has to feel truthful for me to appreciate it. . .mind you, perhaps it doesn’t have to BE truthful.
I’m in complete agreement. Of course I adore getting glowing reviews but they don’t do me a bit of good when even *I* can see that the reviewer glossed over sections of the book that weren’t as stellar as they needed to be. I would LOVE to see romances reviewed critically. There are too few publications that do so! I think so many authors and reviewers being friendly online lends itself to this. As you say, no one wants to hurt feelings, yet honest critical analysis (not bashing) can only do the genre good!
Kassia, I think the key words in your post are “educated” and “thoughtful.” Any review is only one person’s opinion, and often, we know little or nothing about a reviewer’s qualifications. Does he/she really have any knowledge and understanding of all the elements of creative writing and what goes into a good book—or is he/she just trashing a contemporary because he/she only likes historicals, or vice versa? Like all readers, I have my own favorite kind of books to read. But that doesn’t prevent me from recognizing and appreciating good books that aren’t my own cup of tea. Unfortunately, however, a lot of reviews are simply a list of pet peeves or, worse, wholly inaccurate observations. And yes, those of us who have been around for a while have usually learned to let those roll right off.
There’s such a “Mean Girls” dynamic at work in the romance reviewing game. I can’t tell you how often authors write in to RT protesting “bad reviews” (and I’m talking 3 stars here, not two or even one) and they take it super-personally, as in a, “She wrote nasty things about me in a slambook!” kind of way. Conversely, reviewers (many of whom are aspiring writers themselves) are loathe to give a bad grade. It’s very difficult to find honest critiquers in this day and age. And certainly the ones like Mrs. Giggles (who is totally brilliant) or some of the more candid reviewers at AAR get a ton of flack from authors who can’t understand that negative comments about your book are not negative comments about you. I know it’s your baby, your heart’s passion, your lifeblood scrawled on those pages, but hey if you’re loading it down with tons of exposition and it’s losing my interest, what can I say? I often wonder (probably unfairly) if other genres, ones that are more male-dominated like mystery or sci-fi, have this same sensitivity about peer reviews.
Excellent article, Kassia
.
Having been a reviewer, gotten both glowing and horrid reviews, I could certainly identify with your comments. Opinion reviews are fine – (a review is, after all, just someone’s opinion.)
However, I have learned not to go searching for reviews of my own books. After all, I wrote them, I don’t need a review to tell me if I should read it or not. (and aren’t reviews for readers, not authors?)
If it’s any comfort, a newspaper reader stopped me after I had written a particularly biting review of a mystery novel. He said, “I can’t wait to read the book to see if it’s as bad as you say.”
“Aren’t reviews for readers, not authors?”
Right, Jennifer! That’s one thing I don’t understand about the majority of romance review sites. Many said that they shy from writing “negative” reviews, including acknowledging weak parts of a story in a positive review, because they don’t want to hurt authors’ feelings.
Fair enough, but it doesn’t seem occur to them that by doing that, they are hurting readers’ purses/pocket wallets. Because of that, it’s very likely that readers won’t trust their reviews again. Sorry, it just baffles me that there are some romance reviewers who actually worry about authors’ feelings when penning reviews. What’s the point of reviewing if they allow that to interfer with their – excuse me as I can’t think of a nicer word – ability to review books?
I’m not saying that they should – as one organisation of romance reviewers puts it – “slash and dice” romances. I’m saying that constructive criticism and honesty would be nice. I know many authors think that bad reviews would affect their sales, but based on conversations with fellow romance readers, this is not true.
Many readers actually appreciate those reviews that highlight weak parts because at least they buy books with their eyes wide open. I do this as well. I mean, a few times I have read some ‘negative’ reviews and went ahead in buying books, anyway.
OK, I will shut up now.
Wow — a lot of great feedback. It’s always nice to know I’m not the only one feeling this way. I think readers develop a trust relationship with reviewers — and that trust is broken if a reviewer loves everything or pulls punches to save feelings.
The question of qualifications to review is a good one — I came into it with a background in critical writing about literature, but there isn’t a test you can give someone. In the end, it’s probably a lot like getting to Carnegie Hall
I will admit to buying books based on bad reviews — sometimes I just have to see for myself.
“Aren’t reviews for readers, not authors?â€
I was scrolling through an author’s chatgroup the other day, and one of the members, who is also a reviewer, popped on and said her review site wanted the reviewers to ask authors what they were looking for in a review.
Authors. Not readers. Authors.
And do you know, someone asked the reviewer this exact same question. Aren’t reviews meant for the readers? Why ask what the authors are looking for?
Sadly, I don’t think it had even occurred to the reviewer to question her review site about this. She didn’t have an answer and it seemed that she found nothing hinky about this.
I know alot of reviewers who hang out online and they swear they write objective, honest reviews. I want to know who they write for because it’s really hard to find a review based on craft and not personal feelings in today’s world of internet friendships and connections.
There was one woman though, who needs to review for someone who actually wants to print an honest review. She’s a former reviewer who said she had to quit because the review site wanted her to write positive things about a book she thought was completely terrible.
“I didn’t think they meant that I thought the heroine had fabulous hair.”
Tara, it’s not just the women-dominated romance genre where artists get bent out of shape over bad reviews. SF author Steve Perry wrote a letter to Green Man Review in 2003 titled “Scratch a Critic, Find an Assassin”. And then wouldn’t let it go! You can read some of the exchange at http://www.greenmanreview.com/letters/loc_archives2.html
And just this week, actor Rob Schneider took out a full page ad in Variety to trash a Los Angeles Times reporter who said the reason why indie films were getting Oscar nominations was because Hollywood was making films like a sequel to “Deuce Bigelow: Male Gigelow”. You’ve gotta find text of Schneider’s train-wreck of a rant.
Petulancy from authors/artists is a wonderful spectator sport. I’m not sure why they can’t understand that it’s impossible to come off looking good ranting about bad reviews. Maybe creativity and hyper-sensitivity are closely-tied traits.
KASSIA! Look at what your comments have led me to. http://metareviewer.bravejournal.com/
It’s all your dang fault, and if no one enters and I look clueless. . well, it’ll be on your head. Sort of.
Kate, I’m 60% sure I can’t be held responsible for inciting people to riot. But just in case, I’ll make sure you get entries. It’s the least I can do after making you stay up past your bedtime!
Angie — you’ve scared me. And that’s not easy to do.
Sera — so true about the spectator sport. Humans are way better than television. While I understand defending your art, sometimes it’s better to bite your tongue. Or lock yourself in a room for a few weeks.