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Re: not nice but..... Reviews
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From: Betty Tisel <tiselfar_at_visi.com>
Date: Sun, 15 Nov 2009 08:44:15 -0600
I№m not a writer but I think we can ask reviewers (and their publishers) to be not.... nice, but Ђ civil Ђ accurate Ђ deliberate
I have an actor friend who has a couple of fist-sized holes in his wall h e made the holes after a reviewer twice wrote dimwitted reviews and misquoted him horribly in an interview. My friend knew there was not a darn thing he could do to repair the damage the damage to his career so he took it ou t on his wall. He will continue to aim to produce the very best possible work and reach audiences despite the reckless, seemingly clueless work of this reviewer.
My heart goes out to those whose work and sales have been affected by poorly written, poorly considered, poorly edited reviews.
Betty Tisel Late to this discussion parent, volunteer, avid reader, avid bookbuyer Literary evangelist Minneapolis
On 11/15/09 8:00 AM, "bookmarch_at_aol.com" wrote:
I think we are talking past each other in the discussion of reviews. We authors are saying it takes a lot to write a book. Reviewers are pointing out their obligation to indicate flaws, limitations, or concerns. Both are tr ue. But what we authors are asking for is not so much praise or the downplayi ng of criticisms but rather for slow, considered, engagement. Lisa pointed out that she needs to read a book at least three times to review it. Speaking for nonfiction writers, I know we have read, revised, edited, submitted to re view by experts, editors, copy editors, proof readers tens, twenties, perhaps hundreds of times. That does not mean our books are good, or free of erro r, or free of matters of concern. It does mean we have a right to expect review ers to take their time, to read carefully, to sit with a book, to question fi rst impressions with second considerations, to ask an expert themselves if th ey see an unfamiliar or disturbing idea or concept. We have no right to ask a reviewer to be nice, but
we have every right to insist that a reviewer ta ke her obligation to be an engaged, thoughtful, critic as seriously as we ha ve taken our obligation to be dedicated, professional writers. In a phrase: It is simply unfair for a reviewer to write a fast food opinion of a slowly coo ked book.
Marc Aronson
Date: Sun, 15 Nov 2009 08:44:15 -0600
I№m not a writer but I think we can ask reviewers (and their publishers) to be not.... nice, but Ђ civil Ђ accurate Ђ deliberate
I have an actor friend who has a couple of fist-sized holes in his wall h e made the holes after a reviewer twice wrote dimwitted reviews and misquoted him horribly in an interview. My friend knew there was not a darn thing he could do to repair the damage the damage to his career so he took it ou t on his wall. He will continue to aim to produce the very best possible work and reach audiences despite the reckless, seemingly clueless work of this reviewer.
My heart goes out to those whose work and sales have been affected by poorly written, poorly considered, poorly edited reviews.
Betty Tisel Late to this discussion parent, volunteer, avid reader, avid bookbuyer Literary evangelist Minneapolis
On 11/15/09 8:00 AM, "bookmarch_at_aol.com" wrote:
I think we are talking past each other in the discussion of reviews. We authors are saying it takes a lot to write a book. Reviewers are pointing out their obligation to indicate flaws, limitations, or concerns. Both are tr ue. But what we authors are asking for is not so much praise or the downplayi ng of criticisms but rather for slow, considered, engagement. Lisa pointed out that she needs to read a book at least three times to review it. Speaking for nonfiction writers, I know we have read, revised, edited, submitted to re view by experts, editors, copy editors, proof readers tens, twenties, perhaps hundreds of times. That does not mean our books are good, or free of erro r, or free of matters of concern. It does mean we have a right to expect review ers to take their time, to read carefully, to sit with a book, to question fi rst impressions with second considerations, to ask an expert themselves if th ey see an unfamiliar or disturbing idea or concept. We have no right to ask a reviewer to be nice, but
we have every right to insist that a reviewer ta ke her obligation to be an engaged, thoughtful, critic as seriously as we ha ve taken our obligation to be dedicated, professional writers. In a phrase: It is simply unfair for a reviewer to write a fast food opinion of a slowly coo ked book.
Marc Aronson
---Received on Sun 15 Nov 2009 08:44:15 AM CST
