Comments on: The Professionalism Of Negativity http://www.robertswartwood.com/insights/the-professionalism-of-negativity/ Occasional News, Insights, Rants, and Other Miscellaneous Stuff Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:15:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Robert Swartwood http://www.robertswartwood.com/insights/the-professionalism-of-negativity/#comment-1515 Robert Swartwood Fri, 28 May 2010 04:51:54 +0000 http://www.robertswartwood.com/?p=1492#comment-1515 The writing in Franco's story is very poor. I read it when it was first published and simply said "Good for him." If that's any indication the type of writing that will be in his collection, I'm curious to see how truthful the reviews turn out to be. The writing in Franco’s story is very poor. I read it when it was first published and simply said “Good for him.” If that’s any indication the type of writing that will be in his collection, I’m curious to see how truthful the reviews turn out to be.

]]> By: ST http://www.robertswartwood.com/insights/the-professionalism-of-negativity/#comment-1511 ST Thu, 27 May 2010 17:26:27 +0000 http://www.robertswartwood.com/?p=1492#comment-1511 i agree...reviews aren't really meant to be a give-and-take with the author anyway; they're supposed to be objective, written without the author's feelings or whatever in mind...that's actually the subject i have more issues with: writing a bad review...many times if i don't like a book it's not because it's poorly written -- it's just not my cup of tea so to speak -- but at other times the writing is just poor (see James Franco's Esquire short at http://www.esquire.com/fiction/james-franco-fiction-0410)...again, just my opinion though... i agree…reviews aren’t really meant to be a give-and-take with the author anyway; they’re supposed to be objective, written without the author’s feelings or whatever in mind…that’s actually the subject i have more issues with: writing a bad review…many times if i don’t like a book it’s not because it’s poorly written — it’s just not my cup of tea so to speak — but at other times the writing is just poor (see James Franco’s Esquire short at http://www.esquire.com/fiction/james-franco-fiction-0410)…again, just my opinion though…

]]> By: Robert Swartwood http://www.robertswartwood.com/insights/the-professionalism-of-negativity/#comment-1510 Robert Swartwood Thu, 27 May 2010 15:40:54 +0000 http://www.robertswartwood.com/?p=1492#comment-1510 Yes, and while I don't want to knock all Amazon reviewers, a decent amount give the shitty, half-assed reviews just because, and I think it's dangerous for authors to start a dialogue with those types of reviewers, as by doing so the authors are giving those reviewers exactly what they want. I also think you're right about pointing potential readers to good AND bad reviews. I plan to point out all the major reviews for the anthology on this blog and on Hint Fiction's Twitter page (from places like Publishers Weekly and Booklist), but the reviews left on Amazon or other websites like that? I'm not so sure if it's worth the time and hassle. Yes, and while I don’t want to knock all Amazon reviewers, a decent amount give the shitty, half-assed reviews just because, and I think it’s dangerous for authors to start a dialogue with those types of reviewers, as by doing so the authors are giving those reviewers exactly what they want.

I also think you’re right about pointing potential readers to good AND bad reviews. I plan to point out all the major reviews for the anthology on this blog and on Hint Fiction’s Twitter page (from places like Publishers Weekly and Booklist), but the reviews left on Amazon or other websites like that? I’m not so sure if it’s worth the time and hassle.

]]> By: ST http://www.robertswartwood.com/insights/the-professionalism-of-negativity/#comment-1509 ST Thu, 27 May 2010 15:33:17 +0000 http://www.robertswartwood.com/?p=1492#comment-1509 this is of course just my opinion, and i'm sure others will disagree strongly, but i think writers have a certain level of responsibility to their audience, meaning if they should point potential readers to both positive and negative reviews...that is, if they pay attention at all...a number of established writers i've interviewed for newspaper articles at least say they don't read press for their novels, though i'm sure they make exceptions for papers like the New York Times...if a writer feels the need to do something, sending a nice note to a reviewer regardless of their opinion seems the decent thing to do, as they took the time to read your work and write 500 words or whatever about it...that's a big deal...but really, does a writer need to DO anything? i'm not convinced they do or should...a writer's job is to write, and anything beyond that just distracts the writer from the task...plus, i think the most successful writers are those who write the books they themselves would like to read, so it doesn't really matter what others think anyway... of course, there are different types of reviews: well-thought out reviews and shitty, half-assed reviews...the former are complimentary by their very nature, positive or negative, while the latter are trash regardless of the conclusion... this is of course just my opinion, and i’m sure others will disagree strongly, but i think writers have a certain level of responsibility to their audience, meaning if they should point potential readers to both positive and negative reviews…that is, if they pay attention at all…a number of established writers i’ve interviewed for newspaper articles at least say they don’t read press for their novels, though i’m sure they make exceptions for papers like the New York Times…if a writer feels the need to do something, sending a nice note to a reviewer regardless of their opinion seems the decent thing to do, as they took the time to read your work and write 500 words or whatever about it…that’s a big deal…but really, does a writer need to DO anything? i’m not convinced they do or should…a writer’s job is to write, and anything beyond that just distracts the writer from the task…plus, i think the most successful writers are those who write the books they themselves would like to read, so it doesn’t really matter what others think anyway…

of course, there are different types of reviews: well-thought out reviews and shitty, half-assed reviews…the former are complimentary by their very nature, positive or negative, while the latter are trash regardless of the conclusion…

]]>