All's Fair in Love and Book Reviews
Okay, I don't really understand what that phrase "all's fair in love and war" means.
War involves death and that ain't fair.
Love sometimes involves heartache. What's so fair about that?!
However, the cliche is apropos for book reviews. Think about it, once a book enters the lit world anything can happen. People can love it. Hate it. Love to hate it. Or ignore it. And it's fair because it's their money they're spending. And, let's face it, us authors asked for it the second we signed the dotted line and said -Take this text, go forth and make thou some moola.
That's right, we can't want our books out there for consumption then balk at those who don't praise it.
It's my turn on the blazing red seat of scrutiny.
So Not The Drama has officially entered the world on its own. The reviews are beginning to roll in...wait, that sounds like I've gotten a ton. Seep in. Reviews are beginning to seep in.
I'm not sure I'm supposed to reveal this or what. So erring on the side of caution, I'll say it's from a very respectable reviewer and that it was a very balanced review.
Sure, I'm not feeling all warm and fuzzy about the balanced side that's somewhat neg. But, I can totally respect a review that says - well this part I liked and this part, not so much.
I'll admit, reading the not so great part was like getting punched in the gut. I had the exact same feeling as I did when I didn't make the cheer squad my seventh grade year in middle school.
But, this time, I had the good part of the review to ease the pain. When I didn't make the squad, I had to wait a whole year to try-out again. Felt like the end of the world. I called my mom, had her pick me up early from school and spent the rest of the day in bed.
Yes, I've been a Drama Queen for a long time. So sue me.
The good news was, I made the squad the next year and every year after that through the end of high school.
If by some strange serendipity woven throughout the universe, my not making the middle school team a million years ago is connected to my first review, I guess everything's gonna be alright.
War involves death and that ain't fair.
Love sometimes involves heartache. What's so fair about that?!
However, the cliche is apropos for book reviews. Think about it, once a book enters the lit world anything can happen. People can love it. Hate it. Love to hate it. Or ignore it. And it's fair because it's their money they're spending. And, let's face it, us authors asked for it the second we signed the dotted line and said -Take this text, go forth and make thou some moola.
That's right, we can't want our books out there for consumption then balk at those who don't praise it.
It's my turn on the blazing red seat of scrutiny.
So Not The Drama has officially entered the world on its own. The reviews are beginning to roll in...wait, that sounds like I've gotten a ton. Seep in. Reviews are beginning to seep in.
I'm not sure I'm supposed to reveal this or what. So erring on the side of caution, I'll say it's from a very respectable reviewer and that it was a very balanced review.
Sure, I'm not feeling all warm and fuzzy about the balanced side that's somewhat neg. But, I can totally respect a review that says - well this part I liked and this part, not so much.
I'll admit, reading the not so great part was like getting punched in the gut. I had the exact same feeling as I did when I didn't make the cheer squad my seventh grade year in middle school.
But, this time, I had the good part of the review to ease the pain. When I didn't make the squad, I had to wait a whole year to try-out again. Felt like the end of the world. I called my mom, had her pick me up early from school and spent the rest of the day in bed.
Yes, I've been a Drama Queen for a long time. So sue me.
The good news was, I made the squad the next year and every year after that through the end of high school.
If by some strange serendipity woven throughout the universe, my not making the middle school team a million years ago is connected to my first review, I guess everything's gonna be alright.
posted by Paula at 5:33 PM
1 Comments:
Seeping reviews are good!
If they hit you all at once you wouldn't know which way is up.
Balance in a review is also good. Whenever I read a review of a book or film and the entire review is a puffy love letter to the author, film director, actor, or other, I immediately think the reviewer had an agenda, and am not likely to take their comments with much interest.
Besides, teens are likely to bristle at being told what's good or bad about a novel, they want to disover it on their own.
Good luck to you and God-speed!
--CC ( from the blue boards)
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