Open Thread: Oracle Hotline

[mithen]

--Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with bad or good ones?

I find this question fascinating because it's meant for pro authors and, to me, really illustrates one of they differences between that and fanfic, because "reviews" (comments) are basically the only "pay" fanfic writers get! Of course I read each one and treasure the good ones. I also agonize way more than I should over bad ones, to be honest. But good-bad reviews can be really useful--I mean, thoughtful ones that actually raise issues, not "I don't like A/B and you should write A/C" or my favorite negative comment I've ever gotten, "When are A and B ever going to kiss??" (they'd already kissed twice in the series). Sometimes it can be hard to tell the difference between feedback that will make your writing better and feedback that just wants to make you feel bad, I think...

Comments

[me_ya_ri]

*amused snort* It's even worse when you're published because a) reading your reviews is really difficult and can totally mess up your writing if you let the pro reviewer's views get into your head but b) you need to create files of reviews you've gotten so that you can use them for promotion.

I have yet to figure out how to handle that but then I've gotten very few reviews so far anyway.

Reader reviews on my published stuff is something I totally avoid. It's not for me so I don't read them. Reader reviews on my fanfic still make me happy unless its the sort of thing you mentioned. My least favorite was one that went on about how 'sinful' and 'evil' the reader felt for reading Clark/Lex in Smallville. >.>

Mind you, it wasn't even on of the really steamy stories I've written. I believe I deleted that one. If its a really offensive fanfic review, I do delete them. If it's just in poor taste they get "Thank you!" and that's about it. The lovely comments get gushing right back at them.

Hope your writing is going well! I'm at the dramatic confrontation (part 1) where the assassin sent against the heroine's new girlfriend is about to be taken down. Part 2 will be where the girlfriend's stalker is summarily captured and arrested and then I can finally have the 'date' and kissing and yay!

Anyway, have a great week!

[mithen]

*amused snort* It's even worse when you're published because a) reading your reviews is really difficult and can totally mess up your writing if you let the pro reviewer's views get into your head but b) you need to create files of reviews you've gotten so that you can use them for promotion.

Argggggghhhh, that's terrible! I do feel like if I were a professional author, I'd try to avoid reading reactions to my work as much as possible, but... it would be hard.

My least favorite was one that went on about how 'sinful' and 'evil' the reader felt for reading Clark/Lex in Smallville. >.>

Yuck, those are the worst. Into the deletion file with you, commenter!