Respect

                                                           

I am sure this is a blog that I will have to have someone edit—a lot. I am very passionate about this subject and lots of people are going to disagree with me. If they would like to write a blog and tell me about it, that would be awesome. But nine chances out of ten, you will not be able to change my mind.

Now onto the blog. This is about author behavior.

I have touched on this subject before but never really went all out on it. The reason I am writing this now is because an author that I have liked for years has done something that I think is wrong. I know that authors are regular people and they have opinions—just like anyone else. I respect that. You should be able to voice your opinions. Your author wall is probably not the best place for this to happen, especially if it is about a reader.

In the last few months, I have seen authors go after readers who have given bad reviews. I understand being pissed, but you should never, ever go after anyone who gives you a bad review. If there are inaccuracies, most definitely correct them but never make it a personal attack on the reviewer. In one case, the author actually sent her fans to attack the reviewer as well. THIS SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN!!!! I don’t give a rat’s ass if it was the worst review ever written. To me, this is the actions of a bully. It was someone’s personal opinion. Everyone is entitled to one.

Yes, I understand that this is your livelihood and how you support your families. If you can’t take bad reviews, you have a couple of options: stop writing or don’t read the reviews. You can also ask your readers who have read the book and liked it to go and write a review, too. Take the high road and just accept that not everyone is going to love your book.

I have actually stopped reading an author for a comment she made about the genre that made her a best-selling author. Basically, she insulted me and anyone who reads romance. She said that she would never write another romance because she is better than that now. Wow, now really go ahead and tell us that we read crap and how much better your new series is compared to the one that put you in the position to write it. Now I can’t even read the original series because she ruined it for me by what she said.

This is not the only author that I have stopped reading. Though, technically, I never made it to one author. I had this author on my to-be-read pile, and I was almost to her name when I found out that she was not just slightly unhinged but off the frame completely.  She has insulted not just readers but also other authors. Apparently, the whole world is out to get her and is jealous of her looks and her talent. Does this sound like someone you would support? 

The really sad part is she is a NYT bestselling author. Hell, even her publishers have problems dealing with her. I have a friend whose cousin is a manager at a major bookstore chain. This author came to the store to do a signing, and they had so many problems with her that they refused to let her sign there again. I mean how bad do you have to be that a bookstore will refuse you when you are a bestselling author?

If I wouldn’t want you as a friend, I wouldn’t want to support you as an author—no matter how great your books are. I am not saying that authors should cater to their readers or ass kiss in any way. I just want them to respect us as readers.  Don’t act like an ass then expect us to put our hard earned money in your pockets by buying your books.

One of my biggest complaints is that some authors are putting out inferior books.  I have read a few authors who, when they started their books, were so good and original. Now it seems like they are more about quantity over quality. They are writing them so fast that they sometimes don’t seem to put all their efforts into making sure it is quality work. I don’t believe they mean to do this or that it is done in any way maliciously, but it is not to the standards of their other work. I know that everyone has off books and off days but, if I can’t distinguish between books other than the characters names, then there is probably something wrong with either me or the books.

I understand that for most authors, this is a learning experience and yes, you are going to make some mistakes along the way. Just remember, if you have nothing nice to say, then don’t say anything at all. Be the bigger person, no matter how much it hurts. Call your best friend or burn voodoo dolls or do whatever will make you feel better but never ever insult the people who put money in your pocket. You may think we are all bat shit crazy and yep, some of us are. But we are also your fans. We are the people who will go to bat for you and still buy your books when you think they are crap. We tell our friends about how wonderful you were when we went to a signing; that you listened and were willing to answer questions about your books or characters. These are the things that will endear you to your fans. Remember, at some point, you might have thought I don’t want to write anymore but then you remembered I have someone out there who wants to read this book. We are those people. Respect us as readers and most of us will go to the ends of the earth for you.

Sinfully Sarcastic,

Shmuttmeister