Fast. Because I do not want to get involved in another review discussion but I can feel my blood pressure rising this time at some of the comments about readers on Running with Quills today. I’m not even going to link to the post. The only thing keeping me from commenting there is that I don’t believe I’ve posted there before. I’m certainly not going to start with this one but I’m also sort of speechless as what response would even work so that helps too. 😉
Do people honestly believe that we can ignore that type of attitude towards us poor illiterate readers?
Also, do people not recognize the difference between structured analysis and off-the-cuff commentary? I am so tired of hearing everything posted about a book called a REVIEW that I’m about to pop a gasket over it. No, really, that is something that’s always bugged me but I could generally just ignore the waves of discussions. Lately, it’s like it pops up every week somewhere.
Okay, off to do some housework and calm down. Grrrr.
Krisitie, that’s an extremely good word. Wish I’d thought of it. Ahem. 😀
Suisan, yes, audience, audience, audience. That’s been my mantra for years.
Tara: I definitely refuse to discuss what goes into reviews. What I usually get sucked into is when they get structured reviews confused with simply rambling commentary. And that’s not even getting into even more formal critiques. Sigh. Whatever.
The other thing that really bothers me a lot is when the comments about reviews start sounding a lot like comments people make about romance – generalities without specifics. The same thing applies to reviews that applies to the romances – just how many have they read to know so much about them?
Oh, the Reader Network. I finally had to shut it down because it was being swarmed by spammers and literally I couldn’t find any way to secure it. The posts are still there though, but I’m hesitant to simply open it up until I figure out how to get around the security problem.
I’ve been meaning to post something about this issue so let me put up a post about it so we can discuss it in it’s own comment thread.
I’m completely avoiding the topic of reviews, I get too annoyed.
Off topic–I can’t get into the Reader Network and I’m looking for some tech info the Maili posted last spring can you help??
Thanks, Tara
I think it’s a good idea to simply calm down and let them have their comment thread over there.
As Kristie said, they do seem a touch sanctimonious–I think they’ve got a circle the wagons approach.
I’m not getting this idea that the internet is the root cause of all impolite behavior–no one had a contrary opinion before the net? No one wrote anonymously before the net? No one gossiped with their friends beofre the net?
It seems to me that people are having a difficult time understanding AUDIENCE when they read something on the web. Not every item written in words is meant for the same audience. Some bits are literary criticism, some bits aren’t.
Are authors not aware of this? Hell, politicians certainly are. I modulate my tone and my word choice when I’m speaking at a formal venue and when I’m having coffee with a friend.
OK, now *I* need to go calm down.
They are sounding rather santimoneous aren’t they?
Thanks for listening, Sandie. 😀 You know, I felt much, much better after I vented it was amazing. Hehehe.
No, May, no need to change anything if that’s what you’re actually trying to do. What I tend to get irate about is when people don’t call what they do reviews and people still get all bent out of shape about how they’re not “properly written” reviews. Uh, duh?
ARGH! ;p
Oh dear. Should I change my ‘reviews’ category to something else?
And I’ll tempt you over here with cream puffs and eclairs, how about that?
Or you could, you know, just picture your happy place, a place where reviewers, authors and readers live together happily.
Bev-I hear ya.
I am not sure how folks decide to call a few bits of fluff a “review”.
I enjoy reading and other’s opinions on books…helps direct me to new stuff I would never find on my own, for sure.
Cheers,
Sandie