Hi, and welcome to my first Confessions of a Bookaholic post! I'll be posting about my blogging journey and things I learn along the way. If there's anything in particular you'd like me to post about, just email me.So recently I got my first few review copies from authors. And although I was excited, one of the first things that struck me was: What if I hate this book?
I'm not saying here that receiving a free copy influenced any of my reviews at all. In fact, I told myself to be more truthful than usual (which, guys, is saying something, since I try to tell the truth as much as possible) because I owed the truth not only to my readers, but also to the author.
The thing is, though, I don't like getting review copies from authors. Don't get me wrong, I love the books themselves, but I don't like the idea of having a personal relationship with an author before I even start their book. If I read something and really enjoy it, I love telling authors on Twitter. I love saying things like OMG YOUR BOOK WAS SO GOOD I COULDN'T GET ENOUGH OF IT I NEED THE SEQUEL SO SO SO BAD. But if I write a bad review, I never ever tell the author that I hated their book. I never tag them when I post the review onto Twitter. Because it's mean. It's like bullying. And I hate it.
In the end, I was 100% truthful when I wrote those reviews. I didn't sugar coat anything, and I wasn't any more tactful than usual. But I didn't enjoy writing the bad and the so-so reviews, and then having to send it to the author and wave it in their face and say, Hey, I didn't like your book. This this this was wrong with it and I think you need to correct this this this. It stung, even to me.
This is why I don't like getting review copies from authors. And I will continue to receive these review copies and continue to read them and post truthful reviews. But what this experience has taught me is not to form relationships with authors before reading their book. That I should reply to their email saying that yes, I will read their book, and thank you. Nothing beyond that before I start. It's painful both for me and the author when we've become acquaintances and I need to tell them that I hated their story. No matter how much an author understands that not everybody will love their work once they make it public, it will still hurt.
Is this just me, or has anyone else encountered this problem?
I haven't gotten any review copies yet, but I totally agree with what you said about not forming a relationship with the author before you read the book. It's like if your best friend were to write a book and then you read it and hated it and he/she was expecting you to write a review on your blog... Except that might be worse. Or better, because your friendship should hopefully go deeper than that... But yeah, I like your idea of just keeping it simple, and then if you like the book, totally create a friendship if you can!
ReplyDeleteGreat discussion post! And it really helped me, for when I someday get a review request from an author, so thanks!
I'm so glad I helped, Andrea! It can be tough sometimes when authors are really nice and you have to throw a bucket of icy water on them by telling them that their book wasn't great.
DeleteAnd is that the TFiOS tour van I see on your profile picture? :O
Yep, that's the lovely TFiOS van! My friends and I had an awesome time at the event in Austin. Thanks for stopping by my blog today! ;)
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