Comments on: The Writer and the Reviewer http://www.ditchwalk.com/2009/10/15/the-writer-and-the-reviewer/ Storytelling in the Digital Age Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:09:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Ditchwalk http://www.ditchwalk.com/2009/10/15/the-writer-and-the-reviewer/comment-page-1/#comment-199 Ditchwalk Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:34:45 +0000 http://www.ditchwalk.com/?p=287#comment-199 Will, "The job is not just to form an opinion as fast as possible, right?" Well, in the age of Twitter, where the average American lives head-down in a texting keypad, I'm sure there are plenty of people who would disagree -- but I'm not one of them. :-) If you're reviewing X, you read X. Even if it's terrible. Then you explain why it's terrible. Will,

“The job is not just to form an opinion as fast as possible, right?”

Well, in the age of Twitter, where the average American lives head-down in a texting keypad, I’m sure there are plenty of people who would disagree — but I’m not one of them. :-)

If you’re reviewing X, you read X. Even if it’s terrible. Then you explain why it’s terrible.

]]> By: Will Hindmarch http://www.ditchwalk.com/2009/10/15/the-writer-and-the-reviewer/comment-page-1/#comment-196 Will Hindmarch Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:52:24 +0000 http://www.ditchwalk.com/?p=287#comment-196 Amen. I can understand, to a point, if a reviewer chooses not to keep reading because something in the material is that dissuasive, but the reviewer has got to let us know that's the case. "I only read the first 50 pages," he can write, "and I think that's a pretty clear review of my relationship to the material." I have no problem with a reviewer saying he couldn't abide the material enough to finish it, provided he doesn't expect us to regard his opinion has exactly *informed,* then, you know? Such a review would say as much about the reviewer. But the job is to read the thing. The job is not just to form an opinion as fast as possible, right? Amen. I can understand, to a point, if a reviewer chooses not to keep reading because something in the material is that dissuasive, but the reviewer has got to let us know that’s the case. “I only read the first 50 pages,” he can write, “and I think that’s a pretty clear review of my relationship to the material.” I have no problem with a reviewer saying he couldn’t abide the material enough to finish it, provided he doesn’t expect us to regard his opinion has exactly *informed,* then, you know? Such a review would say as much about the reviewer.

But the job is to read the thing. The job is not just to form an opinion as fast as possible, right?

]]> By: Ditchwalk http://www.ditchwalk.com/2009/10/15/the-writer-and-the-reviewer/comment-page-1/#comment-186 Ditchwalk Sun, 01 Nov 2009 23:11:09 +0000 http://www.ditchwalk.com/?p=287#comment-186 Agreed. It's the reviewer's responsibility to do the work, even when it's not fun. Every once in a while I think about all the blah movies that movie reviewers have to sit through -- and they have to sit through many more individual films than a book reviewer will ever read books. If you're going to be a professional at that kind of thing, you have to be willing to slog it out. Same goes for books. Agreed. It’s the reviewer’s responsibility to do the work, even when it’s not fun.

Every once in a while I think about all the blah movies that movie reviewers have to sit through — and they have to sit through many more individual films than a book reviewer will ever read books. If you’re going to be a professional at that kind of thing, you have to be willing to slog it out. Same goes for books.

]]> By: Meryl Evans http://www.ditchwalk.com/2009/10/15/the-writer-and-the-reviewer/comment-page-1/#comment-181 Meryl Evans Sat, 31 Oct 2009 18:59:27 +0000 http://www.ditchwalk.com/?p=287#comment-181 I've read books that started slow and sped up. I've read books that started strong and fell flat. Non-fiction is another story as some chapters can be weak and some strong. In fact, one book I read was excellent throughout... but the last chapter was a waste and should've been left off. Big difference. Either read the whole book or disclose exactly how much you read. How would you feel if you bought a book based on a review that was incomplete? It's not only about serving readers and authors, but also about your own reputation. I’ve read books that started slow and sped up. I’ve read books that started strong and fell flat. Non-fiction is another story as some chapters can be weak and some strong. In fact, one book I read was excellent throughout… but the last chapter was a waste and should’ve been left off. Big difference.

Either read the whole book or disclose exactly how much you read. How would you feel if you bought a book based on a review that was incomplete? It’s not only about serving readers and authors, but also about your own reputation.

]]> By: Ditchwalk http://www.ditchwalk.com/2009/10/15/the-writer-and-the-reviewer/comment-page-1/#comment-159 Ditchwalk Sat, 17 Oct 2009 06:03:36 +0000 http://www.ditchwalk.com/?p=287#comment-159 Taking criticism is tough. One of the best pieces of advice I ever got was that you have to have enough ego to take the heat, but not so much that you can't hear the truth. I think you did a good job pinning the reviewer down on the fact that he didn't read your whole story. That was a mistake on his part. Your job, now that you've scored one for the home team, is to go back and read what he had to say and see if it makes sense. If it does, consider changes. If you're done with that piece, think about how you can profit from his feedback in your next work. Taking criticism is tough. One of the best pieces of advice I ever got was that you have to have enough ego to take the heat, but not so much that you can’t hear the truth.

I think you did a good job pinning the reviewer down on the fact that he didn’t read your whole story. That was a mistake on his part.

Your job, now that you’ve scored one for the home team, is to go back and read what he had to say and see if it makes sense. If it does, consider changes. If you’re done with that piece, think about how you can profit from his feedback in your next work.

]]> By: Nathan Charlton http://www.ditchwalk.com/2009/10/15/the-writer-and-the-reviewer/comment-page-1/#comment-158 Nathan Charlton Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:11:53 +0000 http://www.ditchwalk.com/?p=287#comment-158 Maybe I shouldn't have gotten into so many specifics...but when I had a sneaking suspicion he hadn't read the whole thing, I felt that was the only way to prove it. Did I push too far? Probably, but I tried to keep it civil, and I'm glad the conversation never turned personal. I think the best thing would-be readers can do is read an excerpt from the reviewer's books, read an excerpt from the writer's books, and then use all of that information together to form their own opinion. Maybe I shouldn’t have gotten into so many specifics…but when I had a sneaking suspicion he hadn’t read the whole thing, I felt that was the only way to prove it. Did I push too far? Probably, but I tried to keep it civil, and I’m glad the conversation never turned personal.

I think the best thing would-be readers can do is read an excerpt from the reviewer’s books, read an excerpt from the writer’s books, and then use all of that information together to form their own opinion.

]]> By: BookWhirl.com http://www.ditchwalk.com/2009/10/15/the-writer-and-the-reviewer/comment-page-1/#comment-156 BookWhirl.com Fri, 16 Oct 2009 01:55:57 +0000 http://www.ditchwalk.com/?p=287#comment-156 Structural criticism can contribute both positive and negative points. But i think it's up to the writer how to take it. Attitude can determine. The key there is to take criticism as a motivation to refine your work of art. Thanks for the post! Sincerely, BookWhirl.com Structural criticism can contribute both positive and negative points. But i think it’s up to the writer how to take it. Attitude can determine. The key there is to take criticism as a motivation to refine your work of art. Thanks for the post!

Sincerely,
BookWhirl.com

]]> By: Ditchwalk http://www.ditchwalk.com/2009/10/15/the-writer-and-the-reviewer/comment-page-1/#comment-155 Ditchwalk Thu, 15 Oct 2009 22:41:18 +0000 http://www.ditchwalk.com/?p=287#comment-155 Clearly neither the writer or the reviewer did themselves any favors, and I can imagine your incredulity at much of it. Still, I thank you for sponsoring the exchange, and I hope you'll continue to do so. There is a lot of infrastructure that needs to be built to support self-publishing as a legitimate platform. Authors need to do their share, reviewers need to do theirs. If people still need to up their game at this stage, that's probably not surprising. Clearly neither the writer or the reviewer did themselves any favors, and I can imagine your incredulity at much of it. Still, I thank you for sponsoring the exchange, and I hope you’ll continue to do so.

There is a lot of infrastructure that needs to be built to support self-publishing as a legitimate platform. Authors need to do their share, reviewers need to do theirs. If people still need to up their game at this stage, that’s probably not surprising.

]]> By: Henry Baum http://www.ditchwalk.com/2009/10/15/the-writer-and-the-reviewer/comment-page-1/#comment-154 Henry Baum Thu, 15 Oct 2009 19:58:30 +0000 http://www.ditchwalk.com/?p=287#comment-154 I should have vetted this review better. He turned in the review very quickly and I just assumed he was a quick reader. As editor who hadn't read the novel, I didn't know his review was based on only part of the book. But the nitpicking by the author doesn't help his credibility because it comes off as complaining. He could have left it at: it sounds like you only read x number of pages and been more persuasive. Not a great situation all around. I should have vetted this review better. He turned in the review very quickly and I just assumed he was a quick reader. As editor who hadn’t read the novel, I didn’t know his review was based on only part of the book. But the nitpicking by the author doesn’t help his credibility because it comes off as complaining. He could have left it at: it sounds like you only read x number of pages and been more persuasive. Not a great situation all around.

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