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This week's question: How do you handle the writing of a negative review?
I would say since starting this blog, I've become a lot more picky about what I read since I have a lot of blogging obligations. I don't like writing negative reviews but in the slight chance that I do, I have a couple rules I follow:
1. I try to be clear on why I didn't like the book.
2. I usually try to think of others who might like the book.
3. I never attack the author.
4. I try to give constructive criticism.
I try to follow these rules so that even if I didn't like the book, I'm fair.
What say you?
These are great criteria! I think sometimes bloggers confuse being cautious with being honest. (These are also the same people who defend themselves with freedom of speech and then get mad when you exercise your freedom of speech to call them an asshole. LOL)
ReplyDeleteExactly! I think you can be diplomatic but honest. I don't want to give my readers a false idea about a book so honesty is key for me!
DeleteI think, when done correctly, negative reviews have a place in the discussion of any book.
ReplyDeleteGirl Who Reads
Exactly. I'm here to serve the readers!
DeleteI, too, try not to attack the author, but that can be hard at time. Negative reviews are hard to write, but I have had to write a few, unfortunately. I also agree that they can be helpful. When I am looking at a book, I will look at the negative reviews, but will only pay attention to the constructive comments!
ReplyDeleteNegative reviews are probably my least favorite part of book blogging. I'm a very nice person so I hate saying negativity. I try to look at it more from the pov that I want to be honest above all.
DeleteI always appreciate your honest reviews. Whether or not you enjoyed the book, I usually have a pretty good idea of whether I will like the book, and whether or not it will be a struggle at the beginning. I sometimes review books that I didn't really think much of, but I always try to point out why, and that others may feel differently. A thoughtful review isn't always a negative review.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I know that my taste in books isn't everyone's taste in books so I try to point out what I do and don't like in the book so that the readers can still make their own decision about whether or not they might like the book.
DeleteIt doesn't matter how careful you are, there will always be an author that gets really, really mad at you. People seem to forget that the intended audiences of reviews are READERS.
ReplyDeleteExactly! I haven't had an author get mad but I have had ones that try to explain what they were trying to do with something that I pointed out that I didn't "get." If you have to explain... well... you know what that probably means ;)
DeleteI agree that bloggers need to write honest reviews. However, if there is a type of reader who would like the book, I will state so.
ReplyDeleteExactly! My taste isn't everyone's!
DeleteConstructive is the key. We, as bloggers, need to be honest in our reviews, but honest doesn't need to be (read: shouldn't) nasty. I'm sure, as SM Johnson said, some authors will get angry and defensive, but we're not here to write what they want but to write honestly what we thought. As long as we aren't cruel, unreasonable or attacking the author, its fair to write a negative review.
ReplyDeleteFound you via Book Blogger Hop, btw.
Exactly. I'm here for the readers. I think you can be respectful and still write a really honest review.
DeleteI have no problems writing negative reviews. Being a long-time sufferer of a serious foot-in-mouth disease, I have on occasion written rather snide remarks. If I don't like the way an author writes, I will say that I don't like the way an author writes. If a book bores me, I will write that it bores me. At the end of the day, it's my blog and my opinions, and I also feel that since this is not my job, and I am doing it for myself (more or less), I don't really have an obligation towards the author.
ReplyDeleteWhat I don't like as a reader of reviews, are certain bloggers who are afraid to write negative reviews. They always find something nice to say about every book, and I lose respect for them. If you can't say that you don't like something, then your opinion essentially becomes meaningless.
And yes, I have had one author write to me and tell me that my review was mean and it took him so much time to write the book and so on and so forth. Did it make me feel guilty - no. But I did feel bad that I had upset him. However, his book was really, really bad. I should just stick to reviewing books of dead authors.
And sorry for the rant.
Haha, no worries about the rant!
DeleteI think honesty is totally key when it comes to book blogging. If you just pay lip service to the authors and the publishers, what are you really doing? Who are you serving?
The readers are the ones that I'm worried about.
I don't like to do negative reviews...feel pretty bad about it. Stop by my blog if you like to see my full answer.
ReplyDeleteOLD FOLLOWER
Stopping by from The Book Blogger Hop.
Stop by my blog if you like.
A giveaway going on at my blog:
http://silversolara.blogspot.com/2012/05/review-and-giveaway-of-story-of-west-by.html
Elizabeth
Silver's Reviews
http://silversolara.blogspot.com
I don't like writing negative reviews but honesty trumps everything. My goal in starting this blog was to help other readers find good books and to keep track of what I was reading. If I'm not honest, I will not reach either of those goals!
Delete