Reviews, supporting my fellow Indies, and drawing lines in the sand...

Writers are a peculiar bunch. If you are one, you may not realize it...except for all those other weird writers you talk with throughout the day. And if you are married or in any sort of relation with one...I am preaching to the choir. It is the ability to suspend reality that allows many of them to ply their craft. It is also that same ability that can lead to problems. Writers can be whining, bitching, self-absorbed, and completely out of touch with reality.

Many of the problems as of late are centered around reviews. Now, if you have read my posts on the subject of negative reviews, you know where I stand. To refresh your memory, it goes something like this: Not everybody will love your stuff, GET OVER IT! So what else could possibly be stuck in my craw when it comes to reviews? In a word: reciprocity. I may not be the "be all/beat all" when it comes to reviews...I only get three or four a month on average, however, I do them. I do them with the understanding that I refuse to write fluff pieces and if I didn't like the work...I will say so. What I won't do is plaster a negative (2 star or less--I will get to people crying about three star reviews later) review on every page and group. A negative review will go on Amazon, Shelfari, Goodreads, Brutally Honest Reviews (my review page on Facebook), and this blog. That might seem like a lot, but I left out about a half dozen other sites that I regularly share my reviews with; a couple with over 2,000 followers or members. Still, I am not one of those people who will NOT write a review "just because the book was lousy." I put that in quotes because I have actually seen people use that as a reason. That is WTF issue number one...

The Indie community has got to stop stressing over reviews. I have (on many occasions) invited anybody who reads my stuff to post reviews. Good. Bad. Meh. Do I like negative reviews? Of course not, but I accept them as OPINION. Do you read editorials and classify them as "News"? Even the Greats suffer the slings and arrows of people not liking them. "This has to be one of the most overrated books of all time. There was absolutely no suspense, it was filled with mostly forgettable characters, and it was way too long. I found myself rooting for no one and wishing the book would just end. And end it did, with a big thud." That comes from a review of one of my all-time favorites: The Stand  by Stephen King. Do you think King read that and ran to everybody in his circle with a sob story about how the reader "just didn't get it." All so that a group of sycophants could stroke his ego and tell him how awesome he is? Yet every day, drop in to one of the social media groups and watch that scene get played out time and again. So, I've said it before and I will say it again, if I review your book, I will say what I think. You will NEVER see me post for pity, nor will I argue against somebody who writes a negative review about my work. In fact, I do my best to glean information from negative reviews to be a better writer. I don't change what I do, but sometimes I see comments with validity. This statement made by The Aussie Zombie is a case in point: "I also found the seemingly pointless wandering around the country, in search of nothing, more than a little disjointing. Sure, if the world was taken over by the living dead, you'd move around some - but it seemed like there was no destination or goal in mind." Guess what? She made a good point. When I wrote that book, I never intended it for publication. I created an ending that allowed me to take the story in a specific direction with an end game in mind in the second book in the series. Hey...at least she read and reviewed my book. Of course I would like a better review, but what she said was put appropriately and constructively. Negative does not have to mean NASTY, RUDE, or PERSONAL. 

I want to support my fellow authors. I believe that we are all in this together. Yes, I openly admit to taking advantage of the freebies made available to a reviewer. Still, those lead to sales when I like what I see. Also, I bang the drum loudly when I read something I like..not just in reviews, but to people I know who read. So here is a challenge...on Friday, July 27th, everybody pick out an "Indie" writer you have always considered reading and get their book. Then come by and comment who you got on this blog. When you finish, please return and share if it inspired you to purchase another by that author. I am getting Mark Tufo's book one of his Zombie Fallout series. Step up to the plate, folks. For the price of a morning latte, you might just find your newest addiction. And of course I hope somebody picks one of mine...but I am more interested in the variety of names that show up. One of you may turn me on to something new.

Right now, I have about fifty books in queue, and at the top of the list are titles by the likes of Armand Rosamilia, Billie Sue Mosiman, and Mark Tufo. Sure, there are a few others, but those are people who I admire and respect. However, they each know that I will say what I think. However, I want to come out with this...it would be nice if some of my peers gave me some feedback. Same thing with my little blog...I don't have a lot of followers...YET. But when I put the word out...asking for guests...I got over fifty responses. I was honored. So the other day, I put out the word that I am available for guest posts or interviews. Guess how many responses I got? {crickets chirping}. Yep. Not one. NOW THAT STUNG way more than any negative review. So there you have it. I am openly admitting to having feelings. That may not be a popular thing to do...but I have made it a point of being straight up and honest. Some might say "Brutally Honest"...

I have some more to share when I return. I will be talking about anthologies...ours (MDP's) and some others. I will share a little about what I look for...and what will make me hit delete. However, tomorrow I am pleased to announce that Sean Sweeney will be a guest right here. Please come check it out and leave a witty or quasi-snarky comment in the "Comments" section.