Double, Double Writers in Trouble…

• kdwilliamson

So…

I was introduced to this brilliant article by Xen McCade, The Author’s Guide to Author/Reviewer Interactions, a couple months back by a friend on Facebook. I laughed out loud. I nodded my head and shook it too. In short, it was a very enlightening article about writer/reader interaction. Bonus! It seems to be a living breathing document that going to be added to. Yay!

Anyway, I’ve decided to tell my own story. Coming from fanfic I thought my skin had thickened to that of a rhinoceros. Feedback from those particular readers can be brutal despite the fact that you’re spending all your free time writing for free. Shit, I was so very wrong.

When Blurred Lines was first published there were many, many positive reviews and quite a few negative ones as well. They tore me open. I cried. I raged and yep I even responded to some of them in an attempt to get the reader to try to see things my way.

Big fucking mistake.

A little while after that I then engaged a reviewer who kindly but bluntly told me that it wasn’t my place. THANK YOU CHERI. Well, I felt like a kid that had gotten her hand wacked, but still, she was right. What I did was an even bigger fucking mistake than I made before.

Now, let’s talk about Goodreads. LOL *crickets*. Writers have a love hate relationship with that website I’m sure. Some of my worst reviews are on there, gleefully. I complained about all this and was told to just get my ass off Goodreads. It wasn’t for writers anyway! It was a cliquish collaboration for readers only.

That was some of the best advice I ever got. Thanks TS.

I was also informed I shouldn’t respond to the positive reviews either! I mean really? I shouldn’t thank them for seeing my vision? For getting me?

The answer was no I shouldn’t have been doing that either. A writer friend educated me on that as well. Readers knowing that a writer is hovering can be off putting. So that could mean less reviews. The only thing I should respond to is direct emails, DM, and things of that nature.

WHaaaat? That’s all? Yeah, that’s best.

Addendum... I imagine it’s hard for some writers to temper their responses to positive reviews because it seems to be just good manners to dole out a  thank you. I get it. I do but being able to separate yourself a little bit helps tremendously when you get those bad reviews. It dulls the pain.

I’m not done yet ya’ll. Most of you if not all of you know by now that Blurred Lines used to be a huge fanfic story. This was no secret. Not at all. However, because it was completely rewritten the fanfic story had to be taken off the Internet, copyright issues and all that. Makes sense right? Dude! I got a lot of hateful HATEFUL emails from fanfic readers accusing me of forcing them to buy books. I even had some post reviews thinking they were blasting me out of the water by telling everyone Blurred Lines/Crossing Lines was fanfic.

Blinks.

I’m sorry. I just had to respond to that bullshit. I was nice though! I really was. Honest. But that was then and this is now. What this boils down to is this… Reviews, when I read them, don’t bother me near as much as they used to. Some make me laugh. Some make me smile. Some make me furrow my brow and others make me roll my eyes.

I am a better writer for it. Simply because I stay true to myself with every line I write.

I do it my way and I will continue to do so. Once that proof is done. Once its officially published. It’s all up to the reader to love it, hate it or find it divisive.

I’m good with either viewpoints or all three.

Cops and Docs and Pink on Amazon

Cops and Docs on Ylva

9 thoughts on “Double, Double Writers in Trouble…”

  1. You can please some of the people… etc. It took me several cruddy reviews and even more months of self-doubt to get to the stage where I can now take reviews with a large pinch of salt. Ish. My wife reads them for me and edits appropriately!
    As for fanfic… i can honestly say I love your writing and would not have been bothered if I had read it in on fanfic and then subsequently had to buy the book to continue enjoying your work. Not only would I be supporting an author, but I would have seen a progression in your writing. It’s a no brainer really. OUt of curiosity did you read Andi Marquette’s blog on Friday? She was writing about how reworking her back catalogue was kinda like fanfic for her. Did you feel the same when you changed your fanfic into a published novel? I’m fascinated by thought processes of authors!

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    1. Yep I read Andi’s blog and she’s right I also felt like I was stitching together my work and I also found that all the changes I made had to be carried over. It was a headache but it made those two books a hell of a lot better. As for pleasing ppl yep I know. Shrugs it will always be a gamble.

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  3. I’ve heard don’t thank people for reviews as well and I asked that question of readers and you know what…most said it was either ok or they appreciated the acknowledgement, plus I just can’t toss away what I learned growing up…so I’ve ignored that advice and continue to thank readers for taking the time to leave a review. Maybe I’m slitting my own throat, but there’s a whole lot I do that goes against the grain and if this is what causes people not to buy or review, so be it, I’m willing to pay that price.

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  4. Thanks for bringing this topic up…as a reader, I know we are NOT the same. I appreciate hearing from my favorite authors and knowing that they make an effort to connect with those that enjoy and respect their writing and storytelling abilities. As a lesbian who enjoys reading lesbian romances, this connection at times becomes more personal and emotional. I avoid Twitter because I don’t enjoy or respect the anger and vitriol too many easily spew without thought or compassion for the others’ feelings and humanity. But then I look at our current national social and political temperature…so many have become exccessively agressive and possessed. It’s understandable that this would also affect how some readers review/react to a particular story and/or its author. It’s a value of mine to work both emotionally and spiritually on myself, focusing on respecting another’s views and differences as something to be recognized and celebrated not torn apart and violated. I have been appalled and insulted by some readers’/reviewers’ posted reactions/responses to books that they judge unacceptable. So I’ve learned to avoid those that have clearly forgotten or refuse to demostrate a respectful and nurturing tone as they review/judge an author’s written works and sensibilities. When I initially decided to participate within the Goodreads community, it was to learn more about an author’s books and interests and not because I cared what other readers thought about a particular author and/or storyline. I don’t focus on being a wonderful reviewer; I don’t have the time or the interest. But I do enjoy posting warm fuzzies as my thanks and appreciation for my favorite authors. I’m glad you continue to use Goodreads. 😊

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  5. I’d like to take a moment to remind readers that they can always reach out to authors privately to share those warm, fuzzies too. I don’t know a single lesfic author who hasn’t been thrilled to hear from a reader personally. But I have heard from plenty of them who rarely hear anything at all and how much they wish they would.

    So even if a reader isn’t on the various social media platforms, authors tend to have websites or blogs that contain a way to contact them.

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