Nenia Campbell's Blog - Posts Tagged "random"
It's a Subtle Difference, Indeed.
My reaction when someone likes one of my reviews on GoodReads:
My reaction when someone comments on one of my reviews on GoodReads:
My reaction when someone rates one of my books on GoodReads:
My reaction when someone reviews one of my books on GoodReads:
My reaction when someone comments on one of my reviews on GoodReads:
My reaction when someone rates one of my books on GoodReads:
My reaction when someone reviews one of my books on GoodReads:
Why I Am Appalled By High School English
Seeing as how I love both reading and writing, you'd think that English would have been my favorite subject back in high school. Nope! In fact, in many cases, it was my least favorite class. Why? Because of the choices of books my school implemented in the curriculum.
I feel like in order for something to be classified as worthy of our time, it has to be either (a) depressing as eff (case in point: Sophocles, R+J, John Steinbeck, Brave New World, etc.), (b) disturbing as eff (case in point: American Psycho, Clockwork Orange, 1984, Titus Andronicus, etc.), or boring as eff (case in point: all the other books).
And what is the result? A whole lotta high school kids who, under the books section of their Facebooks and Myspaces (assuming they are even literate enough to get to this point), have written things like:
"i dont read."
"books r gay."
"twilite and fiftey shades of grey i gess. i dont rlly red much, tho."
"whats a book? oh u meen movies."
Every time you say these things, a hoverball kitty deflates. :(
Kids learn to associate books (which they hate) with school (which they hate even more), and exams (which they hate most of all). The result is a knee-jerk Pavlovian reaction that induces cold sweats, test-taking anxiety, and the disturbing feeling that somehow, somewhere, your junior English teacher is lurking behind you like a vulture, waiting for your head to turn even slightly so she can bust you for cheating.
1. Antigone.
Why on earth would you choose this play? What kind of a message is this to send to young women? If you stand up for your beliefs, you'll die- so you better get your ass back to the kitchen? Also, it's depressing as hell (all the Sophocles plays are, and really, it's a play: it should be seen on stage, and not read in some stuffy English classroom.
Suggested replacement: Lysistrata.
Which brings us to:
2. Pretty much anything by William Shakespeare.
He is a playwright. Plays are meant to be seen and not read. I hate Romeo and Juliet; I get why they teach it, since it's one of the few classic works teens actually feel simpatico with, it really sends a bad message. I am appalled by how many people consider Romeo and Juliet the "ultimate" love story. Then again, I'm appalled by how many people are saying the same thing about The Book that Shall Not Be Named.
Suggested replacement(s): The Taming of the Shrew (paired with 10 Things I Hate About you, ofc) and Twelfth Night. Also, poetry by John Dunne. He's my favorite.
Or, conversely, teach Romeo and Juliet, and then juxtapose it against Jane Eyre or Pride and Prejudice. ("This is how it's done, ladies. Don't marry the first guy who tells you that you're hot- especially if his wedding vows could also be read as a suicide pact.")
3. Candide.
I had to read this book twice- once in college, once in high school. I disliked it equally both times. It's not fun. In fact, it's pretty much the ANTITHESIS of fun. The book basically makes fun of poor Leibniz's philosophies of optimism. Maybe it's just me, but Voltaire kind of sounds like an @$$h*le. And a bitter one, at that. I certainly wouldn't invite him to my parties. Maybe that's why the French tossed him in jail. Maybe he was going around telling people that this wasn't the best of all possible words, and would find themselves afflicted with syphilis, multiple gang-rapes, and having to settle for less. Hooray?
Suggested replacement: Don Quixote. It's just as satirical, and provides just as much of a running commentary, but it's fun! Adventures, swashbuckling, loose women, a fat guy on a donkey- this book has everything. And the best part is, the first book is light-hearted and funny, and the second book is bitter and jaded. There's something for everyone!
4. Pretty much anything by John Steinbeck, but especially Of Mice and Men and The Grapes of Wrath.
Don't get me wrong. I think it's fantastic that Steinbeck manages to capture the voices of the disenfranchised folk of the dustbowl times, but a lot of high school students aren't going to want to read about a bunch of old fogeys whining about how their crops won't grow. Lord knows, I was bored stiff, and kept sneaking Stephen King under the table until it eventually got me in trouble. Teach Steinbeck in college- especially graduate school; there, at least, the students will have some idea of what it means to be dirt poor and exploited.
Suggested replacement: Pretty much anything by Willa Cather. She also writes about the American frontier, but her characters are far more likable and younger, too. Her writing is absolutely gorgeous, and she could write anything from a poignant love story to an epic slice-of-life. Start the kiddies with My Antonia (especially after R+J), and then when you've got 'em hooked, spring Death Comes for the Archbishop.
5. Brave New World.
I really don't like this book. It's one of my least favorite dystopian novels. In fact, for the longest time, I thought I hated science-fiction because I couldn't stand the crap they were force-feeding me in my Satire and Humanities courses in high school. What the hell. Brave New World, 1984, Cat's Cradle- I don't want to read that sh*z! I'm in high school for god's sake; don't you think I'm depressed enough already?
Suggested replacement(s): Blindness (it's foreign and it's dystopian- two birds with one stone! Give them culture while scaring the poo out of them!), Anthem (it precedes both BNW and 1984, and it's super short), The Road, and Oryx and Crake. If you haven't read Oryx and Crake, check that sucker out right now, as well as it's sequel, Year of the Flood. I can't wait for the third book. I CAN'T-
6. The Miracle Worker.
Now hold on a second, you're thinking. The Miracle Worker is about Helen Keller; surely you're not about to discriminate against a deaf person! A deaf AND blind person who taught herself to speak!
Of course not! But instead of reading a shitty, hackneyed play about Helen Keller, why not actually read about Helen Keller? She wrote her own book about her own life- and a whole lot of it appears to have gotten lost in translation (which doesn't really say much for the hearing/seeing world, if you ask me).
Suggested recommendation: The Story of My Life. I always thought she was interesting, but I fell in love with her a little more when I found out via Lies My History Teacher Told Me that Helen Keller was also a feminist AND an activist, who fought for the rights of other minorities caught on the fringe! What a bad-ass!
7. The Crucible, Inherit the wind.
[Comment has been deleted for violating the English language and pretty much all sense of common decency- rather like these books]
Suggested replacement:
I feel like in order for something to be classified as worthy of our time, it has to be either (a) depressing as eff (case in point: Sophocles, R+J, John Steinbeck, Brave New World, etc.), (b) disturbing as eff (case in point: American Psycho, Clockwork Orange, 1984, Titus Andronicus, etc.), or boring as eff (case in point: all the other books).
And what is the result? A whole lotta high school kids who, under the books section of their Facebooks and Myspaces (assuming they are even literate enough to get to this point), have written things like:
"i dont read."
"books r gay."
"twilite and fiftey shades of grey i gess. i dont rlly red much, tho."
"whats a book? oh u meen movies."
Every time you say these things, a hoverball kitty deflates. :(
Kids learn to associate books (which they hate) with school (which they hate even more), and exams (which they hate most of all). The result is a knee-jerk Pavlovian reaction that induces cold sweats, test-taking anxiety, and the disturbing feeling that somehow, somewhere, your junior English teacher is lurking behind you like a vulture, waiting for your head to turn even slightly so she can bust you for cheating.
1. Antigone.
Why on earth would you choose this play? What kind of a message is this to send to young women? If you stand up for your beliefs, you'll die- so you better get your ass back to the kitchen? Also, it's depressing as hell (all the Sophocles plays are, and really, it's a play: it should be seen on stage, and not read in some stuffy English classroom.
Suggested replacement: Lysistrata.
Which brings us to:
2. Pretty much anything by William Shakespeare.
He is a playwright. Plays are meant to be seen and not read. I hate Romeo and Juliet; I get why they teach it, since it's one of the few classic works teens actually feel simpatico with, it really sends a bad message. I am appalled by how many people consider Romeo and Juliet the "ultimate" love story. Then again, I'm appalled by how many people are saying the same thing about The Book that Shall Not Be Named.
Suggested replacement(s): The Taming of the Shrew (paired with 10 Things I Hate About you, ofc) and Twelfth Night. Also, poetry by John Dunne. He's my favorite.
Or, conversely, teach Romeo and Juliet, and then juxtapose it against Jane Eyre or Pride and Prejudice. ("This is how it's done, ladies. Don't marry the first guy who tells you that you're hot- especially if his wedding vows could also be read as a suicide pact.")
3. Candide.
I had to read this book twice- once in college, once in high school. I disliked it equally both times. It's not fun. In fact, it's pretty much the ANTITHESIS of fun. The book basically makes fun of poor Leibniz's philosophies of optimism. Maybe it's just me, but Voltaire kind of sounds like an @$$h*le. And a bitter one, at that. I certainly wouldn't invite him to my parties. Maybe that's why the French tossed him in jail. Maybe he was going around telling people that this wasn't the best of all possible words, and would find themselves afflicted with syphilis, multiple gang-rapes, and having to settle for less. Hooray?
Suggested replacement: Don Quixote. It's just as satirical, and provides just as much of a running commentary, but it's fun! Adventures, swashbuckling, loose women, a fat guy on a donkey- this book has everything. And the best part is, the first book is light-hearted and funny, and the second book is bitter and jaded. There's something for everyone!
4. Pretty much anything by John Steinbeck, but especially Of Mice and Men and The Grapes of Wrath.
Don't get me wrong. I think it's fantastic that Steinbeck manages to capture the voices of the disenfranchised folk of the dustbowl times, but a lot of high school students aren't going to want to read about a bunch of old fogeys whining about how their crops won't grow. Lord knows, I was bored stiff, and kept sneaking Stephen King under the table until it eventually got me in trouble. Teach Steinbeck in college- especially graduate school; there, at least, the students will have some idea of what it means to be dirt poor and exploited.
Suggested replacement: Pretty much anything by Willa Cather. She also writes about the American frontier, but her characters are far more likable and younger, too. Her writing is absolutely gorgeous, and she could write anything from a poignant love story to an epic slice-of-life. Start the kiddies with My Antonia (especially after R+J), and then when you've got 'em hooked, spring Death Comes for the Archbishop.
5. Brave New World.
I really don't like this book. It's one of my least favorite dystopian novels. In fact, for the longest time, I thought I hated science-fiction because I couldn't stand the crap they were force-feeding me in my Satire and Humanities courses in high school. What the hell. Brave New World, 1984, Cat's Cradle- I don't want to read that sh*z! I'm in high school for god's sake; don't you think I'm depressed enough already?
Suggested replacement(s): Blindness (it's foreign and it's dystopian- two birds with one stone! Give them culture while scaring the poo out of them!), Anthem (it precedes both BNW and 1984, and it's super short), The Road, and Oryx and Crake. If you haven't read Oryx and Crake, check that sucker out right now, as well as it's sequel, Year of the Flood. I can't wait for the third book. I CAN'T-
6. The Miracle Worker.
Now hold on a second, you're thinking. The Miracle Worker is about Helen Keller; surely you're not about to discriminate against a deaf person! A deaf AND blind person who taught herself to speak!
Of course not! But instead of reading a shitty, hackneyed play about Helen Keller, why not actually read about Helen Keller? She wrote her own book about her own life- and a whole lot of it appears to have gotten lost in translation (which doesn't really say much for the hearing/seeing world, if you ask me).
Suggested recommendation: The Story of My Life. I always thought she was interesting, but I fell in love with her a little more when I found out via Lies My History Teacher Told Me that Helen Keller was also a feminist AND an activist, who fought for the rights of other minorities caught on the fringe! What a bad-ass!
7. The Crucible, Inherit the wind.
[Comment has been deleted for violating the English language and pretty much all sense of common decency- rather like these books]
Suggested replacement:
Unintentionally Funny Things I Have Said Through the Ages
I can be funny. Sometimes. By accident.
This is for Kendal Morris.
"I'll just Google it on Wikipedia."
"The song is called 'Like A G6?' But I thought it was about 'Mac n' Cheese Sticks..."
"It's a pee-mergency!"
"What do [my sister] and bears have in common? Both sleep in the woods and put fear into the hearts of men." -to my sister, when she came back from camping
Me: *dropping something on the floor* Oh snap!
My coworker: Did you just say 'oh snap?'
Me: *dropping something else* FLIP-FLAPPETY FLOP-WAZZLE
My other coworker: HOW DARE YOU USE SUCH PROFANITY IN THIS STORE
"What do you mean you don't know if I look good or not? You're gay- you're supposed to know these things!"
"I have ESP. It's a very special kind of ESP that lets me know when mothers are going to say something snarky. I call it my 'spite-y sense.'"
My coworker: Fuck.
My other coworker: What did you say?
Me: He said firetruck.
My other coworker: Firefuck?
Me: IT COMES WITH SPRINKLES?! AND WHIPPED CREAM?
Barista: I've never seen someone get so excited about a frappuccino before.
Email: Here is our sixteen page voting guide for the Green Party.
Me: How interesting! Here is my spam folder.
"What do we want? PROCRASTINATION! When do we want it? LATER!"
"I'm going shopping at Armani- and it isn't going to be for the suits."
My sister: Did you miss me?
Me: I missed having someone to make fun of.
My sister: I missed having someone to make fun of me.
Me: Next time I'll write you a whole bunch of insults in little notes and you can pack them with you and read them whenever you find yourself with too much self-esteem.
"So I went to the 'I Give A' Store, but they were all out of fuck."
"Welcome to the procrasti-nation. We'd show you our national flag, but we haven't gotten around to making it yet..."
"That's not flab, it's dormant muscle."
"If the FDA said jumping off a cliff was harmless, would you do it?"
Me: So I just thought you should know that you are the the antithesis of win, and I am the epitome of it.
My sister: Where did you get the preposterous prevarication?
Me: It is not mendacity, but verisimilitude of which I speak.
"How can she stand to look at herself in the mirror every morning, let alone at her book? She wrote a sex scene involving a TAMPON."
Me: And my parents were like, how could you get a B in English? You SPEAK English!
My Asian friend: OMG. YOU HAVE ASIAN PARENTS.
"If he were any more of a tool, they'd be selling him in bulk at Orchard Supply."
"Your sense of humor is like Paul Ryan. Sometimes it makes sense, sometimes it's even funny, but it's all dumb."
"Awkward silence, bum bum bum!"
This is for Kendal Morris.
"I'll just Google it on Wikipedia."
"The song is called 'Like A G6?' But I thought it was about 'Mac n' Cheese Sticks..."
"It's a pee-mergency!"
"What do [my sister] and bears have in common? Both sleep in the woods and put fear into the hearts of men." -to my sister, when she came back from camping
Me: *dropping something on the floor* Oh snap!
My coworker: Did you just say 'oh snap?'
Me: *dropping something else* FLIP-FLAPPETY FLOP-WAZZLE
My other coworker: HOW DARE YOU USE SUCH PROFANITY IN THIS STORE
"What do you mean you don't know if I look good or not? You're gay- you're supposed to know these things!"
"I have ESP. It's a very special kind of ESP that lets me know when mothers are going to say something snarky. I call it my 'spite-y sense.'"
My coworker: Fuck.
My other coworker: What did you say?
Me: He said firetruck.
My other coworker: Firefuck?
Me: IT COMES WITH SPRINKLES?! AND WHIPPED CREAM?
Barista: I've never seen someone get so excited about a frappuccino before.
Email: Here is our sixteen page voting guide for the Green Party.
Me: How interesting! Here is my spam folder.
"What do we want? PROCRASTINATION! When do we want it? LATER!"
"I'm going shopping at Armani- and it isn't going to be for the suits."
My sister: Did you miss me?
Me: I missed having someone to make fun of.
My sister: I missed having someone to make fun of me.
Me: Next time I'll write you a whole bunch of insults in little notes and you can pack them with you and read them whenever you find yourself with too much self-esteem.
"So I went to the 'I Give A' Store, but they were all out of fuck."
"Welcome to the procrasti-nation. We'd show you our national flag, but we haven't gotten around to making it yet..."
"That's not flab, it's dormant muscle."
"If the FDA said jumping off a cliff was harmless, would you do it?"
Me: So I just thought you should know that you are the the antithesis of win, and I am the epitome of it.
My sister: Where did you get the preposterous prevarication?
Me: It is not mendacity, but verisimilitude of which I speak.
"How can she stand to look at herself in the mirror every morning, let alone at her book? She wrote a sex scene involving a TAMPON."
Me: And my parents were like, how could you get a B in English? You SPEAK English!
My Asian friend: OMG. YOU HAVE ASIAN PARENTS.
"If he were any more of a tool, they'd be selling him in bulk at Orchard Supply."
"Your sense of humor is like Paul Ryan. Sometimes it makes sense, sometimes it's even funny, but it's all dumb."
"Awkward silence, bum bum bum!"
I'm a Special Snowflake.
Name a CD you own that no-one else on your friends list does:
I have the Power Rangers Movie Soundtrack. I REGRET NOTHING.
Name a book you own that no-one else on your friends list does:
The ones I've written but haven't published yet. Nyah nyah nyah!
Name a movie you own on DVD/VHS/etc that no-one else on your friends list does:
The Polar Bear King. Probably? It was a foreign film from the nineties, based on East of the Sun, West of the Moon, and dubbed into English- but even so, quite beautifully done.
Name a place that you have visited that no-one else on your friends list has:
Small fishing villages in Scotland. One was called Nairn and the other was called- I kid you not- Dyke.
RU AS SPESHUL AS I AM?
I have the Power Rangers Movie Soundtrack. I REGRET NOTHING.
Name a book you own that no-one else on your friends list does:
The ones I've written but haven't published yet. Nyah nyah nyah!
Name a movie you own on DVD/VHS/etc that no-one else on your friends list does:
The Polar Bear King. Probably? It was a foreign film from the nineties, based on East of the Sun, West of the Moon, and dubbed into English- but even so, quite beautifully done.
Name a place that you have visited that no-one else on your friends list has:
Small fishing villages in Scotland. One was called Nairn and the other was called- I kid you not- Dyke.
RU AS SPESHUL AS I AM?
I Wanna Be a Billionaire So Freakin' Bad?
It's been a while since I've posted an essay/rant, and this is something that's been on my mind for a long time. I just watched the Southpark episode making fun of EA games, and it made me wonder.
Why do people need so much money?
We're seeing the so-called Rags-to-Riches fairytale more than ever with people who started in 'obscurity' and then rose to fame.
And yet... when these people are interviewed, they don't seem humbled or even particularly grateful to their fanbase. Yes, talent is important, but talent would be nothing if you didn't have people willing to support you--either fiscally, socially, or even by word of mouth.
You can't take all that money with you, and I am not cool with the idea of heirs and heiresses--I feel like that only exacerbates the effect of entitlement, knowing that you have a nest egg. Money should be contingent on effort.
Shouldn't these people give something back? Look at what Bill Gates and Paul Newman did--they gave so much.
I won't lie--I wouldn't mind the idea of spending the rest of my life being fiscally secure. But there's secure, and there's hedonistic. And it definitely shouldn't be about a race to the Fortune 500.
I'm going to make a resolution, right here and now, that if I ever find myself with more money I could possibly spend in one lifetime, I'll carve out a chunk for my younger siblings' higher education, make sure my parents live out their twilight years as comfortably as my dawning ones, and set up a scholarship fund at my three alma maters.
Why do people need so much money?
We're seeing the so-called Rags-to-Riches fairytale more than ever with people who started in 'obscurity' and then rose to fame.
And yet... when these people are interviewed, they don't seem humbled or even particularly grateful to their fanbase. Yes, talent is important, but talent would be nothing if you didn't have people willing to support you--either fiscally, socially, or even by word of mouth.
You can't take all that money with you, and I am not cool with the idea of heirs and heiresses--I feel like that only exacerbates the effect of entitlement, knowing that you have a nest egg. Money should be contingent on effort.
Shouldn't these people give something back? Look at what Bill Gates and Paul Newman did--they gave so much.
I won't lie--I wouldn't mind the idea of spending the rest of my life being fiscally secure. But there's secure, and there's hedonistic. And it definitely shouldn't be about a race to the Fortune 500.
I'm going to make a resolution, right here and now, that if I ever find myself with more money I could possibly spend in one lifetime, I'll carve out a chunk for my younger siblings' higher education, make sure my parents live out their twilight years as comfortably as my dawning ones, and set up a scholarship fund at my three alma maters.
Let's Talk About Books
1. What's on your current book wishlist? If too many to list, describe what kind of things are on it.
EVERYTHING. No, seriously, take a look at that shit. The only genres I don't really read all that much are chick-lit, contemp. romance, westerns, thrillers, horror, and inspirational.
The genres I have the most of are probably science-fiction, gothic, fantasy, paranormal romance, historical romance, literature (classic and modern), and young-adult.
2. If you could get just one of those as a gift right now, which would it be?
Taming the Forest King. It's out of print(!) and I despair of ever getting my hands on a copy. But Wendy's review of it made the wants reach a dangerous new high so MUST HAVE. ;~;
Also, pretty much anything on the indie-books-I-desperately-want list.
3. Are there any books in your collection that you want a different or secondary copy of?
Apparently there's a graphic-novel edition of Soulless. WANT.
4. When is the last time you sold/donated/otherwise got rid of books you didn't want anymore?
Today. I get rid of books ALLLLL the time. Usually, I donate them to the library or to one of my local high schools, but I also make piles for friends and family members based on what I know they like to read.
5. Do you have any books written in a language other than your native tongue?
I have a couple books in Spanish. :)
P.S. Cloak and Dagger is now back online and available for purchase. The typos and formatting should be fixed now!
EVERYTHING. No, seriously, take a look at that shit. The only genres I don't really read all that much are chick-lit, contemp. romance, westerns, thrillers, horror, and inspirational.
The genres I have the most of are probably science-fiction, gothic, fantasy, paranormal romance, historical romance, literature (classic and modern), and young-adult.
2. If you could get just one of those as a gift right now, which would it be?
Taming the Forest King. It's out of print(!) and I despair of ever getting my hands on a copy. But Wendy's review of it made the wants reach a dangerous new high so MUST HAVE. ;~;
Also, pretty much anything on the indie-books-I-desperately-want list.
3. Are there any books in your collection that you want a different or secondary copy of?
Apparently there's a graphic-novel edition of Soulless. WANT.
4. When is the last time you sold/donated/otherwise got rid of books you didn't want anymore?
Today. I get rid of books ALLLLL the time. Usually, I donate them to the library or to one of my local high schools, but I also make piles for friends and family members based on what I know they like to read.
5. Do you have any books written in a language other than your native tongue?
I have a couple books in Spanish. :)
P.S. Cloak and Dagger is now back online and available for purchase. The typos and formatting should be fixed now!
Reader, Reviewer...Author: Not Mutually Exclusive
There is a controversy on Goodreads about an issue that I find very interesting (and not just because it happens to be personally relevant). Should authors be permitted to read and review the works of other authors on public platforms like Goodreads, or Amazon, where everyone else can see them? Should they interact with their own reviewers?
From what I've read, both sides of this argument have good points.
Some believe that openly reading and reviewing others' works opens the door to "revenge-rating" and other schoolyard-esque intimidation tactics that wouldn't occur if the author had decided to lie low, or give everyone four or five star ratings.
On the other hand, authors tend to do just as much reading as anyone else--if not more--and shouldn't they be entitled to the same rights as other individuals as long as they are respectful and adhere to the golden rule?
The problem, I think, is that you can't really generalize a situation like this because people are so diverse and unpredictable. We all put our feet in our mouths sometimes, but authors as public figures are doubly culpable because their opinions reflect badly not only on themselves as people, but also on their books and their standing as an author/figure in the publishing industry.
The "just be nice" rule doesn't work, either, because rating everything positively only causes readers to be that much more disappointed and angry when they spend their money on a book on the basis of a favorite author's endorsement, only to find that it is (for them, in any case) crap. Their respect for the writer diminishes as a result. Of course, you could just NOT rate anything, but what's the point in that? That's no fun at all.
My policy when it comes to reviewing is pretty straightforward, and can be summed up in five points. It's probably not the best strategy, but that's why I'm posting this in a blog. Because it will be interesting to see if this generates a debate on the topic. I know for many of you, active GoodReads authors are a hot button.
1. Don't write things that you wouldn't be comfortable having said about your own work. This doesn't mean that you have to coat everything in sugar, but if you tear people's books to shreds you shouldn't be surprised or angered or personally offended if someone one day decides to do the same thing to you.
I am a harsh critic--but I don't hold people to standards any different from the ones that I use for myself. If my characterization falls flat, or if I have a typo on page 345, I'd like to know about it. And if someone gives your book a 1-star rating, well. It's not the end of the world. Oh well. Move on.
2. Be honest, but polite. Don't feed the trolls, but give people the benefit of the doubt. Some people on this site seem determined to provoke others into flames and rants. Others may seem provocative at a glance, but if you talk to them you may realize that their wording was a casualty to the nuance-less black hole that is internet communication. If the person does turn out to be a troll, thank them for their opinion and end it at that. This isn't LOSING. It's being a mature adult.
3. Don't be pretentious. Being an author does not make you a better person, nor does it give your opinions more weight. Going after people for not "getting" your book is not a very nice thing to do. Books are subjective. People may read different things out of them than you intended. Lord knows my books have garnered some pretty interesting interpretations.
But beyond that, it's important that you not attempt to define yourself by the books you read. Filling your bookshelves with nothing but classics does not mean you're Shakespeare. People KNOW that you read other things besides The Great Gatsby. You aren't fooling anyone except yourself.
One of the best things about being a writer is that you get to share all the books that inspired YOU with other people. I always love it when people tell me that they stalk my shelves for good reads (ha!), because I want to support the authors I love. That's why I make my shelves so silly. I want curious individuals to peruse them. I've made so many connections on this site through a mutual love for a book/series. It's wonderful. I hope one day people will bond like that over my books. ♥
4. Accept the fact that you are a biased individual. You, as the author, probably think your books are the cat's meow. Other people might not agree. And since they are paying for your book and you aren't, you might want to pay them some mind. Feedback will never be 100% positive. Just as there will always be someone who hates you for being you, there will always be someone who hates what you write just because of the genre, the topic, or even the fact that you, as a person, wrote it. Sometimes they will have something of value to say. Sometimes they might just say "this book sucks donkey." If you can't think of anything constructive to say in response, don't respond. I, personally, think it's ok for authors to (politely) ask for elaboration in a critical review, but if the person reacts to you hostilely you should probably just leave them alone, lest you be branded as a bully. (And if the person makes it clear that they don't WANT you commenting on their reviews, then you are being a bully, even if you are being polite.)
5. Be your own worst critic. I am! And it works. If you are hard on yourself, then nothing that anyone says will come as a surprise to you. It will also make you better at picking out your own errors. Don't be afraid to cut out unnecessary descriptions, adverbs, adjectives, punctuation, and italics. If you are constantly chanting "I am not perfect I am not perfect," then when someone tells you "You are not perfect," you will just be like, 'Yeah, so? :D' Plus, it will make your own reviews that much better when you provide concrete examples for why YOU didn't like a book.
And that's a wrap! What do you think?
From what I've read, both sides of this argument have good points.
Some believe that openly reading and reviewing others' works opens the door to "revenge-rating" and other schoolyard-esque intimidation tactics that wouldn't occur if the author had decided to lie low, or give everyone four or five star ratings.
On the other hand, authors tend to do just as much reading as anyone else--if not more--and shouldn't they be entitled to the same rights as other individuals as long as they are respectful and adhere to the golden rule?
The problem, I think, is that you can't really generalize a situation like this because people are so diverse and unpredictable. We all put our feet in our mouths sometimes, but authors as public figures are doubly culpable because their opinions reflect badly not only on themselves as people, but also on their books and their standing as an author/figure in the publishing industry.
The "just be nice" rule doesn't work, either, because rating everything positively only causes readers to be that much more disappointed and angry when they spend their money on a book on the basis of a favorite author's endorsement, only to find that it is (for them, in any case) crap. Their respect for the writer diminishes as a result. Of course, you could just NOT rate anything, but what's the point in that? That's no fun at all.
My policy when it comes to reviewing is pretty straightforward, and can be summed up in five points. It's probably not the best strategy, but that's why I'm posting this in a blog. Because it will be interesting to see if this generates a debate on the topic. I know for many of you, active GoodReads authors are a hot button.
1. Don't write things that you wouldn't be comfortable having said about your own work. This doesn't mean that you have to coat everything in sugar, but if you tear people's books to shreds you shouldn't be surprised or angered or personally offended if someone one day decides to do the same thing to you.
I am a harsh critic--but I don't hold people to standards any different from the ones that I use for myself. If my characterization falls flat, or if I have a typo on page 345, I'd like to know about it. And if someone gives your book a 1-star rating, well. It's not the end of the world. Oh well. Move on.
2. Be honest, but polite. Don't feed the trolls, but give people the benefit of the doubt. Some people on this site seem determined to provoke others into flames and rants. Others may seem provocative at a glance, but if you talk to them you may realize that their wording was a casualty to the nuance-less black hole that is internet communication. If the person does turn out to be a troll, thank them for their opinion and end it at that. This isn't LOSING. It's being a mature adult.
3. Don't be pretentious. Being an author does not make you a better person, nor does it give your opinions more weight. Going after people for not "getting" your book is not a very nice thing to do. Books are subjective. People may read different things out of them than you intended. Lord knows my books have garnered some pretty interesting interpretations.
But beyond that, it's important that you not attempt to define yourself by the books you read. Filling your bookshelves with nothing but classics does not mean you're Shakespeare. People KNOW that you read other things besides The Great Gatsby. You aren't fooling anyone except yourself.
One of the best things about being a writer is that you get to share all the books that inspired YOU with other people. I always love it when people tell me that they stalk my shelves for good reads (ha!), because I want to support the authors I love. That's why I make my shelves so silly. I want curious individuals to peruse them. I've made so many connections on this site through a mutual love for a book/series. It's wonderful. I hope one day people will bond like that over my books. ♥
4. Accept the fact that you are a biased individual. You, as the author, probably think your books are the cat's meow. Other people might not agree. And since they are paying for your book and you aren't, you might want to pay them some mind. Feedback will never be 100% positive. Just as there will always be someone who hates you for being you, there will always be someone who hates what you write just because of the genre, the topic, or even the fact that you, as a person, wrote it. Sometimes they will have something of value to say. Sometimes they might just say "this book sucks donkey." If you can't think of anything constructive to say in response, don't respond. I, personally, think it's ok for authors to (politely) ask for elaboration in a critical review, but if the person reacts to you hostilely you should probably just leave them alone, lest you be branded as a bully. (And if the person makes it clear that they don't WANT you commenting on their reviews, then you are being a bully, even if you are being polite.)
5. Be your own worst critic. I am! And it works. If you are hard on yourself, then nothing that anyone says will come as a surprise to you. It will also make you better at picking out your own errors. Don't be afraid to cut out unnecessary descriptions, adverbs, adjectives, punctuation, and italics. If you are constantly chanting "I am not perfect I am not perfect," then when someone tells you "You are not perfect," you will just be like, 'Yeah, so? :D' Plus, it will make your own reviews that much better when you provide concrete examples for why YOU didn't like a book.
And that's a wrap! What do you think?
Nenia Campbell and the Case of the Special Snowflake
SS: Hello! My name is Special! Special Snowflake!
Me: Oh God. Not you again.
SS: I'm not like other girls.
Me: Yes. You are. You're EXACTLY like other girls.
SS: Nuh-uh!
Me: You. Are not. Special.
SS: Oh yeah? Then why don't people understand me? Huh? Why not?
Me: They do. They just don't like you.
SS: Because they're jealous whores who want to steal away my one true soulmate?
Me: No. Because you're a slut-shaming insecurity complex wrapped up in wishful thinking and tied with a bow that doesn't know it's pretty.
SS: But I'm not pretty! My Aryian good looks make me a freak of nature! Who could ever love a girl with white skin, blue eyes, and blonde hair? I'm hideous!
Me: ...also, you have the emotional depth of a mirror.
SS: That's not true! Bitch! *cries* I'm sorry, I didn't mean it. You're right. I don't know anything. I AM A WORM! *glare* But still you're only saying that because you're a slut who's jealous.
Me: Of what?
SS: My super powers!
Me: *not impressed*
SS: My good looks!
Me: You just said you weren't pretty!
SS: My sex god boyfriend thinks I am, and everything he says is gospel truth. *gasp* Oh my god! That's it! You want to steal my boyfriend!
Me: You mean the one who tried to KILL you? I don't think so.
SS: Then... OH GOD. YOU'RE A LESBIAN. YOU WANT ME. NOOOOO. HETEROSEXUAL MONORACIAL MARRIAGE IS THE ONLY REAL FORM OF LOOOOOOOVEEEE.
Me: Okay, that's it. No person could possibly be this obnoxious and fake and idiotic. Let's see who you really are.
SS: What are you doing? Stay away from me! Help! Rape! I'll blast you with sparkle magic!
Me: *pulls off mask* Holy shit. It's the author!
Author: And I would have gotten away with it, too, if it weren't for you meddling reviewers.
/every bad YA book ever
Me: Oh God. Not you again.
SS: I'm not like other girls.
Me: Yes. You are. You're EXACTLY like other girls.
SS: Nuh-uh!
Me: You. Are not. Special.
SS: Oh yeah? Then why don't people understand me? Huh? Why not?
Me: They do. They just don't like you.
SS: Because they're jealous whores who want to steal away my one true soulmate?
Me: No. Because you're a slut-shaming insecurity complex wrapped up in wishful thinking and tied with a bow that doesn't know it's pretty.
SS: But I'm not pretty! My Aryian good looks make me a freak of nature! Who could ever love a girl with white skin, blue eyes, and blonde hair? I'm hideous!
Me: ...also, you have the emotional depth of a mirror.
SS: That's not true! Bitch! *cries* I'm sorry, I didn't mean it. You're right. I don't know anything. I AM A WORM! *glare* But still you're only saying that because you're a slut who's jealous.
Me: Of what?
SS: My super powers!
Me: *not impressed*
SS: My good looks!
Me: You just said you weren't pretty!
SS: My sex god boyfriend thinks I am, and everything he says is gospel truth. *gasp* Oh my god! That's it! You want to steal my boyfriend!
Me: You mean the one who tried to KILL you? I don't think so.
SS: Then... OH GOD. YOU'RE A LESBIAN. YOU WANT ME. NOOOOO. HETEROSEXUAL MONORACIAL MARRIAGE IS THE ONLY REAL FORM OF LOOOOOOOVEEEE.
Me: Okay, that's it. No person could possibly be this obnoxious and fake and idiotic. Let's see who you really are.
SS: What are you doing? Stay away from me! Help! Rape! I'll blast you with sparkle magic!
Me: *pulls off mask* Holy shit. It's the author!
Author: And I would have gotten away with it, too, if it weren't for you meddling reviewers.
/every bad YA book ever
Write or Die
This great site has taken a page out of Puff Daddy's stance on voting.
http://writeordie.com/
It "puts the prod in production." Seriously. You set it up with a time limit and a target word count, and it does various annoying things to keep you on track.
I know a lot of you are writers yourselves, so I thought I'd share it with you like my friends shared it with me. Check it out!
http://writeordie.com/
It "puts the prod in production." Seriously. You set it up with a time limit and a target word count, and it does various annoying things to keep you on track.
I know a lot of you are writers yourselves, so I thought I'd share it with you like my friends shared it with me. Check it out!
Why I Love Writing
Sometimes people ask why I love writing, since it's a hobby that rarely turns into an actual profession, and nothing but a steep, uphill climb.
Well. It's like taking the threads of your thoughts, rearranging them, and weaving them into something new and beautiful; something tangible that's transcended one dimension and taken form in another in a new and interesting form; it's a tapestry of storyboards that others can see and, hopefully, enjoy.
I love writing because, as with a picture, you can say so much with a story without really saying much at all. And that quiet eloquence, and that bonding with the reader, is what keeps me going. It's magic, plain and simple.
♥
Well. It's like taking the threads of your thoughts, rearranging them, and weaving them into something new and beautiful; something tangible that's transcended one dimension and taken form in another in a new and interesting form; it's a tapestry of storyboards that others can see and, hopefully, enjoy.
I love writing because, as with a picture, you can say so much with a story without really saying much at all. And that quiet eloquence, and that bonding with the reader, is what keeps me going. It's magic, plain and simple.
♥
