Monday, July 1, 2013

Book Blogger Confessions-Author Interactions (Monday, July 1, 2013).




Book Blogger Confessions is a meme that allows book bloggers to discuss issues unique to what we encounter in the blogging world. Every 1st Monday of the month we will post a question and invite you to answer, comment and discuss opinions and different views.

Please keep the dialogue courteous. No bashing!

If you would like to participate in this meme sign up below and please feel free to to grab the button to include in your post with a link to For What It's Worth Reviews or here at Midnyte Reader.

Question:
Have you ever e-mailed an author to tell them you loved/disliked their book?  As a book reviewer, do you think we should cross that line? 

Do you mind when authors re-tweet or comment on reviews? Does that intimidate you in any way in regards to review writing, knowing that they may be reading it?

Do author interactions - both pro or con - change how you view their work?

Answer: 
I've never e-mailed an author one way or the other about their book.  But I have tweeted them if I've liked/loved it.  I would not e-mail or tweet an author if I did not like their book.  I know a lot of people do it, but really I think it would be unkind and what would be the point?  It's enough if I'm reviewing it.  I'm getting my thoughts out there.  I'm telling my fellow readers my opinion.  If the author happens to read a less than stellar review I feel bad, but I've never had any problems (knock wood).  Also, if I don't love a book, I won't tweet about the review as much as when I do love it.  However, this is just me.  If someone wants to e-mail an author that they didn't like their book, that is their business. 

To be honest, I do get a little freaked out when an author comments on a negative review.  I guess I get worried that it will turn into a "thing."  You know, a meltdown, a scandal or something similar.  But then again, I don't think that my blog or my opinion has that much power to put an author over the edge.  One author did tweet me that his next book would be better or that I might like it better.  I was kind of like "yipes."  But I have to remember that I only write (or say) what I would tell that author personally if they were in my writing class.  I'm very happy when authors re-tweet a review because it's validating. 

Author interactions definitely change how I view their work.   If an author has a meltdown or is somehow involved in poor behavior, I probably won't read their books.  It just turns me off.  I have enough books to read as it is.  On the flip side, when I meet an author and like them, I'll be more likely to pick up something they have written.  I think this is especially true when I see them speak and they talk about their characters or their writing process.  It is as if knowing them, even in a public forum such as a signing or on Twitter, allows me to see a little slice of their brain and that is intriguing. 

How about you?  How do you view author interactions?


 

11 comments:

Kate @Midnight Book Girl said...

Love your answers! I worry about an author commenting on a negative review too, but if it ever happens I plan on taking a deep breath before I respond- or I'll just call you and my other blogger friends to vent and ask advice of before engaging the author. I don't like confrontation, but it is easier to say things in an "online fight" than it would be in person. I don't write a lot of negative reviews, but some authors can get upset over a 3 star review, so it's hard to know what button we're accidentally pushing.

But if an author ever messes with you, I will flame their bums!

Karen said...

I don't think I would care if an author commented on a negative review. I think your reaction will tell whether it will be a big deal or not. Maybe I'm being naive.

I think it makes them look bad - not me and people can see that. If I don't splatter it all over twitter, no one will even know lol

But Kate is right - who knows what constitutes a negative review? Something that doesn't seem like a big deal to me can make an author go apeshit! O_o

I tweet good reviews more than bad too. I didn't even realize it until you said it. I think it's because I want everyone else to read the book too not so much trying to hide the negative review.

Tabitha (Pabkins) said...

You do have good points! While I won't keep drama about authors from reading their book if I was interested in it already I do see how that would turn people off. For the most part though I think its because I ignore the drama. Whenever I hear that stuff floating around the blogosphere, I don't usually go hunt it down and read about the drama. Though I do admit if I happen to read about it or see it first hand it will color my opinion of them as a person - but again I'll still read the book if I was excited about it or if I already had it for review.

I also am more prone to pick up an authors book after meeting them and person and liking them.

Roberta R. said...

Quote: One author did tweet me that his next book would be better or that I might like it better.
Now this is curious. Almost sounds like an apology LOL. But at least he wasn't being rude.

Quote: If an author has a meltdown or is somehow involved in poor behavior, I probably won't read their books.
I think we all understand their concerns about selling...but this doesn't justify tantrums and personal attacks. I have erased a couple of authors from my list myself after reading their exchanges with some reviewers. Though I do admit some of the latter can sound bitchy at times, as if the book had purposely annoyed them.

You sound like a reasonable person BTW...not likely to attract vengeful authors ;). But some of them may have a low bursting point. I hope you'll never meet one of those!

Julie@My5monkeys said...

I tweet only good one but bad go right to publisher. I have emailed a couple times to authors but not so much.
I did have an local author and review in question, so after that I changed my policy for dealing with authors in general. I always get a crazy author in the summer time.

I kinda ignore authors during voting times, because I think my way, and they will always think their own way ..I do have books by authors that have behaved badly but I take it on a case by case basis. But behaving badly is a way for not to always read the book

Kimberly @ Midnight Book Girl said...

I also worry about authors commenting on negative reviews because it can be a "thing." If they are being professional about it I don't have a problem with it but we've all seen incidents where it wasn't.

I like that you said that you would only write something in a review that you would say in real life - that's a good policy to follow for all things internet related!

kipha said...

That is so True! I do write the way I would talk to the author if I were to ever actually meet them. I like to add what I liked and didn't like in my reviews to answer my reasons as to why I rated a book they way I did. I think it's helpful that way for me and to the author.
And yes, author interactions definitely change how I view their work. No one wants a pushy author with a bad attitude.

Lizzy said...

"One author did tweet me that his next book would be better or that I might like it better."

I had this happen to! I decline her offer for a copy of the next book. Funny enough, I actually did pick up the sequel on my own, but haven't read it yet. I should read it though. My faults with the first book was mostly because of the romance and not because the author was a "bad writer".

I might have a cynical outlook, but I think that most of us reviewers are bound to experience some level of author meltdown...unless of course you only write positive reviews. Just know that if it happens (and I hope it doesn't to you), you have a whole community behind you to help you though the ordeal.

Aurian said...

Great discussion post. I do like tweeting or emailing an author if I really loved their book, but I will never approach them if I did not like it. I very rarely write a negative review, because I probably have DNF-ed it if I don't like the book, and spending more time than I have wasted trying to read the book, is not fun.
If I did finish the book, I will write the review, and if it is not a positive review, I will indeed not "advertise" it on Facebook or Twitter as I do with the good reviews.

I love it when an author comments on my blog, facebook or twitter. So far, I never had a negative comment.

But unlike most book bloggers, I don't review on request, only very rarely. So it are 99,9 % all my own books I review. Perhaps there is a difference in that, in communicating with authors. I never, ever have contacted a publisher.

Jen | Book Den said...

Author behavior definitely sways whether I read their books or not. Just like you said - I have plenty to read as it is.

I feel bad when an author comments on a negative review. I'd rather go on pretending they didn't see it. ;)

fakesteph said...

I have emailed an author before, but that was before twitter. I tweet authors when I LOVE their books, but don't call attention to it when I don't. A bad personal interaction with a writer will absolutely turn me off to their books. I passed on a HOT book at BEA because the author made me feel REALLY uncomfortable at a signing a few years ago.

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