quick curious q

[rm]

Pro authors are all over LJ, often in very participatory fashion. Does this effect how or to what degree you critique their books?

I'm being relentless on the subject of Melusine and was just sort of taken up short by "Monette is on my friends list" in another comment on it. Of course, it doesn't really change my tonal quality, which is what it is, but it interested me.

Conversely, for those of you published or working on publishing, how do you want that sort of thing handled and how do you intend to handle it on your end.

Personally, I think I'd have to do a lot of constant reminding my myself not to engage, because I can explain my work all day long, but ultimately a book must speak for itself, no matter how engaging I seem to think I am on the subject.

Comments

[winterknight.livejournal.com]

I don't think it should affect anything. I realize the author is on LJ and I've seen her say some rather interesting things in the past. I didn't like the book; I didn't say she was a bad writer. I think there's a difference. We all write stinkers. I've written stuff that makes me cringe. It might even be publishable, but I'd still think it stunk.

When we write, we put ourselves out there. When I'm writing, I divide my beta-readers in two: my cheerleaders, who say nothing bad about my work and keep my ego going, and my critics, who take the piece apart and tell me where it's wrong. I need both and I need it from those people. What others have to say about it is not my problem. Who says you and I are right that the book was a lousy read? That's what we thought. I am a notoriously bitchy reader. That's all there is to it. I love some of my friends, but I won't read their writing. No offense, it's not for me.

If I ever get published, I expect people to say what they think. If fanfic happens, I don't want to read it until I'm sure I'm done writing in that setting/with those characters, but go for it. Slash my characters, kick my tires, tear up my books. It's part of the job.

[winterknight.livejournal.com]

Why do we baby authors so - as a society - but directors/producers and actors, as well as comic book artists and writers, get friggin' trashed almost every day? I was reading the comment below about ego-Googling. The only time I'd care if someone said my work was shit or not would be IF I THOUGHT SO TOO. And I would not have published it if I'd thought so. I have teeny scraps of writing that I'd be willing to publish (people have been telling me I'm publishable for years) but not much I look at and go 'God, that's beautiful, I want that out there with my name on it!'.

If someone's out there ego-Googling and doesn't like what they find, they can write better or stop reading or stop caring. Because pinning your ego on the passing whims of strangers is ridiculous and, to be completely rude about it, being upset when someone doesn't like your book is like a whore being upset when a car passes her by -- it's not you they don't like, it's the product, and it's not personal. I'm sure I'm going to be hurt in the future when people say my work is shit. But that's my problem, and I'll go cry on my therapist or something.