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

[roadnotes.livejournal.com]

I tend not to say much about the writers who are on my friends list, or their immediate friends (if I know them). I have the advantage that Soren was part/is part of the science fiction professional community (former editor, copyeditor, proofreader), so I know some of the relationships. However, it doesn't stop me from posting, if I think something is good, or wonky.

As a writer, I would probably brood a bit over a bad review, but never write back, unless I: 1)truly felt that something had been misinterpreted; and 2) Soren had read the initial post and my potential response, and made sure that I hadn't gotten overly defensive. (However, I've not had anything published in fantasy since 1994 or so, so the odds of getting a review are low. And even if I did, that was my first story; I can see a lot of flaws in it now.)

In other words, I agree with "do not engage," since the reader is never going to be My Ideal Reader, and I will not be Their Ideal Author.