Bloggers vs. Authors

There has been some brouhaha lately about authors getting angry with bloggers because they have given a negative review of their book.  This is my thought on it.

Authors need to think of their books as children.  Once your child is grown up (finishes high school) you have to let them free.  You can't keep checking up on them once they've entered the hallowed walls of university or college.  A book is the same way.  You nurture it, you build it up, it grows and grows until it's ready to fly the coop.  Once it's out there, it's no longer yours.  Yes, you brought it up, you hope that did you right by it, but you cannot check up on it.  If someone doesn't like your child do you e-mail that person and disparage them?  No, you tell your child that this is life.  Not everyone is going to like you.  Same with your book.  YOU MUST LET GO.

Debut authors, I think are more likely to take offense, then seasoned authors.  They want to be liked and everyone to like their book.  But this is not how it works.  E-mailing, or getting into a flame war with bloggers, reviewers is not professional.  In fact it is disheartening.  We don't go into a book thinking we are automatically going to hate it.  In fact, we are so excited to receive an early copy or finished copy of book to promote.  We have taken out time to read the book and if it is not our cup of tea, it bothers us just as much.

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer was hugely popular during BEA and at the beginning of 2011.  Everyone wanted it  It was huge.  I managed to get a copy and was so excited to read it.  Thrilled!  Imagine my surprise when I didn't like.  It just wasn't my cup of tea.  It had nothing to do with the author, she's been getting a ton of positive reviews, but for me, this book didn't work.  I also despised The Lovely Bones. I read that for book club back in 2003 and I just really tore into it.  Again, other people loved it.  I could name every book I hated and loved and this would be one long post.

Authors, we know that your blood and tears go into your stories and they are close to your heart.  But you must let go once it's out in the world.  As Bill Belichick says, "We're only looking at the Ravens this week.  We can't look past this week." (I paraphrased) when asked if they felt confident winning the Super Bowl 46.

Btw, Go Patriots!