Authors should really stop telling readers how to give reviews

[Silver-Midnight]

This whole thing is just getting ridiculous.

Originally Posted by fireluxlou

But she did contact the police they told her it wasn't a threat, I think people who will see this article might automatically side with stgrb .

That's what really scares me. They definitely made, or at least tried to make, it sound good.

--

Can't someone do something to stop them from outing people though? Not that people haven't tried already but still....

[fireluxlou]

Originally Posted by Silver-Midnight

This whole thing is just getting ridiculous.


That's what really scares me. They definitely made, or at least tried to make, it sound good.

--

Can't someone do something to stop them from outing people though? Not that people haven't tried already but still....

Yea IA. This fictionaddiction person in the comments sounds like they may be a STGRB contributor, they've made a few more comments? Am I the only one getting that vibe?

[M.Macabre]

Originally Posted by fireluxlou

Yea IA. This fictionaddiction person in the comments sounds like they may be a STGRB contributor, they've made a few more comments? Am I the only one getting that vibe?

No, I thought the exact same thing.

[Bubastes]

Originally Posted by fireluxlou

Yea IA. This fictionaddiction person in the comments sounds like they may be a STGRB contributor, they've made a few more comments? Am I the only one getting that vibe?

That was my first thought.

[Medievalist]

Originally Posted by fireluxlou

Yea IA. This fictionaddiction person in the comments sounds like they may be a STGRB contributor, they've made a few more comments? Am I the only one getting that vibe?

Syntax is as good as a thumbprint.

I'm seeing lots of sock puppet signs, and no, I'm not specifically referring to anyone, but in the various comment threads in general.

There's also a lot of misogyny, much of it likely unconscious but nonetheless there.

[Soccer Mom]

"Your dirty language" Really?

[fireluxlou]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who sees it.

Lol why does the RWA come into this?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social...170292906.html

[Bubastes]

More WTFery coming down the pike. Alienating teen bloggers is SUCH a good way to promote your self-published books:

Now, I can’t confirm any of the blogs/bloggers that other authors have revealed to me that has swindled them, I can only account for the ones who swindled me. Which is why I am going to post my list of blogs/bloggers who gave me their word to interview me and or review my book(s) then backed out after I sent them a free copy of said book(s).

Look at it like this, it’s a lesson in business ethics for these young people. Something that they can learn that when you make a promise and then break it for no reason, that there can be consequences behind that. And to know that for authors, especially independent ones, this is not a game. It is food on the table for their family. And if you’re too young or unethical to do the right thing, then you have yourself to blame if you end up on a list. (Or on my list) And perhaps next time, you will keep those promises and do the right thing.

http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog...s-and-bloggers

[Wisteria Vine]

Well, coming soon, you will know of these people who did me wrong and now, you other authors will have been pre-warned. Of course, in my case, I think it all came down to one person, regardless, a promise is a promise, business is business and since these people chose to do bad business with me, I am going to do bad business in return and “out” them for their unethical behavior. Trust me, it is not a game. You want to play grown up? Welcome to the grown up world of taking responsibility for your actions and choices. Maybe if people feared ending up on somebody’s bad list made public, many of these people would cease their unethical practices. This is why I think so many look to me to lead the way. I can only lead by example. Right is right and wrong is wrong. And anybody who knows me, knows that I am not afraid to go toe to toe in defense of the truth.

This brings batshit crazy to a whole new level. This person makes me literally sick.

[Bubastes]

It's a guy.

[thebloodfiend]

*sigh*

And this is exactly why I refuse to read and review self-pubbed books without hefty recommendations from my friends on GR. I get one or two emails every week asking for my (mostly) dormant blog to review their MG/YA/AF book, when we are clearly a YA blog that rarely reviews books.

What an entitled attitude he has. I don't give two fucks about supporting his career. Just because you give me a copy of your book, or offer to send me one, I'm not obligated to review it.

[bearilou]

Originally Posted by Bubastes

More WTFery coming down the pike. Alienating teen bloggers is SUCH a good way to promote your self-published books:

http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog...s-and-bloggers

what the....

is there something in the air? the water? have vast amounts of people been dropped on their heads? is amazon including subliminal messages in their pages that is flipping some switch?

gooooood heavens.

[Wisteria Vine]

Originally Posted by Bubastes

It's a guy.

Thanks, Bub.

[M.Macabre]

Originally Posted by Bubastes

More WTFery coming down the pike. Alienating teen bloggers is SUCH a good way to promote your self-published books:



http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog...s-and-bloggers

Comment 4 and someone's already pulled the dead relative card.

This isn't going away, is it? I keep hoping that people will just stop acting like nuts and wake up but it looks like drama's the only thing in some people's sights. It's absolutely blowing my mind; I don't understand how adults can honestly act like this.


I'm just thankful this appears to be secluded to romance and YA and not circles I frequent because then I would probably go bananas.

[absitinvidia]

Does this guy truly not understand that when he's talking about "business" and "children," he's tanking his own argument? IANAL, but my understanding is that in the U.S., anyone under age 18 CANNOT enter a contract without a parent or guardian. Therefore there's no "business" promise or "swindling" involved, because there's no contract between author and reviewer at all. Or am I missing something?

[Stacia Kane]

Jesus Christ.

*buries face in hands*

[Alessandra Kelley]

Not to mention publicly threatening children, even in this sideways, insinuating manner, makes a grown man look really, really creepy.

[Alessandra Kelley]

Actually, what gets to me is the sense of entitlement.

Book bloggers are doing authors huge favors, usually for free or for at most the cost of a single book and postage, out of love of the medium, or something like that.

But rather than be grateful for any attention, this guy is trying to grab bloggers by the throat and force them to review his book, as if sending them a copy were a binding contract (and yes, as the bloggers are reportedly underage, US contract law would not apply anyway).

I gather that many book bloggers are swamped with unasked-for books, sometimes far more than they can easily read, let alone review. If they were required to review every book that came in, I suspect most of them would quit reviewing entirely. Reviewing can easily suck some of the joy out of reading, I'm thinking, but being forced to read and review with no choice about it -- ugh.

[Cyia]

Originally Posted by M.Macabre

This isn't going away, is it? I keep hoping that people will just stop acting like nuts and wake up but it looks like drama's the only thing in some people's sights. It's absolutely blowing my mind; I don't understand how adults can honestly act like this.

Going away? I'd wager we're on the tip of a record-breaking iceberg. This is the new SPAM. Authors who can't get their name "out there" have found out that throwing a temper tantrum gets them viral attention, pushes notice toward their books, and in at least one case, nets book deals.

So, basically, it works the same way as a spoilt two-year-old kicking and screaming in the aisle at Wal-Mart until Mom gives in and lets him have the toy.

[Stacia Kane]

Originally Posted by Cyia

Going away? I'd wager we're on the tip of a record-breaking iceberg. This is the new SPAM. Authors who can't get their name "put there" have found out that throwing a temper tantrum gets them viral attention, pushes notice toward their books, and in at least one case, nets book deals.

So, basically, it works the same way as a spoilt two-year-old kicking and screaming in the aisle at Wal-Mart until Mom gives in and lets him have the toy.

Sadly, I am starting to wonder about that. I see plenty of Authors Behaving Badly selling in huge numbers while those with integrity languish.

Very depressing.


In this guy's case I suspect I know why he didn't get the reviews, having checked out a sample of one of his books. I think it was a blessing for him, frankly.

[Bubastes]

Originally Posted by Stacia Kane

Sadly, I am starting to wonder about that. I see plenty of Authors Behaving Badly selling in huge numbers while those with integrity languish.

Very depressing.

It's definitely frustrating.

[Nathaniel Katz]

Originally Posted by Bubastes

More WTFery coming down the pike. Alienating teen bloggers is SUCH a good way to promote your self-published books:



http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog...s-and-bloggers

While I can't say I agree with any of the link, my biggest problem was this:

And what a lot of these young people don’t realize is, when you start a blog and you go to reviewing books and doing interviews, you are basically doing “business.”

No, you are not. Being a reviewer is being a critic, not a businessman. The two are not the same, and most of his other issues seem to stem from that rather fundamental misconception. As a reviewer, my primary relationship is not between me and the work reviewed, no matter if the author chose to supply a free copy of that work. The relationship is between the reviewer and their readers (in addition to, if reviewing for a third party site, the reviewer and their editor there).

Ethical conduct, in terms of reviews, is fair and honest reviews provided to readers. It is not behaving exactly as authors would like; in rather obvious point of fact, the two are incompatible. A reviewer who honors every whim of an author and therefore writes sycophantic reviews is, in my eyes, far less ethical than the reviewer that says exactly what they think but may not get to a book or two that they wished they could have gotten to.

Besides which, there's this bewildering bit:

There are plenty of authors on the independent trail who simply can’t afford to give books or “free reads” of their E-book away and get nothing in return for them.

Have I gone mad or is there absolutely no cost to giving someone a free copy of your e-book? It's not like you only have ten of them or like you'll have to pay to print more.

[Alessandra Kelley]

Originally Posted by Nathaniel Katz

Besides which, there's this bewildering bit:

Have I gone mad or is there absolutely no cost to giving someone a free copy of your e-book? It's not like you only have ten of them or like you'll have to pay to print more.

He is clearly not thinking of it as "free" in the sense of at no cost to him.

He seems to be thinking of it as "free" in the sense that the recipient did not pay for it.

This way of thinking only works if one assumes that every "free" copy takes the place of one that would otherwise be paid for.

[absitinvidia]

So if the commenters are speaking the truth, then the root of all of this is that the author was corresponding with a young blogger, and then rather ill-advisedly played a prank on her. She in turn told her friends, who decided not to review his books, which prompted this reaction.

The teenagers' behavior in all of this seems to be age-appropriate. His reaction really does make one want to look him straight in the eye and say, "Aren't you supposed to be the adult here? Start acting like one."

[Stacia Kane]

*washes hands* I think I've done all I can do.

I notice he has not directly replied to me at all.