To read reviews or not...

[Gary Clarke]

I respectfully disagree, Barbara. Reviews are not the place to learn your faults as a writer. They're just too varied and the comments in the them too out of context to be of any use. The best way to learn this is to pick one's favourite book and then go read a wide variety of reviews on it. It doesn't take long to understand that if the author were to do the same in an effort to 'learn their faults' they'd end up so confused as to be paralysed. For every person who thinks Murakami is a tedious maudlin waste of space, there is someone else who loves every word. For every one who thinks Sebastian Barry's prose is genius there's another who finds it overly dense and pretentious. You can't write to a committee, not if you want to produce anything close to honest work ( note: I'm not talking about taking editorial or peer advice here. I think feedback is essential. Just not the kind of varied and subjective critique one gets from reviews)

 

[Barbara R.]

I respectfully disagree, Barbara. Reviews are not the place to learn your faults as a writer. They're just too varied and the comments in the them too out of context to be of any use. The best way to learn this is to pick one's favourite book and then go read a wide variety of reviews on it. It doesn't take long to understand that if the author were to do the same in an effort to 'learn their faults' they'd end up so confused as to be paralysed. For every person who thinks Murakami is a tedious maudlin waste of space, there is someone else who loves every word. For every one who thinks Sebastian Barry's prose is genius there's another who finds it overly dense and pretentious. You can't write to a committee, not if you want to produce anything close to honest work ( note: I'm not talking about taking editorial or peer advice here. I think feedback is essential. Just not the kind of varied and subjective critique one gets from reviews)

I definitely agree that you can't write to a committee. My willingness to read reviews is predicated on my ability to recognize which ones contain useful feedback and which are...let's call them less discerning. But I've got experience and the thick skin that comes with it; also the hubris to believe in my own work. Beginning writers are more vulnerable. Still, I've found useful feedback in reviews, especially the professional ones but not excluding reader reviews; and feedback, as you say, is essential for growth. Sort of like fertilizer.

 

[Gary Clarke]

Still, I've found useful feedback in reviews, especially the professional ones but not excluding reader reviews; and feedback, as you say, is essential for growth. Sort of like fertilizer.

 

[JoBird]

My suggestion is to build a couple of extra hours into your writing schedule. Tell everyone you're writing the whole time, but secretly spend those extra two hours reading your reviews over and over again, and occasionally reading forum and blog posts. And checking your rep comments in the hopes that someone thought you were clever or funny or poignant. But don't let on. Let the masses think you're above such things.

As to whether or not reviews can help you, I don't know. I imagine they can sometimes, assuming you're open to being helped. I also imagine they can be destructive if you're inclined to that instead.

 

[writerjohnb]

I not only read all reviews, but I post them to my website (and sometimes to forums) whether the reviews are good or bad. My personal favorite was a reader who gave me a one star review based on the back cover blurb. She actually stated that she hadn't read it and had no intention of ever doing so.

 

[VoireyLinger]

I not only read all reviews, but I post them to my website (and sometimes to forums) whether the reviews are good or bad. My personal favorite was a reader who gave me a one star review based on the back cover blurb. She actually stated that she hadn't read it and had no intention of ever doing so.

I have review quotes and links on my site, too. I've also had authors offer cover quotes, and since my publisher doesn't use those, I put them on my website.

I love reviews. Mostly. A review based on cover copy would irritate me. LOL