if you haven't got anything nice to say (about a book), come sit by me
Only positivity allowed
Nick Hornby writes a column for The Believer called “Stuff I’ve Been Reading”. But it only features some of what he’s been reading, because the magazine’s editorial policy is not to slag anything off. If he doesn’t like a book, he can maybe make reference to the fact that he opened it (as long as he doesn’t reveal its title or any identifying details) but that’s it.
I’m sure a lot of authors would like to live in a Nick-Hornby’s-review-rules-world where everyone with a negative opinion of their book keeps it to their own fool self. A world without Amazon one-star ratings, where every newspaper reviewer says “brilliant”, or puts up and shuts up.
A case of the boo-hoos
I’ve seen blog posts from authors where they dwell on bad reviews, wondering what they’ve done to deserve it, moaning how misunderstood they are. I’ve seen tweets from writers who feel the Goodreads community shouldn’t be able to just give star-ratings with one easy click (and without a degree in Comparative Literature). Don’t we know how hard they worked on that thing?! And I’ve seen authors comfort each other with “Oh, what do they know!”-style messages.
I reserve the right to be a moody author
I know I’m one to mock. I haven’t had a book published, but if someone criticises something I’ve written, even if their critique is unintelligent or unintelligible, I feel hurt. You can tell me a thousand times that it’s my writing they didn’t like, not my personality, but if there’s a way to prise the two apart, I haven’t found it. Is there any writer who is even halfway decent who doesn’t pour their soul into their work?
So I get how hurtful it must be when a book you’ve slaved over for years is dismissed with a one-star rating (not even a review!) or some hastily typo-ridden type on a book-selling site that shows the reader didn’t understand what you were trying to do at all.
But should people really never write anything negative about a book, in case the author is hurt by it?
Criticism is stigmatised
Some people think so. You’ve probably heard that old quote about how they never erected a statue to a critic. Maybe your parents told you that if you didn’t have anything nice to say then you should, to quote Shaft, “Shut yo’ mouth.”
Author Don Miller goes as far as saying that those who criticise someone’s work should go and make something themselves instead:
Perhaps we should not put our energy into criticism, we should accept the challenge to squash what we do not like by creating something better. And when we have done so, we will realize how hard it was to create the thing we dismissed so easily.
I totally disagree.
Sure, it’s stupidly easy to lay into someone’s work without taking the time to consider the person behind it, the hard work they put into it, and how well it does what it sets out to do (as opposed to whether it’s your cup of tea or not). It’s not really fair to lay into a book or any other creative endeavour without having some respect for its creator.
But overall, I think negative reviews are a good thing.
Criticism rocks
When you ask someone to read your book, watch your film, or listen to your album, you’re asking them to give you time and money — two of their most precious resources. They have no reason to want to do so. But if you get a great review from a source they trust (whether blog, newspaper, or word of mouth) they just might.
Reviews perform an essential function: they help us to understand what we might like. They also make us think about why we appreciate some forms of art more than others. And we shouldn’t assume that just because someone doesn’t want to or isn’t capable of creating something similar, they couldn’t possibly appreciate it. Some readers are fabulous at divining the intentions and impact of a book without being authors themselves (or ever wanting to be).
Any review which seriously considers what a writer was trying to say and deconstructs how well they do so is a gift. Whether it’s positive or negative, it’s a worthwhile engagement with that writer’s work, one any author should be grateful for. I’ve even bought books after a negative review, because on reading it, I realised the writer’s tastes and mine were completely opposite.
Sure unfair and unconsidered reviews stink, but it’s still a few seconds someone took from their life to express their feelings about your book. You affected them, even if not in the way you hoped. Plus, that’s the price we pay for freedom of speech. When you get criticism you don’t like, it’s always worth considering the source. (And maybe seeking therapy for your self-esteem issues if it still crushes you.)
“Reader, I hated it”
I started my writing career as a book reviewer. I have to be honest: it wasn’t because I loved books (although I do), it was because I thought it was a good way to become a freelance writer and get free books in the process (it was).
Early in my time as co-editor of Trashionista, I realised that people were actually taking what I said seriously. That’s an enormous priviledge.* It also means that although I would only give what I thought were valid criticisms of a book, my responsibility wasn’t to the author, it was to my readers.
I wish Nick Hornby’s editors weren’t so afraid of being thought mean that they’d let him discuss which books he doesn’t like, and why. I think his readers would appreciate it. And (sorry authors) I think that’s what matters most.
Don’t you?
*My mum pointed out that I can’t spell. Thanks, Mum!
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Oh I love this post. As you know I read a book for review recently that I really didn’t enjoy. I’ve left off reviewing for a week or so with the hope that with a little time and distance I shall be able to write a good bad review, the time has allowed me to realise that whilst it didn’t suit my own personal tastes as a reader it was fundamentally a good book.
I agree with you completely that the responsibility of the reviewer is to the reader not the writer, well written negative reviews are as important as well writtten positive ones. Like you say, one reader’s hate may well be another reader’s love.
Thanks Jenni! I think as long as reviewers take the time to think about why they didn’t like a book (and don’t just criticise it because it’s not their kinda thing) then it is valid. They just need to write, as you say, a good bad review
I completely agree. I really hate that idea that unless you could do better, you haven’t anything valid to say. Luckily I haven’t had any very negative reviews of Della (so far), but the criticism that I’ve had has been useful and it’s definitely been on my mind while I’ve been writing the next book. Although, having said that, I do reserve the right to have a big strop when I do get a bad review.
Well, a big strop is an author’s prerogative
But after that, as you say, criticism can help writers (etc) learn and grow. I’ve heard that about 10 years ago, TV writers even regularly combed the Television Without Pity forums to see what fans thought of storylines.
I think it’s really sad when you see writers (as you sometimes do) saying that their books didn’t succeed because there was some conspiracy against them or something, when really the book wasn’t any good. Often the problem is not enough criticism before it went to print. I think everyone needs beta readers and/or a good agent and editor. That whole “super famous writers know what they’re doing” notion has led to some huge failures, in my view.
I don’t worry too much about criticism as long as no one threatens to sue me or shoot me, and neither has happened yet. I give it due consideration, learn from it, and move on. If someone doesn’t like my book, my wife and kids still love me, we ain’t ever gonna miss a meal, and there is music to be played.
I gotta agree with you, though. If every band review says they are as good as the Beatles, how can we ever believe what we read?
Dr. B, author, “The Mandolin Case”
Hi, thanks for commenting. It sounds like you’ve got a healthy attitude to reviews
(And even getting sued hasn’t stopped lots of authors, of course…)
Fab stuff. There’s been a rash of anxiety amongst book bloggers in YAland lately, prompted perhaps by a series of divtastic authors gobbing off in their comment sections. Because ‘you have misunderstood my genius, you thicko’ or ‘but writing is HAAAAAARD’ are definitely going to change the reviewer’s mind. And it makes one look so professional too!
Bad reviews feel awful: alas, I speak from a humiliatingly deep well of experience and reserve the right to weep melodramatically over them, quietly, in a corner. But I hate the idea that reviewers might be mealy-mouthed with their critique for fear of wounding egos (or discouraging the publisher from soliciting further reviews…?) – or how is anyone supposed to have faith in a positive write-up? Criticism rocks, indeed. Personally I’d much rather get a sincere, well-written slating than an unconvincing rave – but you’re right, that’s really not the point. Reviews are for readers, and they want honesty, not the polite pat-on-head version.
Oh nooooo, really?! I know some non-YA authors got very precious about reviews on Twitter a while back, and I thought it made them look so much worse than the original criticism — I’m always amazed when successful authors would rather focus on the 1 person who is not so keen on them than the 1 or (10) thousand who are. Especially when less-reviewed authors would love any column inches at all! But I guess that shows how much negativity can sting.
I totally get the desire to weep melodramatically (I’ve done it for a lot less) but I’m glad there are authors like you who can divorce your feelings from the need for honest and if necessary negative reviews.
I hate it when authors (and some readers) assume that negative reviews are a bad thing & that if we wrote, that we’d be less quick to criticize. Or that us reviewers don’t agonize over posting a negative review about a book we don’t like. Even with some of those “love to hate them” authors, I know several of us that will still hate posting those negative reviews. We’re fully aware that we’re tearing apart something they’ve worked on for years & sometimes it makes us wince to realize that.
I’ve had authors who graciously thanked me for my time (Joe Basara, author of Cypress Lake- all around awesome dude) when I admitted that I didn’t like their book & didn’t get it, but then I’ve also dealt with an author (no names) who threw a tantrum when I didn’t proclaim their book the “best thing ever” & pointed out glaring errors in the writing. The best group of criticism receiving authors I’ve ever seen were the ones who contributed to ABNA, almost all of which took the criticism the reviewers handed out to them with good cheer & treated it as a learning experience. Most of those authors used that criticism to write better books, some of which went on to get published by companies. (Not my criticism, but just amazon reviewers in general giving the criticism.)
Sorry for the long & rambling post, but basically authors NEED criticism. If all we can give are bouncy comments about books, then why review? In fact, why even bother buying books at all? We pay the money for the books because those authors are supposed to be refining their work via criticism & giving us something far better than the stuff we can find on fanfiction.net.
No need to apologise, your comment is great! I don’t think I’ve ever admitted to an author that their book wasn’t for me, but I’ve definitely admitted it to a publicist, and the ones that were cool about it (actually, most of them) I really appreciated. What’s really messed-up is when an author I was so-so about took a lot of offence about my “negativity”, which is an experience I know I’m not alone in having. (Authors, don’t get steamed up about 3 stars out of 5! Or if you do, keep it to yourself…)
But you’re so right, if all reviews were glowing, there would be no point in having reviews at all. (And that would be SO wrong!)
You are very welcome – after all, what else is a mother for? (You weren’t being sarcastic/snarky were you?) You know I can’t help it, it’s an illness. And isn’t it far better, and much more satisfying, to be the writer than the proofreader? I think so! Once more, a very intelligently written observation. And, as ever, I can’t help feeling *very proud*
xx
Aw, bless you! Thanks Mum. And of course I wasn’t being snarky (me???!)