| As a person who has toured for several decades, | | | | but find trends and patterns among the |
| I've been reviewed within an inch of my life. And, | | | | responses. Our children are wonderful, but they're |
| it took most of that life to get good at it. We all | | | | not perfect - neither is our writing. Are three out |
| know that every type of reviewer stalks this | | | | of four using the term "too wordy," "repetitive" |
| world. There's the "must trigger my specific likes | | | | or other such common terms? Sit down and read |
| and dislikes" type (a review that any farm animal | | | | the whole thing again. Put a magnifying glass to |
| could write), the former mineral science major | | | | the criticisms and compare them against your |
| who has read a lot (I tried that once - listened to | | | | work. Read the whole bloomin' book again from |
| Heifetz for six hours, and still couldn't play like | | | | cover to cover. Pencil in the spots where you |
| that) the angry, rejected writer, the "wants you | | | | recognize the pattern. Let a day go by, do it |
| to feel good, then buy his $3,000 promotional | | | | again. If you haven't already, get your book into a |
| package" reviewer, the "above your standards" | | | | distribution company that offers an affordable, |
| institutional reviewer and many more. They're all | | | | uncomplicated and speedy revision process. |
| threatening to beat up your child on the worldwide | | | | Reviews were not created for reaction. They |
| playground while you stand hand-cuffed to the | | | | were created to be useful - either as a means of |
| flagpole. The reviewing world is correct in saying | | | | enhancing the quality of your book, or as a |
| that good and bad writing exists, and perhaps we | | | | means of promoting it - nothing else. Reaction is |
| have all contributed to both kinds. However, public | | | | an utter waste of time, and can only dampen |
| writing takes courage, and there is no courage in | | | | your love of writing (although, admittedly, it feels |
| cruelty - therefore no honor. | | | | good to make fiction characters out of your |
| No one who attempts something remarkable has | | | | worst detractors once in a while.) |
| or ever will escape this. You write within a | | | | Absolutely nothing described in the last paragraph |
| pantheon of abused greats. Success, then, is the | | | | is any fun at all...quite the contrary. However, in |
| only path to victory over a detractor, and to do | | | | disciplining yourself to go through it, you have |
| that, you must begin to sift and discard. On one | | | | turned those reviews into professional |
| side, give a tip of the hat to the sugary "love | | | | consultations, in addition to their value as |
| your work" reviews, and dump them in the | | | | promotion blurbs. The review community is not a |
| nearest trash receptacle (which is not to say they | | | | school of identical piranhas. Many have ethics, |
| cannot be used first-just don't buy into them too | | | | many have skill. Find them, use them and be |
| much.) Say good morning to the venomous, "I | | | | proud of yourself when one of them finds value |
| shoulda been somebody" reviewers and burn their | | | | in your work. As for the "pretend" reviewers, |
| diatribes alive. Then, sit down with those who | | | | move them to a greater distance by going higher, |
| gave your work their best shot, whether they | | | | where they cannot follow - higher in sales, and |
| got it or not. You can, at least, acknowledge their | | | | higher in quality. I doubt if J.K. Rowling gives a |
| integrity and maturity. | | | | hoot that a shrub pruning major at Slob U. doesn't |
| Like a professor sifting through student | | | | like Harry Potter, and neither should you. |
| evaluations, don't belabor the one odd comment, | | | | |