Dear Readers,
Entitled People. They’re amusing. One anonymous individual, who lacked the courage to post publicly on the subject, decided it was a good idea to come onto the blog to air out their dirty laundry regarding reviews. The original discussion, about author morality, racism, and regionalisms, can be found here.
But I’ve included a screenshot for your amusement. Because yeah. I am going to have some fun with this.
I’ll begin with the first question. Were they polite?
The review in question was on Amazon, and authors are never supposed to respond to reviews on Amazon. As such, literally all of this ‘charming’ person’s points are invalid.
I like to call this the ‘entitled person syndrome.’ They paid money for a book, so they feel they should get to do whatever they want with said book, include influence the author (aka me) on how they write future books.
Truth be told, I find this ridiculous, and I laugh whenever readers start up on this.
That’s not how this works.
If you don’t like how I write books, the only correct response is to go find an author who writes book you like. That’s the name of this game. That’s literally how this game is played. I write books I hope people will enjoy. Some will enjoy it. Others will not.
They may or may not leave reviews. More often than not, the people unhappy with a book are more likely to review the book. This is common human behavior. They’re unhappy, so they want people to know it. They’re unhappy, so they want others to be unhappy, too.
The second question, simply, is a sterling example of the entitlement readers sometime display regarding books and the authors who write them.
You’re not reading the book to give ‘valuable input’ to the author. You’re reading the book to enjoy the book. If you don’t like the book, move on. Reviews are not a place to ‘teach authors’ or ‘give them valuable input.’ It’s where you tell other readers about why you think they should or should not read the book.
There is a job where readers give ‘valuable input’ to the author. That job is the author’s editor. Unless you’re my editor or critique partner, you’re not giving me valuable input.
You’re waving your banner high and displaying your entitled reader syndrome for the world to see.
Reader, if you think you’re great at writing books, go write your own books. Seriously. If you think you’re great at editing books, ‘reviewing’ authors is not how you land a job as an editor. Actually, it’s a very good way of making certain the authors go out of their way to avoid you and your ‘reviews.’
There is this gentleman who constantly leaves unhappy reviews and does just this. I haven’t read his reviews since… probably Cheetahs Never Win? He tends to leave 1-2* reviews because I didn’t write the book he wanted to read, and he enjoys trying to tell me how to edit the book to make him happy.
For all I know, it’s probably the same dude who left the comment on the blog. Because that would be very much his mode of operation.
This, honestly, makes me laugh.
A: I avoid any and all of his commentary because he doesn’t enjoy my books, and he is not my audience. He just… I actually have no idea why he wastes his money on my books. Like, seriously. If you go two, three, or four times not liking a book by an author, stop buying books by that author. All you’re doing is wasting your money.
No author has 100% of an audience. There are people who hate Harry Potter because the writing is immature, they think the plot is stupid, or they hate wizards. (Do NOT turn this into a discussion of the author. I will delete all comments about Rowling as a person. This is STRICTLY about the books, NOT about the person who wrote the books.)
B: I never consider any ‘advice’ from an unknown reader on a commercial site. They have zero qualifications for being an editor. They’re some random Joe on a book purchasing site.
Literally, only an idiot would take writing or creative advice from some random Joe on a commercial site who is leaving a negative review because they are unhappy with the book. Like, there is stupid, and then there is randomly adjusting your writing to match the whims of an unhappy reader on Amazon.
Pitchforks are over there, you can form your mob in the corridor, but please be aware that you’re not going to be making any forward progress on this one.
I never consider reviews as a viable source for novel editing feedback.
Like, no. That’s not how leaving reviews works.
Reviews are meant to inform other readers about why or why not the reviewer liked the book.
That’s it, that’s all.
You can post whatever you want, but the reality of it is, you can bitch, whine, and moan all you want in a review hoping the author will cater to your needs because you spent a few bucks on a book.
In reality, you’re being an entitled so-and-so when you do that.
You’re supposed to be reading books because you enjoy reading.
If you want to be an editor, being one of those reviews on Amazon is not how you go about doing it. (And like the one reviewer I utterly ignore and don’t even look at ANY of my reviews intentionally anymore because of, if he were to email me today begging to edit my books for free, I would laugh, delete his email, blacklist him, and if he had social media profiles I could block, I would do so without hesitation.
Nobody needs an entitled editor who wants a book written to be perfect for them rather than a refined version of what the author intended to write.
When you ‘critique’ a book because ‘it isn’t the book you wanted to read’ that’s entirely on you.
Authors do the best they can, and it is impossible to write a book everyone will like.
I used to sometimes peek at the 5* reviews because they can be nice… but that, too, is going the way of the dodo.
The reviews aren’t for authors, and they never were… and I wish readers remembered that. Reviews are for readers, by readers.
That’s it, that’s all.
So no, Mr., Mrs., or Mx. Entitled,
I will not edit my books to your standards because you took the time to ‘leave a review with invaluable information for the author.’
That’s not the purpose of the review, and you’re not a member of my editorial staff. And I promise you, this behavior will not get you invited to become a member of my editorial staff.
I hire people who actually like my books and want them to be better.
The editorial relationship is one of trust, and the type of person who leaves such ‘invaluable’ insights to authors on consumer sites, where authors aren’t supposed to interact with the reviewers in the first place, is not a good sign on the trust front.
Food for thought for today.
Reviews are appreciated because they help other readers decide if they want to give my books a try.
They are not for me.
They never were.
Adjust accordingly.
Now I may or may not be stepping into a minefield. How does one actually go about becoming an editor? I ask because I enjoy reading and as you say I want to make the books I do read better for everyone. So what qualifications does one typically need to become an editor?
You’re not stepping into a minefield.
These are the qualifications *I* look for in an editor when I’m considering somebody. Everyone has different requirements. I’m going to list two types of qualifications, so please bear with me for a few minutes.
1: Content/Development/Proofing editors (Paid, Professional)
A: Developmental editors, for me, need to have more experience than I have had in the field; so a minimum of 5+ years of experience with clients, and they need a portfolio of books they have edited along with a reference list. (As someone who has experience in field, I need someone who is better at developmental editing than I am to be able to hash out things I miss.) This is super hard, and they tend to have a price starting at $2,000. So, generally, I developmental edit my own books and pick them apart as I go, make the corrections, and then have my primary editor double-check my work.
If you want to get into developmental editing, there are a few ways you can get into it. First, you really, really have to educate yourself before you work with ANY author. If you have no editorial experience, join a critique group and learn by doing. Talk to authors who want critiques of their manuscript, and practice on their manuscripts. This was how I learned. I was a FAR better editor than I was a writer; I could understand why sentences didn’t flow properly, I could find the supporting grammatical rules on why the sentences didn’t work, and I had a good grasp on how/why character interactions and arcs did/didn’t work.
Critiquing is the fine art of balancing the good and the bad.
Editing is taking the bad and making it good, and taking the good and making it better. So, you basically need to try to see if you have the aptitude. Most established authors just don’t have the time or energy to try to teach a new editor what works/doesn’t in manuscript critique, so you have to find authors who have a good eye for editors and figure out how you can improve your editing skills. Developmental editing is one of the hardest forms because everything is their oyster. They have to research EVERYTHING the author uses and make sure it’s scientifically sound.
(Especially if you’re editing a science fiction.)
When I developmentally edited books, 200 hours was not an uncommon completion time for me. There are others who write shorter editorial letters after doing a single read-through and turn around a project in a week. I end up writing a novel working with the writer to improve their novel.
And because someone will ask, no, I am not taking clients right now, and if I DO take on a client, my base fee for a 100k manuscript will be starting 2,000-2,500 because of the number of hours typically involved with a project. I just don’t have that sort of time or energy to take away from my own books right now. (I currently have one client, and we’ve been working on her series together for years. She’s wonderful, and she’s very understanding because she knows my schedule is busy, so she’s okay when it takes me a month to get a first round of edits to her, and that’s only a fraction of the total time I’ll spend on her novel!)
So, you need a lot of time, patience, and practice. Critique groups are an excellent place to get the practice. Once you have the experience through them, you start looking for clients, assuming one or two (or preferably more) of the authors you’ve edited for have published and are willing to recommend you to others.
It’s a pretty slow and tedious process.
(Alternatively, you can get hired by a publisher to edit, but you still need to meet their qualifications.)
B: Content/Line editing: Experience and education here really, really matters. English teachers often make excellent line editors, as they have a thorough understanding of how the English language works. But really, all the stuff about developmental editing applies, except you also need to have a super, super thorough understanding of English. Chicago Manual of Style is a must.
C: Proofreaders: Attention to detail, Chicago Manual of Style, ability to respect an author’s style sheet. (Style sheets are the exceptions to the rule authors use. For example, I’m a forwards/backwards/towards girl, where forward/backward/toward is proper American English. My style sheet says to please include the S because I twitch without it. It comes from Canadian English.)
Now, on the subject of proofreaders… I will bring readers onto my proofreading team. Readers who consistently send me notes that are actually correct, are not snooty about it, and otherwise play nice while giving feedback… these people may be invited onto my beta proofreading team. I watch my forms and if they leave an email address or they’ve spoken with me via facebook, I’ll sometimes give them an invitation to join my beta proofreading team. Not always, but sometimes. That’s an unpaid position, and I generally do only include people who always buy my books and are courteous, kind to other readers, and so on.
As for degrees, a creative writing or English degree would not go amiss. If you lack a degree, you need to demonstrate your skills in some fashion or another. (That’s the tricky one… because there’s only one thing worse than no editor… and that’s a bad one.)
Good luck. Editing is hard, and truth be told… I prefer to write. Editing is a hard job.
As a side note, I almost never openly credit my editors because there have been instances where upset readers have gone after them, blaming the editor for their dislike of the project. I do that to protect them.
Thank you for this! This will help me to build on so that I could get a career in something I enjoy and am passionate about.
I do read reviews and I notice that some reviewers put their issues/morality completely out there and on the author instead of admitting a book wasn’t readable for them.
Now I will admit that sometimes I am unable to read a story due to a MCs way of life or the writing style / type of book just doesn’t work. That happens, I don’t go bad mouthing the author, I just don’t say much besides not being able to get into the story.
I have several authors who I read that a book or two of theirs I am unable to enjoy. I still like the bulk of what they have written I just won’t read or buy those *specific* books.
I think that’s a great way to approach it. I have a few books by some of my absolute favorite authors I have purchased but will probably never read for that reason. I purchased the book(s) because I want them to keep writing. I won’t read the book(s) because they just aren’t good books for me.
I write a lot of different characters with a lot of different moralities. I am constantly surprised when people say they love ALL of my books.
It seems weird for me, because some of my books? Not great for people who dislike $x, $y, or $z… but great for those who like it, and then the reverse may happen on the next book!
Variety is the spice of life.
Seems like people think everything has to be the way they want it. There are several authors I follow that I only like some of their books. I don’t see where I have the right to “correct” them for the ones I don’t like. That’s on me not them
Yeah. I stopped reviewing books years ago because unless I’m showcasing a book I love to boost another author, if I don’t have anything nice to say, I ain’t saying anything at all.
As I trained editor, my rule of thumb has always been to maintain the writer’s voice . . . it’s not to add mine. Substantive editors look at the big picture: does the plot hang together? Is there something missing. Copyeditors pay attention to the details: Are the characters’ names always spelled the same way? Are the correct words used, e.g., vice vs. vise; mantel vs. mantle, capitol vs. capital, affect vs. effect, etc.
Even pet peeves should not interfere with a reader/’editor’s enjoyment of a book. Keep writing!
When I work with developmental editing clients, they generally want to either find or improve their voice, so part of my job (for those clients) is to improve or help them find their voice. (That is SUPER difficult and time-consuming work, too.) There is a point where ‘voice’ is just another word for ‘I don’t actually understand how English works, so I write what I can.’ And an editor’s job IS to point out where that’s the case–and recommend how they can fix it. If they don’t, they’re not doing the author justice. It is, however, up to the author if they accept the editor’s editorial recommendations.
But voice is not sacred if the voice is actually just a chain of mistakes. I wish authors realized it’s not a voice if it’s just poor writing.
I am in the UK and don’t have any problems with books that use American English (or Australian English, come to that). If there is something that crops up that isn’t familiar I just Google it, but having read so many books over the years (I’m 66 and it’s a bad week if I don’t read at least 10 books!) I’m rarely fazed.
What I do find difficult is a book set in the UK, but written by a someone from another country who has clearly not done any research at all on our customs, language or even geography, and appears to think that just changing all the place names to UK ones is sufficient! That’s just plain lazy.
And the reason that I love your books is that they very clearly are researched and you go to a great deal of trouble to get the language and the culture of the area that you are writing about just right. I have never been ‘thrown’ out of a book of yours by some horribly jarring anachronism.
(And people who can’t tell the difference between the voice of a character and the voice of an author should stick to non-fiction).
Well said my sentiments exactly
I only review books that I really like so other people can get recommendations and a chance to read the book themselves. I haven’t left a review for any of Rj Blain ‘s books because I haven’t finished the starter box set that I purchased.
I have to admit that I really liked the first two books I’ve read and couldn’t stop laughing.
As a writer new to the field of a published author I am learning a lot from Mrs. Blain about the field.
Another place you can hold discussions is on Goodreads. Its a good place for authors and readers to meet and talk.
I enjoy your blog. I love what I have read, so far, of your books. I am getting more of them as I can do so. I agree with you 100% that a writer’s morality is not the same as the characters that they write.
I very seldom write a review or read them. I don’t write them because if I like a book I don’t think saying something inane like a great read or funny is helpful and I do not want to give away anything from the book. And you know if you say anything (like unicorn even though it’s clear its about a unicorn) someone will get mad. If I don’t like the book it’s usually just not my style. If it’s really bad writing I might warn others but that’s not the usual reason. Some books just aren’t for me. And while there are authors I love and will generally buy anything they write, there are some books by them that make me cringe. I just won’t buy any in a series featuring that plotline or I’ll try a second one because the first one might be a bad fluke. Two makes me give up (from an author I love). One from a new to me author. If I can’t get through the first, I’m not wasting my time on more books.
To me, this is like those people who, even though they have never made a movie or have ANY idea how to go about that, constantly give reviews on how it “should” have been done. I agree with Ms. Blain- if you don’t like it, don’t read it. Or watch it. Seriously, some people need to get some hobbies and stop putting all of their negativity out there in the world. I find R.J. Blain’s books fun and very entertaining. They make me laugh, and everyone can use a good laugh now and again. Keep it up, and ignore the “Beasties”!
I had to laugh out loud. I, too, am very tired of people writing on amazon review space with their own narcissistic stuff . You are an automatic buy, so I never read your reviews. So sorry you have to waste energy on this mud.
I agree, if you do not like an author’s style or the content of their books stop buying them! There are plenty of authors to choose from and even the pickiest of people should find one to go along with. Do Not try telling me what I like, I am 69 and have been reading from 5 years old so I decide what I like to spend my time with.
Hear! Hear!
The person who wrote the initial comment left a new comment on the blog. They tried to do so anonymously.
The comment was deleted without really being read.
If you can’t come talk and have to hide behind a shield, you’re not being honest, and I’m not doing it.
Talk to me or don’t.
My points still all stand, and I’m not playing the ‘give every anonymous Joe’ a platform on my blog game.
I’ve lost a reader, but since I don’t even know who the reader is, as they cannot speak up without hiding, well… I hope they find books they love more. I wish you the best, but when you defend someone who assigns morality, it’s usually a good indicator you have done the same.
So let’s not.
And if you haven’t and you’re defending them anyway… that’s on you.
It’s like with Null & Void, when I was assigned the morality of being a pedophile because I wrote a book that had historical betrothals and modern child marriage practices exposed.
That is what you’re defending, and yes… that is going to upset me greatly.
You, perhaps, should have read the reviews before defending reviewers who assign morality to authors.
Please, go spend your money on a new favorite author, because you’ve basically made it clear where you stand. Perhaps you didn’t mean to because you spoke before understanding the situation in full, but… that’s on you, not on me.
I’m very tired of having morality assigned on me based on social issues included in my book, or being labeled $this because my *CHARACTERS* did $that.
That’s not how fiction works.
I started reading your books with the first being Hypnos. It is great with the way you use humor and the emotional wringing that brings me to tears some from laughing too hard and from sadness with the emotions from serious issues. I always look forward to your books. Still trying to get into The Rift King but I hope when I’m in the right mood for it I will be able to enjoy it. I couldn’t do your job but I can enjoy the stories that help me escape from my world and see another world just as imperfect but definitely full of humor.