Yesterday I read Valerie Geary’s “My Non-Quandary About Book Reviews” where she discusses the struggle of published and aspiring writers with posting a bad review for a book.
When a bad book needs a good spanking, I don’t give it. I can’t. I don’t give bad book reviews. Period. Why you ask? (Whether you did or didn’t I’m gonna tell you.) There’s a multitude of reasons.
First off, I don’t want the Karma Fairies smiting down my publishing career before I even get started. Sure it sounds like a copout to say such a thing but I can’t imagine putting someone else’s work down will further my career in any way. Like Desmond Tutu says, “If I diminish you, I diminish myself.” (It’s my new philosophy in my journey to seek inner peace. No seriously, I’m trying to find myself in all this mess we call life.)
Secondly, I’m not a professional book reviewer nor is my blog about book reviews. Sure I give the occasional book review on my blog but they are more about sharing my excitement about a book I love to fellow writers.
Another reason I don’t spank books, I don’t know how to give a bad review without slamming it and pointing out where the author went wrong. I GET ANGRY when I read a book that feels technically wrong. Things that if my critique partner sent this to me I’d rip her a new one. What angers me even more is HOW DID THIS CRAP GOT PUBLISHED?!? *taking a deep breath*
So here’s my problem with writing a bad review for a book, I can’t do it tactfully without my emotion spilling onto the page. I even tried to Google how to write a bad book review and couldn’t find exactly what I was looking for. Valarie followed up her book review post above with “5 Dos and Don'ts for Writing Book Reviews” giving a few basic guidelines when writing a book review. I’ve got the basics down. I want to know how to write a BAD book review without; hurting the author’s feelings, inciting a riot from those who did love the book or worse, coming off like an arrogant book snob who’s an expert on the craft of writing a novel when I’m not even published, must less an editor or agent. If you write/find a straightforward “How to Write a Bad Book Review” let me know.
If I was NOT a professional writer, I’d be happy to write bad reviews but I am, so I don’t. As a writer I read books on a whole different level. It’s not a bad thing but I find I am pickier about what I read. And for the sake of saving my friends a few bucks, I DO want to tell them which books I would NOT recommend. Star ratings are generic I know but I do rate my Shelfari bookshelf books in hopes to vaguely guide some people.
1 star = Heck no, don’t waste your money or time!
2 stars = Why do they even have a 2 stars? I never rate with a 2. What’s the point?
3 stars = I thought it was alright, people who like X subject would like it better.
4 stars = Really good book, you should check it out.
5 stars = You’re an idiot if you have not read this book.
A part of me would like to start a blog page and just list the books I would not recommend but then that seems arrogant in some way. I’ll keep trying to devise a tactful way of sharing my distastes for a particular book but until then, just search for my star rating on Shelfari bookshelf.
EDIT: More thoughts on the subject:
Elle Strauss, her post aptly named "Watch Your Mouth"
Nicole McLaughlin writes "Sometimes Books Suck" I couldn't have said it better. Cute cartoon to boot.
EDIT: More thoughts on the subject:
Elle Strauss, her post aptly named "Watch Your Mouth"
Nicole McLaughlin writes "Sometimes Books Suck" I couldn't have said it better. Cute cartoon to boot.
