Since I am having trouble getting every other window to open I didn’t see the question or site that started the poll and wasn’t sure if you were talking about reviews or just comments in general. I would love to see more authors review and do it under their own names (although I understand y many don’t). At the same time I agree with Karen Templeton, I would take a rec from a reader over most authors.

If you aren’t taking reviews but just “criticizing another published authors work IN PUBLIC” without reading it and more along the lines of judgmental comments about the author, their publisher, if they are digital or print, general catty shit I would still say go for it. It isn’t for any one person or group of people to police anyone else and really what would we have to blog about?

But I did vote thinking you meant reviews before I noticed that ‘review’ was on where in the poll ::shrug:: go figure. Ten to one this post won’t even go through, I hate living in the sticks.

It’s a hell of a lot more important what an editor says, as far as trying to craft the best book possible–than another writer.

Reader satisfaction, which certainly includes other writers, is always, always the goal. But no matter what the book, how much hard work and craft went into it, not every reader will be satisfied.

If you knew that Kinsale or La Nora or McKinley or Carey were going to point out the good and the bad of your writing, how much MORE would you work to perfect your craft?

Not one bit more, and the implication that there’s a host of writers who are half-assing it, who would sit up straight if Someone Important started reading their books makes me roll my eyes.

I love Kinsale and Nora and McKinley (assuming you mean Robin), but I don’t write to get the ego boost of having them gush about my craft. I write for readers. And if Nora or Laura Kinsale reads my book and loves it as a reader, that would give me a happy glowing feeling, but the same is true for Mary Noname off the street, who deserves the very, very best that I can muster. If I can make Mary grab her friends and say, “You must read this book!” I’m doing it right.

As for writers who are half-assing it (and I doubt there are as many of those as people think)… really, if you’re going to half-ass it for the people who pay your bills and keep you in laptops, why would you care about people who don’t?

My main feeling is that there should be some kind of unwritten “code” that you don't diss another author's work in public. You might object to my use of that word to describe the critique, but pointing out flaws in a storyline or giving an opinion of a writing style carries more weight when it comes from a fellow writer.

Okay, this made me contemplate a slightly different take on this question: how do you define author/writer in relation to reviewers? After all, unless done orally, reviewing is a type of writing. Many reviews published in mainstream magazines and papers are paid work, thus making the writer a paid author even if that’s the only type of writing they do. Then witness the fact that lines are becoming blurred online: many bloggers are getting book deals. What about Sarah and Candy of Smart Bitches: now that they have a book out, is it unprofessional for them to continue reviewing? Does it only count as unprofessional if done by a fiction writer, and then what about all those writers who publish both fiction and non-fiction?

I used to write as a freelancer. It was more than five years ago, and some of it was fiction. I co-authored more than ten books. Is that enough to make it unprofessional for me to write reviews? If not, what is? I just don’t think things are as cut-and-dried as you’re portraying them to be. I don’t think there’s an easy line between reviewer and writer, and the definitions of writer and author are going to be different from person to person as well.

What about Lev Grossman? He’s the book critic at Time Magazine. He’s also a well-known author. Is he being unprofessional?

I think someone else nailed it when they said:

Among those I know, it's akin to a couple of cynical females lurking in the corner of a party ridiculing the dress of a younger, prettier female dancing with the hottest guy there. Pathetic.

I don’t see nearly as many accusations of jealousy or pettiness toward authors who review/critique in industries where the authors aren’t predominantly female. I think a lot of it is, unfortunately, stereotype: most romance authors are women, and criticism coming from women still tends to be viewed with suspicion and called cattiness.

Among those I know, it's akin to a couple of cynical females lurking in the corner of a party ridiculing the dress of a younger, prettier female dancing with the hottest guy there.

And this is why I don’t mess with doing negative reviews-I know that’s going to be the knee-jerk reaction for some, no matter how well I tried to write the review, not matter what my reasons for not liking it.

I can hate a book, and not be jealous of an author, but too many times I have seen it when an author says something that isn’t even necessarily critical, it’s just not overly-glowing of a popular author, and that author all but gets strung over by some of the popular author’s fans. I’ve seen readers get torn into because they didn’t feel an author’s work was insulted when she got 4 stars, versus 5 stars.

Because of the flack that often happens, that’s why I don’t mess with it. If I was inclined to deal with the flack, I might be more open to discussing the books I didn’t like as well as those I did.

But my dislike of a book, or even ambiguity, has nothing to do with jealousy. I don’t want to be another author-I’m quite happy being me. While part of me does envy the success of some other authors, I’m also well aware of their workloads-for me to keep up with that workload, I’d have to make sacrifices that cut into family time, which isn’t going to happen.

Now, this comment isn’t anything regarding what kimber an said~it’s just a general observation. There’s some pervasive idea that if we (not necessarily talking authors, just females in general) don’t absolutely love and adore something, it’s some flaw on OUR part. It’s because we’re jealous, or we just love be catty, or other crap like that. Is that true for some? Of course.

However, there are plenty of cases where we just don’t like something for reasons of personal taste. Jealousy and other petty crap doesn’t even play into it.

My main feeling is that there should be some kind of unwritten “code” that you don't diss another author's work in public. You might object to my use of that word to describe the critique, but pointing out flaws in a storyline or giving an opinion of a writing style carries more weight when it comes from a fellow writer.

You’re not coming off as rude, but I just can’t agree that a well-thought out, thoughtful review, even a negative one, is the same as dissing. Dissing is bashing-and I’d likely stop reading an author who got their thrills from flaming another author’s work.

For what purpose would an author consider reviewing a book of another writer in public?

The way I see it, the reviews aren’t written for writers. They are written for readers. So if an author has a blog where she regularly reviews books, likely she has people who look to her reviews and she tries to discuss them all fairly, the ones she likes AND the ones she dislikes. Even though authors can benefit from reviews, they really aren’t there for the author.

Unless it's a gushing fan letter-type review – which is nice but maybe not always possible because the work might be something the writer/reviewer doesn't care for – I would cringe with sympathetic emotions for that author whose book was being spotlighted.

Ironically I’d rather get a well written negative review than a gushing fan type. Don’t get me wrong, I love it when people enjoy my writing. But I’m always wanting to improve, and I learn nothing from the gushing reviews. So speaking as a writer, the negative ones often have more technical value for me.

I never turn down a good insight. That “slap on the forehead” moment you get when another writer points out the obvious to you is priceless.

What I was trying to express is that this can be done in private and not wrapped up in a public review to another author.

My main feeling is that there should be some kind of unwritten “code” that you don’t diss another author’s work in public. You might object to my use of that word to describe the critique, but pointing out flaws in a storyline or giving an opinion of a writing style carries more weight when it comes from a fellow writer.

Unless it’s a gushing fan letter-type review – which is nice but maybe not always possible because the work might be something the writer/reviewer doesn’t care for – I would cringe with sympathetic emotions for that author whose book was being spotlighted.

I really believe this: that even if the review makes stunning commentary, lists transforming suggestions and results in a teaching tool the author will appreciate for future work, when it’s all coming from another author, I’d want to get that in private.

For what purpose would an author consider reviewing a book of another writer in public? If they have suggestions, they can write a private message and offer it. I’m speaking about the romance genre specifically.

I really respect writers, and if I saw a review one of my favorites wrote, it might actually sway me more than a reader’s review.

That’s a lot of power.

Recently, I read a little blurb in an interview Stephen King did for a Sunday paper where he was asked about the writing of J.K. Rowling and Stephanie Myers. If I can believe what I read, he praised Rowling’s writing and then stated publicly he didn’t think Stephenie was very good.

Not actually a review of a certain book, but a very provocative slam against a fellow writer.

I cringed when I read that, not because he isn’t entitled to his own opinion. Not because I don’t think he has the right to say what he thinks in print and public. No, it bothered me that he felt the need to say it at all.

It somehow breached that code I think should be there.

I hope I’m not coming off as rude. I’d never want to do that. This is just the way I feel.

There are a number of businesses that base their marketing campaigns around dissing others in their field to show how their product is better than The Other Guy’s. I think what makes it so sticky when it comes to author vs. author is the part where that kind of behavior is pretty much expected and accepted when the brand is a commodity, like Pepsi or Coke. But when the brand is an author, it can sometimes come off as an arrogant personal attack, and that is never pretty.

So should authors be allowed to express their opinions, no matter how critical? Absolutely, just as long as the author realizes those opinions are open to criticism as well.

If you're a writer, write.

Leave the public opinions to the masses.

So what you are saying is that a writer is not entitled to have an opinion about a book he or she read. In fact, an author is not allowed to have a life outside of writing, or indulge in reading.

My dear girl… getting a review from a fellow writer is usually something desired, in this business. And you should keep in mind that writers are not machines that can be turned on and off at will. Writers are people who enjoy a wide variety of things… and some of them happen to like reading and reviewing others’ works. I see no reason why that would bother you.

I have no idea if what I’m about to suggest is true or not, so the academics reading the thread can correct me if I’m wrong, but… I’ve always had the perception that literary authors are, in the majority, people who have a strong background in academia or scholarship or some other field of critical writing, such as journalism. In literary fiction, I feel there’s a greater expectation on authors to be able to articulate their intent and writing process, and criticism isn’t seen as a black and white issue. The discourse around the book is itself valuable. I think this is what was missing from romance until blogs started filling the gap, and is something that is still not widely accepted. I think it’s also the reason why the recent attention on romance scholarship has been so important.

Or maybe a place for doctors to publicly offer their suggestions on the style of a specific doctor?

Ahh… actually, all sorts of professions do have peer reviews. Many businesses are gravitating towards them-or the last I heard. It’s not an unheard-of concept.

I personally don’t feel the need to do reviews, but I’m also not going to tell another writer that the writer should only write. Regardless of whether or not readers agree, writers ARE readers as well. We have to be-reading is one of the things that fuels the imagination.

So if an author feels the need to critique another author’s book, and they are willing to deal with any fallout that may come, I have no problem with it. Please note, I said ‘critique’, not bash and flame. IMO, any author that feels the need to go that route is likely just looking for a few moments in the spotlight.

Blow-by-blow dissections, as much as they suck at the time, are actually one hell of a tool for a writer to use in improving their craft-if they can get past the knee-jerk reaction.

And please don’t take this wrong-I’m not trying to insult you or pick on you, but personally, I feel it’s rather tacky for somebody to tell a writer how they should or shouldn’t spend their time.

As long as they are meeting their deadlines, how they spend their time is their own business.

Again, I’m not trying to insult you, but writing isn’t the only sum of a writer. If I’m told the only business I should concern myself with is writing…well, again, it’s rather tacky, and it also a bit rude. It’s kind of like telling a bookseller she shouldn’t be allowed to discuss anything other than selling books, or that a reader should only be allowed to read.

Nobody cares to be told how they should or shouldn’t spend their time.

I’m all for authors delivering a positive nod to a book they think deserves merit, but just to sit there and write up a blow-by-blow dissection of another author’s book?

I think it’s totally tacky behavior.

A serious author shouldn’t even have the time to rip into another author’s work! If they do, they’re just not writing enough, in my opinion.

If you’re a writer, write.

Leave the public opinions to the masses.

Can you imagine if teachers had a forum where they publicly gave their opinion on a specific teacher’s style? Or maybe a place for doctors to publicly offer their suggestions on the style of a specific doctor? How about nurses who’d volunteer to choose a specific nurse and give their opinion on the job they do and how it might be better? All in a public forum.

It’s ridiculous to even consider.

And, like I said, it’s sort of tacky to use precious time that could be spent writing your own books to publicly nitpick over the work of a fellow author.

What’s not acceptable is flaming somebody’s work. If a published author acts like an ass in public, it’ll tarnish his/her books in many readers’ eyes. Author A coming out and saying Author B’s book sucked, and Author B is a moron who can’t write sounds childish and bitchy, and not very smart. That’s not criticizing, that’s bashing.

But a reasoned, thoughtful critique of a work from another published author would be a wonderful, valuable thing. Author A saying that she found Author B’s work a little weak in character development, or slow-paced, or it had too many sub-plots would be a useful thing for Author B to hear. If Author B was smart, Author B would ponder that kind of statement.

Oh, PLEASE.

Just because I can't bake the pie doesn't mean I can't tell when the damn thing's burnt.
………
What she said!

PS. What does ETA mean ?

“Edited to add.” Guess it works like a p.s. in that way. :-)

I’d discuss what worked or didn’t work for me in a book in a conversation. I do this a lot with the people at my messageboards and some of the boards I’ve been part of for years now. It’s fun to discuss books with other readers, what worked and what didn’t. In those discussions I’ve often talked about “not that but this” – for instance when we all discuss vampire books and I am such a hooor for Lara Adrian’s books and others will bring up JR Ward or Feehan – other authors who tackle the subject but from a different place or voice. To me, this is the most exciting part of being online, sharing, discussing books as booklovers.

To me, there’s a balance like there’s a balance in everything. IMO, it’s not always what you say, but how you say it.