Poisoning the Well
For better or worse, I have always been a fighter. For the people and principles I care about most, I will go to the mat, and the more unfair a situation becomes, the more energized to set things right I seem to become. I’m one of those cynical idealists who generally doesn’t trust people and yet can’t stop believing in basic ideals about how justice prevails and everything comes around in the end.
But over the last year –and especially the past month– I’ve seen things in and around our book communities that, honest to God, have so shocked and appalled me, and that seem so far beyond what any decent human being would do, that I can’t even figure out where and how to engage effectively and productively. It’s like one of those computer games where you can’t get from point A to point B without stepping in an unseen sinkhole or explosive trap.
This weekend, when the Internet exploded with The Guardian’s appalling breach of reader trust in publishing the disgusting account of author Kathleen Hale gleefully stalking a reader-reviewer, right on the heels of the somewhat less damaging, although not completely unrelated rant by Margo Howard over negative Amazon Vine reviews, I feel like we’ve reached a new level of ethical corruption in our book communities, where corporate systems – be they publishers, newspapers, or even authors — are more openly and unapologetically preying on readers, while readers seem to have fewer and fewer places to find safe harbor.
That, for example, The Guardian saw fit to publish the Hale piece, despite all of its obvious problems, is not merely baffling to me, but downright horrifying. How could anyone miss the massive hypocrisy of the moment where Hale’s obsessive distrust and pursuit of a pseudonymous reviewer is unselfconsciously eclipsed by her wholly uncritical trust in and promotion of a pseudonymous practitioner some of the most vile online vigilante injustice against book bloggers we’ve seen in the past decade? How could anyone think that publishing a professional author’s vaguely apologetic and yet not at all regretful hunting down of an amateur book reviewer was a good idea, especially when the author made a slew of completely unsubstantiated and suspect claims against the reviewer, who had NO VOICE in the piece. And for those of you who may have been taken in by Hale’s obviously practiced ‘aww shucks’ confession of her obsessive tendencies, think about the fact that every single thing you think you know about that reviewer comes from a person who a) writes fiction for a living, and b) has absolutely no incentive to fairly represent, let alone make sympathetic, the person she’s hunting down like an animal.
And perhaps worst of all, The Guardian, in running that piece without context or counter-point, threw their considerable journalistic weight on the side of vigilante injustice and thus far seems content to hold to that position. We also know, direct from Hale, that a “contact at a publishing house” confirmed private blogger information with her, and I know we’re all holding our breath in anticipation of a statement from Harper Collins.
But the fact that ANY publisher might have furnished that information to Hale is likely scaring the hell out of anyone who has provided their address to an author or publisher for an ARC or contest. To those authors and editors and promotional staff who have not violated the trust of readers, thank you. To those of you who have spoken out in support of readers and reviews of all varieties, even snarky, sarcastic, snotty reviews, thank you. It sucks that you end up suffering the consequences of these incidents, too.
But for me, the lesson here is explicit: there are publishers and authors who are more than willing to exploit the value of readers to promote their books and then equally willing to participate in the ruination of that valuable resource, should it not seem valuable at the moment to them. Many of us are used to the systematic devaluation of female voices in, well, virtually every community you can name. But this feels like a sucker punch to the gut, and now that I’m getting my wind back, all I can say is congratulations to any of you who helped, supported, or cheered while Kathleen Hale — or anyone like her — lashed out at a reader-reviewer. Not only have you helped diminish the serious implications of real bullying (because wishes are not ponies and negative reviews are NOT bullying), but you are fundamentally damaging the community you simultaneously rely on for its honest, spontaneous enthusiasm about books. You are, in fact, poisoning the very well from which you’ve been drinking.
That there are authors who are endorsing Hale’s behavior is reflective of how twisted the power relationship between authors/publishers and readers is. Authors who are professionally producing commercial products for profit feel entitled to hunt down those who have expressed their dislike of those products, but authors are the powerless ones here? This skewed dynamic, by the way, is one of the reasons I think it’s so important to fight the ‘specialness of books’ rhetoric – because the more we buy into that kind of exclusivity, the more we seem to be removing authors (and publishers) from the realm of commercial producers, and, therefore, from their role as business people and even corporations unto themselves. And let’s not forget how many of these business people see no harm in purchasing positive reviews or hiring marketing services to promote their work, regardless of the ethics or legality of such endeavors. Apparently the decision to ‘put food on the table’ by writing books has become license to stalk. Good to know the rules, although for readers this is no game.
For the most part I’m just pissed way the hell off and galled that authors like Hale benefit at all from the precious resource of honest reader reviews. But I know that many readers are legitimately scared. Blythe Harris has apparently announced that she is giving up book blogging. And anyone who believes that this is a victory does not yet understand how important it is to a vibrant bookselling community to have a diversity of honest reviewing voices, nor how the real value of those most positive reviews is revealed only in the context of the negative ones.
For the first time in the decade plus that I’ve been engaging in book talk online, I feel like in every facet (NOT every author, editor, publisher, and journalist, but every part) of the book writing and publishing industry there is some kernel of tolerance and even advocacy for the victimization of readers, who, if we are to believe all the marketing rhetoric, are supposed to be one of the most important constituencies when it comes to keeping the industry in motion. Theoretically, ideally even, one would think that you would want to protect the autonomy and safety of those you rely on to purchase your books and indirectly market them through independent reviews. Oh, how quaint and nearly old-fashioned Signet’s ethicality in the face of the Cassie Edwards plagiarism case now looks. Although perhaps we should have taken more seriously and ominously Kensington’s acquisition of Janet Dailey or their silence in the aftermath of the Deborah Anne MacGillivray revelations.
Not that I begrudge any publisher or author those business decisions that legally maximize their profit – after all, that is part of what makes commercial publishing a viable industry. And the fact that genre fiction, especially, seems to draw so many of its authors from the ranks of its readership makes all these violations seem particularly illogical, even depraved.
In fact, one of the things that strikes me as so odd about this whole fiasco is that we routinely tolerate – even advocate – pseudonymity in the creation of author names, especially when the specter of social disapproval is strong (erotic fiction, for example). But even in more mundane circumstances, like when an author continues to review, or is trying to re-brand, perhaps in a different subgenre or genre, pseudonyms are wielded like shields of divine protection against the possibility or harassment, stalking, and other unseemly effects of daring to be an artiste. If we are so willing to let those who are writing for commercial profit these protections, why in the hell would we not extend them to reader-reviewers and bloggers, many of whom are getting nothing out of their reviews except the fun of talking about books with people on the Internet?
When I really think about this, I realize it’s been growing in plain sight for many years. I know that there have been some more blatant examples in the past few years, but all of the ‘oh, we should be nice in our reviews’ talk, tales of the so-called Dixieland Mafia, reader stalking of yore (remember the Emily Giffin incidents), and other admonitions associated with “mean” book reviews have been swirling for years, and apparently we are at a point where enough momentum has built that readers no longer have any reason to trust that an author, publisher, or media outlet will protect their rights and interests at the most basic level of legality, ethics, or human decency. And that’s a seriously fucked up state of affairs, especially when you think about Sunita’s point that the value of the community — its honest, spontaneous, and sometimes viral conversation — is what has made it a target to begin with. It’s clear to me that unreasonable people cannot be reasoned with, that no one who justifies the victimization of others would ever think it’s okay if it happened to them. Logic won’t prevail here, and calls for human decency and accountability continue to go unanswered.
So where are we now? Have we finally turned the final corner into complete corruption and chaos? Is there nothing for readers to do but evacuate the community completely, leaving it to those who refuse to do something to keep reading safe? As I said initially, I have always been a fighter, but I am at a loss at this point. I do know that our book community still has many important voices, and it wasn’t too long ago that we saw a powerful communal stand against the silencing of book bloggers. As inspiring and awesome as that was, we’re clearly dealing with something that manifests destruction in myriad ways and from multiple directions at once. Just yesterday a UK reader reported being physically assaulted by an author. How many more have been threatened, stalked, harassed, or even assaulted?
And yeah, I get that not everyone likes everyone else, blah blah blah, but if you look at those standing most steadfast in support of reader rights, it’s reader bloggers – not just the bigger blogs, but all of the wonderful, intelligent, engaged, generous, and interesting readers who care enough about books to put up with all the unwarranted bullshit that being online attracts. And among all of these voices, there has to be something we can do. I know that for the foreseeable future I’m done sending traffic to The Guardian via the Dear Author news. But there has to be more. Among the options that come immediately to mind:
- Make our blogging communities private to protect the book talk. This would allow us to keep our priorities intact and to keep ourselves from being so easily exploited and preyed upon;
- Stop taking ARCs from publishers, and only take them from trusted authors. It does seem that these promotional items are viewed by some as a contract or an entitlement;
- Shut down completely and let the industry professionals deal with this amongst themselves. Let’s see how great things are when there are only 4 and 5 star reviews out there, and god knows how many of them actually authentic;
- Collective boycotting of authors, publishers, and/or newspapers. This is unwieldy, I know, although I don’t think a bunch of change.org petitions would do anything at this point.
- Would anyone be up for a coordinated, temporary (week-long?) review blackout?
But what do you think? What are your suggestions for how our book communities should be dealing with this? And where are you, personally, in dealing with this?
ETA: The blogger who initially provided the reviewer’s address has posted her account of the incident, and not surprisingly, it differs in important ways from Hale’s. To wit:
Let me back track a second since this seems to be the super important part. When KH requested Blythe as her blogger, she also asked me to get Blythe’s mailing address for her because she wanted to send her a gift for hosting her for the Bash. I sent Blythe an email and she seemed super excited and gave me her permission to pass on her mailing address to KH. It seemed safe and simple. I read in KH’s article that she was requested to donate some signed books and that’s why she wanted Blythe’s mailing address. When we send invitations out to the debut authors we give them a set of questions. One of those questions is whether or not they will be hosting a giveaway for the event and if it will be open to US, US & CAN, or INT. We never ask any of the authors to host a giveaway nor do we ask them to donate specific prizes. If they have questions about the giveaway we answer them, but that is completely up to them. Most of the authors chose to do a giveaway this year, but we did have quite a few who did not host one.
Additionally, Hale has indicated to someone on her Tumblr (a screenshot is available here) that she is “proud of myself” for her article. Just let that sink in for a few minutes as you think about how our reading communities need to respond.
And here is Harper Teen’s completely anemic Twitter response to Jane’s inquiry about the incident:
@dearauthor We were not involved in this incident, and we do not disclose our blogger contact information as a general matter.
Extended version of UK reviewer’s recent attack report, as well as Yahoo’s article on another incident involving the same author.
We really need to take a stand
I don’t have the answers.
I hope the answer is not #3. That seems unfair to the authors and publishers who do behave in a professional manner. And despite the number of instances cited above and others which were not mentioned in this post, I have to believe the “regular” authors and publishers are the majority.
#1 is a possibility but unless you actually know all of the people in your private circle how does that help? One of the best parts of the online romance community is the size of it. And the welcome one receives when they discovers it. I know I have branched out as a reader due to recommendations from sources I have come to know and trust through the online community. Not just blogs like DA and SBTB, but through other sites such as the now defunct ADWOFF message board. And while I did have to join ADWOFF in order to comment, I lurked for a LONG time before taking that step. Just as I lurked here at DA for several months before I got up the courage to comment. I am not sure I would be as keen to join a private group of readers I didn’t know. I am not on Facebook or Goodreads. Being able to read the various posts at blogs like DA to get a sense of who is who and how I could fit in is an important step which wouldn’t be possible if all the discussions are taking place behind a curtain.
#2 is an option for the blog and those who review, but not something which affects me as a reader. If HarperTeen had said they were the ones who gave out the address I would for sure never buy a book of theirs. But that is easy for me to say since I don’t really read in the YA or NA subgenres. Would I boycott all of Harper Collins imprints? I would have to seriously think about that since I do read a lot of Harlequin and Carina books. And at the moment I don’t think it would be fair to those publishers and authors to punish them for a buyout they had no real part in. So while I do hope HC at least addresses this issue, I again have no answers.
All I can do as a reader is continue to read and recommend the authors and publishing imprints I enjoy. I can keep an eye on the various news sources and update my personal NEVER BUY OR READ LIST of authors. But while I know a number of authors on it are probably on other readers’ do-not-buy lists, those lines and how/when they are crossed are individual for every reader.
I do appreciate that sites like DA allow the reading community to discuss these issues. And I hope it never reaches a point where these discussions take place only behind closed doors where those of us not in “the club” can’t participate in them.
Last night I came to a decision that except for two authors, I will no longer buy or review books from living authors. Your title sums it all up – the well is poisoned, I can’t trust authors or their fans not to hurt me. I’m done – my leisure money could be better spent at the craft stores and my leisure time could be better spent doing more volunteer work. Once my TBR pile is completed, I will only talk about/review/read dead authors – it is the only safe option for me left.
sites like DA (not cites). I miss the Edit feature.
I don’t know what the answer is or where things are heading. I hope this is a wake up call for publishers and others to realize 1) the value of the reader and blogging community and 2) to make changes to protect those groups. However the lack of response from any publisher lessens my hope. It makes me so sad.
I may change my review policy to e-ARCs only, which is my preferred method anyhow, unless it comes from someone I know and trust. I also added a Privacy Policy on my blog, one thing I was lacking.
I would like a list of authors who have publicly supported Hale and her methods. Is one available?
@library addict: Fixed.
@Jen Twimom: I’d like to see a list of these authors as well.
I would like a list too.
Wonderful article! Disturbing but wonderful! I am not a blogger just a reader who posts (honest) reviews of the books I read. I am never mean in my reviews and always try to find something positive to say but feel I would be doing myself and other readers an injustice by not relating my honest opinions to others who might find them helpful. This is what I expect from others when I read their reviews and I refuse to change this because of the antics of a few disturbed individuals. Should these attacks start becoming more frequent and a trend supported by the publishing industry, I may have to give up the pleasure of owing and/or reviewing their books. Libraries are free you know. Imagine the horror of authors and publishers if they realized a drop of even a quarter of their sales due to these retaliatory tactics. When money talks business listens.
This is me! I’d never really been able to articulate the dichotomy of my views before, but this is perfect.
I don’t have the answers either, but I know that I’m a lot more leery of reading and reviewing than ever. And it saddens me. It infuriates me.
@Jayne: Thank you.
@Library addict: @Jen Twimom: I agree with everything in Library Addict’s first comment. Also, a list of authors would be great. I am not on Facebook or Twitter and have no interest in joining either of them. Blogs like this are an important way for me to find out about new books. After lurking for a while, I know which reviewers have tastes similar to mine and have found many good books. Making me sign in to a “community” would have sent me away. I guess I’m not a “joiner”.
Thank you for writing that. When reading the KH post, I did kind of fall into the aw-shucks as you call it, and I needed somebody to put it back into perspective. I for myself love reading, and I can’t imagine stopping, but I also feel like something has to give or at least signal that cannot be ignored needs to be sent.
I have no solution, but I can say from personal experience that an exclusive community is not cool, I for one have tried to join a lj community twice because I know that some of the authors there write well, but I was never admitted because I failed to prove that I was a reader and not a plagiator. This certainly leaves an unpleasant impression of at least elitist behavior, and I’d hate to associate the open and fun book community with that feeling.
Your own article is probably the best way of all to deal with this. A passionate, articulate, well-thought through depiction of the problem is the best communicator (short of hurting someone’s wallet). I’ll link to your article in my own blog; though it doesn’t have many followers, the ones I do have are major readers.
I don’t formally review books very often, but when I do I try to focus on the positives and mention negatives in as nice a way as possible. If I can’t stand a book, I don’t write a formal review of it at all. On Goodreads or Amazon, for instance (which I consider informal reviews), I’ll be more forthright about my personal reaction. Or say nothing, just give the star(s). If that. Your article will make me even more cautious.
This Hale situation has freaked me right the F out. I’ve been blogging for more than a decade, I’ve almost always used my real name. Mostly because I was raised by a journalist who taught me that if you’re going to say something, put your name on it. But the idea of an author showing up at my house, or place of work, or dear Lord please no, at the schools where our girls attend really terrifies me.
Not that I’d stop reviewing. It’s now in my DNA. I love reviewing books and I love talking books with other readers. But this situation has really scared me half to death. The idea that something I do for love of the genre could endanger me or my family is absolutely appalling. I’ll be doing what I can to lower my personal profile online. It seems the only smart thing to do.
I hate how so many reviewers feel the need to emphasize the ‘I don’t write mean reviews’ and ‘I try to mention at least something positive.’
We already have to contend against the “if you have nothing nice to say” conditioning, being women, now we have to be afraid of deranged individuals being cheered on to harass and stalk us.
I for one will continue reviewing and writing as I have for as long as can, and the devil take the hindmost.
When I first read the Guardian article, I’ll admit that initially I thought that it was amusing, but then after re reading and talking about it i began to get angry. Although Hale’s actions are reprehensible it wasn’t her I got cross with; publishing it appears to be condoning that kind of stalking/ get even behavior. And don’t get me stated on giving away personal details. If that had been the other way around ? Imagine the outcry.
I’ve reviewed a couple of books where negative comments were made, and the author contacted me to explain why they wrote what they wrote, and that’s fine, that’s dialogue, we agree to disagree and move on. I wouldn’t want to loose the ability to do that, and you make a valid point that certainly in romance there are authors who started off as, and remain bloggers so tend to be understanding and want to interact more.
While I too don’t have any answers I would hate to see a closed community because that smacks of giving in. if we only reviewed authors we trust and know wouldn’t that become incestuous ? I think that collective protest is the most difficult, but likely to be the most effective, method of change. I will certainly wait to see how / if the Guardian reacts before buying it again.
@azteclady: I should add here that I am able to make that decision more easily than most because my offspring are adults and I have no one else’s safety to consider but mine. I would likely react much differently otherwise.
This is excellent, Robin, thank you. I have no idea what the solution is, but over the last few years I’ve stopped writing any online reviews, removed my GR account, and allowed my Booklikes account to sit. I no longer even comment online except for on a very few trusted sites–and even then, I’m very careful what I say. All of that makes me inexpressibly sad, because it all seems to me to be part and parcel of a trend toward silencing women. I’m old enough to have had jobs that involved making the coffee and being silent while the men talked about the Important Stuff, and I never, ever would have guessed that my daughters now are facing the same kind of silencing that I thought we had eradicated 40 years ago. It makes me sad and angry that book review blogs and reviewers, which used to be vibrant and safe places for women to express opinions and be heard are now being targeted by publishers, butt-hurt authors, and newspapers. I don’t like the idea of closed communities, but that may end up being the inevitable result when commenters no longer feel safe having an opinion online.
I think that the more you build walls, the easier it is to demonise those on the other side. Them’ uns are crazy, not like us.
And I think a private blogging community has walls round it.
My take on it is that you go on as before. You stick to the principles that you believe in and trust that justice will prevail in the end.
Easy, easy for me to say when I don’t review, blog or write.
As for The Guardian, that’s the part of this that really upsets me. I felt as an organisation it stood for something I understood and mostly agreed with. And I feel that it more than silently endorsed Hale’s position – that it (unwittingly, I hope) – participated in her ongoing harassment of the reviewer. I’m still hoping against hope that they’ll do something to Make It Right (apologise, bring me flowers, tell me you still love me…).
@Jen Twimom: If someone is going to compile a blacklist, or call it just a list. of authors culled from their comments or tweets, I hope it specifies whether the authors on it were all-out in support in you-go-girl I’d-have-done-it-too-and-I-will-someday style, or were being neutrally sympathetic, or cautious, or snarky. That sort of list makes me uneasy.
I say this as someone who is, let’s say, 99% reader, 1% published author. But I feel that having any books and stories at all out there, both self- and trad-published, puts me in the author boat. I haven’t made any other comments about this, except over dinner with friends. The 1% of me really wouldn’t dare get into it online.
I made the mistake once of tweeting M. Pierce (of Night Owl fame(?)) about my reasons for not buying book two. Basically I said, while I enjoyed your book, I cannot justify spending 8.99+ for the sequel. M. Pierce was pretty cool about it (on the surface anyway) and was sort of like, “I understand.” I stupidly thought it was over. For days I got rude tweets, bashing tweets, and absolute filth over my unwillingness to cough up money for the most brilliant author out there! When I stated it was really about the money and spending, the trolls proceeded to yell at me for saying it to the author because M. Pierce didn’t set the price. Well no, but who am I going to contact, random person at St. Martin’s Griffin? It’s not like I took a jagged knife and threatened the author. I merely stated an opinion and left it at that.
It’s scary when you suddenly have scores of people you don’t know tweeting you about how horrible you are because you said a price was too high. It had nothing to do with content or anything. Who knows if the author was egging them on or not. It poisoned my whole look at the series and I definitely won’t buy the second book now.
It’s ridiculous. I use a pseudonym for blogging but anyone can find out at least my first name since I don’t hide it. It’s frightening how much power these authors/publishers/fans think they should have. I keep my own list of authors I will not buy/review simply because of ridiculous tactics.
Great article.
I am not a blogger or a reviewer. I am not an author. I am just a reader and frankly this stuff horrifies me. I am part of the one group the publishers and authors do not want to piss off because if my group abandons them, then they are up the proverbial creek without a paddle.
In the past I have stopped buying books by some of my favourite authors, mostly due to what I consider outrageous pricing. It wasn’t an easy decision. I have my favourites and I don’t like to change but I did. And guess what? I found other authors, with books at a reasonable price. These authors became my new favourites.
Frankly, the stuff I have read about recently concerning some authors’ and publishers’ behaviour have me reassessing again, my commitment to certain authors and certain publishers. I cannot enable glorified stalking and bullying by buying books by these authors or books from these publishers. I feel that by supporting these authors and publishers, I would be giving my stamp of approval for this behaviour…and that I cannot do!
I am prepared to drop any author by any publisher that engages in these actions. This is unfortunate because a lot of good authors will also suffer but I feel to do any less is to condone these behaviours. I am prepared to drop any author who engages in these behaviours, and too bad if it hurts them. This is the way of business. People vote with their money and none of mine will be going to this author or publisher.
I do not encourage anyone to do as I do, unless they agree on this course of action. But I do think anyone who is against bullying and stalking must make their opinion known to the author and the publisher. Send them an email, leave a comment on their websites, leave a comment on this site. Anything! But don’t think silence and / or inaction will change this because it won’t. MAKE YOUR VOICES HEARD!!!
Finally, about the newspaper who published this account by the author. I will not use the name of the newspaper. That would give them more attention than they deserve. I just want to say…Shame on you for enabling bullying and stalking, and indeed, for glorifying it! I guess it’s a sign of what quality newspaper they run.
I have shared this story on my facebook and twitter and let it be known how I disapprove of these actions by the author and publisher. Hopefully some of my friends will share this. I encourage others to do the same.
Thank you for allowing me to voice my opinion. At least we still have that right…for how long, I cannot say…
I agree with most of the points you’ve made. As an author, I feel the need to put a disclaimer in my bio at this point. “Will not stalk bad reviewers. Will not clonk you in the head with a wine bottle.”
I can understand the wish to protect the blogging community, however I would caution against over reaction. Decisions based on fear are often ones we regret. I especially take issue with your #2 on the list: only take ARCs from trusted authors and not publishers. For authors who “made it into the club” already, this is fine news, but new authors are locked out before they even get to say hello. Eventually your ARC pool would dwindle to the authors who happened to live the longest.
Entire publishing houses are locked out, even though their practices may be fantastically ethical. In our efforts to protect bloggers, I don’t think we want to rush to such exclusionary practices. It only widens the gap that these few bad eggs have created.
4. Demand / work for better privacy policies at publishing houses. Work across the community to develop clearer privacy policies and protection – for book groups, author groups, book blogs, publishers, publicists, anyone who interfaces between authors and reviewers and between authors and readers.
This is one of the most well thought out, sobering pieces on the entire ordeal I have read yet. I am sending everyone who comments about the issue to this post. Thank you.
@Marianne McA: I agree with Marianne that the feudalization of the book talk community is something I would not like to see happen. In turn, the idea of lists is an equally frightening one, ahem, black. I’ve done a lot of soul-searching and thinking since reading The Guardian story, as well as the situation with DA and EC. A commentator on Twitter had me thinking the deepest when she said that blogging has become part of the monetization and politicization of what was a reader-love community, one to which I’ve only quite recently added my voice. And I have been complicit in this. I cannot say, as another commentator did, that I am only going to review only dead authors, though I can understand why someone would respond this way.
I am frightened, even though my interactions with authors and publishers have been positive thus far. No matter what precautions I take, the risk remains if I choose to continue blogging and commenting. But I also will not be forced into a corner, nor will I accept that my freedom to express myself is curtailed. However, I do not have to be a part of the promotional aspect of the author-publisher coupling. I keep my blog free of ads, blog tours, author interviews, etc., but I do still accept e-ARCs from publishers. I have decided that I will no longer do so because I’ve realized that taking part in the entire ARC thing has diminished my power as a reader and critic. Those people whom I trust and read and love who write about books are not only expressing opinions, they are doing critique. They have ideas and interpretations: everyone has a right to free information and analysis, let’s keep our spaces as open as we can, but let caution dictate as well.
I like #2 and #4, but that’s more about my own preferences. No way will enough bloggers boycott a publisher to make a difference, and I think we’re long past the point of no return with this mess, anyway.
A couple of years ago, during one of the many “bully reviews” kerfuffles, a self-pub author wrote a blog post about how authors and bloggers are in a symbiotic relationship, they help each other out, so they really should be nice to each other. At the time I rolled my eyes and thought it ridiculous, but thinking about that in light of everything that’s happened in the time since–she’s not wrong for thinking that way. I can see how someone new to the online reader community, who doesn’t know the history and isn’t particularly good at picking up the nuances in online relationships, who just wants to sell her book to as many people as possible, would read the various blogs for a little while and come to the conclusion that there’s some quid pro quo going on. ARCs, paid ads, give-aways, blog post devoted to promote a particular author/editor/publisher, not to mention bloggers going into business with authors and the fights between bloggers/readers over authors and publishers that lead to comment policy changes–It’s easy for individual authors to read into all that things that aren’t really there, and it’s easy for publishers to see an in for making more money off us, especially when they see the how many obnoxious self-pub authors see spikes in sales after starting shit with bloggers or on goodreads.
Bloggers/reviewers have to take a really hard look at themselves and their relationships with the publishing industry, because we have to stop pretending that this community is all about sharing our love of reading when we actively court those who look at us with dollar signs in their eyes. I don’t doubt intentions are good, but I think in light of Hale’s actions and HarperCollins silence on the matter, even the most stubborn among us have to admit that intentions don’t matter. People have been voicing their concerns over publisher/blogger relationships for years and they’ve been ignored or given hell for questioning bloggers’ integrity, all the while playing stupid when the next escalation occurred. Enough already.
I would love it if someone – maybe I should do it myself – were to create a website. Maybe titled: IsItSafeToReview? or something like that. And the site would list authors like a search engine with details including proof showing if the author is safe to review or if they are known to attack and harass reviewers.
I doubt it will ever happen. And I know I don’t feel that safe.
I was in the process of upgrading my blog but now…I don’t know. I spend my own money: I buy my own books and I pay for my own site. I get $0.00 money for blogging – and now I could be in danger. I’m sitting on a negative review right now because I’m scared. And I’m not used to this feeling.
I honestly don’t understand the “if I don’t like the book I wont review it” thought process. I read the good and bad reviews before I purchase anything, be it a book or anything else. I will never purchase a book with only 5 starred reviews. The same way I would never purchase a vehicle with only the dealership telling me how great it is.
Great article Robin. I am scared and angry. And sad that blogger is not going to be blogging anymore ( not that I blame her obviously because who wants the repeat of dangerous person at your house). Just sad because of what you said about the community – the more different voices the better. But of course her safety comes first. :(. For myself I am not going to stop reviewing – although stalker author showing up at my house or calling me at work is likely to change that. It does not matter how nicely you phrase your reviews – it really does not. I never attacked an author as a person in my reviews. I do not do snark not because I do not enjoy it just because I cannot write it well and I read plenty of books which I felt deserved some snark. And I will never forget when I reviewed for another blog author not being happy with 3.75 review. It is almost a B review for crying out loud. Ever since I know that no matter what I write and no matter how nicely – the critical thoughts about their baaaabies are not going to be well received by quite a few authors apparently. Right now I am willing to live with that – change of circumstances may change my stance on that issue.
I certainly understand why people may want to go private as well. If you want to talk about your hobby you usually prefer to do it without having to watch your back and apparently the front of your house too.
@Carolyne: I agree with your comments. My intention in asking was not to draw attention to these authors or bad-mouth them, etc.
As a reviewer, I take the risk of contact with people I do not know on a daily basis. I am someone who generally trusts others and assumes they are being genuine. I’ve had to rethink that, unfortunately, and because of that, I would like to know if someone has been vocal about supporting an author who engaged in stalking of a blogger. My intent is to better educate myself in the future.
This is one of the reasons I don’t review anymore. I miss it. Like crazy. But every time I get the urge, it just doesn’t seem worth it. Because I always said what I thought. Now? Is it worth the risk? I just don’t have the answer to that question.
The idea if only reviewing trusted authors seems to go against every hint of imapartiality that bloggers have tried to preserve. And does great books by unknown authors a disservice, as well as shitty books by unknown authors a reader disservice.
I don’t know the answer, but until one is apparent, I will likely continue to not review books anymore.
@cleo – that should be #5.
@Carolyne: I wouldn’t take such a list at face value. I would want to read for myself what they said. I just keep seeing people reference authors supporting the Hale piece and when I clicked on comments it told me there weren’t any. Maybe I am looking in the wrong place and I don’t really want to give the site more clicks. I have read a few authors elsewhere emphasizing they expect some negative reviews and readers are entitled to feel however they want after reading a book. But though I have seen comments from some people who support Hale in some of the links in various posts, I did not see any authors. Or it might be I just didn’t recognize any of the names.
Honestly, all of this breaks my heart as a reader, as an author and as part of the romance community. And really, that’s what this is–a community. That’s why it hurts so much when we are betrayed by a member of our community. There should be privacy policies in place at publishing houses to protect bloggers’ personal information, just as there should be/are (I hope) privacy policies in place to protect authors’ personal information. Stalking of anyone is wrong – I shouldn’t even have to say that, but it looks like I do. The worst possible outcome of this whole thing is for a shuttering or silencing of the very vibrant romance reviewing voices out there (those with blogs, those on GR, those who chat with their friends – the whole gamut) because of a few bad apples. To do so would be letting them win and I really hope we won’t let that happen.
Thank you for bring some coherence to a month of craziness.
I read books. I review books. I write books. You’ve summed up for me what my greatest fear is as a reader and an author, that these debacles will have a chilling effect on conversation and book rating and reviewing.
Authors need to get over themselves. There have been times when I’ve seen a negative review of my work and been unhappy about it. There are also plenty of times when I read a book everyone else raved about and wondered if we read the same work. Tastes are different, readers are different, and authors are not special snowflakes.
Thank you Robin for writing this. I am mad, scared, and sad all at once and I absolutely agree something has to be done.
Here are my thoughts on the above:
1. I belong to a private Yahoo group (for the last few days, I’ve been grappling with whether I, as the only person there with aspirations to publish a romance novel, should leave the group so that the other readers feel free to speak without fear of attack) and the atmosphere there is much less embattled. Selfishly, I hope reviews stay in public spaces but I think this is a great option for readers, although they shouldn’t have to feel like they are forced to go that route.
One downside of private sites is that some readers don’t have access to them and therefore can’t benefit from the reviews posted there. Also, as time goes on, unless new members are recruited, the numbers dwindle because over years some people drop out. Still, in my experience, private groups are some of the most thoughtful and congenial spaces for discussing books, and this can be done there without fear of reprisal.
2. I already do this most of the time. I am fine with quitting ARCs altogether. When DA started I reviewed on my own dime and I am willing to go back to that. No ARC is worth the risk of physical danger. IMO the biggest advantage of ARCs is that they allow us to read books well in advance and post reviews around the publication date. This is of some value to readers, but I think it’s more important to publishers and authors. If readers don’t mind the small sacrifice of early reviews, I don’t mind decoupling from Netgalley and Edelweiss.
3. At this point I will understand completely if any of my favorite blogs, including this one, shuts down completely. In the long run though, I think that will suck for everyone, not just publishing industry professionals. It is hard to find good books without blogs and as a lifelong reader, I would find this a big sacrifice. Still, I will support any blogger or reviewer in whatever decision he or she makes.
4. Boycotts. This is a tough one for me personally. As a writer of fiction I have sympathy for sane and level-headed authors who aren’t responsible for their publishers’ actions. Also, we just got off a year long boycott of a major publisher here at DA. And if we want to boycott Hale’s publisher, HarperCollins, they own both Avon and Harlequin. It would be hard to boycott them without everyone taking a hit. Still, I will not begrudge anyone who wants to do that to make a strong statement, and I will abide by whatever decision is made by Dear Author.
5. Finally, a suggestion of my own. When I was an undergraduate, my university announced it was cutting five graduate programs. As a collective protest, many of us students walked out of our classrooms at the same time on the same day. I say we bloggers do something like this now. Take a week off, all at the same time, and put up an explanation of why we are doing so. That way any visitors to the blogs will understand what we are protesting, and the ABBs and PBBs can have a taste of what life feels like without a community of bloggers and honest reviewers.
Thank you for this post, Robin.
We’ve made the decision to not review any books by Harper Teen at our blog. On a personal level, I also won’t be buying any books by Harper Teen until they make a statement about Hale and privacy concerns. It may seem unfair to other authors at Harper Teen but my number one priority is personal safety and I won’t apologise for it. I’m waiting for Harper’s response. I’m hoping there will be one.
Book blogging is a hobby for me. It’s supposed to be fun. The last few days have been frightening, especially reading comments supporting Hale. Knowing that a powerful UK newspaper enabled Hale’s sick story scares me. Knowing that Hale has powerful connections and was able to enact her personal revenge on such a large scale scares me.
I’m as saddened as you. I’m an author, yes, but I was, am, and always will be a reader. That came first. I am also a longtime Guardian reader and I’m furious with them right now for this abject, shoddy piece of journalism and the nepotism demonstrated by making Hale the focus of two articles this year, one about her rape, one about her stalking.
No one has the right to dictate the kind of stories I tell or censor me.
A reviewer has that same right when they comment on those stories.
And to applaud Hale’s frighteningly obsessive quest for confrontation and the chance to sway a single reviewer into giving her praise not criticism…I’m silenced by incredulity and shock. I expected wholesale condemnation of her actions. They SHOULD be condemned.
Blogging and reviewing began as an outgrowth of my hobby of reading. It’s my pleasure, it’s my relaxation and I won’t be made to fear for my privacy or safety to do it. We started here without arcs/giveaways/ads and if we need to go back to that, I have no problems doing just that. Personally I have enough books in my house and on my hard drive right now to last me probably the rest of my life so I’m not going to suffer if we don’t accept them from anyone anymore – trusted or not.
I originally had a paragraph in my post about the ridiculous amount of time and energy hobbyist bloggers and reviewers put into their reviews and blogs, and how I don’t begrudge anyone for whatever compensation they might get: The Book Smugglers’ publishing line, all of the individual bloggers who write for Macmillan’s Heroes and Heartbreakers or Book Riot or RT Book Reviews or PW, etc. etc. etc. ad nauseam, bloggers like me who do some freelance editing, etc. etc. etc. I pulled the paragraph, because I thought it was a tangent, but clearly it’s not.
I’m sorry, but NO FUCKING WAY IS THIS THE FAULT OF REVIEWERS AND BLOGGERS FOR TAKING ARCS, HOSTING GIVEAWAYS, GETTING PAID FOR WRITING HONEST REVIEWS OR ANY OF THE OTHER HONEST WAYS THEY MAY BE PARTICIPATING IN THE BOOK-RELATED ECOSYSTEM. Just like it’s not the fault of authors who stand on the side of reader rights. Or all of the publishing employees who are honest and hard working advocates of fair dealing with readers. Just no. The idea that readers or bloggers should be somehow “pure,” like the ‘innocent’ and ‘worthy’ Romance virgin who waits for her perfect prince, absolutely enrages me. There is absolutely no reason that reviewers/readers/bloggers shouldn’t be able to expect a minimum level of ethics and decency from the book industrial complex, and no way should they be expected to prove their fucking worth by saying no to ARCs, ads, giveaways, and whatever else they do to a) defray costs or receive compensation for their time and effort, or b) expanding opportunities for other readers to win free books or other reading-related materials. Talk about victim blaming.
~Well, encourage everyone to use a pseudonym to review and to comment: Everyone. For privacy’s sake. Make it harder to harass real people.
~~Accept only email subs for review (nothing mailed to a home address, only to an email, and it’s easy to set-up an account just to receive review materials and review correspondences). NO one needs an ARC or book when a pdf or docx or mobi can be read as easily.
~~Make it clear that if an author is involved in stalking/harassing a reviewer, that author will NEVER be reviewed or linked to again (barring a big public apology and promise to stop the crazy)
~~Require that authors whom publishers want to be reviewed who may have had iffy situations with reviewer in the past include a clear statement that NO RETALIATION OR EVEN COMMENT will be posted regarding a review, and no reviewer will be contacted by the author unless the reviewer specifically asks for an answer to a question or an interview, etc.
At the very least, those steps are some protection.
There are some horrible, insensitive, cruel, whack reviewers out there, but they are the minority. Most of us who review (and I’m an Amazon top reviewer) simply want to let readers know when we find something terrific or find something not-that-great but maybe you’ll like it. (I don’t review 1 or 2-starrers pretty much anymore, just cause I do not finish 1 and 2 star reads as per my own taste.)
I really wish publishers started doing some netiquette counseling to their writers. No author should be tracking down reviewers and making them feel threatened. If a reviewer says something defamatory, then report the review to the site administrators (be it Amazon, Goodreads, WordPress, etc). Vicious personal attacks by reviewers should NOT be allowed or condoned.
But negative criticism is needful for a robust review culture. People have to be able to say why they don’t like a book or where they feel it fails. And if they can’t for fear of vengeful authors, then the vengeful authors should have to pay the price, even if it’s being blacklisted for reviews by the reviewing community. And that’s not nothing.
@Robin/Janet: Agreed. For myself, I was thinking of quitting ARCs as a form of protest and also, that I’m on the fence about giving out my physical address to anyone who isn’t a personal friend.
What Jayne said. Majority of the books that I review had always been the books I purchased. I do request some ARCs but if needed be I have enough books in my TBR to last me a life time that I can review. Talking about books is my second favorite thing after reading them. I cannot stand the thought that people like Hale make it a dangerous thing.
That wasn’t victim blaming. That was me responding to YOUR question about what could be done. Why would you suggest boycotting and the like, then? This has been building for years, and now it’s come to an individual author doing dangerous things, publishers saying nothing, and a whole lot of people supporting Hale.
@Robin/Janet: Let me just repeat this because I believe it so strongly.
Thank you for the term “cynical idealist”. This is also how I would describe myself.
I wish I had answers about how to address the current situation. I have been ruminating on these issues as a result of Sunita’s excellent series of posts. As I said over there, I am finding myself less and less inclined to engage online except with a very select group of people who I “know” and “trust”. The most recent incidents of suing, doxxing and stalking of reader/bloggers is adding to my anger at those authors and publishers who believe that they are superior to the rest of us because “they produce books”. I am also angry at the segment of the media who supports these delusions of grandeur and refuses to call out authors and publishers for their bad behaviour. Some try to blame the craziness on those who self publish, but it is obvious by the events of this past week that this is, in fact, not true – both of the authors referenced above are published by major publishers and in both of those cases, the publisher has been silent.
I am a reader, full stop. I rely on honest reviews to help me wade through the plethora of books published each month so that I am not wasting my time and the money I have worked hard to earn on something that I will not enjoy. Prior to discovering blogs like DA, SBTB, Super Librarian, AAR etc., I was limited to reading the book pages in the newspaper (my local paper had one page published once per week devoted to books) and to wandering through the library to try to discover something I wanted to read. I only bought books by authors I knew, unless a trusted friend recommended a books. Since most of my friends didn’t read romance, I didn’t get recommendations in this genre. Review blogs opened up a whole new world for me in terms of finding new authors I liked, and in particular, brought me back to reading romance.
Most of those reviews come from from volunteer reviewers who have created blogs or otherwise have taken their time to share their thoughts about the books they read. Sometimes I agree with the reviewer and sometimes, I don’t, but If those reviewers are threatened, then by extension, I am threatened because those reviewers and bloggers may decide that the risk is no longer worth it, and that their valuable time is better spent doing something else. Given the events of the past few months, I can completely sympathize with any blogger and reviewer who decides to pursue some other hobby.
I think it would be unfortunate if #1 happened but, given where I am at right now, it does have a great deal of attraction for me. With respect to #2, I think that if reviewers had a limited policy of accepting ARCs or that they would only review books purchased with their own money, it would certainly take away the perception of some readers and industry types that reviewers are, or should be, in the publishers pockets. A strike in the manner of #3 might wake publishers up to the reality, but I doubt it would have much effect on the attitudes of those authors who consider themselves special snowflakes – they will still have their sycophants telling them how wonderful they are – but it certainly would be interesting ithe reaction of the industry if many of the blogs simply shut down for a month in protest. I think that many readers are already boycotting certain authors and I’m not sure how this could be formalized. I know that I have stopped buying books by authors who IMO have “crossed the line”.
I would like to say that talking about these issues may be the best way, but to be honest, I am getting sick and tired of talking with no results. Frankly, I am finding knitting much more relaxing and satisfying than reading these days and my money is increasingly being spent on wool.
This sort of thing is why I no longer have a review blog. I had a (way less extreme) experience of unwanted author contact that made me feel just uncomfortable enough to abandon the whole thing.
I was a baby blogger at the time, just starting out, although I already had probably two hundred or so reviews posted. I was trying to get my name out there, so when I was asked to participate in a book tour of any kind, I invariably accepted. On this occasion, the publisher provided the book and I was to post a review on my blog, and GR, and Amazon, on a set date. No one said I had to love the book. It should have been clear from my other reviews that I sometimes HATE books and I rate them accordingly.
Most unfortunately, I ended up not liking the book I was supposed to be promoting. It was wretched. After marking it finished and awarding it 1 star on Goodreads, I emailed my contact with the publisher to ask if they would still want a review, knowing it would be mostly negative. Before I ever received a reply, and only hours after marking it finished, an email from the author hit my inbox.
It was an email of such angst and hurt feelings and frustrated anger the likes of which I hope never to see again. What would compel me to give a book one star, she asked. Was it a mistake? What was wrong with the book? What was wrong with me? Did I actually finish it? Didn’t I understand how important the rating system was? Or perhaps there was something in the book I just didn’t understand…?
Now, I wasn’t the first to rate her book negatively, but most had hedged with a 2 or 3 star rating while only a few of us chose the almighty 1, and I believe I was the only name on the scheduled virtual tour to give it a negative rating. I assume that’s why she chose me to rant at. I don’t know.
I ended up emailing her back with a terse list of things I didn’t like about her book, but told her that I wouldn’t make my review public if she and the publishers preferred otherwise. She replied that indeed, she would prefer if I didn’t spread my hate of her any further and also asked me to remove the one star rating. I refrained from reviewing, but left the rating. I already felt crappy about letting her guilt me into silence and about the entire situation in general.
“And where are you, personally, in dealing with this?”
Author POV: For me it’s really kind of simple. I let people say what they want about my books and I don’t get involved with reviews, ratings, or comments about my books. And that’s really about as simple as it gets. I mind my own business, I let the reviewers review, and I write.
I feel awkward even commenting here, but I hope a few new writers read this and pay attention to it. So many don’t get it, which is a shame. This link below just proves my point. You just can’t logically tell readers/people how to think, feel, or even interpret artistic material. It won’t work.
http://www.blakelybennett.com/suggested-etiquette-for-fair-reviews/
@Chelsea K.:
I am so sorry that happened to you. And is happening to others.
@Mir: I second these suggestions.
@anonauthor: Da fuck?? We don’t need a “how to” list on reviewing. I will review the way I want when I want as I want.
I’m not just a reader, I am a Reader.
I think we all are guilty of putting authors, musicians, actors, etc., on pedestals. We support, listen to and follow their example. It’s a crushing blow when our favorite authors make a hash of their PR at the very least. (Trying to be subtle here). I changed my internal attitude a while back, after reading about authors behaving badly and the antitrust suit. My new attitude:
1) Authors are not more important than me 2) Authors are not more deserving/entitled than I am 3) I do not owe authors anything beyond paying for their books 4) Anything I do which supports an author is for me, not the author 5) I am not a possible criminal because I read ebooks 6) I am not a bitch because I didn’t enjoy a book.
Beyond changing my attitude, I will not be buying any HarperCollins books until I am convinced they recognize reviewers of all stripes are important to their business and are deserving of mutual respect. I am not punishing anyone; I don’t have that power. I am not worried about fairness; I am concerned for the physical and emotional damage this past year has brought. Fairness isn’t part of the equation, not until authors and publishers realize we Readers are equals.
As an offshoot, the state I reside in currently does not have an anti-slapp law. After voting Nov 4, I will be contacting my elected officials to fight for this. Publishers more important than me, my ass.
“Suggested etiquette for fair reviews”. Lovely. Just lovely. Never heard of this author, will be very happy to ignore her name in the future.
@Las: First of all, it was Miss Bates’s reference to “complicity” that really set me off, but because she wasn’t making the baseline judgment, I didn’t want her to think I was yelling at her.
That said, you’ve hardly been non-judgmental about how (selective) bloggers are a “root cause of” certain “Romland issues,” ( http://vacuousminx.wordpress.com/2014/03/26/reading-and-reviewing-then-and-now/#comment-4777). That you explicitly reference the issue of blogger integrity in your comment here implies that bloggers are doing something wrong. Well, certain bloggers, that is, since there are many bloggers who are paid by publishers for writing blog posts or who actually work for authors or as publishing employees who never seem to be implicated in these ‘blogger integrity’ insinuations.
Like many others here, I’ve been thinking about these issues a lot over the last day in particular. I am a reader and a reviewer, and this WILL have an impact on what and how I review. I am going to be a lot less likely to review self published books unless I am familiar with the author. I’m going to think twice about negative reviews and how I phrase them (which isn’t itself a bad thing because I do believe we could all use a bit more civility online, but I will still worry even if I know I was civil). I am going to listen more carefully for chatter about authors and publishers who aren’t supporting open discourse and will stay away from them.
I don’t begrudge anyone making money off their blog (or as is likely in most cases, just making enough to just support the blog itself). I do think that money further muddies the well, though. I don’t know that it’s possible to avoid that since books are a business, and speaking about books publicly means you are participating in that business, even if you don’t intend to. If you don’t want money involved, read only free stuff, fan fiction, etc. That said, maybe ARCs, giveaways, blog tours, etc are problematic in a way that more of us reviewers need to seriously consider. I think each reviewer and blog needs to make up their own mind about how that relationship impacts them.
I like the suggestion above about a protest day or week or something, where blogs go dark to highlight what happens if book talking is silenced. Of course that wouldn’t include amazon or GR, but it would still send a message. I also think more bloggers/reviewers could push back on publishers. Not punitively per se, but if a blog like DA had a policy that was prominent on the blog that outlined what is expected of publishers/authors, I think it would set a precedent for other blogs. Obviously there’s no way of policing such policies forcefully, but I’m always of the mind that you need to start out being clear about what you demand before you can even start the process of getting what you want.
@Sirius: This is the kind of behaviour that gets authors in my personal blacklist.
And repeated instances of this behaviour have me mulling publishing that list (which includes notes on what behaviour, links, etc.) in my blog. Then again, it’s probably wiser to check my state’s antiSLAPP statute before doing so.
I’m really tired of the cult of nicey-nice. Don’t say anything bad, the blogger deserved it because she was mean, etc., etc. When I found DA and SBTB and discovered a community of readers critically talking about romance, I was thrilled. The first time I waded into a discussion here on a book that so far had only positive comments and said timidly, “I didn’t like it,”, I wasn’t told I was a “mean girl” or a “hater” and “how dare I bash the author’s hard work”. Instead, some people agreed and some disagreed with me, but everyone treated my opinion as valid.
It’s up to readers/bloggers about how they want to handle reviews, but, as a reader and as an author, I selfishly wish that readers/bloggers would leave negative as well as positive reviews. Partially, because it’s easier to align my taste with a reviewer if I know what they don’t like as well as what they like. For example, here I know my taste lines up more with that of Jennie and Jayne than some of the other reviewers. But also, more selfishly, as a author I know that negative reviews can drive sales. I’ve often picked up a book based on a negative review. (I love beta heroes. Anytime I see a review about how the hero wasn’t alpha enough, it’s an instant sale.)
As a brand new author published by a digital publisher, I knew that I was going to have to flog my own book (shudder). One of the things I did was give away copies on Goodreads in exchange for reviews. I wrote a big thing about how I wanted honest reviews and feel free to leave bad reviews. Out of the 10 copies I gave away, I received 4 reviews, all positive. It could be because the other six people never got around to reading my book, or just didn’t feel like writing a review, which is fine. But, I can’t help but wonder if it was because they didn’t like it and were afraid that I would throw a temper tantrum if they gave me a bad review. (Spoiler Alert- I wouldn’t. I write the type of book I like, which isn’t going to be everyone’s jam.)
I have another whole rant about pressure to be nice from other authors- don’t complain about editing/covers, trading positive reviews/ Facebook likes/ etc.- but that’s something I should probably keep my mouth shut about and not really germane to this conversation.
I think we should re-establish a firm distance away from the publishing industry. Our free labor shouldn’t be spent so heavily on promotion either. We need to re-emphasize our commitment to book reading and discussions and creating a safe environment to do that in. As for personal changes, I plan to keep blogging for myself and will continue to ignore the review requests that I get. It’s not worth it. I hope to continue to provide a space for readers who want to engage in book discussion. I think all bloggers should take a long hard look at what we can do to create a safe space for book discussion.
Wow. Great essay, Robin. I’m just stunned, absolutely gobsmacked, that we have arrived here as a community. I know I’m not the only reader to note that the book reviewing community is a huge part of my online life. Blogs like Dear Author and Smart Bitches and the Goodreads groups have been a safe haven for me, particularly in times of real-life trouble. To see that being threatened by out-of-control authors like Kathleen Hale, and increasingly militant stalker “fans”, fills me with indescribable bitterness and sadness.
I am a bit of a lurker, so I don’t know what I would do if the community went underground. Not have access to anything, I guess. Although I do understand it from a reviewer/blogger standpoint. It is scary to know you are one critical review away from potentially being stalked or harassed — the danger is even scarier, like Katie shows, if you have kids and/or family that could be hurt, as well.
I do like Mir’s suggestions. Maybe adopting a blogger/reviewer code or policy/procedures would be something? Even if the majority of the community doesn’t rally behind it, it might help to make that one or two sites a safe place for readers (without going underground). But, I am only guessing.
@anonauthor:
Top Ten Suggestions for Authors Who Think They Can Tell Reviewers How To Review:
1. Shut up.
2. Remember that reviewers don’t review as a ‘job’ at all. They do it for their own reasons which have nothing to do with you.
3. Shut up and turn the damn internet off.
Oh look, I only needed three points.
If romance bloggers are complicit in creating this situation (and I don’t see how accepting ARCs makes one responsible for being stalked, but set that aside for a moment), then *everyone* in the book reviewing and blogging community who has publisher relationships is complicit. That includes:
Amazon Vine Members
Readers who blog for publisher sites like H&H, Criminal Element, etc.
Readers who contribute to book sites like BookRiot
Readers who write book-related articles for general sites like Salon
Readers who contribute to author-centric sites like Wonkomance
Readers who write posts for charity efforts that directly promote sales of books, like Queer Romance Month.
All of these activities contribute to the idea and the reality that “average readers” can help sell books. Because they can. And none of this is simple reader “word of mouth.” All of these enterprises take ads, ARCs, and/or other publisher offerings, and quite a few of them stipulate to being for-profit ventures.
So if we’re tagging blogger/reviewer behavior as creating stalker-friendly environments, let’s be comprehensive in our tagging.
That still doesn’t explain how that poor woman in Scotland wound up bashed in the head by her author-stalker. She read a free prologue on Wattpad (no ARC accepted) and then posted a review on GoodReads. That was enough.
I have never claimed to be non-judgmental. I’ve actually made it abundantly clear that I judge a whole lot of people.
That comment of mine at Sunita’s blog that you linked to, the one that referenced your post here about how reviewing and the atmosphere has changed, was about why I think things HAVE changed, and part of that had been things that bloggers themselves have done. That comment then and the one I made here aren’t about “integrity,” per se, since, like I said, I think in most cases your intentions are fine. But it IS disingenuous to claim that these changes in atmosphere over the years just happened out of the blue. And it’s that change in atmosphere that partly explains why Hale is getting so much support, or at least, not getting the across-the-board dragging she deserves. There are always going to be individuals that cross major lines, but the atmosphere we have now, where a lot of prominent people are willing to empathize with her…that’s been building up for years.
Wow. Fastest way to chase readers/reviewers (and dollars) away is to stalk them. I can only surmise KH thinks this will be good publicity for her new novel. She is mistaken. I wouldn’t touch her works with a ten-foot pole.
@Keishon: This has been my reaction as well. I deleted my Netgalley account and have decided not to accept any more ARCs from publishers for my Dear Author reviews. As I said in my VM post, there are plenty of authors (and publishing people like editors) that I have trust relationships with, but I no longer want to take books just based on whether they interest me. I need to know that the person who is offering the book is someone I can trust with my information.
I think this is about privacy as much as anything else. Hale violated YAReads’ expectation of privacy, and the Guardian let her violate Blythe Harris’s expectations. Unless and until I’m confident that publishers care about my privacy concerns, as opposed to seeing me as a useful cog in their machine, I’m not interested in interacting with them.
IMO, the only thing that might make a bit of difference is to boycott reviewing unsafe authors. I see several people above shying away from this, because blacklists feel mean and so on, but that is the only thing that might be an actual consequence for actual bad behavior. Such a list should include quotes and links to the author’s bad actions, so people can check for themselves, but there needs to be a list.
@Jayne: I agree that it is not the fault of reviewers/bloggers for accepting ARCs. NONE of this is the fault of reviewers/bloggers, full stop.
As a reader, I have, on occasion, questioned whether certain reviewers have given a better grade to a book than the wording of the review would suggest because they received an ARC or won the book in a contest. When I still read reviews on Goodreads, I often felt that this was the case I have never felt that this was an issue here at DA, but it certainly has crossed my mind elsewhere (particularly when I rarely see a grade below a B). Are some reviewers/bloggers afraid to grade less because they will no longer get ARCs (or get the ARCs they want) from publishers, Netgalley or whatever? Do or can authors/publishers use the withholding of ARCs as a threat to get certain bloggers to “tow the line”? These are questions I have, not accusations of complicity or anything else.
I understand the purpose of ARCs for authors and the publishing industry, it is a valuable tool to get their upcoming books publicized. It is why I think that refusing or limiting the acceptance of ARCs might be a valuable means of protest.
Sunita, yep. I only tried Netgalley couple of months ago for the first time – I requested two books, I reviewed one and of course will review another and I am going to delete my account as well. I have a couple of authors and one publisher I trust to accept arc from, but I always bought their books from those authors and publisher anyway. The only reason I wanted arc is because I had no patience to wait to read those books whatsoever. ARC were never ever ever my incentives for reviewing – just nice icing on the cake sometimes. It is no hardship for me to not request them.
I don’t even know what to say about this disgusting incident and the whole horrifying trend. The idea that authors should have anything but infinite gratitude for readers is absurd. There is no author without the reader. There is no author without the reader. There is no author without the reader! Gaaaaaah!
I feel like there’s this idea in the world of Facebook minutia that anyone who disagrees with anyone else should be raked over hot coals, that we’re all such special fucking snowflakes that we poop glitter. It’s a collective farce, and I honestly don’t know what can be done about it.
Charming, I actually always was one of those who for the most part was shying away from boycotting authors for something said on the internet. The way I looked at that was that we are all humans and may have a bad day. Yes, I know, authors should remember that they represent their brand, but for the most time even if I was annoyed at the time I was reading their tirades, I tend to forgive. Some, very few words I found unforgivable, but for the most part I absolutely did and my list had two authors on it. Mental list that is :).
But this is so different – this is a real world danger and this dangerous person is *proud of herself* for that article. Proud of herself. Is that criminal also proud for bashing that woman on the head? So anyway, not shying from boycotting them or anybody who supports them. At all.
@Charming Euphemism: As I mentioned upthread, I agree completely.
The problem is that whomever hosts such a list will be constantly at risk–of lawsuits, because how dare s/he publish the list, and of stalking, because how dare s/he publish the list!
How can any one private individual afford to maintain such a list then?
I don’t have any ready answers.
Off the top of my head, not thoroughly considered, I would say to make the list available by subscription only, and the cost of the subscription would go to a legal defense fund, earmarked to protect whomever is risking his/her skin and financial security by posting the list.
But considering that the lowest estimate for cost for a vexatious lawsuit (EV v DA) is already around $75K, I’m thinking it’s not feasible.
@Robin/Janet: BTW, I didn’t feel yelled at. I felt kinda vindicated. :-) I would say that’s how I, CAPITAL I big-time, feel/think and, in a weird way, I’m glad this has led me to making some decisions about things that I’ve been thinking about regarding my reading and blogging.
So many romance authors are also readers and have a lot of good input in this community about good books and trends etc. How do you separate “us” from “them”?
If all reviews disappeared from the web today I’d still buy books. I bought books for decades without reviews. I read the back of the book. I got recommendations from ladies at the library or customers at the bookstore. I saw silly covers and had to open the book and see what’s up with that. The first real review of a romance novel I ever read was in the 90s!
This community is great. I’ve read 100’s if not 1000’s of books because of reviews and word of mouth in this community.People within it meet at conventions and meet up personally, I’ve met some myself. To think we can stay “anonymous” as readers or bloggers or reviewers is just simply not going to happen. We CAN expect others to not pass our names/addresses around. But in this case it seems Ms. Harris gave permission for it to be given to Ms. Hale so I’m not sure what exactly needs to change. That doesn’t seem to be the weak link here. The weak link is the shocking actions of someone whose intentions weren’t what she stated they were when she requested the personal information.
I have no solution, I just want to add my voice to the conversation. Mostly to say let’s not change majorly because of the actions of one person. Learn from it, change personally if you see the need but let’s keep this community of readers, bloggers, reviewers and authors going.
KH’s rant and attempted justification of her criminal behavior needs to be exposed. To equate KH’s behavior with bullying is a slap in the face of the *real* victims of this insidious crime.
If KH wasn’t willing to and prepared to weather a few negative reviews of her work why is she putting it out to the public? As a writer you have to understand that no one who reads your work lives in your head, there will ALWAYS be a dissenting view. Good or bad, you take the accolades and the hits as part of what you’ve chosen to write.
Are all reviewers, good measured constructive critics, absolutely not, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have the right to their opinion on your work. In essence when you release that work you’re asking for it … good and bad. This is not to say that I condone mean-spirited attacks on authors, for whatever reason. Constructive critisism is good, spouting vitirol about a book just to get attention is bad.
There will always be those who see the so-called anoniminity of the web as their platform to launch hateful and *un* constructive attacks. BUT KH’s behavior has the potential to have a chilling effect on the majority of book reviewers/bloggers who do it simply to share their opnions with others and help inform their reading. And, most importantly, genuinely love books and authors.
KH is obviously deranged enough to believe she exisits in a rarified place where rules and mores of civilized society do not apply to her. And, sadly as the Guardian piece show, some agree with her. These are the same people who want to quantify “real rape” and think “wife-beating” is a “family issue.”
Hopefully there are now people taking a closer look at KH and her disturbing pattern of behavior.
@Keishon: Hear, hear, Keishon!
Honestly? The common thread in all of this is Goodreads/Amazon. I quit leaving ratings or reviews on those sites and all off the bullshit drama and harassment went out of my life. It doesn’t address the structural issues that enables this behavior, but I’d suggest quitting those networks for anyone who feels unsafe.
Also, I’m judging any authors who cry that it’s “unfair” for bloggers to only accept ARCs from trusted authors. People are getting stalked. Their personal safety >>>>>>>> your need for publicity. Don’t be so self-centered.
I also saw those articles and was horrified!
The level of pretention from the authors was staggering.
As a publisher I am so distressed at this treatment for reviewers. Authors and publishers need to stop being babies about this. You put your work out there, people have opinions on it, they share their opinions. Your part of the process is finished! Let people engage with the work and express what it made them think and feel. People are allowed to feel however they want to about a book!
It would be such a shame if things like this made reviewers not want to accept ARCs from us or to hide their reviews. I’m both a publisher and a reader and I want freedom for reviewers!
I don’t know if anyone has suggested this or not but what about deleting your Goodreads account and if you’d still like to participate in online book discussion as part of the community, move to another platform such as BookLikes ? Goodreads provided the starting point for the STGRB website and it seems to be reviews from that platform that set off irrational authors.
Personally, I’ve already deleted my GR account and moved all my reviews to another spot. I’ve not posted at Amazon in years – too many trolls and too much ugliness.
Thank you for your thoughtful article & agree with all the suggestions and points you made.
I’m not a very big reviewer or blogger, but I’m done. Seriously. I emailed the gal that runs the blog and said I’d be be bowing out due to personal life issues, and the fact that this once fun hobby has now become a pain in the ass and is stressful to boot.
I don’t know what to say. I rely on blogs like this one and many others to keep me abreast of what’s current in the book world, but I no longer want to do that myself. It’s getting easier and easier to stay off of social media.. and just find other things to do… but I honestly love the friends that I’ve made and I won’t find a smarter & savvier group of women if I looked for years elsewhere.
It’s easy enough for me not to accept arcs.. I’ll just go back to buying what I can afford and utilizing my library even more than I already do now. If it means waiting a year or two before the price goes down, I can do that too. My TBR pile is in the 3 figures.
I actually really like Janine’s idea of not blogging for a week or so.. making a coordinated effort between blogs. It would make a statement, but isn’t permanent, and people would see how much everyone (readers, bloggers, authors) brings to this community and how much it would hurt folks if more of us shut down.
I’ve wondered, if when reading Ms. Hale’s account of her stalking, if she had mentioned that she carried a knife with her would people have still thought her account was fascinating? Or would she have been seen as the threat she is? (No, I don’t know that she had a weapon but I also don’t know that she didn’t.)
This discussion is going the way of silencing women for their own goods. You could get raped so don’t wear that short skirt. Don’t drink. Don’t make eye contact. Act as though you’re a victim so you don’t get victimized.
I call bullshit. There are crazy people in the world and you don’t live your life afraid of them. You stay cognizant of the dangers and fight to minimize them.
Demand publishers change their practices. Demand anonymity. If NetGalley or a publisher won’t guarantee privacy, then don’t do business with them. If they will, then do business.
Leave bad reviews for books that deserve bad reviews and if an author goes batshit then let the community know and the community will respond. Let the publisher know. Demand your safety. If they won’t guarantee it, then don’t deal with that publisher again.
For everyone who is stopping blogging or giving up because it feels dangerous out there, I’m sure the StGRB gals are doing happy dances. Is that really what you wanted to see happen?
@Lori: You’ve said everything I’ve wanted to say but couldn’t find the proper words. I’m calling bullshit right along side of you.
I think it’s a shame that Huffpo gave Hale and her story so much publicity. Frankly, it all reads like “Misery” in reverse — a piece of fiction. I did check the ‘readers behaving badly’ to see if the reviewer in question was actually listed there, and she was, but a responsible report (of course, we don’t have real journalists any more, just ‘communications majors) would have investigated the author’s claims and got the other side of the story before publicizing the incident. I do wonder how likely her publisher is to extend another contract to someone who behaves the way Hale did – and then bragged about it.
If I review, I put up a brief rating on Amazon under my ‘civilian’ name, unless it’s a no-complaints, 5-star review of a book I really enjoyed. Amazon grabs copyrights of reviews posted there, I don’t give them much of my time. And yes, I have had trash reviews with no explanation on respected blogs (I did once ask the reviewer who two-starred a book and said only “the writer knows the period” and it turned out she’d dissed my book because I had one hero tell his (male) lover that it would be prudent for the lover to marry for his career. Apparently even the mention of “girl cooties” was just unbearable!) But.. I told her that next time it’d be helpful if she explained why she had one positive comment but gave a low rating. I don’t know if she did or not because… good god, I have a LIFE. I may gripe to a few friends or even put up a WTF post on Facebook, but it just doesn’t pay to pursue the issue further. It’s a waste of time.
I think it’s kind of a shame that Hale has a contract with a big-name publisher but hasn’t got the professional nous to keep her obsessive behavior under control, much less not to brag about it. I know many writers with indie publishers who have ten times her professionalism. I don’t know if the review was fair– I haven’t read her book because, frankly, it doesn’t sound interesting, and I don’t want to reward her bad behavior with a sale. As for Howard’s complaint…. she inherited a nice job from her mother and this may be the first time she’s had to deal with not being the Voice of Authority. That can’t be fun, but she’d have been wiser not to post the gripe. It’s true that a lot of ‘reviewers’ are people who wouldn’t know a complete sentence if it bit them on the ankle, but the grammar of a review usually reveals that.
I’ve had ‘attack’ reviews posted on my books– who hasn’t? I think there are authors who have “posses” who post bad reviews of people the author considers competition. I think there are homophobes who regularly post hate ratings on any gay romance. (My former publisher, Mark Probst, had some twit post a rant against gay sex as a ‘review’ on one of his LGBT youth books, The Filly, which had no sex in it at all. Amazon wouldn’t take it down.) Amazon has no reason to moderate its reviews. Controversy sells. Any fool who can get online can post a rant and be heard. It’s a big cyber town square, and every village has its idiot. A review blogger, at least, is personally responsible and a little more identifiable.
I do think it’s still authors who are on the downside of the balance of power, because we must be publicly visible to sell our books. A reviewer or blogger can pull up stakes, change her blog name, and go right back to business as usual. Review bloggers do have a responsibility to be fair, and to refrain from letting the power of the position not let their ego get the better of them, but I think some forget that, if they ever knew it. And that’s nothing new. Dorothy Parker once crushed a young actress by saying, “Miss Hepburn’s performance runs the emotional gamut from A to B.” Fortunately, Katharine Hepburn did not take Parker’s word as gospel. When asked, years later, why she was so cruel, Parker said she just thought it was a clever thing to say. That kind of showoff impulse is pretty human, but letting ego override fairness is a bad idea. On the other hand, if someone thinks a book is just lousy… she has a responsibility to readers to say so, and explain why.
Not all reviewers do this. Some review blogs only post 3 stars and up, which I think is promotion, not review … and basically useless, so I don’t read reviews from sites like that. Readers often gravitate to reviewers who share their tastes. If I know a blogger is subsidized by the publisher, I take the review with a grain of salt. More likely, instead of reviews I’ll just go read an excerpt.
I think incidents of illegal behavior should be treated as violations of the law. Stalking is illegal. Go to the cop-shop and swear out a restraining order. Threats are illegal. A bad review is not. And MOST living authors are too busy with their own lives to waste time, energy, and money we don’t have chasing people who give us bad reviews. I doubt if one writer in a thousand would do that–most writers I know don’t even read the reviews. I don’t, unless Dreamspinner send me one, and–bless them–they only do it with good ones.
An author who thinks a blogger is unfair can talk to her publisher and ask that the blogger not get any more of her books without paying for them. But “publish,” after all, means ‘to make public,’ and once your book is out there any reader has the right to say what they think. (Just as the author has the right to wonder if the reviewer actually read the book.) Caveat everybody. There are ethical people on the Net, and there are those who use anonymity to bully. On both sides of the reader/writer fence.
I’m just a reader with no ambition to review, write or be an advocate . I’m just interested in finding books I want to read from credible sources. I think the poisoning of the well began when ARCs became so easy to come by and programs like VINE at Amazon were rolled out. Then blogging followed up by becoming very, very organized. If I notice bloggers or friends at any of the social media sites like GoodReads are reviewing primarily ARCs, I pretty much stop reading their reviews and write them off as part of the hype machine (changing platforms doesn’t help with that issue). Personally, I look for blogs where readers aren’t reading ARCs (and sadly find very few these days). I would love to see more bloggers move away from ARC reviewing.
@Lori: @Evaine: Y’all can call whatever you want. That doesn’t mean anyone has to listen to you or buy your explanation of what is happening or what the ramifications are of various choices. You don’t know the personal or professional histories of any of these commenters, so your judgments about their feelings and motivations are, to put it charitably, inadequately sourced.
To answer the questions Robin put: I don’t think going private is necessarily going underground. There have been plenty of internet communities that one had to join to be able to read at all. They weren’t “exclusive” in the sense that you had to have a specific ideology or background to join them, they just didn’t want everything that they said available to anyone with an internet connection. I belonged to various Yahoo groups like that back in the day. You still have to “join” Ravelry to make use of much of it, and it’s a welcoming, inclusive community. So I think it’s demonstrably possible to have a community that exercises some gate-keeping but is still open to a lot of participants and points of view.
Okay, here’s hoping I get the responses to the right people…
@Janet, I don’t think operating out of fear is the answer. What this author did (and a major newspaper let her write about) was the act of a deranged individual, as was the attack on the Scottish reviewer. It was not the natural or likely outcome of the entire system. This was NOT the fault of the blogger, the reviewer, or the thousands of authors and hundreds of publishers who are functional, nonviolent individuals just doing what we do.
@The multiple reviewers who feel the need to emphasize that they don’t write “mean” reviews, or feel unsafe expressing how they feel: I am sorry you’re experiencing this. On one level, it is a function of all public expression, and the fact that you haven’t felt unsafe up to now is a testament at how well things function normally—you shouldn’t feel unsafe being who you are, or doing what you do (provided you’re not hurting others and all the standard “follow the laws/rules/standards” disclaimers).
I think @Marianne McA has it right: “My take on it is that you go on as before. You stick to the principles that you believe in and trust that justice will prevail in the end.” @Terri Meeker also has another piece of the solution: ‘As an author, I feel the need to put a disclaimer in my bio at this point. “Will not stalk bad reviewers. Will not clonk you in the head with a wine bottle.”’
As an author, *I* have begun crafting a draft version of a “Statement of Personal Ethics” for my website, and I don’t think it’s a bad idea to come into vogue. Without some overarching organization to police the community of authors, bloggers, reviewers, readers, etc. (and who’d want one?), best I can do is declare that I will not be party to Shenanigans, and live up to that declaration through my actions.
I do not fault bloggers for offsetting some costs with promotional efforts like selling ad space, hosting blog/book tours or promotional giveaways, or accepting ARCs. I’m an author, and I’d like to sell my books to people who’d like to buy and read them; you’re bloggers who want to tell people about the great books you’ve read, and you want to read more great books and tell people about them, and money and free books help you do that.
I don’t think it would hurt any blogger or reviewer to know your own policies or guidelines over where your personal line of separation is between you as a reviewer, and authors or publishers. I also think that, if you want to accept a large amount of giveaway material or physical ARCs from unknown quantities, that it’s worth it to get a PO Box.
@Lori:
Speaking as someone who was doxxed and threatened by STGRB: take a seat. You have absolutely no right to shame people for not wanting to risk their personal safety for a hobby. None.
@Ridley I don’t want to shame anyone nor would I wish to see anyone’s safety diminished. And what happened to you still horrifies me.
But I hate to see women feeling silenced because something bad can happen. We have the ability to fight for safety. Not to close the doors but demand that private information stays private. To demand that publishers take bloggers safety seriously. To demand through speaking up, through protest, that accounts like K. Hale’s are seen as criminal behavior and not cutesy opinion pieces.
As someone previously mentioned. The level of pretension.
The interweb (and other sources of media) abounds with reviews of everything from movies, tv, music, comics, products ect. with scathing reviews. I’m talking to you U2 with your shitty new album that you downloaded to my iphone without my consent. It sucks balls. *crickets* while I wait for Bono to come stalk me. Which I’m kind of ok with because while I think the album sucks he’s kind of cool and I liked a bunch of their other stuff. Tangenty, tangent……
Anyhoo, so in these authors small amount of fame in a very small niche market compared to say mass media like TV or a movie showing at the box office you don’t see writers, directors, actors stalking online bloggers and reviews. You don’t see the pro-android, publicly dissing all things Apple fearing for their safety. These people need to act like grown ups.
The solution, I believe, is to do exactly what this excellently written blog post has done. Shine a big ass spot light on the sticky slimy issue and then carry on. Business as usual. Don’t let a small percentage of crazy silence your right to express an opinion. If writers view their work as “art”, well all other art gets critiqued and sometimes harshly. And if it’s a “product” to them. Why do they think they are more entitled than any other manufacturer? Oh, and charge the fuck out of any stalker who displays that behavior to the fullest extent you feel your pocket book can allow. Because illegal behavior is illegal behavior.
Really, don’t stop blogging and reviewing. And stand up for those that are being bullied publicly. Bullies don’t do well when overwhelmed with support for the victim.
Also, there are actual bad reviews on Goodreads? Huh.
@Las: Who’s claiming that these changes are “out of the blue”? I’ve talked extensively about the increasingly complicated relationships between authors, publishers, and readers. So have Jane and Sunita. We’ve talked extensively about disclosure at Dear Author, and in what I find to be a nice little slice of irony, we disclose far more readily than many smaller bloggers, readers, and reader-reviewers who have all sorts of completely honest but nonetheless cross-pollinating gigs with authors, publishers, and retailers. The Romance genre, in particular has LOOONG drawn many of its authors from its reader base – in other words, there has never been a clean split. But as Sunita said, if a dissection of all of these interconnections is to be performed, let it be comprehensive. What I find disingenuous is the selectivity.
All the reviewers and book bloggers out there PLEASE do not stop posting! I’ve been reading all my life but the advent of the Internet has made it possible for me to find so many new-to-me authors in genres I’d never previously have read or considered. THANK YOU so much for taking the time to post your reviews and blogging your opinions of new authors and books.
From this non-writer, non-reviewer, non-blogger your contributions have been so valuable in opening my eyes and reading habits to authors and genres I wouldn’t ordinarily chance.
All of these instances of authors and reviewers behaving badly saddens me, but it’s my hope that they won’t stop you. There are still enough of you out there posting informative and necessary information on what you read and love that it makes my heart happy.
I understand the necessity of personal protection, I only hope that instances like this won’t stop you and the free exchange of information which is what the Internet is *supposed* to be all about.
Thank You!
@Janine: I really like your idea #5.
@Sirius: This makes no sense. Consider your state of mind before reviewing? Is she for real?
Also don’t review outside your genre? I review tons of books and switch easily between romance, sci-fiction, fantasy, mystery, horror, and biographies so as long as I like to read them then I can review them.
Also I don’t consider myself an authority. I am just letting other potential customers/readers know what I did like or did not like about a book.
I hate that we’ve reached this tipping point. Never did I expect, when I wrote my last blog post, that KH’s real life stalking would be where an author would go to “fight” a less than stellar review. Or, that this wretched crime would be legitimized by the mainstream media and other authors (and HC’s silence also makes them complicit in the legitimizing of KH). I’m disgusted to say the least, and really angry that the community I’ve loved for nearly ten years has been degraded.
@Sunita:
Exactly. I am a Viner and I use Booklikes to comment and post reviews. I don’t get paid (though some argue that Viners are in essence paid by Amazon) to post reviews. I do it because I like to and I like to steer anyone from wasting their money or their reading time with something that in my opinion did not work for me because of a, b, c, or d.
I read the original Goodreads conversation that sparked Hale’s stalking and I see no evidence of Blythe bullying other readers. All I see is a woman who is passionately invested in YA and engaged with the community of readers. She never tries to talk other readers out of positive views and even invites a friend who enjoyed the book to discuss it with her. I really hope Blythe gets a restraining order based on the Guardian article and returns to blogging. Writers should WANT readers who are passionately engaged with their work. The worst fate is not that someone will dislike your book, but that it will slip into obscurity with few readers. Katherine Hale seems emotionally unstable and possibly mentally I’ll, but I hope bloggers will continue to discuss and care about books while taking some safety precautions. I really think that these events are crazy outliers.
While I do not advocate fear for every occasion, in this circumstance, I understand why people are scared, and I think it’s completely justified. Did any of the women stalked, harassed, or attacked think that was going to be them? I sincerely doubt it.
There’s nothing wrong with a little vigilance. I obviously felt free enough to write this post, and I hope that in doing so I can save some other readers who are really afraid from having to speak out. I realize that not everyone has a big mouth like I do, and we all have different personal risk gauges. But I also completely understand why people who are doing this as a hobby would feel like the risks outweigh the advantages. Kathleen Hale helped do that. The Guardian helped do that. The “publishing house contact” who confirmed Blythe’s address helped do that. The author who stalked the reader in the UK helped do that. All of the authors, agents, publishers, and others who are laughing along with Hale and who are cheering her on have helped do that. And if they feel victory, that’s a reflection of how little they understand and value spontaneous reader conversation. If you really want to take this argument to its logical conclusion, why should those people get the benefit of ANY reviews or book discussion?
Robin, thank you for articulating many of the things that were bothering me about this incident. The exploitation of readers, and our helplessness in reality (versus our perceived power by authors claiming we can tank careers) galls me. I was also disheartened when I posted a link to the article in a blogging forum I belong to, and some of my fellow bloggers immediately assumed the blogger must have done something to warrant the stalker’s reaction.
It left me questioning if I should stay in that community, but then I realised that I’m fairly lucky in that the online communities I participate in engage in critical discussions. Many book bloggers don’t, and I feel that by being in a community where mine intersects with theirs allows some osmosis of ideas that (I hope) will result in…well, I’m not sure what, but I guess I felt some satisfaction that at least in that situation there was someone to question the truthfulness of the stalker author’s account.
I also realised that many bloggers feel some kind of obligation towards authors or publishers. In Australia, especially, the industry is much smaller, and books are more expensive (new C format can be up to $30, mass market $10+, and I once paid $60 for an imported hardback paranormal romance so I could review the thing on release week), and many bloggers rely on advance copies to at least not break the bank. I don’t think publicists and authors deliberately set out to influence bloggers, necessarily, but there’s obviously an effect. In romance, for example, there’s one reader conference in Australia, and we’re about to have the 4th con next year. I look back at the personal relationships between readers and authors at the first con (almost non-existent) to now, and it’s clear there is a lot more contact now, and that those relationships colour readers’ responses to books. I don’t think this is bad per se, but it does affect the environment in which readers talk about books.
The question of what to do in response to the article has troubled me these last few days. The best I’ve been able to come up with is a 1-day? 1-weekend? blackout on book reviewing. But honestly, I don’t know how effective it will be when many bloggers aren’t unsupportive of the article in the first place. My other thought is that we need to start talking about these issues outside our usual blogging circles.
It’s not really about reviews, it’s about the fact that some people are severely mentally ill, and certain triggers will set them off. When you leave a bad review for a book, you really don’t know what impact that’s going to have on an author emotionally. Yes, of course, all authors should have rhino hides and stalwart intellects, but they are simply people, and some people are dealing with schizophrenia or bipolar or addiction or other issues. Some people work out their personal demons through their writing, so those books may be intensely personal, and an attack on the book might feel very much like an attack on the self. So saying that all authors should just swallow their anger over bad reviews (which I agree with in practice) or that articles about them stalking reviewers shouldn’t be lauded (which seems blatantly obvious) isn’t really the point. Robert Brittain has admitted he is very sick and is seeking professional help. Kathleen Hale has written about being raped and the long-lasting psychological impact that had on her. Instead of getting all in a rage about not being able to leave snarky reviews, maybe we should take a step back and insert some compassion for those who are struggling with their mental illness. In an ideal world, it would only be about the reviews, but in reality, it’s about being flawed human beings.
I’m an author. I’m also a voracious reader. Up until I got titles published by Carina, I was regularly posting reviews to Goodreads and cross-posting them to my personal blog, even though I don’t consider myself a formal book blogger and never have. But once I got a book out there under Carina’s aegis (and a self-pubbed title as well), I was already seeing rising retaliations against negative reviews–and even reviews that were insufficiently positive.
I decided that it’d be best if I retreated to only doing ratings on most books, and only doing full review writeups on books that I specifically adored. And I’ve felt it appropriate to re-announce a personal policy of specifically avoiding reading any reviews of my own work.
I don’t know what else I can do besides this–since like I said, I’m really small-time. But I feel it’s important to boost this particular signal. It needs to be heard.
@Tripoli: Tone will not save you. TONE WILL NOT SAVE YOU.
Tripoli, so what is your solution? How should I express my compassion to Kathleen Hale for stalking a reviewer? Pity her if she is not expressing a slightest remorse (in public anyway) for stalking a real person? She said that she is *proud of herself* according to Robin’s article. Should I check on every author whose book I am reviewing to make sure they are not mentally ill? I am not beeing sarcastic, more like flabbergasted, because I have no idea how to implement that.
And if somebody tells me that they are mentally ill, what do I do next?. If I do not like their book, should I pretend that I do or not to write the review at all? Believe it or not, I do not like hurting human beings, if I can help it.
And I just feel your suggestion may hurt people (authors or not) who are struggling with mental illnesses and do not do stuff like that. Was Kathleen Hale ever officially diagnosed with any mental illness? I have no idea. If she is sick she should get help. I still feel that what she did was horrible no matter whether she is ill or not. IMO of course
@Loreen: I’m also inclined to think these events are “crazy outliers,” and that the preponderance of authors either understand that they are selling a product that is subject to the opinions of its consumers, or, if they don’t, they nevertheless would never dream of going to the lengths that Hale did. Most, probably, will just post an unhappy rant on FB, decrying those mean reviewers who only spread negativity, blah-blah, whinge-whinge-whinge, and then move on to cute pics of their cat/kids/dog.
I also hope that most reviewers, on blogs, GR or Amazon, etc., will continue doing what they do. As a reader, I like having easy access (w/o membership, etc.) to the unvarnished opinions of other readers. This is why, I will continue to post my two-cents about the books I read on GR. Because I believe that by expression my opinions about books, I am helping the publishing, even when that opinion is negative.
But I can also understand why some readers feel intimidated. And I think publishers could go a long way in alleviating those fears by addressing the issue, admonishing their problem children/authors in some way. I’m not advocating that publishers blackball these over-entitled authors, but it would be nice if the so-called powers that be at least acknowledged that this kind of behavior is unacceptable.
Thus far, the response–silence–from publishers has been disappointing to say the least.
@Tripoli: First of all, I think it’s incredibly dangerous to armchair diagnose someone like Hale as mentally ill under these circumstances. Not to mention the insult it represents to people who do have mental illness, and all the women who have been raped and suffered “long-lasting psychological impact,” but didn’t turn to stalking someone over a negative review. A NEGATIVE REVIEW (sorry, I just feel the need to emphasize that as many times as possible to put this into its proper context). Also, there are plenty of people who have found Hale’s actions hilarious, entertaining, even laudable. Are they mentally ill, too? And if, in fact, Hale does have mental illness, why in the world would anyone in her life assist her in the stalking of another person or comment approvingly on her article?
@Lori: for several years now, bloggers, readers and even a great number of authors have been protesting the bad behaviour of some authors/publishers to no effect. The publishing of the K. Hale piece to me is just more evidence that many in the industry and its supporters will continue to ignore, or worse, support the actions of these authors. The fact that several “well-respected” and influential authors, agents etc. are supporting Hale and that neither her publisher nor the publisher of the paper that printed that garbage have acknowledged the problem in any or in any meaningful way just proves that it really doesn’t matter how much we talk about these issues, the powers that be aren’t listening – for at least some of them it seems that they either see readers and reader/reviewers or reader/bloggers as being there to help them and if they don’t they are the enemy to be stalked and threatened.
It makes me very sad, but I don’t blame anyone for deciding that they just don’t want to fight anymore – that they don’t need grief, anxiety and stress in their hobby (hell I’m just a reader and I am finding all of this stressful).
I hope that those that choose to stay and fight the fight will find some way to send a strong message to the powers-that-be that what is happening is not acceptable. Personally, I believe that the only messages that will resonate are those that hurt the bottom line.
Kirby, I have a feeling that Hale’s editor and agent would like to drop her like a hot potato, but cannot because of her fiancé and his family connections. Most of the publishing people I have met are tireless professionals working for love, not money, and they wouldn’t condone this crazy behavior. I know editors who have dropped authors for far far less. the Rich family is why Harper is very unlikely to make a statement and why certain publications will likely never cover this story. I’m not optimistic that that will change. I guess that’s just the way the world works, unfortunately.
This makes me glad that I live in the middle of nowhere and only accept e-arcs for review from the authors I know and love. The rest of the books I buy. The UK blogger’s account is especially disturbing but Hale’s gloating from The Guardian’s article is no less scary. This is a sad state of affair, but I disagree that community should become closed. People need to be more aware and careful about their internet privacy because there are a lot of psychos everywhere taking offense where none was intended. I had only one bad encounter in 3,5 years of blogging where I’ve posted a DNF review on an e-arc and author’s friend/or someone closely involved as they knew information about me from Netgalley started attacking me and other negative reviews of the same books in the comments. I’ve emailed the authors directly and explained politely that their most loyal “fan” is actually ruining their reputation among the reviewers and they should calm that commenter the F down. Had a just as polite thank you and haven’t heard from that commenter since, thank god!
I comment infrequently but I do enjoy the discussions here. As a writer, I’m appalled at the behaviors being displayed by the so-called professionals in the publishing field. This new breed of author and/or publisher seems to want to control all aspects of a book. Its writing, of course. its production, of course. But how a book goes over is not in their hands. Or is not supposed to be. In any case, these bad behaviors as witnessed in the last few months have done what they intended to do I believe. They have reviewers/bloggers second guessing themselves. Have made them hesitant to act. In other words, I look for muzzling to be not too far behind. What to do? I don’t know. All I can offer is what my grandpop used to say, “When they block your path, don’t go through ’em. You’ll only hurt yourself. Instead, go around them and kick their asses.”
At the moment I’m quite happy that I never set up a blog , happy to just read and review what authors toss my way, or what I get from the library or buy on my own.
I also like Janine’s idea of a coordinated period of blogger/reviewer silence (72hrs? any longer and I’ll prob go into withdrawl), perhaps during a big release week.
I would hate for this or any other romance blog to go private and likely wouldn’t join. Just feels way too clique-y.
I kind of like the Book Reviewer Blackout idea. A total black-out, old reviews not accessible, for at least a couple of days, preferably timed to the big pre-Xmas release period.
I am new to the romance genre. It was only after reading reviews, recs and discussions that I really let myself dive into the deep end and buy slews of books that I really enjoy reading, rather than diverting myself toward more “acceptable” genres. If the community went underground, I would not be so presumptuous as to assume I deserve a place at the table, as a newbie (/lower middle class individual/not a giant fan of alpha heroes, i.e. on the fringes of fandom.) Yet I would understand why you all would protect yourselves from attackers, and as collateral damage shut out the fringes. It’s understandable and depressing at the same time.
The story dropped the same day my tiny non-romance SP novel went up, and I now feel compelled to add a “will not retaliate / safe to review” note on my bio. Also a sad state of affairs.
I’m still staggered that ANYONE can find something positive to say about The Guardian article. It is a story of dangerous obsession and entitlement, and it could so easily have turned uglier than it already is. I’m seeing a few people around the traps saying KH is a survivor, might have mental health issues, etc. The Guardian does not. The Guardian chose to publish her piece because it’s titillating. She’s a compelling writer who cleverly offers up some of the “shamefulness” in her own thoughts (let’s call it faux self-deprecating) to help sell her version of events, the oldest conman trick in the book. Every word of that article is manipulation, justification for her bad behaviour, and I’m stunned that people have fallen for it. If it was a man who had written that article, the outcry would be heard from here to the moon. I just needed to get that off my chest before I second the author who mentioned up above that she will be adding a ‘code of ethics’ to her website to reassure readers/reviewers. Way back when something like this blew up last time, I suggested some kind of voluntary undertaking writers could make to reassure readers/reviewers that their opinions, good, bad and indifferent are welcome. I had next to no response from anyone to that suggestion, but I want to reiterate it now because I want to find some way for professional authors to shore up and support our side of a healthy review community. People must be safe, and it is ridiculous in the extreme that a minority of writers who have chosen to submit their work to the public expect to be able to control the discussion to the point where they are prepared to harass, stalk and otherwise threaten reader/reviewers. I am currently redesigning my website, but I assure you that there will be a prominent button on the new landing page that states very clearly that I am not my books, that reviews are for readers, and that people should feel free to review honestly without any fear of reprisal from me. I strongly urge other like-minded authors to do something similar, because we can’t sit in silence and let the badly behaved outliers dictate the future of the book-blogging community and the nature of author/reader/reviewer relationships. I can’t think of anything more I can do as an author, but I welcome other constructive suggestions.
@Tripoli: I don’t make a habit of it, but I agree with Ridley. Tone will not save you.
By all accounts, Blythe was relatively mild in how she phrased her reviews, and most of those reviews were actually positive. I see here that she reviewed 332 books in GoodReads with an average rating of 3.57. And still all it took is one author to take exception to one curse not even directed at the author herself, for this person to fixate on her.
If your suggestion is that we all weigh every single word we utter about every single book we read, and that every time before posting a review–or a comment, or a tweet, or anything–consider the potential mental health or state of the author…
a) no one would review anymore–they don’t pay us for this, you know.
b) it would still not save anyone from the next KH–it’s not what the victims does, but what the stalker does.
@Kat: I can totally understand people’s outrage, but…these are two very ill people (Hale and Brittain) and they are hardly representative of the thousands of authors who take their bad reviews with grace. Why punish everyone with a “review blackout”? Maybe there’s something I’m not understanding. The Guardian staff should be excoriated for taking advantage of a sick person and putting her in a position where her mental illness is broadly on display. If there should be a boycott on anything, it’s The Guardian. As for authors who complain about bad reviews, eh, that doesn’t bother me. Isn’t the common claim that everyone is entitled to an opinion?
@Tripoli: Well, partly because it’s not just about the actions of those two people (and I am not going to attempt to emulate your judgment of their health and its impact on their actions). It’s also about the outpouring of sympathy and support for their actions from people across the publishing industry.
I agree with cg about hating the idea of book blogs going private. I enjoy the fact that lurkers (dislike that term) like me can even have a voice. There is an inclusiveness in the book community that I would be saddened to see go because of the actions of people like Hale.
@Sirius: I honestly don’t have a solution. I absolutely believe people should be able to leave honest reviews, but what’s bothering me is the pitchforks and torches response to two very troubled people, and the overreaction that all authors should be punished by having reviews pulled for a week or publishers pushed away or whatever. I’m only asking for some perspective on the situation. What Hale and Brittain did are far outside the norm, and yet here I read people responding as if there’s an army of authors wielding wine bottles on the rampage. I mean, come on. Authors are always going to whine about bad reviews, and people who like to leave bad reviews are always going to push back. Both sides declaring shenanigans on the other is just part of the whole drama that is publishing, and I can guarantee that will never change. What Hale and Brittain did, going so far as stalking and attacking, is very serious. As I’ve said here before, The Guardian should be completely taken to task for profiting from Hale’s actions – whoever got her article should have stepped back, realized she has a major problem, and done something to help her. Instead, they exploited the situation. But overall, let’s keep things in perspective and not paint all authors with the same brush.
This post makes me so sad. The fact that someone took the time to not only read my book, but to write a review for it is a gift and I’m grateful for each and every one.
Reviews are more important than ever in trying to get discovered amongst the volume of books being released every week. Amazon’s algorythum is affected by the number of reviews a book has. I’ve seen authors paying for reviews, giving away books to authors of their publishing house to game the review system, bribing their street team to post reviews on the day of release, and creating multiple identities in order to write fake reviews for their own book. It’s created an atmosphere of review panic. As an author I feel left behind if I don’t have at least 50 reviews of my book posted to Amazon on the day it releases. It’s insane. I hate it. It’s taken away the joy of being discovered organically by a reader or blogger.
When I read about bloggers only accepting books for review from authors they know it kind of defeats the purpose reviewing, doesn’t it? It would create a world of before The Guardian article and after The Guardian article. Only those authors who were reviewed *before* will be reviewed *after*. I understand the fear completely and it’s justified. But who’s going to discover that new author or that great new book everyone will want to read and talk about? We’ll be left with a review landscape filled with limited choices for readers–same old same old over and over.
I don’t have an answer for how to fix the problem. And with a story coming out of England about an author hitting a reviewer over the head with a wine bottle over a bad review, I’m more discouraged than ever. I want to shout- Not all authors! But how can you tell the difference between an author who will hunt down and attack a reviewer vs an author who won’t just by a book cover and back cover blurb?
I hate to be the bearer of bad news – but I don’t think “not taking ARCs” is necessarily going to save anyone. Any of us could easily pull a book out of our TBR pile that we bought/paid for ourselves, has been languishing for two years, and we could write a less-than-glowing review for it that could serve as a trigger. It, presumably, would be harder to track down the reviewer’s personal information – but I’m hesitant to say it would be impossible. If someone is determined enough? And obviously KH was pretty darn determined.
So what is the solution? Stop talking about books altogether? Taking your toys and going home or setting them to private entirely? That feels too much like “letting them win” to me – but easy for me to say since I haven’t been targeted in any way. Believe me I get why people are scared and don’t blame anyone one bit for throwing up their hands and leaving the scene entirely.
I don’t think there’s a one-size fits all answer. At the end of the day I think readers, reviewers, bloggers need to look in the mirror and decide what is best for them. For me that will be 1) addressing privacy concerns with publishers and PR folks I am in contact with 2) continue to never participate in anything resembling a blog tour unless it’s an idea I come up with myself 3) reevaluate how I use my GoodReads account. I completely agree with Ridley on this one – a lot of this insanity seems to be orbiting around GR. Do I really want to leave that door open? Even though I 1) don’t participate in any groups over there 2) most of the time only rate books or 3) write very, very pithy one paragraph reviews. As we’ve seen so amply illustrated by these events – concepts like abusive and bullying are in the eye of the beholder. If I simply write “It was OK, just not for me” is that going to be enough to trigger someone? And let me tell you how sick even thinking something like that makes me feel after happily participating in the online book community for over 10 years.
“let’s keep things in perspective and not paint all authors with the same brush. ”
In one month we have a butthurt author/publisher suing DA. Two authors stalking readers, one carrying out an assault. Another boosting paedophiles. And in the past four three years, eleventy billion badly behaving authors either running and whining to STGRB and being enabled in their hate campaigns, or flipping out on Facebook like Anne Rice and being lauded for it. We’ve had Goodreads terrorized into removing readers’ shelves and imposing restrictions on reviews because of BBA whining. And Amazon had to ban author promotion on its forums (except in one segrated forum) because BBAs were ruining reader discussions.
I’m an author, and I don’t think people are overreacting at all. Robin calls it “poisoning the well”. I call it shitting where we eat.
Oh and knock it off with the arm chair psychoanalysis. Some of us authors are actually mentally ill and guess what, we’ve never slipped and accidentally stalked a reader, tee hee. Hale’s problem is she has people encouraging her to behave badly, and presumably always has done. It’s too late for a smack with the slipper, but bad training is not the same as being sick. She might be ill, but that’s irrelevant.
How’s this for unsympathetic Tripoli? Being mentally ill is still not an excuse for acting like an overindulged asshole or child. At least, that’s what my mom says.. and mental illness runs rampant in my family. Because you know what? There are *millions* of people out there who are ill, whom would NEVER EVER take the actions that Kathleen Hale did.
I’m sick and fucking tired of people trotting out that particular card whenever criticism is aimed their way. I have no doubt that Ms. Hale needs some help. But she’s in a much better position to receive that kind of help than countless other people are. At SOME POINT, YOU DO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. No matter what damn illness you have. And you learn that very quickly when you’re in therapy etc, etc. No matter what you’ve been through. And I say this as someone who’s been through a fair bit. Sorry. She has expressed no remorse. None. So she gets none from me. And I’ll be damned if I’m going to have someone try to guilt trip the people here. NOPE.
The whole reaction to negative reviews is interesting to me. I’ve never written fiction but I have written peer reviewed scientific publications where you can get pages of criticism on everything from your writing to your science. When you reply to the concerns the standard approach is “the authors thank the reviewer for their comment…” and address their concer no matter how invalid you think it may be or how much you’d like to tell them to take their comment and shove it up their ass. And yes, sometimes you actually kind of know who your reviewer may have been. But a rational person has a glass of wine and moves on. No work place would tolerate the kind of behaviour that goes on on the internet. I think publishers should crack down on bad author behaviour. I also think over the top fans need to have a long hard look at themselves and their behaviour. And in the meantime their is no easy answer for reviewers. As a customer I value honest reviews be they positive or negative. The easiest answer is only review for authors you trust. But selfishly as a customer that means I probably won’t find new authors because i mostly find them based on reviews on blogs.
Adding a voice of solidarity. I don’t want to see the Gamergate bullshit repeated in yet another sphere of the world — and anyone who thinks that misogyny is not a part of this is seriously kidding themselves. Look with your eyes and you will not see reviewers who identify as men being stalked and threatened and victim-blamed.
I am so burned out being afraid for my life because I make video games that people like (?!?!?!?! error error cannot find logic), I am really low on being afraid for my life, safety and mental wellbeing because I write book reviews, too (ALSO CANNOT FIND LOGIC).
Stalking is wrong. Threatening is wrong. Period. Ever ever ever. It’s fucking illegal for a reason, but it would be really nice for the law to be available to protect us right about now — oops sorry, they’re busy with “real” threats because a school shooting directed ONLY AT WOMEN is not a real enough threat. A bomb threat is not a real threat. People being evacuated from their homes is not a real threat. Assaulting people in the grocery store, fully caught on camera, is not a real threat (that author was released on bail AFTER GOING ON TO STALK SOMEONE ELSE).
What world do we live in that this is not serious, not having people screaming at the top of their lungs that it is wrong wrong wrong — instead we have people saying “Well there’s TWO SIDES — well, she wrote MEANLY — well, she was a woman on the internet, so that’s basically asking to be killed –“.
I’m going to link to my friend’s infographic storify, because he sums things up really nicely and it can be applied to just about any freaking situation:
https://storify.com/D_M_Gregory/i-drew-a-diagram
As an author, I am deeply horrified by these actions and feel nothing but sympathy for Blythe. I have been the target of many who would not respect boundaries, some of whom went from what is being called “light” stalking to violence with zero warning in between. It is part of why I have worked compartmentally and under various pseudonyms for years now. Having a nom de plume is not just a tradition, not just a constitutionally protected right, but it is a vital protection in a world full of control freaks who can not stand to let anyone have their own opinion. Having that protection violated like that is beyond ruinous, and should never be tolerated.
Yes, being reviewed in ways we think are unfair can be awful for us as authors– and in my younger days I even had a few choice words based on a lazy review challenging the facts it asserted, which I would never do now, honestly– but to stalk a person for saying it? Unbelievable. To attempt to cross the boundaries another person has for their safety just to satisfy your own need for personal access? Awful. An author should know better, considering how many times even those of us with very niche markets and very little exposure can come under the attentions of erotomaniacs who feel they own us just for liking our work.
I just want to say that as authors we ought to pledge to be open and welcoming to opinion whether we think it’s fair or not. I’m well aware that my work is not to everyone’s taste and that many will be offended, and honestly I’m sorry that they feel that way because my intention is never to offend. I won’t flinch, though, from the subjects I’m tackling or the way I’ve chosen to handle them, so some segment of the population is always going to hate what I do. I can’t imagine trying to track them down for it, nor punish them for it. I’d probably just be crushed and try not to look at reviews, honestly.
I’m completely checked out of the publishing world, I’m writing for the story’s sake, so I am not an emissary or any kind of connection to working authors. But if I might suggest something– perhaps the blogging community and authors could unite on a brand for those who pledge to treat the material fairly and respect opinion. A Verisign for conduct, basically. It would be less exhausting and less damaging to outsiders than a boycott, etc. That way authors who pledge to be trustworthy can connect with bloggers who pledge to do their best to judge fairly (fairly not being code for positively) and readers can benefit from that trust. A centralized page could link readers to people who have taken this pledge on both sides of this manufactured “war”– a war that should not exist between people who are out for the same things. We all want better stories, less disappointment, and to raise the profile of people who are doing well at their craft. I’d very much like to be able to find more people who are more interested in that, rather than hurting anyone. I’d like you to feel safe pursuing that and I’d like authors to still be able to reach out to you.
It’s far from a perfect plan, and very much exploitable. Still, if people had the strength and courage to see it through, it could turn a lot of this around– and it’s better than abandoning what you love. I would certainly promote such a brand, and I think there are a lot more people out there who are tired of being disappointed in peoples’ treatment of each other than there are people who want this kind of disgrace to continue. I hope so, anyway.
My best to you, and I hope you manage to restore your peace one way or another.
I have a mental illness. I have PTSD. I was raped. I don’t go around threatening people FOR ANY REASON, and people who are immediately conflating this with mental illness are getting a serious glare from me right now. Is this egomaniacal? Yes. Is this self-absorbed? Yes. YES. You could put these in a textbook next to the phrases. Do we still just shrug off the actions of these people as outliers? No, because fucking look at GamerGate and tell me that it is a few outliers. If they’re one in a million, that means there are still several thousand people just like them, and I see a whole lot more than that involved right here.
This is not some isolated incident, and the sheer number of people agreeing with the authors or inventing justifications for their actions should tell you just how NOT ISOLATED it is.
(My other comment may be in the spam filter as it contained a link)
I have found this entire situation appalling on so many levels that I will not go in to them all. However, one thing I would like to address here, especially as it has been raised by @Tripoli, is the issue of mental illness.
In the interests of being completely open, I have Bipolar Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and a variety of anxiety disorders. I don’t proclaim myself to be an expert on the issue of mental illness, but I think you can say that I have a particular perspective. It also makes me incredibly sensitive whenever this topic is raised so I hope you will bear with me.
One of the (many) things which has angered, frustrated and upset me as well as triggered a few of my own mental health problems has been some of the comments I’ve seen on blogs and on twitter – not necessarily here as I believe the majority of people have very sensitively spoken about the matter – regarding mental health.
Crazy, mental, crack pot are just a few of the terms I’ve read describing KH’s behaviour as reported in The Guardian piece.
Using such terms increases the stigma of mental illness.
Describing the situation as ‘fascinating’ is not only repulsively dismissive, but increases the stigma of mental illness.
Armchair diagnosis, well-intentioned or not, increases the stigma of mental illness.
@Tripoli: None of us can know if KH has any mental health issues. More importantly, and regardless, whether she does have an illness does NOT make her behaviour appropriate. Being triggered, does NOT justify certain responses. Whilst mental illness may give insight in to an individual’s thoughts and actions it certainly does NOT absolve responsibility.
What KH did was wrong. It is as simple as that.
Using mental illness to blame or to excuse her behaviour only increases the stigma for those of us who do actually suffer from mental health issues.
Please stop doing it.
The problem with creating a “brand” or other signifier for “honest / fair reviewing” on one side and “no inappropriate response / retaliation” is simple: who is going to judge its application? Enforce it?
Lacking such external, objective standards and authoritative enforcement, who in their right mind would trust it?
I’ve read KH’s tweets and STGRB’s spewings. They all consider their responses to be completely appropriate and justified. I’ve read some nasty, agenda-driven reviews; I’ve no doubt that those reviewers consider their postings completely honest and fair.
I trust Sarah Mayberry and some of the other authors who have stated that they will add a “code of ethics” to their websites, because I have ALREADY SEEN how they conduct themselves online. No insult intended to some of the other authors making similar pledges, but seeing such a statement on their sites would mean exactly nothing to me, because I don’t know them, I have no basis to judge their truthfulness and self-awareness.
I mean, by all means adopt such a code and badge if you want; maybe it will encourage people to reflect on the power of their words, and I suppose it couldn’t HURT.
Until just one reviewer or author sporting this “Verisign” chooses to act spitefully, harmfully, illegally. And we see frantic disavowal of a now tainted brand.
@Obsidian Blue: Thanks. I really hope some coordinated protest is held across multiple blogs, whether it takes the form I suggested or a different form.
@Janet: I am part of the “if I don’t like a book I won’t review it” crowd, but only because I am not primarily a reviewer. Years ago, I reviewed a ton of stuff whether I liked it or not. Now, I don’t want to spend more time with a book that I don’t like than is absolutely necessary, so unless it’s actively offensive and I feel like people need to be warned about that or something, I just skip reviewing it.
I’m going to do the same thing I do with actors I don’t like or music I don’t like — I will not buy it in any way, shape or form, either online, in a bookstore, used or otherwise, or check it out at the library. Let’s just start with boycotting this authors and go from there. I will not watch a Woody Allen movie and I will not buy or read a Kathleen Hale or Emily Griffin book.
@Readsalot81: THIS. So much this.
As for the rest of it – I don’t know. I’m still working through it. The best I can say right now is that I plan on continuing on as I have but also look for opportunities to improve my chances of staying safe.
Just to approach this from a different angle: is there no one else who considers the KH affair being a directed publicity campaign? I’ll be really cynical. A campaign that started with the article about her rape and culminated in the shitstorm she created just now? Is there no one else who looked at the timing of things? Her new book is due out. Neither The Guardian, nor HarperTeen, nor Harper Collins have reacted. Isn’t that also talking loudly?
@Kris:
“Describing the situation as ‘fascinating’ is not only repulsively dismissive, but increases the stigma of mental illness.”
Yes. Bravely said, well done.
And you are, as always, beautiful and kind and wise. You don’t deserve this crap
@Drano:
” is there no one else who considers the KH affair being a directed publicity campaign?”
Yes, it’s been raised by those of us discussing it on twitter. It doesn’t detract from Robin’s point, or make Hale’s behaviour somehow more understandable.
Hale is being hosted at a library festival in NYC today: http://dailyegyptian.com/literary-festival-hosts-new-york-author-2/
Some quotes from the article shows that Hale is thrilled by the attention she is getting, regardless of how negative it is:
“Hale said although the situation is difficult, it led to a rewarding moment in her career, being the third most read author on The Guardian two consecutive days.
“This came with its fair share of [criticism] from people who didn’t read the piece and have little-to-no understanding of journalism,” she said. “So that was hard, but I’m getting used to feedback of all kinds.”
She thinks her article is an example of investigative journalism. Swallow that if you can.
Also people have short memories. I don’t think anything will come of this situation with Hale. She probably thinks any press, even negative press is great for her and her brand of whatever she is. More than a few authors, like Anne Rice, who I have lost so much respect for are applauding Hale for what she has done to a blogger, taking her word at face value and not caring about facts or caring to see any proof.
Authors and publishers are right there to use readers and book bloggers to promote their books and rave about any positive reviews or promotion readers or bloggers give, but the one instant a reader or blogger gives negative feedback in the form of a review on Goodreads or elsewhere, some authors are right there to villainize a reader or a blogger as being jealous or just mean or hating.
What if all book blogs or even a online source like Goodreads disappeared? Most authors, who have become successful in the past few years have done so because of the word of mouth of book bloggers and Goodreads. Imagine if publishers or authors didn’t have these sources?
@KT Grant: “…The story follows Hale as she indulges in the widely discouraged act of reading a nasty review by an infamous Internet bully on her first novel. ”
So… Hale’s stalking is “falling into rabbit hole of sorts”, but writing a critical review is being an infamous internet bully. 0_0
I am done with “Internets” today.
First let me say I haven’t read all of the comments here so I’m sorry if any of this sounds repetitive.
As someone who is trying hard to get her work published I am dearly saddened by the loss of book bloggers that will be out there in result of this woman’s actions. I hate the idea of someone criticizing my work, I hate the idea that someone may not like it but if you don’t like how someone may react, don’t put your work out there for others to see.
I would kill for someone other than family/friends or their friends to criticize my work. I would love to get an honest review by someone so that I knew what other people felt were my weakness and my strength in my writing.
This author has put other authors to shame, I am however sure that she is not the first author nor will be the last to act in the fashion. On that note it needs to be said that there are fans as well as other book bloggers who have also acted in a fashion that was not respectable. I’m not supporting this authors behavior, I am letting it be known that anyone acting in a behavior to harm, scare or bully someone else in unacceptable.
I hope the world of book blogging doesn’t come to an end because of someone malicious actions. I hope you all find a way around it to make it safer to do what you love.
@KT Grant: Just to be specific, she’s not being hosted at a NYC festival. She’s a New York author being hosted in Southern Illinois. I wonder whether an appearance would be seen as uncritically in NYC
@Laura K. Curtis: Seriously? Given the level of praise for her writing, not to mention her “bravery,” and the extent to which even somewhat critical writeups pull their punches, I’d say she would be just fine at a NY appearance.
It has been such a…well, it sounds sort of dramatic, but it has been a comfort to read the comments here with the fear/anger/disbelief over this. It isn’t normal to go from upset over words on the internet to standing on someone’s lawn. It’s a relief to know that I’m not the only one reacting to this, and having really strong reactions.
Trying to focus this on the reviewers words is a moot point – if someone is physically threatening you with words you do not rush out to confront them in reality. Ask the police about this or a lawyer or a therapist – it’s NOT in anyone’s best interest. And I have seen multiple authors react with angry words despite the politeness or attempts at conversations when there’s been reactions over reviews. I first put up a shelf on GR (where I’m no longer active thanks to the Shelf Deletion thing, I review elsewhere) about author behavior a few years ago, and I felt that even that was going out on a limb, because the authors I put there are ones that I don’t want to interact with in any way. And merely the act of shelving them with words they dislike – no matter my intent – is enough to annoy. My offline list of authors to avoid is well over 100 names now. Many of the incidents are mild and childish – but I don’t want anything to do with it. Oh and here’s another bit of fun – I read a chunk of romance. I rarely shelve it and have written only a handful of reviews. But I feel so much less worry when I review authors who are academics or who are long dead. Because I have some sense of what the professional standards are.
What would REALLY help from all the bloggers here: I have always loved the tech reviews, it’s what drew me here as much as the book reviews. PLEASE start up some columns on privacy work that we can all do in social media – I know that you’ve already done some of these (because I remember reading them!). But specifics for locking down public/private areas, keeping your nicknames for only certain sites (and changing them at others), and how to safely use your pen names without accidentally outing yourself – that’s key. And because companies like Facebook are always messing with the defaults, you have to revisit those topics repeatedly. I think it’s a lot more work than people realize, and that you have to not only be familiar with your settings but test them as well.
I’m not thinking just of my own safety here, because frankly my lack of bravery has already kept me from reviewing some current works (or even shelving it online) – I’m really thinking of the physical attacks that have happened recently. That’s it’s come to physical attacks now – and for so long we’ve been told that the negative behavior is all online – that’s what’s raised my concerns with all of this.
I do feel better in that I can turn to your site, and those of other reviewers, and look for help in all this. And by that I mean the commenters too (well, the majority of them). I’ve learned more and gotten great advice in here, and read them just as avidly as some of the other writing. I appreciate all of you so much.
Couldn’t reviewers use PO Boxes instead of their actual mailing addresses to receive ARCs?
@MikiS: Yes, they could. But PO Boxes cost money and many bloggers don’t earn any money from their hobby and many bloggers (particularly bloggers who review YA books) are teens with limited income.
Also, typically, a PO Box is situated at a post office close to the bloggers’ home so that in itself may provide a stalker with information which could tend to identify their location. That seems like a bit of a stretch – or it would have (to me) up until last week.
@MikiS: Not all publishers accept PO boxes.
The frustration of authors is understandable. I’ve written over five-hundred, one-star reviews on Amazon. The reason a writer hasn’t come after me is because I’m more insane (it show in my critiques) then could ever be. Yet still, article after article is written about me. I am, in every sense possible, Amazon’s Favorite Son.
Chris Roberts
This makes me sad. I stopped reviewing because of time constraints. I am also an author…these crazy people will make it harder for me to get book tours and reviews. But I can’t blame the people running scared. I have a family and too would not do well with stalking. It was one thing to deal with mean people online but now people are physically hurting others? That is just crazy! Over an opinion?
Solution? I have none. It just makes me want to give up blogging and writing. I won’t, but should we really walk on egg shells for our hobby? I am just at a loss for words. It is just sad and crazy!
That Tumblr image is awful. I did notice that Hale had two separate tweets on her feed distancing herself from her actions from her publisher, so I can only imagine that there is some sort of internal running around going on (I can only hope it is a flurry of papers and emails and phone calls and general ‘She DIDN’T!’… but I can’t hold my breath on that one. :P)
This is terrible. You should be able to leave an honest review. Lately, I am finding reviews to not be that trustworthy. There are too many long, witty, usually 5 star reviews I stopped reading them. I have just found the relationship between authors, bloggers, free arcs and the long, witty 4/5 star reviews completely confusing and not useful. I am speaking only for myself – simply a paying reader.
Completely setting aside the fact that I’m also an author, as a reader I LOVE negative reviews.
When I started to read Charlaine Harris’ Sookie Stackhouse series I noticed that on both GR and Amazon she had both 1 star and 5 star reviews. I read a bunch of them, at both ends of the spectrum, and it was actually the 1 stars that made me decide to go ahead and read the books. I bought and read (and loved) the entire series based on those 1 star reviews. Why? Because they showed me what other people didn’t like about the books and I decided that their issues were not things that would deter me.
Negative reviews do that. They highlight deal breaker issues. But we all have different deal breakers, so they help readers sift out books that press their buttons from books they love.
I hope readers continue to write honest reviews of books. Both as a writer and as a reader.
@Ann Sommerville “Oh and knock it off with the arm chair psychoanalysis. Some of us authors are actually mentally ill and guess what, we’ve never slipped and accidentally stalked a reader, tee hee. Hale’s problem is she has people encouraging her to behave badly, and presumably always has done. It’s too late for a smack with the slipper, but bad training is not the same as being sick. She might be ill, but that’s irrelevant.”
Thank you, Ann! I’m so tired of hearing this too.
I have my issues and not once have I ever thought about stalking anyone. My mental illness has nothing to do with my behavior toward others–respect does and how I’d like to be treated. Something too old-fashioned for too many people to consider following most days and it’s not just in the writing world. And if I do slip up, I’m human after all, I own the slip up and I don’t crow about being third most read. That behavior is simply that Hale (and others like her) don’t respect others. But it’s not new; it’s not shocking–it’s the world we live in.
I don’t think there’s any fix. The blackout is not a bad idea except what would it really serve? To hurt authors like me who don’t engage in this type of behavior? Amazon will still sell their books. So will other vendors. I’m sorry–I love bloggers and I love DA but unless it is a COMPLETE all site shutdown, it won’t make an impact.
The only thing that can be done, I think, is to individually not support authors who behave this way. Yes, it means a list and that has it’s own negative connotations but seriously, this is the only way things can possibly change–hit them in their pockets. But I fear even that won’t matter because there are far more who either a) don’t have an issue with them behaving badly and just want their books or b) don’t have a clue the author behaved badly.
Otherwise, there is nothing that will fix people who are inclined to behave badly because their moral compass is broke.
I will protest as I always do–support the authors who are professional and respectful of others and don’t support those who aren’t. For me, it’s as simple as that. I know who they are, I’ll remember them, and will never buy a book by them. I’m a small fish in their ultimate readership despite how many books I read but my moral compass won’t let me support authors or bloggers or readers or anyone who behaves badly.
@Tripoli, please stop making excuses for Hale’s behavior. Her situation is neither unique nor rises to the level of severity of things others have gone through. Expecting others to show her empathy simply enables this type of behavior.
@Cassie: I completely agree with what you said about mental illness.
As for the suggestion that the blogger blackout “hurt authors”, I completely reject it. It wasn’t an action *about* authors. It was about readers/bloggers and reading. The entire action took place over FIVE days. On the one hand, it “hurt” authors but on the other “unless it is a COMPLETE all site shutdown, it won’t make an impact.”
So which was it? It had no impact or it hurt authors? Because it can’t be both.
For what it’s worth, my vote would be “neither”. For many of those bloggers who participated there has been a sense of renewal and a reminder of why we do this thing we do. That’s an impact. Some have decided to make changes as a result. That’s an impact. And, I hope, Blythe saw the action and understood that we were paying respect to her by our actions and that’s an impact. The way I see it, the action had *plenty* of impact – not on authors or publishing – but on readers and bloggers, which is what it was all about anyway.
@Kaetrin I reject the message that it’s all about readers and bloggers only. This is the exact mindset that enables the separation everyone is complaining about (and has been complaining about for years) and makes it adversarial in nature.
I’m in full support, full and complete, 150% support of readers/bloggers being able to rate how they want, say what they want, etc. Your site, your words, your home on the web. I too want everyone to feel safe but I reject the notion that a blackout does that.
I get that a blackout may make readers/bloggers feel good but how it is ultimately GOOD in the way that changes things? My understanding of the post was about change–how to make the Hale situation and other situations stop? How to address authors behaving badly and make readers/bloggers feel safe again. I want that too.
But the blackout? First, I didn’t even KNOW there was a blackout and sure, I suspect it made Blythe and others feel supported and that’s great; however, you all were doing it anyway by tweeting, posting, etc. and crying out against Hale’s actions.
Beyond support, what did the blackout do? I’m not even really sure I can argue it hurt authors and if it did, I doubt it hurt those behaving badly. If the purpose of the blackout was simply to show support, then it accomplished that goal and that’s great. If the idea of it was to affect change, I submit it missed that goal completely and further encouraged the dividing line between authors and readers/bloggers.
If the industry wants to be a community, writers, readers/bloggers then comments about “which is what it was all about anyway” do nothing to support that and only keeps the division firm.
Readers/bloggers do have power over authors. I KNOW that and I’m good with that. However, the power should be put to/against those authors behaving badly, not the industry overall. It’s like letting a rotten tomato affect the whole bunch. Remove the tomato. Simplistic, I know, but I believe in people being held responsible for THEIR actions not everyone else being held responsible for a bad tomato.
@Cassie: “If the industry wants to be a community”
There, right there, is the problem.
The community of readers is not an industry, and its ties with publishing are incidental, not essential. Readers will read and share their opinions with other readers regardless of whatever the industry–authors and publishers–do.
@Cassie: You’re adorable.
*headpat*
@Cassie: The fact that authors are affected doesn’t make the blackout about them. It makes them collateral damage. When I stop taking ARCs, it’s not because of an honorable author’s behavior, it’s in spite of that honorable author’s behavior. I’m sorry that the honorable author is caught in this, and that enters into my overall calculation, but it doesn’t determine it. Because it’s not about her. It’s about my safety, well-being, and comfort.
Robin wasn’t asking authors what to do about the post-Hale situation, she was asking readers, reviewers, and bloggers. That’s the community she was talking about. As AztecLady says above, the industry is not the relevant community (I’m not sure the industry even comprises a community in any meaningful sense). Authors have communities that reviewers aren’t part of and vice versa. This is about what reviewers and bloggers should do. If support is part of what they want to have more of, then expressions of support provide valuable information.
You seem to be equating “support” with feelings and emotions. That’s one component, but not even close to the only one.
@Cassie: I’ve spent quite a bit of time trying to parse your comment. I’m struggling because I think you continue to make two arguments which are diametrically opposed to one another, namely:-
* the blogger blackout hurt authors/was an exercise of the significant power of bloggers against the industry
* the blogger blackout had no real impact on the industry, didn’t achieve anything and was therefore pointless.
Both of those things entirely miss the point. The blogger blackout wasn’t about you. It wasn’t about authors or the industry and it wasn’t intended to be. It was about reader’s rights and standing with fellow bloggers. In evaluating the results of an action, it is important to have regard to its intended goals. As Sunita said, this post was directed to the community of readers, reviewers and bloggers and not to authors or publishing. Your latter objection seems to be akin to suggesting that the flu vaccine is worthless because it doesn’t work on chicken pox.
@azteclady:
Exactly!
I am a blogger but I am NOT a part of an industry. This my HOBBY that I support with my own money. Authors and their issues/needs/wants have not factored into my decision making at all.
Sometimes even writers have a hard time getting their message across. Maybe where I see this is that I think of us as a community of sorts in a way I wouldn’t think of say, a community of Whirlpool washer users. And there’s always this talk of the separation between readers/bloggers and authors but it seems to me that it’s a mutualism symbiotic relationship (meaning both “organisms” benefit). Writers won’t exist without readers and readers won’t have stuff to read and comment on without writers (I’m leaving publishers out ’cause we know they aren’t necessarily needed).
To heal this relationship, I still believe the best way is to blockade writers (and readers/bloggers) behaving badly. In the same way that if your Whirlpool washer dies and Whirlpool customer service sucks, you might never buy from Whirlpool again and you’d tell everyone how horrible they were at customer service.
But when I read either readers/bloggers or authors talking about how it’s all about them (sorry, gang, a lot of you ARE saying that and not just in these comments), what I see is the mutualism symbiotic relationship breaking. It shouldn’t be readers/bloggers vs. authors and yet, that is what is happening and when you do a blackout, you are not sending the message to FIX the problem–you support each other but you further break the symbiotic relationship.
I have no idea if this is any clearer and I know most of you won’t and don’t agree and that’s cool. I’m just sad and feel for the readers/bloggers being harassed and stalked and I feel sad that we’ve come to the point where there’s actually a discussion about how to address the problem that doesn’t target the misbehaviors but all authors.
@Riley, I adore you. Thanks for the pat on the head. I love when you comment on these boards. Always so much fun.
@Cassie:
Two things occur to me:
1. Bloggers have been saying about this that they were taking 5 days for things to be about them for a change because most of the time, it’s not about us at all and that’s part of what we were objecting to.
2. I don’t see this as a breaking of the symbiotic relationship. I saw it as (a small step in the process of) *rebalancing* a symbiotic relationship. We each have our boundaries and when they are consistently encroached upon, sometimes, they need to be restated. That doesn’t necessarily ruin a relationship – in fact, sometimes, it can save it.
@Cassie:
“mutualism symbiotic relationship”
From where I sit, it’s not symbiotic, but parasitic. The authors taking it all, and giving nothing back – not even support for bloggers under attack, let alone the grace of five fucking days of *not* talking about the almighty authorial ego wank of the week.
Symbiosis implies a mutually beneficial relationship. Well, sometimes it is. But what I see mostly now is authors behaving as if they will be the ones deciding who talks about what and in which way, and bloggers will behave or be smacked. Whether it’s Anne Rice or STGRB or Kathleen Hale, the stench of entitlement, the reek of assumed pure and utter disproportionate power over the humble readers, comes off these people and chokes anyone with any decency.
“I’m just sad and feel for the readers/bloggers being harassed and stalked”
Then stop talking about the authors’ feelings. We’ll survive nicely without the concern trolling. And if your career is that fragile that a five day blackout celebrating what bloggers love about their own work and community is going to harm it in any way shape or form, then I would suggest you get off the internet and write another book. Because you clearly don’t have a career worth talking about, or a book that has the smallest merit.
@Cassie:
What exactly are we supposed to be fixing? And why is that our responsibility? I genuinely would like to know.
The ‘what about me’ whingeing resulting from the blackout has put me off, frankly. Five freaking days. Seriously.
I actually do believe many authors feel more goodwill to bloggers than some of these comments would indicate. Most have just stayed supportive and patient, and let us do our own thing for five days.
@Kat:
+1
@Cassie:
You are confusing lack of agreement with lack of comprehension. Your message is coming across loud and clear. It’s simply not finding much purchase.
BTW, I’m a reader, blogger/reviewer, and editor and sometimes, when I can fit it in, author. I worry about my safety too. But I don’t plan to penalize all writers because of the misbehaving ones. Do I worry someone will stalk me? Sure. It’s a shame we have to in ANY situation. Anything we say online can come back and bite us in the behind. And that’s really just sad.
Being bitchy here, but I think that there are enough books already out since Gutenberg, let alone digital publishing, and quite likely enough in my very own TBR, that if no new books were published for a good two decades, I would still not run out of stuff to read.
The symbiotic relationship is between the reader and the written word.
The author, in this particular situation, is irrelevant.
It’s.
Not.
About.
You.
And also, to address in part Ann Somerville a bit upthread, for the immense majority of us, blogging is not work. Not only because we don’t get paid to do it, but because we invest effort, time and money, all commodities in short supply as it is, into it.
It’s a hobby, a labor of love, an extension of our often expensive book habit. It costs us time and, also often, more money, and it’s profitable for barely a tiny minority of those who ‘monetize’ it.
So if a couple dozen of us–or a hundred–decide to re assess why and how we do what we do, it’s really, really has fuck all to do with authors.
@azteclady:
“blogging is not work”
Work was used in the sense of what they do, what they create. A work of art is not ‘work’, but ‘a work’.
Each time someone responds to my comments, I’m witnessing the strong dividing line right here, right now. You don’t want to “fix” anything, that’s fine. The relationship will stay broken if no one tries. If you are fine taking the us against writers approach, I can’t sway you.
If this is going to simply be about how readers/bloggers should huddle, do blackouts, refuse ARCs, only review authors you trust,get off Netgalley, it’s your choice but all that will do is keep the gap firmly between the two groups.
I’m just grateful a lot of readers/bloggers won’t take this stance. I don’t really care about the blackout, etc. It doesn’t affect me one way or the other, and I’m glad other writers rode it out. Given that again, I didn’t know about it, it’s no skin off my nose.
My point is to try and find a way to bridge the gap–to find a way readers/bloggers can share their thoughts and comments without fear of stalking or harassment.
I like what @Kat said: “I actually do believe many authors feel more goodwill to bloggers than some of these comments would indicate.” On the flip side, I believe many readers/bloggers feel more goodwill to writers than some of the comments indicate.
Despite Robin not saying this herself, I’m guessing Robin wasn’t asking for opinions from authors but since so many authors are just as much a reader as any of you (I read at least 5 books a week–you should see my Kindle and TBR pile–and I buy 80% of what I get). The last question she asked was: “What are your suggestions for how our ‘book communities’ should be dealing with this?”
Is it really the general consensus that authors and publishers are not part of the book community? If that’s the case, there’s no way to strengthen the mutualism symbiotic relationship. Too many are ignoring the relationship which is why my arguments aren’t finding purchase.
Why shouldn’t you try to encourage or “fix” the relationship? How is what is going on not harmful to you? It is, right? We’ve had what, five days, someone whinged about, on this issue of authors behaving badly.
Robin even said: “And among all of these voices, there has to be something we can do.”
By some comments, there are some who are thinking of how to address. I just propose the BEST way is to blackout the authors behaving badly. I just don’t believe anything else will be the “something we can do.” It will just tighten the individual ranks and lead to more bad behavior. I’m sorry, but I really believe that. Maybe it’s too much of a kumbaya approach.
The only thing I’m trying to get people to think about is how to bridge the gap, not widen it.
Okay, time to go home.
Last head desk of the night for me.
Cassie, it’s not against authors, because it’s. not. about. YOU.
Also, “writers” are no more a monolithic entity than bloggers.
Most authors are not whingeing about rifts and how we are meanies and yadda yadda yadda. Most of them are doing what they do and letting us do what we do.
Because they do get it.
It’s about us. Full stop.
@azteclady “The symbiotic relationship is between the reader and the written word.
The author, in this particular situation, is irrelevant.”
Really? You are separating the author from the words? The author who wrote the words? The author who, without writing, wouldn’t give you the words.
And I know for a lot of you it’s a hobby but for a lot of you, it’s not. It’s about advertising, referrals and more. Argue all you want, but for a lot, if you are making money from your blog/efforts, it is work.
It’s not about authors. I get it. Always have supported and encouraged that. A lot of you are acting like my comments are from an author’s perspective. They are not. They are from someone who straddles the gap and would like to see the crap that continues to go on with authors behaving badly stop.
I think those commenting against me are ignoring that. You have the right to do what you want. I just wish you all would put the power you have against authors behaving badly. I don’t get how that’s not something you would benefit from.
Now I’m really going home but I made the mistake of looking at the comments and saw the one about readers/bloggers and the words completely dissociating the author and that stopped me in shock.
Some of us blog about books quietly. I’ve blogged since the 90s, though not just about books. I don’t link my blog here. I review just to trade info with friends and whoever wanders by – I don’t bother to notice the traffic amounts. (No server bill atm, yay.) I comment here because we all discuss books and reading. I usually don’t pay any attention to whether other commenters are authors or not.
When I’m interested an an author’s perspective I look online for an interview – but I also don’t need that to read or review. Personal or online interaction never has effected me as a reader or shopper – but then I’ve also never wanted that or sought it. It’s never occurred to me to look for a conversation – unless it was between me and the book itself. I’ve never felt that it needed to be any other way. I know that’s not everyone’s experience now, but it has kind of been the norm for a lot of readers in the past.
So this community and this relationship between reviewers and authors? I’ve never been a part of that. I’m ok with others having/wanting that, it’s just not something I assume I’m part of, because the people I feel I’m interacting with are other readers. Being the creator of a work is not the same as someone who’s experiencing it. Not to say that we don’t have common enjoyments, but it’s not the same goal when we discuss a book, especially if one is the person who wrote it. There’s a difference between a critique and a hang-out-and-talk-books session.
I saw the brief review stoppage to be along the lines of having a college shut down for a day when something important/traumatic happens and have a group meeting about it where views are shared. Or like when at work the person that the office depends on goes away for vacation – you knew that person was important, but never realized how much they did until they were away. It was both of those things.
I don’t understand at all how authors were penalized by bloggers not reviewing for a brief time. Reviews were still eventually posted, not just that week. And not everyone participated anyway – even if they didn’t they took the time to comment on the issue. It was important and troubling and worthy of note.
Many of us have been keeping a list of authors to avoid reviewing for some time. The reasons why are not new, so people are already avoiding and shopping with that in mind. This is not a new problem. But that we can’t mention such authors easily (not on GR and not on blogs if you fear being outed) is part of the problem.
I don’t see it as my job to bridge the gap, just as I don’t think it’s my job to explain to a stranger why I don’t need to smile. I have no answers for what authors can do to fix this either – though I can tell you that I definitely notice when authors make a well written, empathetic statement (which makes it clear they’ve thought it about) about not condoning this and why.
@Cassie: @Cassie: Please. Stop. Now.
If bloggers and readers and reviewers spend five days talking about what THEY love about books, about reviewing, about online communities, heckopete, about shoes and pie and edged weaponry, instead of what YOU think they should be talking about (what? providing free publicity to the authors you approve of?) …
[deep breath]
HOW ON EARTH IS THAT ANY OF YOUR BUSINESS?
If you don’t want talk about what the bloggers want to talk about, don’t read it. Don’t comment. Go start your own blog. Don’t whinge about “shattered communities” and how commenters are “against you.”
Otherwise, you are in serious danger of becoming deemed — by me at least — a Badly Behaving Author yourself.
“The author who, without writing, wouldn’t give you the words. ”
There’s always more where we came from, lady. Don’t kid yourself we’re talking about Shakespeare.
“A lot of you are acting like my comments are from an author’s perspective. They are not.”
Yes, they *are*. Straddling the gap, my aunt fanny.
” I just wish you all would put the power you have against authors behaving badly. I don’t get how that’s not something you would benefit from.”
Where, exactly, have you been for the last three years? or the last five? or forever?
Since I first started reading review blogs, bloggers have been talking about and taking on BBAs. And look where it’s got them. Criticised up and down the internet for taking a whole five days not to review a few new releases. Accused of being bullies. Accused of ‘hurting authors’.
Whatever internet you read, it’s not the one I’m familiar with. So go home, Cassie. It must be lovely to live in this alternate universe.
@Cassie:
I’m asking what needs fixing. I don’t think anything is broken between readers and authors, but it seems you do. The vast majority of bloggers, authors and people in publishing that I’ve heard from have been pretty supportive.
I think if you want to understand why bloggers had a blackout, you should probably start by NOT assuming it’s adversarial or punitive. If you start with either of those assumptions, you will never understand what many of the commenters here are trying to explain.
@Cassie:
Yes. I do this all the time. Once the book is out in the public sphere, it’s not about the author at all. The reader’s relationship is with the book.
Have you considered that perhaps your arguments aren’t finding purchase because they’re not good arguments?
@Cassie:
I’d like to point out that this is a catch-22 for bloggers. If we say yes, some will say that’s impossible because the work reflects the author (or something similar). If we say no, we’re accused of personal attacks when we do review a book. I don’t feel this is a productive line of argument. Some readers prefer to separate work from creator; other readers prefer not to.
I do both at different times. When I talk about books on my blog, I prefer not to think of the author or their feelings or what they’ll think if I see the in person. This allows me to write my reaction to the book honestly. I’m talking to readers. It’s problematic that this cannot always be the case, and for those reviews I try to be very clear about my biases (eg Almost nothing that Laura Kinsale writes could truly be a bad book for me.). That problematic thing? That’s something that I thought a lot about during the blackout.
@K.L.: “I saw the brief review stoppage to be along the lines of having a college shut down for a day when something important/traumatic happens and have a group meeting about it where views are shared”
YES.
One of the age old complaints from authors is “don’t attack the author! review the book!” so I’m rather puzzled by your shock, Cassie. I’m a reader. My relationship is with the books first and with my fellow readers second.
Any relationships I form with authors are separate and independent from my blogging about books.
Also, when I mentioned that authors are not all one entity? It also applies to your “let’s keep a list of authors behaving badly!”
Many of us have those lists, but outside of the most egregious cases–Hale is the case du jour–readers have different criteria for what exactly puts an author in that list. For some, is a simple as a tweet they don’t like. For others, it’s a political view. For others is religion. And so on and so forth. It’s an individual decision which author makes it into that list, just as much as which authors make into the auto-buy list, or which book makes into the “read at least once a year” or whatever list.
But even if there was one universally shared list of authors behaving badly, I can tell you that all that would happen is that every so often there would be people doing their level best to be in it. Because they too are individuals.
@Cassie: “A lot of you are acting like my comments are from an author’s perspective. They are not. They are from someone who straddles the gap and would like to see the crap that continues to go on with authors behaving badly stop.”
On your first comment on this thread you said:
“I don’t think there’s any fix. The blackout is not a bad idea except what would it really serve? To hurt authors like me who don’t engage in this type of behavior? Amazon will still sell their books. So will other vendors. I’m sorry–I love bloggers and I love DA but unless it is a COMPLETE all site shutdown, it won’t make an impact.”
You identify as an author and then distance yourself further by saying that you “love bloggers”. It took you three more comments to identify as something else and to downplay your role as an author, yet you immediately revert back to talking about us (readers and bloggers) as a separate group that has the responsibility to bridge the gap and fix the issue (no we don’t, and didn’t you just say you didn’t think there’s any fix?). So, yes, your comments are very much from an author’s perspective, a perspective that thinks our actions (the blackout) “will just tighten the individual ranks and lead to more bad behavior” thus implying that we will be to blame for future bad behavior.
Every once in a while, my sisters, my mother, my daughter and nieces (and my sister-in-law) get together for a girls’ weekend. Mostly we do it to stay close and renew our relationships, because we’re often so busy doing our own things with our families that we don’t always spend as much time together as we’d like to.
But sometimes it’s also just to get away from being a wife, and to have “girl time” — away from significant others (even if those SO’s are women, too.) I imagine that a lot of people here understand that. If not with family and sisters, then maybe with friends. You go out for the night, have fun, then go back to business as usual (or life as usual) right afterward.
It’s hard to see the blogger blackout as anything else — stepping away from the promotion, the reviews, and getting some “me time with my friends.” Renewing that love for books and reading and trying to step away from the drama for just a little while, because sometimes it’s hard to remember why you stay.
So when authors say, “Hey, you’re punishing us by doing this,” it feels a lot like a husband calling up a wife on her weekend away and saying, “Where’s my sandwich? Why did you go away? I’m not a bad husband; I’ve never treated you wrong. And I’m hungry over here. So forget your silly ‘me time’ and come back.”
Dude. That phone call may not make you a bad husband overall, but in that moment, you’re kind of a jerk.
(And I hope everyone understands that I don’t mean bloggers are the wife in a married relationship. I know that analogy might go bad.)
@Meljean: <3
@Meljean: Thank you!