Is it ever OK for authors to review other authors?
Is it ever OK for authors to review other authors?
The other lesson to be learned from author Cait Corrain's book cancellation
When I saw one specific social media friend request, my first thought was, “Well, this is going to be awkward.” Instead of dodging this author’s request, I sent a short message and ripped off the Band-Aid.
I told her that before I added her as a friend, I wanted her to know that I’d reviewed her book a couple of years ago, and the review wasn’t great. It was honest, but it damn sure wasn’t positive. I just flat-out didn’t like the book. I thought it was tacky and gross. I said this in a more diplomatic way in my online book review, but it meant the same thing. In turn, and in 24 hours, that author immediately wrote a scathing review of my own (first) book, claiming it was so awful she couldn’t finish it.
I flagged her review immediately, and the online platform took it down. She sent me an angry email saying I should have left her review online because she left mine online. I told her the difference between the two is that I actually bought and tried to read her book. Meanwhile, I found it very hard to believe that she’d gotten ahold of my book in about 24 hours, especially considering my book was self-published and only sold at independent bookstores (at the time, now it’s available on popular online platforms — used and new). Her review was a revenge tactic. Mine was the equivalent of a book club review that she just didn’t like. She cursed me out and told me her books were “flying off the shelf” whether I liked her book or not.
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My (paraphrased) response, “Then what’s the problem? If they’re flying off the shelf, why does my honest review bother you so much? I told you about my review so it wouldn’t look like I was withholding this info after accepting your friend request. Nothing in your review sounded like you read one page of my book.”
What I learned from being a constructive book reviewer — as an author
My lesson from that social media exchange between 2004 and 2007:
Some authors are really sensitive about their books word-for-word.
Not every other has attended writing workshops, a place where your manuscript can go to die or fill your head up so big you can’t walk in doorways.
Authors may want to act like singers and rappers and never use Google search for their reviews, especially sensitive ones.
One of the smartest decisions I ever made was to sign up for multiple workshops at Northern Michigan University and (my alma mater) Lincoln University, and let my peers tell me the truth. It thickened my skin enough to hear damn near anything — as long as they actually read the work.
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The downfall of Cait Corrain’s book release before it got started
The entire time I was reading Cait Corrain’s alleged vendetta against minority authors, I thought about this lived experience with the other author. However, the major difference between my author battle and hers was —- just about everything.
I didn’t target Asian or African-American authors in my book reviews. While I barely have the time to read a magazine nowadays, I used to devour a few novels per month in my twenties (when both of my books were first published). And I loved finding those pan-African flags on library books for the ones I didn’t buy.
I definitely didn’t try to Roseanne Barr my way out of backlash, blaming medication. I also didn’t bring up substance abuse, alcohol abuse or depression.
I for sure didn’t create six profiles under Goodreads. I just had one simple Amazon account under my own birth name so anybody could easily find me (and all my positive reviews too).
I not only didn’t “boost the rating of my own book” nor rate it at all, but I cracked up laughing at one particularly mean review. (I think it came from this lady.) And when a co-worker’s girlfriend said she “wasn’t feeling [my book],” I encouraged her to leave a review too, primarily because at that time, I had so many positive reviews that it looked suspicious (although they were all from people I didn’t know).
I didn’t make up conversations with any imaginary friends. I just had to face the music with one author trying to be my social media friend.
Entering “intensive psychiatric care” or a “rehab facility” was never a thought in my mind.
Everything about what Corrain did is startlingly vicious and feels like she had a bone to pick with black women writers. Still, after reading a few reports about her antics, I have been pondering a separate issue: Should authors never review other authors unless the review is complimentary?
Do they/we want to take that risk? Can we handle someone not liking our book even if we like theirs? Is it counterproductive to review books you don’t like — or is it no different than getting opinions from a diverse book club?
Walking into the lion’s den (i.e. a book club)
The first time I was invited to a book club that had read my book, I realized I was going to have to take in all these opinions — good and bad — from people an arm’s reach away.