As a person who has toured for several decades, I’ve been reviewed within an inch of my life. And, it took most of that life to get good at it. We all know that every type of reviewer stalks this world. There’s the “must trigger my specific likes and dislikes” type (a review that any farm animal could write), the former mineral science major who has read a lot (I tried that once – listened to Heifetz for six hours, and still couldn’t play like that) the angry, rejected writer, the “wants you to feel good, then buy his $3,000 promotional package” reviewer, the “above your standards” institutional reviewer and many more. They’re all threatening to beat up your child on the worldwide playground while you stand hand-cuffed to the flagpole. The reviewing world is correct in saying that good and bad writing exists, and perhaps we have all contributed to both kinds. However, public writing takes courage, and there is no courage in cruelty – therefore no honor.

No one who attempts something remarkable has or ever will escape this. You write within a pantheon of abused greats. Success, then, is the only path to victory over a detractor, and to do that, you must begin to sift and discard. On one side, give a tip of the hat to the sugary “love your work” reviews, and dump them in the nearest trash receptacle (which is not to say they cannot be used first-just don’t buy into them too much.) Say good morning to the venomous, “I shoulda been somebody” reviewers and burn their diatribes alive. Then, sit down with those who gave your work their best shot, whether they got it or not. You can, at least, acknowledge their integrity and maturity.

Like a professor sifting through student evaluations, don’t belabor the one odd comment, but find trends and patterns among the responses. Our children are wonderful, but they’re not perfect – neither is our writing. Are three out of four using the term “too wordy,” “repetitive” or other such common terms? Sit down and read the whole thing again. Put a magnifying glass to the criticisms and compare them against your work. Read the whole bloomin’ book again from cover to cover. Pencil in the spots where you recognize the pattern. Let a day go by, do it again. If you haven’t already, get your book into a distribution company that offers an affordable, uncomplicated and speedy revision process. Reviews were not created for reaction. They were created to be useful – either as a means of enhancing the quality of your book, or as a means of promoting it – nothing else. Reaction is an utter waste of time, and can only dampen your love of writing (although, admittedly, it feels good to make fiction characters out of your worst detractors once in a while.)

Absolutely nothing described in the last paragraph is any fun at all…quite the contrary. However, in disciplining yourself to go through it, you have turned those reviews into professional consultations, in addition to their value as promotion blurbs. The review community is not a school of identical piranhas. Many have ethics, many have skill. Find them, use them and be proud of yourself when one of them finds value in your work. As for the “pretend” reviewers, move them to a greater distance by going higher, where they cannot follow – higher in sales, and higher in quality. I doubt if J.K. Rowling gives a hoot that a shrub pruning major at Slob U. doesn’t like Harry Potter, and neither should you.

G.F. Skipworth has outred most of the world as a concert pianist, symphonic/operatic conductor, composer and vocalist. In addition, he has worked in political, comedy and academic writing. His formal education includes Whitman, Hopkins, Harvard and UCLA. After a delightful experience writing a four volume fantasy novel (a genre which he fondly describes as “shoot ‘em up clang clangs”), he has moved to historical fiction. His most recent release is “The Simpering, North Dakota Literary Society.” a whimsical story based on the suffrage question of 1919. Other works you might enjoy are: “Shindaheen,” “Fire and Iceland,” “Three Roads to Waitsburg,” “Airna of Karapin,” “Winterreise – Winter Journey” and “Stormfield – Tales from the Hereafter.” Upcoming releases include “The World-Weary String Quartet of Alliance, Nebraska” and “The Madonna of Dunkirk.”

Author: George Skipworth
Article Source: EzineArticles.com