Friday, March 09, 2007

Thoughts on a kerfuffle

So over on I(heart)Presents feathers got ruffled. Temperatures – and tempers got raised. Posts got irritated or snippy or just plain angry. And, more to the point, they got personal – which was the biggest mistake and just not the point at all.

We were supposed to be discussing books for heaven’s sake.
Well, not even ‘books’ in general – but one aspect of one set of books – the poor old Alpha male ! Thank you all for your comments on my last post. I read them with relief and a sense of soothing – not because they agreed with me – though most did – but because they approached the subject rationally and thoughtfully. And no one took offence or slung attacks at any one personally.


Because this is the point about discussion about a line of books, or even one part of a line of books. It should not descend to defamatory remarks about particular people. ‘Naming and shaming’ of particular authors and particular books doesn’t help. All it does is say ‘I didn’t like this book’ – ‘I’ being one person – any one person who happens to mention any one book. No- actually what they’re saying is that ‘this book didn’t work for me’ – and that’s fine. It didn’t work for you – lots of books don’t work for me. Readers are totally entitled to say that but only - – and this is vitally important – only if they have read the book. The comments that set a light to the blue touch paper over on I(Heart)presents were personal, specific – and they were made by someone who had not read the book and so was only reciting ‘what someone’ (in this case some reviews on Amazon) said.

Now I have ambiguous feelings about reviews on Amazon. I have had some lovely reviews for my books that have been posted up there. And I’ve had some screamers of bad ones. Nothing as wonderful as the personal attack of Reader X a couple of weeks ago – but some bad ones. And you see Reader X is entitled to her opinion - though I might have valued it more if she’s actually made any constrictive comments or related them to any books of mine I could recognise.
But her comments were not made on a public forum.

And this is the problem. Since the internet, Since message boards and discussion groups and – well, yes, and blogs – there seems to have been a trend to turn ‘reviewing’ or commenting on romance writers into a sort of free for all with the current trend to ‘review’ not the books that are worth it but to slice and dice instead. As I said, fine – the book didn’t work for that reader – they’re entitled to say so - but they are not entitled to hang draw and quarter the authors and serve them up to the crows to be pecked at viciously.

Let me tell your something – the author herself is more than capable of letting those crows in and feeling their cruel beaks. The Crows of Doubt are an almost constant companion to many writers – the attack me at least once in every book I write – often more than once. And currently romance readers seem to feel that if an author doesn’t serve up a book – or books - that please them personally then they have the right to flay that author as publicly as they can.

Let me take this kerfuffle away from the debate on I(Heart)Presents. There is also a discussion thread on eHarlequin. Sometime last year there was a discussion there on a particular Harlequin Presents novel that had a premise that some readers found unsympathetic. It also opened with a scene that some found distasteful and unacceptable. The discussion was hot and passionate (much like a Presents novel itself) with some seeing the book as totally in the wrong, others seeing plenty opf good in it and the way it worked out. See – very like the poor Alpha hero – some people condemned this book from the very first scene and felt it should never have seen the light of day – others waited to see WHY this had happened in the story and to see if the book justified itself and worked in the end. And yes, for some it still didn’t work – fair enough. At least they read it, thought about it and came to a rational decision – not one based on hearsay or other’s comments.

But for one particular reader the comments didn’t stop there. They became more personal – I have to say more irrational and totally illogical. This was when the Uncut mini series was prominent in the Modern/Presents line. Again – it’s fine if some readers felt that was a form of romance that went too far. That had topics/scenes they didn’t want to read in their romance. OK – don’t buy the Uncut books. But for this reader – we’ll call her S – took things even further authors, she said, who put in sex scenes using handcuffs (even toy handcuffs) or spanking or whatever were corrupt, degenerate, bad parents, bad citizens . . .. Because they wrote about these things S said, they must be practising them – and worse – and treating their children badly into the bargain.


What?



So that means that every author who writes about serial killers is actually out there murdering because they must practise that too? In that case the police had better start investigating Ian Rankin and Val McDermid right now – and Anne Rice is clearly practising vampirism in preparation for writing her next book. And I, depraved soul that I am, will be out leaping into bed with sheikhs, Greeks, and my current Spaniard in order to be able to write about it.

Let’s get a sense of perspective here. Writers write works of FICTION – that is works of the imagination. They create characters who do not exist – and characters who are not the authors themselves and so do things that the authors would think more than twice about doing. For the story.

If there is a blog about the line of books I write for, I don’t expect it to be, as one commentator said, just a ‘lovefest’. I don’t expect every single book to work for every single reader – that would be naïve at best, actually downright stupid. I don’t even expect every single book of mine to work for every single reader – I can hope but I’ll get bad reviews and letters like that from X. It goes with the territory – I write a book, yes it’s my baby but at some point I have to send my baby out into the world and there, just like my real Offspring – some people are going to love it, some not.

I was brought up on the idea that if you can’t say anything nice about someone then don’t speak at all. There are plenty of books out there in my particular romance line and many others that just do not work for me. So I don’t talk about them. Instead, I talk about the ones I do like – and there have been plenty of those since I started this blog.

But at least I have read them. And to come back to where I began – one of the things that started the kerfuffle over on I(Heart) is a reader commenting – critically – on a book she hadn’t even had in her hand. That is not only not fair, it’s downright wrong.

Take that with the commentator I mentioned in my previous post – someone who had declared it her intention to be a deliberately dissenting voice and you get a pot that was not only well and truly stirred but ready to boil over. Which it did.And that’s a pity. Because in the middle of the furore there were some really great points made – some issues raised that authors and editors alike should take note of and remember when they’re dealing with a book. The most important of those being that the worse a character’s (male or female) behaviour, the more the author needs to set down solid, believable, justifiable reasons for that behaviour. Because that’s what make the book work for more readers more of the time.

Yes the Presents books are filled with ‘emotion, emotion, emotion’ – but as many of the commentators here have said (and many more in private emails ) what makes it work for the reader is ‘motivation, motivation, motivation’.

In other words – as Kate is always boring on about - it’s the question WHY.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Again, Kate, well said! I really don't understand those people who say that you must be depraved creatures if you write a 'stronger' than normal love scene. It's ridiculous. Everyone has differing attitudes towards sex, that's what makes people and romance novels so interesting. For each individual, it has a different meaning and each person, or character, wants, and needs, something different from it.
If we all liked the same thing, then romance novels wouldn't have such a vast range in genre and lines that we have today and the world would be a very boring place.
And personal attacks are SO wrong. As you say, writers worry about their own work enough and if it was bad writing, then, hopefully, the editor/publisher would point it out and ask for a rewrite.
I recently had a bad review about one of my non-fiction books on my website. This guy left a comment in my guestbook about a title I'd written discussing a particular phobia. This 'man' was very rude and upset me greatly, making very disparaging remarks about a book THAT HASN'T EVEN BEEN PUBLISHED YET! It hasn't even been sent out yet for review. So how could he have read it to make an informed comment?
He couldn't. (Gnashing of teeth!)
Anyway, I'll get off my soapbox and leave some room for other people's comments!
Hope you're well, Kate.

Anonymous said...

Dear Kate and Nicolette,
I just wanted to agree with you about how hard it must be for writers to endure bad/ill informed reviews, let alone personal attacks. Yes, if you can't say anything nice, or constructive even, don't say anything at all. I haven't even finished writing my first book yet but I'm beginning to wonder how I would cope with this sort of treatment. It must really hurt but what can you do?
It's been good to see the larger part of the Romance writing community rallying round to support their colleagues. Keep it up LADIES.
Best wishes,
Rachel.

Unknown said...

I was thinking the very same thing yesterday, kate, about *that* sex-scene and *that* criticism. They'll be throwing away the key on that serial killer Iain Banks, I thought. Stephen King? Billionaire and A-list celebrity? Ha! Total psychopath, obviously. And lord alone knows why everyone thinks so highly of that pervert Shakespeare, what with his suspicious interest in murder and incest...

Anonymous said...

LOL India!

Couldn't agree more, Kate!

Sue

Anonymous said...

I nipped over to the I Heart Presents blog and read some of the 'discussion'!!!My word, things got a bit hot and bothered didn't they?? It certainly was a kerfuffle. I know I love reading all the M&B books, but they are fiction: not real!!!! Obviously you all write so well that people become totally immersed in your created worlds!!

Anonymous said...

I'm really sorry to hear about the recent upset and the lazy, ignorant and plain rude comments that have been flying about.

As I said on juliesblogofbabble, it would be a dull world if we all liked the same things. We all have our own favourite kinds of books but that does not mean that the writers of the books we personally do not enjoy do not deserve the same respect ... they are just as intelligent, hard-working and creative, and have their own band of readers who love their books. No one has the right to slag someone off, least of all when they haven't even read the book themselves.

Even worse to imply that a writer must be like their characters. Why do people seem to say this only of writers of romance? Do critics imagine science fiction writers spend their holidays on Mars? Or crime writers disapear off to slay a few people in a gruesome way for their research? It is completely barking. Likewise to assume that a writer of romance must be swinging from the chandeliers all weekend.

Books are a lifelong joy and they cater to all moods and all tastes. We can all choose what we enjoy and leave others to enjoy their own choices without judgement and unpleasant comments.

As someone who has a flock of the crows of doubt in permanent residence, I know how fragile the confidence can be whether one has written one book or fifty.
I hope you have a quieter and enjoyable weekend.

Love,
Mags

Maria, Lover of All Things Romance said...

Hi Kate, I have to agree with you on that. Everywhere I turn I find reviews blatantly tearing books apart, and often without giving reason and I think that's terrible. When I write a review I say whether I liked it or not, and then I say why. Maybe the reason I don't like a book is the reason another person does like the book. If you are going to take the privilege of doing a review you have to be fair. And if you absolutely hate a book there is always something that you can make a nice comment on eg. good adjectives etc. It's horrible to see people name and shame authors just because they didn't like a book.

Anonymous said...

Kate, I feel soothed by your words and by your sound common sense, as always.
We have feelings too, and when one of our number is castigated so severly for no good reason that we can fathom, we stand back to back, fighting off all comers.

As you say, we write fiction, for goodness sake. We don't endorse violence in any form. The books are fair game- adore them or loathe them, but don't suggest that the author is in need of psychological help because you don't take to her latest opus. As someone said, it's hard luck for Stephen King's family, isn't it?

I adore my readers and have had nothing but the warmest support, and I take on board all their comments. Anyone can take a pop at me, but criticise my friends and that's not something different, that's something I'm not going to take lying down.
To me friendship will always be a pearl beyond price, and as such it will always be worth fighting for.
Suexxx

Anne McAllister said...

Amen, again. And similar amen to Nicolette for enduring exactly the same sort of arrogant rudeness about her non-fic book.

Professionalism seems to be in short supply. Sad, that. I totally agree with your upbringing, Kate -- if you can't say something nice, keep your mouth shut.

Michelle Styles said...

LOL Kate.

Your bit about the police investigating Ian Rankin reminds me of a story that Eileen Ramsay told me. Ian is a great friend of hers.

When he was first starting out as a writer , he became intersted in the disappearance of several girls, and serial killers. He went to talk to the ploice about various things as research...He suddenly realised that he had become a suspect and had to do some fast explaining!

Personal attacks are wrong. It is why there is a delete button on most blogs and why people can be banned.

YOu did inspire me to post about one of my favourite alpha heroes -- a cold blood murderer, a gambler, a seducer of young virginsbut someone who is absolutely totally wonderful -- one of Georgette Heyer's best creations -- Vidal from Devil's Cub.
It is the why that is important as always.

Kate Walker said...

Again, thank you all for your comments. How great to see that it is possible to discuss thiungs without sniping
Nicolette - That is so bad! At least when people have been rude about my books or other romance novels, they have read them . . . . but then again, thinking of that letter I got from reader X - maybe not!!

Hi Rachel - yes that was the best bit,wasn;t it - seeing so many people rallying round. The bad reviews and comments do hurt but I try to console myself with the thought that it's one persn;s opinion.

India - ah yes, I'd forgotten Stephen King- he must be part alien as well. And yes - Shakespeare - doesn't bear thinking of - does it ;-)

Hi Sue - thak you for expressing agreement.

2Paw - what a great way of looing at it. Of course - our books are so convinving that some readers must believe they come from experience

Margaret - it's weird isn't it that people would ascribe the behaviour of totally imaginary characters to their poor authors. And shoo away those crows of doubt! I know - easier said than done. I'm suffer from the damn birds hovering all the time myelf.

Hi Maria - It does seem to be everywhere, doesn't it? Saying the worst instead of looking for the good in something. I'm not sure what they get from tearing someone's book to pieces like that.

Susan my dear - I'm so glad I helped to soothe you. I know just ranting a bit on my blog made me feel a lot better. Like you I love my readers - I wouldn't be where I am without them - and I can take criticism. I just prefer it to come from someone who has read the book first. And I'm with you on friendhip - it's so valuable. I've been so lucky to make some wonderful friends through my writintg and I'm delighted to count you as one of them

Lidia - thank you. I totally believe in that definition of an alpha - if he doesn't have that sense of honour then he isn't a hero. It would help if more readers were prepared to give a book a chance and see if it proveditself in the end. It still might ot work for you - but at least you are judging ffrom a position of knowledge not just hearsay.

Hi Michelle - oh yes, Vidal - wonderful. And as you say it's always the WHY.Poor Ian Rankin - I love that story. I can just see it happening

 

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