Should a Reviewer "Cut Some Slack" to a Newbie Author?

Posted March 29, 2011 by Holly in Discussions | 18 Comments

Today I read a blog post Penny Watson of Penny Romance wrote on Goodreads titled “Penelope’s Advice To Authors Who Don’t Like Beeyotchy Reviewers…“. The post basically reiterated what we’ve all been saying for years – If you don’t want your book to be criticized, don’t publish it. It was a well written post and I agreed.

In the comments, Val said:

I completely agree. You know what you were up for. Though I also think sometimes we are too harsh with new published authors, we should cut them some slack and then after they’ve written some books, we can be as bitchy as we want -or not! (emphasis mine)

Penny agrees:

I agree about cutting some slack to newbie authors. I save my super-snark for the big kahunas (Nora, JR, Nora, Stephanie, Nora…etc). :^) 

Others weigh in, including TeddyPig, disagreeing that newbie authors should be cut extra slack. The argument is made that a book is not its author (a belief I firmly subscribe to) and should be treated the same no matter how many works the author has under his/her belt.

I agree. Whether this is the author’s 1st book or their 15th, that shouldn’t be a consideration in how we review it. A lot of the time I don’t even know until after I’ve read a book how many the author has published (if it’s a new-to-me author). Val goes on to say:

Of course, I’m not saying we should say the book’s good just because the author’s new, I’m saying that we often write reviews that attack authors -not their work- when books really sucked, and maybe we should tone that down if it comes to a newbie. Give it 1 star if you want even say if you thought it sucked, but we should try to show a little respect at least if it’s his first book! (emphasis mine)

First – I’ve seen very few reviews that personally attack an author. Commenting on the author’s writing style or the technical aspects of their writing isn’t a personal attack on them. Saying their characters were dumb, or their plot had holes, or their stories were unbelievable is not the same as saying “this author is a complete douche who should die a slow, painful death for writing this book”.

Second – No. Just no. We shouldn’t “tone down” a review simply because it’s an authors debut release. We shouldn’t “tone down” a review for any reason. A book is not its author. A book is a book. I guess if you’re the type of reviewer who personally attacks authors then yes, you might want to “tone down” your review – but I’d suggest doing that for all reviews, not just the ones where the author is a newb.

What say you? Should we “be nice” to newbie authors?


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18 responses to “Should a Reviewer "Cut Some Slack" to a Newbie Author?

  1. Definitely not. Who knows they may only write one book anyway! It’s feasible to point out this is their first novel, and I often do, and sometimes say that first novel errors would probably be ironed out in the future, but I can’t think of one reason to behave any differently to a first novel than to a sixteenth.

    nyway, with so much sock puppetry going on, no one really knows if it’s REALLY their first novel…

  2. First of all, thanks for the link to my post! 2nd, I would like to clarify my review policy. And to reiterate that I think all reviewers are entitled to their own opinions about how to review a book. Some folks want to cut newbies some slack. Some don’t agree. It’s all good.

    My personal opinion is that an author who just wrote a debut novel does not have the same mastery of fiction-writing as an author who has completed 47 books. I expect someone who has been writing for 50 years to have a higher level of expertise in the craft than a newbie who is just starting out. This is just my own personal opinion on the matter! I also expect an author who has written fabulous books in the past to continue with that same quality of work. If an author who writes emotionally complex books suddenly starts cranking out fluff (which might be par for the course for another writer), I’m not a happy camper. So, the rating may suffer for that particular book.

    Here is my approach to reviewing….
    http://www.pennyromance.com/search/label/context%20is%20everything

    Once again, I applaud the fact that everyone has a point of view about this topic. And I don’t think that there is a right or wrong way to approach reviewing.

    Penny

  3. I’m a new author and quite frankly terrified of my future reviews. I don’t think reviewers should ‘be nice’ to new authors, you wouldn’t be doing anyone any favors.

    My first review ever was posted here, in fact, and while the beginning of the review was about what bugged her, she did balance it with what she did like and I appreciated every word. In fact, while I loved what she had to say about what she liked, the stuff that is REALLY helpful to me is what she didn’t because I can use that in the future. I loved it because I need to KNOW what bugs readers. It’s about honing your craft. You will never reach perfect, but you have to continue to grow and learn, that is why bad reviews (in many ways) are better for you than good ones.

    I had several people from many backgrounds read my book before publishing, because I wanted as many different perspectives as possible, even from outside my target audience. Reviews are much the same, every book is not the same to every reviewer, that much should be obvious. One reviewer will hate it and another will like it.

    I come from a critique-laden background, and have had my work torn down in front of others for years now in the world of photography. It is very hard for creative people to not take comments personally, but you have to learn. You have to grow a thick skin, take notes, learn from the review. They aren’t (or shouldn’t be) personal. That is what’s difficult to get used to.

    I’m not saying I wouldn’t love a 5 star ‘LOVED IT and couldn’t tear my eyes away’ review, but would I have learned anything from it? Would I then be able to take that information and grow from it? Not as much as I would from a scathing review full of CONSTRUCTIVE criticism. That I can work with.

    I only hope I can continue to follow my own advice and appreciate every review I get, regardless of the number of stars, cups, lips, kisses or letters that adorn it.

  4. I think reviewers should be fair, they should be respectful, and they should be able to justify what they say. If I didn’t like a book because the plot was predictable, then I should at least give an example to justify that comment.

    The thing about reviews is that they are for the readers, is an opinion on whether a book is good or bad, and a recommendation, I think is worse to sugarcoat a review because I’m afraid to hurt the author’s feelings and then have people buying that book and questioning my taste or my ability as a reviewer, or worse, the intention behind that good review, than just being honest and risking the fury of the author. And this applies for everyone, whether your name is Nora Roberts or Newbie Smith, there are some rules that you apply to every review you write.

    And I think sometimes reviewers even tend to be harder on more famous and established authors, just because they have higher standards and a reputation, and it’s easier to be disappointed when their new book doesn’t measures.

  5. I think reviewers should be fair, they should be respectful, and they should be able to justify what they say. If I didn’t like a book because the plot was predictable, then I should at least give an example to justify that comment.

    The thing about reviews is that they are for the readers, is an opinion on whether a book is good or bad, and a recommendation, I think is worse to sugarcoat a review because I’m afraid to hurt the author’s feelings and then have people buying that book and questioning my taste or my ability as a reviewer, or worse, the intention behind that good review, than just being honest and risking the fury of the author. And this applies for everyone, whether your name is Nora Roberts or Newbie Smith, there are some rules that you apply to every review you write.

    And I think sometimes reviewers even tend to be harder on more famous and established authors, just because they have higher standards and a reputation, and it’s easier to be disappointed when their new book doesn’t measures.

  6. Reviewers should be fair, not “nice.” Books should be evaluated based on their content, not the author. This is about actual performance, not potential!

    I read a lot of blogs, primarily for book news and reviews. I’m not a reviewer. I do have experience in corporate writing and I appreciate all the effort reviewers go through and am ever thankful for the many, many creative authors who keep me happy.

    I can’t immagine any reviewer would get very far with personal attacks on authors. Who even wants to read that? But varying a review because an author is new would be wrong. The review should be based on the work product, not the worker or the work effort. At least, that’s what a reader like me, who visits blogs and hopes for helpful and unbiased reviews, is looking for.

  7. I said this one Twitter, but I don’t pull any punches when I’m gushing about a debut author’s work, so why would I if I didn’t like it.

    I’m the first to say a book didn’t work for me, but I give reasons as to why. And I try to always keep in mind that these authors have put blood sweat and tears into the book. Just because it didn’t work for me, doesn’t mean it won’t work for other readers. That’s the glory of romance. There really is something for everyone.

    But I’m not going to soft pedal a review because it’s the authors first book. If a publisher thought it was good enough to spend the money on publishing it, then it’s open for feedback and review. And I think that authors have to be prepared for that.

    I also beta read for a number of authors, and in my experience, they *crave* the reader feedback. They may not love it when told something didn’t work, but good authors, ones who want to improve, are at least going to consider what you say. Even if they end up disregarding it.

    *shrug*

    This is just my opinion, and I’m sure mileage will vary.

  8. Well, speaking as a newbie who’s not even out of school and just had that first book published… how would I ever learn and improve if reviewers sugar-coated things to protect my feelings? It’s a bit like when people in class share some material and open with ‘yes, but I’m really unsure of myself, so please only say nice things’. Well, in my book, we are here to learn – both at school and in the ‘outer world’ – and only wanting to hear fake praise is not going to help anyone.

    So I’ll just bite down on something and brace myself for the impact. I think all us newbies have to learn how to do that :).

  9. I don’t cut newbie authors or first books any slack. Personal attacks are never acceptable, no matter if they have 1 book or 100. And since my reviews are aimed at readers, it’s deceptive to hold newbie books to a different standard. Several times I have mentioned that this is a first book and the flaws may clear up by the next one, but that doesn’t stop me from listing and analyzing the flaws.

    Half the time I don’t even know if it’s their first book or not. I’m always looking for something new, so it’s not like I do a ton of research on each and every book.

  10. I think that reviews should be fair, constructive, and respectful. I also think that debut authors should be given a little slack because it’s got to be really hard to take criticism of your first “baby”. A debut author has not had a chance to develop a thick skin for negative reviews. It would be a shame to dishearten a new author so much that she never writes again.

    Here I am again, the kindergarten teacher who wants everyone to be “nice”. LOL 🙂

  11. I found this post and the subsequent comments to be very interesting.

    I agree that the reviewer should not go easier on a newbie author; feedback is crucial to anyone’s development, but it should be constructive. Even negative comments can be couched in terms that can encourage, not demean or demoralize. I also agree that it is the book that should be reviewed, not the author.

    These are important points for the everyday person to remember when they post reviews on Amazon or B&N, too.

  12. Personally, I tend to give new authors more slack than seasoned veterans. I expect more from authors who have been successfully publishing their work for years than I do from someone just starting out. It’s not really all that different from work experience in other fields. Talent counts for a lot, but experience shows.

    So in that respect, I am “nicer” to new authors than to veteran ones. (Which is why the whole fake “debut” thing gets my goat).

    But as for toning down any harsh criticism that I feel *the book* deserves? Nope. I will always be 100% honest about my feelings. I try not to be overly snarky, but if something bugs me, I’m going to point it out.

  13. Wendy

    Mileage varies on this, but here’s what I’ve noticed from my personal experience. I’ve been reviewing books online since 1999. I started out reviewing for one of the old guard web sites (actually, the original old guard web site) for romance novels. I was “low man” on the totem pole early on which meant I wasn’t first in line for the new Nora, JAK or Balogh. No, Wendy was getting bunches of debut authors. Bunches. And you know what? Many of those debut authors wrote some damn fine books.

    I attribute this to the fact that many authors (especially romance authors) travel the contest circuit prior to publication. They get TONS of feedback on their first novels. They have plenty of time to rewrite, revise and tinker. Which means a lot of first novels can read like polished works by seasoned pros. Coincidentally, as some of those debuts I read got Big Time Contracts with Big Time Deadlines, I noticed their work wasn’t quite as….tight, for lack of a better word. Less time to tinker. Maybe not as much feedback because they’re not traveling the Unpublished Writer Contest Circuit anymore.

    This is all purely acedontal of course. I never kept spreadsheets on all the debut authors I’ve read over the years, or how much toiling they had to do before they got published. But suffice it to say, I’ve never pulled punches with debuts. Even if I contemplated such a thing (which I wouldn’t), sometimes there’s no need.

  14. Wendy

    You know, I’ve had more time to think about this and the more I do the more I think it’s largely hog-wash that debut authors are somehow more “sensitive” and need to be protected from Big Bad Reviewers. Look, unless they’re a wunderkind, most authors have already run the gauntlet of rejection prior to getting their first book published. They’ve been rejected by agents, editors, critique partners, maybe gotten negative feedback in contests etc.

    I’ve heard authors talk about shoe boxes and desk drawers stuffed with rejection letters. Authors who wrote several manuscripts before they got The Call. It’s a whole lot of toiling and hard work.

    Unless they’ve encountered nothing but Yes Men in their pursuit of getting published, debut authors should have developed a pretty darn thick skin before that first novel hits the shelves. Or the Internet. Or whatever.

    Of course this doesn’t mean it’s open season on the author as a person. The reviewer should always keep focus on The Book. The Author Is Not The Book. The Book Is The Book. End of story.

  15. Lori

    The only slack I’ll cut a new author is that if I didn’t hate their book, I’m more likely to give their next book a shot. That doesn’t mean that I won’t say what I liked and didn’t like in my review. I do that for every review I write. But I *am* more likely to give a new author a 2nd shot, where I may not do so for an established author if I didn’t care for something fundamental in their book.

    I think it’s important for new authors (hell any author) to learn what could use tightening up or improvement from a reader’s perspective. Just like any product out there, it’s important to hear customer feedback so you know how to make the next version of your product better.

  16. Anonymous

    When you put a book out there, you’re expecting people to pay for it.

    Harlequin doesn’t charge one price for a newbie writer’s SuperRomance and another for Sarah Mayberry’s SuperRomance. If it’s not up to standard, it’s not up to standard.

    I read book reviews to help guide my book purchases, and if reviewers are giving four stars to a newbie just to be kind, and three stars to Mayberry even though her book is better, then I’m sorry, but I’m going to be pissed about that.

    There’re a lot of popular reviewers I completely ignore these days, because they’re so busy being kind and kissy kissy with the authors that they never give an honest review to anything they read.

  17. I don’t write reviews that attack authors, no matter how many or few books the author has written, period.

    So, the entire argument is lost on me *shrug*

    Not that I don’t have an opinion, of course *grin*

    First published book (or novella, or story, or essay, or article) doesn’t equate ‘first written (fill in the blank).’

    Yes, there are those few who hit it out of the part on the first try, but there are many, many more who have been writing for years (if not decades) before getting the call.

    And you know what? I think it’s a little insulting to assume (using the verb advisedly here) that newly published authors are so sensitive and unable to cope, that they need special handling and care from us meaning reviewers.

    I am positive there ARE some who can’t handle any negative feedback, deserved or not (witness the latest career suicide and the many before it), but I sincerely doubt that would change after publishing three or thirty books.

    Just like I know there are people who, while probably cursing, bitching and moaning in private, have the professionalism to either be silent in public, or not to react with anything more than, “Thank you for taking the time to review my book, I’m sorry it didn’t work for you. Maybe the next one will.”

  18. I agree with you Holly. Reviewers should review the book and not the author. I’m not talented enough to pull off a funny snarky review I don’t think – although I admit to finding them very amusing when I come across them whether I agree with the review or now. AnimeJune’s review of Judith McNaught’s Until You at Gossamer Obsessions is hilarious (esp. the Bohemian Rhapsody thing) but I actually liked the book.

    FWIW, my own rule of thumb is that I should be prepared for the author to read my review – I need to be able to back up why I didn’t like something and make sure I’m reviewing critically and not “meanly”. (is that a word?) 🙂

    Ordinarily, I’d expect a debut author to improve with practice and time – someone who’s written 20 books already maybe not so much – so it might make me interested in giving the author another go with future books but that’s about it.

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