Ron Clark on Book Critics and Writers

Here I sit broken hearted, paid a penny and only then remembered this isn’t a toilet wall; ah well. But really you know, a lot of book critics are the pigeons of the literary world. Let’s face it, some of those pro-critics only seem interested in crapping on authors, just like the pigeons crapping on Nelson in in Trafalgar Square.

The big difference of course is that we authors have feelings, at times I think critics don’t care about what they say or the damage it can cause

One of my Facebook friends who sells through Amazon had a series of really bad reviews on every book she had on the site. Comments like, ‘- she should have learned to write before trying to write a novel …’ Such comments do not help at all and in this case they really knocked my friend’s confidence. It’s such a shame, there’s no need for it.

You will perhaps have noticed that I have penned a few reviews myself which have appeared on For Reading Addicts. However, I do try to be positive about the book I am reviewing.

Perhaps being an avid reader, I read for pleasure, not to make money, so that might make a difference in how I write reviews. I have however written a few negative reviews too, but I’ve tried to wrap up the negatives in plenty of good points, or at least I hope I have.

For example, a couple of years ago I read Rise of the Dragons by Morgan Rice. That one I really did enjoy, well written and by the time I finished it, I’d bought the follow-up, Rise of the Valiant. Oh dear; the story line seemed to flow until heroine began fighting by herself. She carries a staff, but not and ordinary staff folks, oh no. Her staff has a metallic core to it. Doesn’t end there though, it split in two to expose two swords/spiked ends. However, she manages to misplace it, and yet a short time later she’s got it back, then it lost again in a river, and yet it reappears yet again a short time later.

Even so, it wasn’t a bad read really, just a problem with the continuity. I’ve just looked on Amazon and found my review: ‘The first one was fine but this one has so many errors that I’m surprised an editor let it go like this. I can’t see me buying any more of her titles.’ It’s short and to the point but I hope that it didn’t ruffle any feathers.

There are lot worse reviews on there for this one. FantasticFiction.com is a website I use fairly often now that I have found it again. According to this site Ms Rice has penned 55 books. Perhaps she needs to cut down on volume and look more at the quality.
That website by the way, is a really good resource and one I refer to fairly often, as I said above. It’s well worth a look and being bookmarked.