Comments on: Guest Blog & Giveaway: Ann Aguirre

By: writtenwyrdd

writtenwyrdd — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 17:19:08 +0000

Of course writers can be readers. You have to read to keep your head in the game and aware of what’s being published, anyhow. But it cannot be all work or your creative juices would dry up, lol.

BTW I read and loved Blue Diablo. Looking forward to the sequel.

By: Lura

Lura — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 09:00:32 +0000

How did I miss this post before? Oh yeah, I was sick last week. Still am sick, actually. This cold will not go away!

Loved “Blue Diablo”! Can’t wait to read “Hell Fire”. If the contest is still open, please enter me.

Thanks.
Lura ^_^

By: Pamk

Pamk — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 00:15:08 +0000

I think authors can be readers too and are entitled to their own opinion. I don’t usually read a lot of reviews I normally like to make my own opinion lol. But if an author I like likes another authors work. I likely give them a try if their book struck my fancy. Loved Blue diablo and am looking forward to the next book.

By: Michele Lee

Michele Lee — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 03:34:46 +0000

I love all of you who can’t imagine a writer not being a reader. That always confused the heck out of me too. The writer/reviewer thing has been a hard choice for me too. In fact I think I’m going to blog it, but essentially it comes down to these things:

-I don’t see writing/publishing as a competition. I get so excited for writer friends who are successful and good books are good books, whether I wrote them or not. I always hope to know writers who are better than me because I still want to know the magic of reading a fantastic story, and also readers have different tastes and great readers are voracious and rarely read just one book or author.

-I think that you should be able to be honest with your friends. I think that you can be disappointed with, or even hate their work, and still want to see them be successful. I get that online is different than in a private conversation, but I still believe the greatest sin when it comes to commenting on other author’s works is not saying anything at all. Bad and good are still discussion, apathy is the death of a book.

-At this point reviewing pays significantly better for me than my fiction. This means it deserves time and energy (for the same reason writing is your priority). It also allows me to, IMHO, give back to the genres in a wider scope than just writing does. I also review a lot of small press work, which gets little attention as is.

I totally understand and respect your opinion though Ann. It’s a hard choice to make, and I do anticipate that someday I will have to hang up my reviewing hat.

(Also, don’t enter me in the contest. I already have my copy of Hell Fire.)

By: Julie

Julie — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 19:08:42 +0000

I really don’t see how on could write with any ability whatsoever without reading regularly. But then again, I’ve never finished anything I’ve tried to write, usually because I get distracted by reading!

I’d love to read this new series, just finished my first Ann Aguirre and loved it!

By: Ann Aguirre

Ann Aguirre — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 15:18:34 +0000

Well, I do still post squees about books I have loved. But they’re not analytical reviews by any means. They’re just “OMG this book rocked my world, go out and get it, no, wait, I’ll give away some copies, whee, I looooooooved it!” *g*

By: Amelia

Amelia — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 14:30:57 +0000

I have been wanting to read Blue Diablo, great review.

By: Eva SB

Eva SB — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 06:50:26 +0000

Anyone who reads books is a reader.
And if I was an author discovering that an author I admired enjoyed my books it would be fantastic.
I can understand author’s not having time to read, or not wanting to read in their own genre but not to read at all seems at little aloof and patronizing -’I'm such a fabulous author no one else’s books are worth my time’

I also agree about publishing negative reviews – I always react badly to authors criticizing another’s work: it sounds bitchy and petty.

This is an interesting subject and I enjoyed having my say.

By: Carol Thompson

Carol Thompson — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 06:44:05 +0000

As with most commenters, I agree that it really seems odd when a writer says they don’t read. Surely one becomes a writer because one loves books?

I agree that there is a danger when an author also becomes a reviewer but if one really felt one had to review a book, then I suggest the author could use a different pen name that could not be traced back to them.

Carol T

By: Tori [Book Faery]

Tori [Book Faery] — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 03:05:46 +0000

Like you said, you don’t want to alienate your colleagues by criticizing their work, which means that the negative “reviews” should definitely be reserved for discussions with friends.

Book reviewing is a reader’s mode of networking, just like interviews and the like are one of the author’s.

There definitely is a divide, though, between the reader and the author–whether it’s intentional or not. It can’t be helped. The author should always maintain an air of professionalism, whereas, the reader can say whatever he or she wants without wretched consequences–like losing book buyers.