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October 28, 2008
What drives book reviewers crazy? Part 1
Armchair Interviews asks, "What drives book reviewers crazy"?
The list of crazy-making things about books is quite simple:
1. An advanced reading copy (ARC) that is so filled with errors the distraction makes it a challenge to read. We KNOW an ARC might have some--but when it is "too many" the reader/reviewer is overwhelmed and distracted by them--and loses the quality of the content.
2. No effort (or expense) was used to proofread the final galley before it became a book. This is most true of print on demand (POD) authors, but also some small presses. The author feels they have already spent too much money and, "well, friends and family members said it read okay."
3. When it contains content that is not age appropriate, like strong sexual scenes in middle reader or young adult genre.
4. If a well-known author has a new book that is way below par--but was published ONLY because of his reputation–not the quality of this new book.
We have clear and easy-to-follow FAQ on our site for every author's convenience. Read them. Follow them.
Your thoughts?
Posted by connie at October 28, 2008 09:28 AM
Comments
I wholeheartedly agree that one of the things that drives reviewers crazy is a manuscript so full of typos and misspellings that you can't keep track of the story.
Now, there are usually some mistakes in every book, even in the final copy, because proofreading is apparently a neglected art today. But writers should really be more careful about what they present to the public. We actually had one writer protest that his book should be reviewed "for the ideas" and not for spelling or grammar.
Well, this is dodging the issue. Isn't it the writer's job to present his or her ideas as a printed story? That's the main reason for being a writer, I think. You have to present your ideas in some coherent form so your readers can understand them. It's the major task of a good writer.
It's also become harder to do because no-one can be his own proofreader, espcially in a long piece like a novel. Your eye just doesn't see the errors, but shows you what you "know" should be there. POD presses are escially guilty of not providing editorial support, making the authors re-read their own books--and charging them for the effort!
I review about 15 books a year, am a published author, and write for a living. Yet I can't catch every error in my own works; and you can't either. My suggestion is, authors, have someone else read your ms., someone who's very good at English composition. Even if you have to pay for it, it's worth the price: it will result in a more polished and professional work which you can be proud to show to your family and friends--and to the people who will review it.
Posted by: C. L. Rossman at October 30, 2008 09:26 PM