We hear a lot about author behavior, but we examine the behavior of people who read their books less often because there’s a commercial component in there, an assumption that buying a book brings a lot of entitlement: probably more than actually exists, in fact. If I buy a book I am entitled to the contents of that story. Not control over what an author writes or how he or she chooses to tell his or her stories. Are you with me so far? Good.
I’m going to set forth hypothetical situation.
Julie Q. Author writes a book. She sells it and gets it published. Most reviews are good. There’s one reader, let’s call her Melinda, who really hates this particular book. Melinda blogs about it. She visits everyone else’s blog and talks about all the reasons she hates it. She makes it a crusade to be the one-lone-dissenting voice in the wilderness. And that’s all fine, right? It’s her opinion.
However, it’s unrealistic to believe that Julie is never going to get wind of what Melinda has been saying. Well-meaning fans are likely to send her links and offer to inflict a smackdown on her behalf. If Julie is classy, she says, “No, I’m not acknowledging this. She has a right to her opinion.”
So far, everything is fine, correct? The world is operating as the world will.
But what about if Melinda starts hanging around Julie’s blog because Julie runs a lot of contests. Do you think Melinda should be asking for free stuff when she hates Julie’s work? How does Julie handle this?
Posted in reader survey, research
July 7th, 2009 at 2:17 pm
I think Julie should IM her writing buddies and say “Can you believe the nerve of this woman?” (or expletive of your choice). On the blog she should ignore her and if random.org picks Julie as the winner, then random.org should pick again.
July 7th, 2009 at 2:17 pm
I think Julie should ignore Melinda and yet mysteriously, Melinda would never ever never ever ever never never win a contest from Julie.
Ever.
Just sayin’.
M
July 7th, 2009 at 2:19 pm
Both the sense of “entitlement” and the driving desire for free things are very negative motivations in the book community.
Opinions and reviews are to help other buyers steer clear of purchases they would not be satisfied and to help guide them towards the books that deserve more notice.
“Melinda”s tend to just want free things, whether or not that item would be of any use to them–I see similar behavior on my giveaways. But really, guys, free stuff is nice, but…truly? If you won’t read the book or know you won’t like it, you really don’t need it. Free or not.
July 7th, 2009 at 2:24 pm
Oops, Melinda shouldn’t win, not Julie. I can’t keep fictional people straight, even in my books.
July 7th, 2009 at 2:26 pm
Julie already did that, or I wouldn’t have posted this. *g* She wanted to find out what other authors thought about the issue, though, and see what readers had to say.
My first response was, “Wow, tacky,” but I was curious.
July 7th, 2009 at 2:27 pm
I was going to write a thoughtful response, but I see everyone else has beaten me to it already! Melinda sounds like an attention whore. I mean, I can’t think of anything that would induce me to hang out at the blogs and websites of authors I don’t like, let alone try to win things off their site. She needs to be ignored, by the author, by the author’s friends/fans/minions, by random.org. Melinda is entitled to her opinion, and that’s it. End story.
July 7th, 2009 at 2:27 pm
Good call, M. My question would be–are the comments negative (this book sucked, horrible writing, etc), or did she just not like the book? If it was just not liking the book, but maybe she liked other books written by Julie Q, then I don’t think anything should be done. But if it’s hardcore bashing, then definitely “lose” any comments Melinda might make.
July 7th, 2009 at 2:28 pm
Hi :)
That is quite a conundrum. Part of me says to just let it go & another part of me says Hell No!
I suppose I’d just quietly eliminate her from the drawings so it would be fair to the people who support the author.
:)
July 7th, 2009 at 2:28 pm
I think you’re very wise.
July 7th, 2009 at 2:30 pm
So you think Melinda would secretly love to start some drama?
July 7th, 2009 at 2:31 pm
Julie handles this fairly, because Julie is better than trivial BS. No, it’s not right for Melinda to try to grab up freebies, because there is a difference between posting a blog/review, and spreading the word everywhere.
Also I can’t help thinking of the writers whose work I haven’t enjoyed, but who I still enjoy blogging with and chatting with anyway. Julie has no way of knowing if it’s not a situation like that.
July 7th, 2009 at 2:33 pm
I really hope this isnt true but if it is – Its beyond bad taste. Its one thing in disliking a book but to have a crusade on every blog and then entering said authors giveaways. Bad tacky behavior plus there is a suggestion that she dislikes the author to go to that lengths yet doesnt mind the freebies :S
July 7th, 2009 at 2:34 pm
If I were giving something away, I would want it to go to someone likely to enjoy it, rather than to someone likely to use it to line the cat box. The latter (a) defeats the purpose of a promotional giveaway, (b) deprives a worthy recipient of the prize, and (c) violates my principles regarding the privileges to which obnoxious people are entitled (namely, none, nil, and squat).
July 7th, 2009 at 2:35 pm
Have someone email her a link to Neil Gaiman’s “George R.R. Martin is Not Your Bitch” blog post.
http://journal.neilgaiman.com/2009/05/entitlement-issues.html
:)
Seriously, I’ve seen this sense of entitlement over on comic book boards. Ignoring is usually the way to go, and agree with “mysteriously never wins a contest.” Engage, and this type seems to thrive. Disengage and they lose steam.
July 7th, 2009 at 2:35 pm
As far as we know, it’s just the one book she didn’t like. It is not known whether she’s read others. However, she doesn’t comment on Julie’s blog unless there’s a contest, and she just wants to win other author’s books. She doesn’t enter Julie’s contests for her own work.
July 7th, 2009 at 2:36 pm
I think my “knee-jerk” reaction would be the same…to not let “Melinda” win any contests. But the thing is, someone who is so vocal about what they hate will also be very vocal about something they *like* as well, and if I were giving out, say, free samples of my writing, I think I’d take the chance at least once (if her name was fairly & randomly drawn) to let her win a contest. I think I’d consider it a challenge to “convert” her without actually responding to her criticism.
Obviously that could seriously backfire, and end in another lash of bad publicity (well, publicity, anyways – as long as the author remains silent), but I might be willing to take the risk. Once.
Then again, there’s the “killing with kindness” route too. If she’s hanging around the author’s web site, the author could befriend her without mentioning the reviews at all…possibly subverting more bad publicity at a later time…
Just trying to think of ways to “spin” it to the author’s advantage. My comments might be way off track, since I’m not yet published.
July 7th, 2009 at 2:36 pm
OMG, that post is BRILLIANT.
July 7th, 2009 at 2:37 pm
See above, Jamie. Melinda is not trying to win Julie’s books. She’s trying to win other books because Julie is a generous person and she gives away books written by other authors as well as her own.
July 7th, 2009 at 2:37 pm
I think, as noted above, it depends on the comments Melinda has been making. Are they only b/c the book didn’t work for her? I can be very vocal about books I dislike, especially if I seem to be the only person who dislikes them.
Quite often, however, even though I disliked the book a great deal, I really and truly like the author. If we’d had some communication at some point, or if I thought the contest was interesting enough, I might enter. But then, unlike some, I’m able to separate a book from its author.
Having said that, it is entirely possible that Melinda is an attention seeking drama whore and Julie should just “oops” lose her comments/contest entries.
July 7th, 2009 at 2:41 pm
In this instance, Julie and Melinda are not friendly acquaintances. Julie only knows Melinda from what she’s posted on the internet about her. Melinda never acknowledges Julie’s other blog posts, but she does come around when Julie is giving away free books that Melinda wants.
My question was whether y’all thought it was tacky, and how Julie should handle it. Ignore her, let random chance decide, quietly never pick Melinda, etc.
July 7th, 2009 at 2:41 pm
Let’s assume “Melinda” is looking for attention for publishing her opinion of one book on multiple blogs. I’d hope that the opinion that Melinda is broadcasting is at least constructive and not mean. I’d also like to give her the benefit of the doubt that perhaps this is the only book of “Julie’s” that “Melinda” didn’t like and that’s why she’s lurking on the website hoping to win contests. Unfortunately, if “Melinda” wins a contest she will probably change her mind about how she feels about the author’s book.
I would advise “Julie” to just ignore “Melinda”, not take it personal since you .. er “Julie” can’t please everyone anyway, and go about your normal business writing excellent books pleasing the rest of us.
July 7th, 2009 at 2:42 pm
Gaiman is great. :)
My response is based on the fact of following the author around because of dislike of the book. That’s usually the sign of those who are a leetle too obsessed, which is why I recommend the disengaging and the not winning contests. Not so much because one doesn’t want the books to go to her but because it’s engagement with her, instead of just letting it wither away.
July 7th, 2009 at 2:43 pm
Ah…sorry, didn’t see that. In that case, yeah, I’d probably “lose” her entries.
July 7th, 2009 at 2:43 pm
Well, as Michelle rightly says, there’s a difference between posting a review and spreading her opinion all over other peoples’ blogs. She must be aware that Julie has seen and heard what she has to say, and then she shows up at Julie’s blog? Yikes. Looking for trouble, and while she’s here, might as well get some free stuff out of Julie, because she’s entitled.
July 7th, 2009 at 2:44 pm
In that case? Yes, tacky. And I think Julie would do well to ignore the comments and just not let Melinda win. As Shannon Stacey said, if random.org lands on Melinda’s name, random.org should pick again.
July 7th, 2009 at 2:47 pm
Yes, but if that is the point then there is a chance Melinda might like those other authors. Of course, if you know the author, perhaps explain the situation of Melinda wins and ask if they are okay with the possibility that it will happen to them too?
I agree that by simply “not letting Melinda win” you risk the cries of “set up!” and “bias” that Melinda’s disposition has already shown is likely.
July 7th, 2009 at 2:48 pm
This is a tough call.
It could be that Melinda really hated this book, but might love the next one. Although I think personally that if she didn’t like it then she should just say so once and be done. The fact that she’s all over stirring poo means she’s got more going on with it or the author.
Using the randomizer is a good excuse to not give her the book if she won because who knows really what the truth is.
On the other hand, if she felt that Julie Q was dissing her on purpose, she will have no qualms about spreading her anger all over the place and really getting nasty.
I’ve given a few bad reviews and had authors be very gracious with me. Because of that I went out and bought more of their books even though I felt that their writing style and I didn’t mix well. But I wanted to honor them being nice to me even with me saying something negative. I respect that.
I hated those second books as well but I kept my mouth shut about it out of respect to the author. Why keep bashing when it’s clear we’re on a different wave length. So I think an author acting nice even when being dumped on, can work in their favor.
If it were me and I was the author that happened to, I’d bitch about Melinda to friends privately, but I would be fair and equal in the contest and if she won, I’d send her the book. But I’d only do that once. If she kept entering and won again, I’d redo the randomizer. That’s me though.
July 7th, 2009 at 2:52 pm
I think in the end Julie has to do what she can live with. If she has no problems with Melinda never winning (and the cries of inequality that will come) then fine. No problem at all.
But if Julie doesn’t want to be subjected to these online games then it doesn’t matter much who wins. Use a randomizer and id Melinda wins, she wins and that’s what’s fair.
July 7th, 2009 at 2:57 pm
I was thinking about that too, Michele. With Stacey & Megan’s strategy, only Julie would ever know if the number came up.
July 7th, 2009 at 2:59 pm
I say ignore Melinda and agree with Shannon Stacey about the random.org pickings. That’s just bad manners on Melinda’s part. She obliviously wasn’t reared with a good set of values.
I think some people forget their manners when they get online since the online world seems anonymous to a certain extent. It’s really a shame this even happens.
July 7th, 2009 at 2:59 pm
I so see your point, Rob. I mean, if there are a 100 people who really want a book and they’re big fans, it’s a tough call.
July 7th, 2009 at 3:03 pm
Yeah, as odious as letting Melinda win is, fair is fair. Adjusting the rules to accommodate a personal bias is really no better than just handing out the prize to the person of your choice in the first place. It defeats the whole purpose of holding a random contest in the first place. Melinda is obviously a sad person. Let winning something bring some sorely needed light and good karma into her wretched life.
July 7th, 2009 at 3:05 pm
The internet may seem to be a big place, but in a community such as review blogs who review certain genres, it is very, very small. Melinda needs to be cautious because others will catch on and it will snowball because people do like drama and will send out the word through twitter, email, their personal blogs, etc…
July 7th, 2009 at 3:15 pm
If Melinda not only hated Julie’s book but is being aggressive about spreading her opinion to a bunch of different sites, and is yet hanging out on Julie’s blog because Julie hands out lots of free swag, then yeah, Melinda is being at the very least disingenuous.
But as long as Melinda is not being disruptive on Julie’s own blog, sure, fair’s fair; if she comes up in a random draw, let her have the swag.
Though if I were Julie, I’d be thinking about how to do certain contests in such a way as to encourage more active, positive participation in order to secure a place on the random draw. ;) Such as, oh, I dunno… not only just dropping a comment on the contest post, but committing an act of creativity suitably in theme with whatever’s being handed out. Or something like that!
July 7th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
I gotta agree w/Shannon!!! WORD
July 7th, 2009 at 3:18 pm
That’s true. Many contests have ways to get more than one entry, so the person who works the hardest will have their name in the hat most often, and therefore the greatest chances to win. Exerting effort to win wouldn’t fit with Melinda’s past behavior.
July 7th, 2009 at 3:19 pm
Ann, I know your question is whether or not Melinda’s actions are tacky, but I’m curious about what kind of comments she’s leaving around blogland.
I know I often comment on reviews for books I disliked, sometimes offering a dissenting opinion, sometimes agreeing with what was said. Honestly? sometimes it’s frustrating to realize you’re the only person who disliked a book. More often than not I don’t say anything at all, but other times I just can’t hold my tongue.
So..was it like that. Or was Melinda running around talking trash about the book when it had nothing to do with anything?
July 7th, 2009 at 3:20 pm
I would tell Julie to not enter Melinda in any other contests in future. Never.Ever.
Not only is it rude and tacky, but shows that Melinda has extremely bad manners. If Melinda has been bitching about the author in blogland and then wants to win some freebies, where the author is putting her own money into her own pocket…pffft. I would tell Melinda to go take a hike.
Saying that, perhaps posting this on a blog will have made her squirm and she won’t enter any more contests. Generally speaking of course. I hope.
July 7th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
“Wow tacky” kind of sums up my response too.
July 7th, 2009 at 3:33 pm
Ooh, Lou has a point here. If Julie is putting out her own money to acquire and/or send the contest swag, and Melinda is aiming for it despite having aggressively spoken against Julie’s work elsewhere… yeah, that’s just tacky.
‘Cause seriously, Julie should not have to put out her own money to send free stuff to a person who hates her work. I modify my earlier comment; fair’s fair up to a point, here. It’s not fair for Julie to be sending stuff to an aggressive anti-fan. Julie should definitely bump up the number of ‘more active positive participation = better chance to win’ types of contests.
But Julie shouldn’t engage with Melinda directly. That’s just asking for trouble.
July 7th, 2009 at 3:44 pm
Yes, Julie buys all swag, books and prizes.
July 7th, 2009 at 3:44 pm
I agree with everyone who counsels against acknowledging this behavior.
July 7th, 2009 at 3:46 pm
I can’t be more specific because I suspect that might allow some Google warrior to unearth some of the instances. Julie doesn’t want anyone vilified; she just wanted an opinion.
July 7th, 2009 at 3:46 pm
Meh. You know what? I don’t *owe* anyone anything but the best book I can write. It’s neither fair or unfair that I’d not choose a name of someone who has slagged me off online. I run a boatload of contests and I’m not giving prizes to people who’ve made their intense dislike of me known in public.
I’ve given books to people who’ve not loved other books when they won them in contests. It’s not the bad review or the “hey this book felt rushed” or whatever. That comes with the territory and many times readers will not like one book but love another. It’s all personal taste. But there are those people who will spend their days hitting the web talking smack about people and thinking no one will be the wiser. This is a small community and things are rarely not forwarded on to people.
In the end, though I take the high road because I think it’s not worth it to engage -I have absolutely no problem at all saying that entrants in a contest who have talked shiz about me (way more than a bad review, which I have no real issues with) won’t win. I’ve never had to re-draw (knock wood) for a contest win in this situation, but I would and I wouldn’t find it unfair
July 7th, 2009 at 4:02 pm
I figure its Julie’s blog and Julie’s contests, she can give the prizes to whoever she wants. If she ignores Melinda, that’s totally her right to do so. Just like it’s Melinda’s right to her opinions about Julie’s book.
Now, if Melinda was out there talking smack about Julie, well, then its on, and I’d have Julie giving Melinda a smack down.
But then again, this is the publishing industry, Julie’s career, and livelihood, it ain’t high school, so Julie can do whatever she frakking well pleases since its her career.
I’m not sure where this walking on eggshells where the Melinda’s are concerned comes from…but damn, the Julies out there need to take the control back.
July 7th, 2009 at 4:06 pm
Lauren is pretty much me here. Going around talking BS and then showing up for swag that’s not Julie Q Author’s books screams of the whole entitlement BS, plus gives the added impression that Melinda thinks Julie is TSTL.
Which is an error of grave proportions– internet’s a fairly small place and word gets around.
July 7th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
I think it’s tacky of her to even enter to win something from someone she has talked so much trash about even if the prize book is written by another author. So no I wouldn’t let her win and I wouldn’t feel bad about it.
July 7th, 2009 at 4:30 pm
What Shannon said. Readers are entitled to their opinions and can post anywhere. Authors are entitled to give an invisible finger to any reader who has gone on a crusade about how much she’s hated the author’s books and then tries to win a free one (which really isn’t free, once the postage costs are figured in).
Would I disqualify someone for writing a negative review (even a really negative one)? Of course not. Nope, never. But the kind of crusade you seem to be talking about? I really don’t know that I’d want to pay to ship more ammunition, especially if there’s every indication that they are determined to hate anything I write.
July 7th, 2009 at 4:34 pm
It’s a bit knottier than that. Melinda doesn’t try to win Julie’s books.
It would be as if this person went off on your work, Meljean, but when you gave out copies of Nalini Singh’s books, she’s all over your blog without regard to anything she’s said about your work.
July 7th, 2009 at 4:43 pm
Ah, yes, I just read through the other comments.
Hmm, I’m honestly not sure then. The very human part of me says, ‘Flip that invisi-finger.’ The other part of me (alien?) says, ‘I just want to get my friend’s books into someone’s hands, preferably someone who’d enjoy them.’ If she qualified for that, I’d probably just grit my teeth and bear it.
July 7th, 2009 at 4:53 pm
Yeah, I’m right there with you. And to be honest? This is the reason I often remark on my contests that I will not be using random drawings. People who are tacky or classless aren’t going to win my contests. I don’t care if it’s fair, if someone wants to have an issue with how I chose to buy stuff and give it away for free, they can not enter to win that stuff.
I’m sorry, but I get so annoyed by people who complain that something isn’t fair. Unless you paid money or in some way had to invest more than the time it takes to leave a blog comment going “me give me free stuff” then I’m not sure what you think you’re owed.
July 7th, 2009 at 4:54 pm
You know that’s a good way to look at it. Maybe it doesn’t matter what Melinda said about Julie if she likes Sally’s books, which are the ones being given away. It is to be assumed she does, or she wouldn’t in the contest.
On the other hand, to play devil’s advocate, it’s possible Melinda doesn’t like Sally’s work either, so she’ll have another author to run around and complain about.
July 7th, 2009 at 4:57 pm
I just want to see how skinny these comments will get with a lot of replies.
July 7th, 2009 at 5:02 pm
Dude, this post is challenging my template like never before.
July 7th, 2009 at 5:03 pm
Ooh yeah, already seeing problems in Firefox. ;) (Hi, I’m a software tester! Does it show?)
July 7th, 2009 at 5:06 pm
If a reader posted a negative review of my book and mentioned on Twitter or whatever she didn’t care for it, I’d still let her win one of mine OR somebody else’s I was giving away. But if she was on some kind of personal smear campaign, she wouldn’t win ANYthing from me, forever and ever, amen and pass the gravy.
July 7th, 2009 at 5:07 pm
That’ll teach you to have threaded comments.
July 7th, 2009 at 5:10 pm
I have totally learned my lesson. *runs off to disable them*
July 7th, 2009 at 5:16 pm
I had it enabled up to 10 levels. I dropped it down to 3, so people can still reply, but it won’t totally screw with my template.
July 7th, 2009 at 5:20 pm
A win is a win. You can’t rig a contest without weakening your own ethical core.
Julie doesn’t need to let Melinda’s feculent attitude stink up her own inner space.
July 7th, 2009 at 5:24 pm
I have to respectfully disagree. My ethical core doesn’t allow me to give gifts to people who maliciously trash me on the Internet.
July 7th, 2009 at 5:43 pm
Honestly the whole thing reads as some doesn’t like a book and keeps telling everyone about it. Should I let her win books from my blog and the bitch hates me and doesn’t even bother to enter my own contests. How dare she!?!?!
Don’t you agree.
You are here…
rinse and repeat
Really it is one of those no win types of deals. What is the blog owner going to do? Google every contest entry and make sure they have never said a bad thing about them? Given her a bad review? Post a note don’t enter unless you are going to only kiss my ass and be nice to me.
The socking and entering under different names is one thing. But the posting on different blogs and ‘being out to get the author’ is a vague thing. People see things in the shadows that aren’t there and it is possible to dislike a book just because they dislike the book. And to repeatedly say so just because they dislike the book not because they are out to RUIN THE AUTHOR ::sounds of gloom and doom::.
At the end of the day it is up to the blog owner how to run their blog and spend their money.
July 7th, 2009 at 5:43 pm
I’m not sure I agree with Amber regarding the definition of “rig”. In my view, rigging a contest is telling your BFF, “Ok, you enter my contest a bunch of times under a bunch of names. I’ll pick one of them and make sure you get the new Sony Reader!’
Opting not to allow someone’s entry for whatever reason is a bit different, I think. I mean, if I post rules on a contest and people ignore them, I don’t feel like I have to post specifically “YOU HAVE BEEN DISQUALIFIED”; they just aren’t going to win.
July 7th, 2009 at 6:21 pm
Julie uses her money to buy the prizes, therefore, it’s Julie’s decision how she runs her contest. Melinda won’t win the first damn thing from me.
And I have to say, as a reader, I don’t visit the blogs of authors’ when I don’t like their books. Not worth my time. Then again, I don’t run around trashing books on the net either…
July 7th, 2009 at 6:26 pm
If you dislike one book by an author how can you say you would dislike every book she/he wrote? At the same time can you say you would like them all if you liked one?
Will you stop coming to Ann’s blog when she writes a book you don’t like?
And how does one “trash books” on the net?
July 7th, 2009 at 6:38 pm
This seems to be working better.
July 7th, 2009 at 6:45 pm
Sticky situation. I guess a win is a win but maybe there could be a no multiple win rule just for her. It’s so annoying. Loved reading though.
July 7th, 2009 at 7:06 pm
I’m with Shannon. My blog is like an open house I’m holding. Anyone is free to come visit me, but if they’re a jerk, I’m free to toss them out on their ear.
I feel no ethical compunction with disqualifying entries based on the decision of my personal panel of judges (i.e. me.) I’m not some state Gaming Commission. I don’t need to post seventeen pages of fine print to giveaway a mass market paperback romance novel on my blog.
I often get five or ten entries from “different people” — it’s especially amusing when I look back at my address list and see I’ve sent several people prizes at the same apartment address. How curious. That person’s IP address got the double secret probation henceforth. Another time (and this wasn’t the person’s fault) they happened to be an extremely lucky contest winner. After several straight wins, random.org went in for a second round and gave someone else a chance for once. This is supposed to be FUN, people. Like a party game, not like a hot streak at Vegas.
Am I going to make a big deal out of this? No. Like I said, I’m not a casino.
And yeah, if someone is a jerk, they don’t get to play. My blog, my game, my rules.
July 7th, 2009 at 7:07 pm
I’d send them pink cheese.
July 7th, 2009 at 7:08 pm
Let me put this in the right spot for maximum impact…
I’d send Melinda pink cheese.
July 7th, 2009 at 7:10 pm
Honestly, I don’t care if she likes the other person’s work. Part of the reason you give away books on your blog is so that the other people — who don’t win — will hear about the book and maybe go buy it themselves. Melinda can be one of those. Julie’s money should go to people Julie wants it to.
And the argument that she should go ahead and google all the people who win something of hers is preposterous. this is a known instance of annoyance, not a universal mandate. It would really chafe my hide to make out that address and go down to the post office and all the time I’d be gritting my teeth about the winner’s past behavior. DQ, I say, and have a nice day.
July 7th, 2009 at 7:41 pm
I think there’s a pretty broad spectrum between kissing my ass and a crusade to sink my book, though.
For example, ShannonC really didn’t like Becoming Miss Becky and wrote a pretty thorough review for TGTBTU detailing why. And I’m sure if BMB were being talked about on Twitter or AAR or whereever, she’d say she didn’t like it and why. And, while I’m sorry she didn’t like it, that’s the way the cookie crumbles. She’s more than welcome to visit my blog or enter my contests and if random.org pulled her number, I’d happily send her the book I was giving away, whether it’s mine or a friend’s.
Maybe I read more into it, but I took Ann’s hypothetical situation to mean that to Melinda, it’s less about discussing a book she didn’t like with other readers and more about some kind of vendetta in which she’s going out of her way to spread her hatred for the book, maybe even in places it’s not relevant.
I didn’t take it as though Melinda had simply shared a negative review or comment about the book, but that she’d crossed the line to Julie-hater.
July 7th, 2009 at 7:45 pm
Shannon is correct.
For example:
Blog owner Suzie posts about how she is meeting Julie Q for drinks at RWA, along with some sightseeing she wants to do while she’s there. Melinda stops by to say, “Cool, I’ve never been to RWA. But I really hated DARK KNIGHT’S REVENGE by Julie Q! I can’t believe that thing sold, damn.” And meanders off into tangent. Melinda visits a number of blogs where people are talking about Julie Q that day, and it’s pretty clear she’s got a Google alert or something.
July 7th, 2009 at 8:34 pm
I can see that and that is a great example of my pt. Shannon C is hardly a ‘hater’ or would that review be a bash but I can see an author getting all het up about it.
In fact I have had an author get pissy over a B review she has done. Authors hardly ever shock me anymore, no offense ;).
And I am not one to say readers can do no wrong. I don’t think ok, you ‘work’ for me, or I can do or say whatev I want without thought. Do I say whatev I want – pretty much. But not in a readers can do whatever they want and authors just have to shut up and take it sort of way. I figure if I fuck up and get called on it – ok – I have to listen and decide if I fucked up. I don’t get a free pass just because I am a ‘reader’.
Saying that “crossed the line to Julie-hater” is what makes me pause because that is sooooooo subjective. Can I see that happening? YES because there are some fucking crazy ass people out there with too much time on their hands.
Default if reader crosses line don’t let them win is full of fail because many authors will take advantage of that but really really really the ones that will – already are and aren’t saying jack about it.
The whole, remember what you say, comes back to us dum, dee, dum thing is just jackassy. If you don’t want to give shit away don’t have contests. Of course I can’t remember the last time I entered one so I am sure there are many people who wouldn’t agree with that and many readers that are more than happy to shut up smile to win for free shit. ::shrug::
July 7th, 2009 at 8:42 pm
good lord I can’t work a simple reply box
bah that first comment went to shannon
oops
“But I really hated DARK KNIGHT’S REVENGE by Julie Q”
that is going to do what… like really? as a reader that wouldn’t make me not buy julie q and would make me think something was up between the two of them and that she hadn’t left highschool
If that sort of crap is honestly bothering her, tell her to block the chicks IP. The fact that the reader was cheating on the blog contests and she is focusing on this rather than just using that to get rid of her still makes me think this is just an excuse to talk about the mean reader.
July 7th, 2009 at 8:44 pm
Saying that “crossed the line to Julie-hater” is what makes me pause because that is sooooooo subjective.
That’s true. Clearly my line is in a different place than an author who’ll go postal over a B review. I guess to me there would be a deliberate stalking-ness to the negativity before I would think it crossed the line.
If the contest-holding author did feel the reader had crossed the line and DQ’d her from the contest, she should never, ever admit it in public, though.
July 8th, 2009 at 12:25 am
Now, that is just not cool. To trash the book, crusade about it and then come back and want to be in contests, no way.
On the other hand what right has the auhtor to say no…well this time. It would be another thing if the had disliked the book, and just said that. And not taken it everywhere else. Since we all like different books
July 8th, 2009 at 3:54 am
Hey, Ann.
You’re right…a can of worms indeed!
I agree with the person who said “obsessed” if they’re going around to other blogs & spreading hate for an author.
To then try & win a contest & have that author pay for the book, s&h, etc…truly tacky, greedy, & vile. I say shut them out.
But hey, that’s just me.
July 9th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
Better late than never, the say…
I think that a blog owner–author, reader, cook, or dog breeder–has every right to disqualify entrants to any giveaway s/he’s holding, and no need whatsoever to explain, neither whether she does so, nor why.
With that out of the way…yes, I believe that in the situation as explained, Melinda’s behaviour is quite tacky, what with the preaching about her dislike of Julie Q’s work and yet entering Julie Q’s giveaways for other authors’s work.
July 10th, 2009 at 10:37 am
Fair is fair and all that and if humans were robots with no emotions, then sure, let this Melinda win. However, at the end of the day it is Julie’s blog, Julie’s generosity, Julie’s desire to connect with her *fans* that pushes her to do these contests and share her thoughts and feelings.
No one is entitled to anything; fair or otherwise. You get what you get; and if Melinda wants to badmouth or otherwise act uncouth, then she shouldn’t be rewarded because that right there? That isn’t fair to anyone else. That’s saying “yeah, you can totally be a jerk and I’ll let this randomizer pick whoever and if you are that whoever, then you win.” How is that the morally right and safe route to go? That decision isn’t automatically the morally superior or the “bigger” man route simply because there’s a semblance of fair.
Parts of the internet is a cesspool for a reason; and that reason is generally because people don’t censure others or themselves. Sometimes public shamings get it right and sometimes not, but the internet rarely allows for it.
But I suppose Julie should define why she’s giving away free books. If it’s to expose people to new things and otherwise advertise another author in hopes that that author will get more viewership, then Julie can do that just as well by not letting Melinda win. If she’s doing this to reward her fans and to connect with them, then she again she doesn’t have to let Melinda win.