tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4356443159993689096.post6005779846327410209..comments2012-09-12T01:20:13.100-06:00Comments on Random Synaptic Transfers: Interesting . . .Jennifer Rahnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06897279635156837324noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4356443159993689096.post-69081410494145083672007-11-04T21:58:00.000-07:002007-11-04T21:58:00.000-07:00Wow. Thank you for the in depth analysis! I was ...Wow. Thank you for the in depth analysis! I was hoping that the reaction to "atypical" and "interesting misfire" would be for a reader to say "just what the heck did she do?" Yeh. That would work for me just fine.Jennifer Rahnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06897279635156837324noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4356443159993689096.post-52670952124006700862007-11-04T10:49:00.000-07:002007-11-04T10:49:00.000-07:00The important part is that the reviewer thought yo...The important part is that the reviewer thought your story was different, “atypical” as he put it.<BR/><BR/>I dug a little into this person’s website. He reads a book PER DAY or faster. Geez, I’m lucky to find time to read one book per YEAR. I’d love to be able to read a book per day, but there’d be issues of “paying” (paying for the books or the fuel to go back and forth to the library, paying utilities and mortgage, paying attention to my family…).<BR/><BR/>I recognize there are different kinds of reviewers out there. It’s impossible to say which kind, if any, is ideal. Professional reviewers often need to generate sales of the publication carrying their review, so being clever in the review is essential and unfortunately it’s easier to be clever in a scathing review than in a glowing review. Semipro reviewers may tend to be less concerned with drawing attention to their reviews, but will they have the resources to peruse every book published yearly? Amateur reviewers should be the most honest, but how qualified are they? And realistically, who’s more likely to pick up a first novel, someone who has a life and reads in their limited pastime, or someone who can devote their life to not only reading everything but reviewing it as well?<BR/><BR/>This guy used to be a pro reviewer and now seems to do it for personal fun. He didn’t loathe your work, and given the volume of reading he does, it’s not unusual he found your book, but it is a compliment of sorts that he found points of interest in it when he reads so many established authors.<BR/><BR/>But you can have fun with this. Here’s how you could pull “quotes” out of his review that could become back cover blurbs on future editions:<BR/><BR/>“…the premise and background are actually rather interesting…” -- Don D’Ammassa<BR/><BR/>“It's a very atypical fantasy…” -- Don D’Ammassa<BR/><BR/>“The narrative portions are… well written…” -- Don D’Ammassa<BR/><BR/>The sad fact is, the majority tends to be silent. More people will read any book and enjoy it if only for the sake of reading, versus the minority that just might hunt you down at a con and spend five minutes of your life telling you everything that is wrong about your prose, your story and you as a human being.<BR/><BR/>Overall, this review says you’re creative and you don’t construct your stories with standard elements. (Heck, <I>I</I> already knew that!) If anything, a review like this might get people looking forward to your <I>next</I> project. And if they’re looking to read something that’s different, they’ll probably be intrigued by your book and pick it up. For those who want to read rehashes of what’s already out there, you’re probably out of luck making a sale to them.<BR/><BR/>The really important thing is to write for yourself. Just watch those vampire adverbs.JDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13266956377717001138noreply@blogger.com