13 Responses so far

1. 1. ksgreer on Jan 4th, 2007 at 3:46 am

   Okay, wasn’t expecting to see that link at the bottom of your post!

   Sneaky intarwebs, things travel fast. But it was, possibly, one of the more entertaining few hours I’ve had writing up an entry; though I must admit that comedy is so much easier when it’s based on facts.

   (And: no, it’s not just you thinking that about meltdowners.)

2. 2. trent on Jan 4th, 2007 at 6:43 am

   Undoubtedly, they are used to criticism from regular book critics, but these can be dismissed as prudes. Perhaps bestsellerdom makes you feel beloved by the average joe, shocking you when someone doesn’t. Or if bestsellers already realized that not everyone will like their work, maybe they’re shocked when someone hits their button. After all, while you [Toby] handled yours admirably, average joe reviewers can be insensitive. The bigger the writer, the greater the odds someone will stumble upon your buttons and push.

   Also, maybe it’s weird for certain authors to see the criticism right where new people should come along and maybe choose to pick up your book. Maybe they see it as virtual people perpetually standing by your books in the bookstore warning potential readers away from your stuff.

   Times they are achanging, but it’s the people who are used to the old ways that find trasitioning difficult.

3. 3. Steve Buchheit on Jan 4th, 2007 at 9:50 am

   Oh Lord, it’s hard to be humble,
   when your Laurell K Hamilton’s way.
   I can’t wait to look in the mirror,
   I get more Crichtonish each day…

4. 4. Chris Gerrib on Jan 4th, 2007 at 9:55 am

   I think a large part of it is that the NY Times authors get reported on, while as the small fish get less coverage. In other words, we just hear about the big guys.

5. 5. Tobias Buckell on Jan 4th, 2007 at 11:54 am

   Chris, I imagine that’s true They get all the focus/attention for any small slip up. I’ll be honest and say I understand exactly the frustration and need to defend yourself, it’s surprising more authors don’t succumb. It still is awkward to see a meltdown happen

   Trent, good point. Although, I should blog, that amzn readers tend to come in to reading those reviews with a bias, I read somewhere, towards wanting to see the kind that they agree with. In other words, someone who was curious about buying the book would probably look at all the good reviews to make up their mind Odd, but I read a survey somewhere about this.

6. 6. Tobias Buckell on Jan 4th, 2007 at 11:54 am

   sGreer: it was a very funny blog post, and since I had all these author meltdown links, I wanted to thread them all together somehow

7. 7. spyscribbler on Jan 4th, 2007 at 4:37 pm

   Tobias, I read that survey somewhere, too. I don’t know where, either, but I catch myself doing the same thing, even though I’m now aware of it!

   At first, I couldn’t read LKH’s blog. Then her humanity drew me in, eventually. I don’t know why, because that’s exactly what made me uncomfortable with her blog in the first place!

8. 8. Tobias Buckell on Jan 4th, 2007 at 4:40 pm

   Oh, I read her blog, and I’ve met her. For all that she writes the darker sex-filled stuff, she reminds me of a super-polite and charming mid-west housewife of humble origins in person It was just one unfortunate slip

9. 9. ksgreer on Jan 4th, 2007 at 5:14 pm

   Aww shucks.

   I did give a great deal more (serious) thought to it, though, with a subsequent post on the deeper issues. Granted, I’m not too keen on authors melting down in public (or private), hell, anywhere that it might get in the way of my enjoyment of the story. That’s what I want, that’s what I pay for: the story. Rest is irrelevant, in the end.

   That said, it still intrigues me as to why LKH’s fans are so…vicious, in some ways, and why she’s so defensive. I’m not sure I can entirely blame her, but then, I can’t blame the fans, either; I can see both sides, and I do think as sales escalate, so does the number of critical responses, even if the percentage remains the same.

   A few people complaining about a book in its first printing — let’s say, 2% of the entire # who purchased/read a 5K first printing — is what, 200 people? Book ten, 2% could be 5,000 people reading and complaining. That’s got to have an impact on someone, and make it hard to forget that the overall percentage of happy/unhappy is consistent.

   Then again, are all the unhappy people unhappy for the same reason? And are all the happy, dedicated readers happy and dedicated for a shared reason, as well?

10. 10. Mary Fitz... on Jan 5th, 2007 at 3:37 pm

    I don’t know response #2 seems like it would be really gratifying, even though it’s sort of grade-school level revenge.

    Making the uncultured gnats who don’t love your work child-rapists might be over kill though. What about making them the white-trash neighbors, bubble headed nail-techs, idiot checkout persons or annoying telemarketers who call during dinner?

11. 11. Tobias Buckell on Jan 6th, 2007 at 2:27 pm

    Indeed, Mary there are simpler, easier ways to do this than such an over the top way that makes you look bad

12. 12. Shara on Jan 10th, 2007 at 10:35 am

    This is hysterical!!! But so worth hearing…

13. 13. Tobias Buckell on Jan 10th, 2007 at 1:30 pm

    Thanks Shara.