Reviewing with River

Ethical responsibility? Nah . . . Not by a long stretch, in my opinion.

Just like there are many kinds of writers -- both good AND bad -- it stands to reason that there will be different kinds of reviewers as well. Just like great writers and great writing, quality reviewers and quality reviews are few and far in between. That's not to say that we shouldn't strive for excellence -- personally, I think we should. However, that would be more of a personal choice than an ethical responsibility. Yes, believe or not, you have a right to suck!

"A completely negative review can do great damage to an author."

To be fair, what is a "negative review"? Different personalities, expectations, and experiences cause different people to respond to the same style of review, well, differently. I LOVE honest-to-a-fault, nitpicking reviews -- how else am I going to grow as a writer? But another writer could very well be "devastated" by it. In the same vein, I pretty much dismiss the contents of "fluffy, feel-good" reviews. But do I appreciate the reviewer for taking the time to read and comment? Absolutely!! You'll be sure to get a sincere Thank You with GPs from me, no matter what kind of reviewer you happen to be.

I think most decent folk understand that rude or nasty behaviour is part of bad character, NOT review personality. Bashing and reviewing just aren't the same thing. That being said, pandering and reviewing aren't the same thing either! I don't believe that reviews are meant to be encouraging per se. It is a critique after all! If you're hoping to be "encouraged" by the reviews you receive, may I suggest that you could be looking in the wrong place? Friends and family are a much better source of love and encouragement, in my experience.

ALL reviews have something positive to offer (although some reviewers are surely better at their craft than others), so, to me, there is no such thing as a "completely negative" review. Not everyone has the literary ability (or in my case, the sophistication) to clearly articulate the strengths and weaknesses of somebody else's writing, much less offer expert advice on how to improve it! However, we are all able to point out "stuff we like" and "stuff that kinda doesn't make sense but perhaps that's just me".

So, in my book, a "responsible" reviewer is one who is sincere and tries their best to be helpful. If the recipient is unappreciative or has different expectations, it's on them, not the reviewer.


Thanks for tuning in, folks!