IWSG: When Mean People Have Too Much Time on Their Hands
I've made it a practice to give drama queens a wide berth, but sometimes they hunt me down anyway. For example, I've recently discovered that on Goodreads, my book has been placed on reader shelves titled things like: "Authors behaving badly" "Authors I don't trust" "refuse to read" "I don't think so" "no way in hell" "Cheap ploys to make a buck" "not if I were dying" "this is not a real book." And can anyone tell me what "unethical slore" means??
I appreciate the free publicity, but it's weird, isn't it? Especially considering that I'm not even sure what it is I've done to earn a spot on those lists. I've heard about an angry hoard of Twilight fanfiction readers who apparently think Stephenie Meyer invented the world and therefore anyone who's ever written a fanfiction of her work has no right to ever publish anything, so I'm gonna guess that's my crime. Yes, I write fanfiction. Yes, at one point I even slapped Twilight names onto Three Daves and threw it online for reader feedback. But no matter how I turn my head around the issue, I just don't see how something like that could provoke such ire. I can only conclude that some people just want to be angry about something, no matter how illogical.
And so it is for us writers---if we want to put our work out there in the world, we're going to have to deal with the crazies on occasion. But don't let those mean-spirited jabs get you down, just do what you know is right and be grateful that you get to be you while they have to be angry, mean, nasty them.
On the positive side of Goodreads, Three Daves has made it onto the
College Romance list! Feel free to throw me a vote & move it up the list. :)
Visit Alex J. Cavanaugh's place to see what more Insecure Writers have to say.
Comments
I didn't realize bookshelves like that existed on Goodreads. Yikes. Great advice though. Those people are probably nasty in their personal and professional lives to. How needs them?
I don't know fanfiction - but I will, when I have read your book. (I even haven't watched Twilight :-)
That said: nasty people are - nasty. They try to drop vinegar into your wine - don't let them do it (easier said than done, I know). Jealousy - that is their problem.
My best English friend Barefoot Doctor says: On the level of their development they are trying to give the best they can. Haha: sometimes that level isn't very high :-) Forgive them, then you can get rid of them in your mind... And remember: YOU have written a book that was published (congratulations!) - they didn't.
Have much to say in response to this post and my time is just running out -- plus I have a kid I'm trying to convince to go to summer camp against her will because of, yep, you guessed it, a bully!
Anyway, I'm totally rambling but I'll be back with more time.
XXXXXX
Love,
Janie
As for the nasties, consider the source and move on. They aren't worth your time. I'm so sick and tired of that mean spirit out there where people are jumped on for the slightest little thing the collective 'they' don't like. I also think Goodreads needs to deal with obvious bullying in an up-front manner. Hiding behind freedoms doesn't cut it.
Sheesh, what else can I add but that when a person acts like a dick, it's a reflection of them, not on you. Sorry, but that's the frankest way I could put it!
I'm glad you posted this so you could get some votes, sweet cakes. Keep the faith! Now, off to watch you playing an Italian. ;)
All right, so can I just say that the portion in which you talk about making things accessible to the reader and editing from a reader's point of view -- having that be a focus of both your writing and revising process -- is something that has left an impact on me.
There are a lot of very cool bits of architecture on Galveston Island -- I can see where that would inspire. And hey, your interviewer is talking with her hands just as much as you. ;)
Great vid. Suze likes.
ha ha ha, i crack myself up!
http://www.emmacalin.blogspot.co.uk
I wrote an article about my son who has Trisomy 18 for The Daily Beast. It was from the heart. You would not believe the hateful comments that arose from that piece. Had to ignore them all, chalk it up to what you said: there are people who just have an innate need to be angry at someone.
I actually feel sorry for them. Their lives must be quite miserable.
On the flip side, congrats on making the College Romance list. Awesome!!
Consider a vote thrown your way! :)