Hang Up the Fedora: Reviewers and the YA Mafia

[sarahtales]

So a couple days ago Holly Black made a post assuring the world there was no group of writers out to get people, since some bloggers were concerned based on conversations about book bloggers and the effect of bad reviews. I thought it was a very valuable post to make, since I don't want book reviewers to be scared, and I don't think there's any

Comments

[rj_anderson]

This is all true and right and eminently sensible; thank you.

Also, NEURASTHENIC HURRICANE. Hee.

[sarahtales]

I demand more sickly heroes, and I do not know why the industry is not actively working to meet my needs.

[rj_anderson]

Have you read INCARCERON? Because Jared Sapiens is my favorite sickly boyfriend ever, as you probably are already tired of hearing because I cannot shut up about how much I love these books even though many people seem to find them impenetrable and incomprehensible or otherwise not what they were looking for and it makes me SO SAD, oh woe, why is the world so unfair sometimes.

[sarahtales]

Those books are big bestsellers, RJ my darlin', in this case the world is not being unfair. ;) But I haven't read them and did not know the hero was sickly, so your information is interesting to me and I wish to subscribe to your Sickly Heroes newsletter.

[cobecat]

I totally agree with most of this! But I would like to point out that I buy books because of the blurbs all the time. It really is often a determining factor for me, so I think it is one way that authors sometimes do have definitive power. That being said, though, I seriously doubt any blurb is going to make or break a book's success.

[sarahtales]

Yes, blurbs really can't. But also I am glad to hear someone does pay attention to blurbs, since I do pay attention to where I give them, and so do the writers I've discussed blurbs with! Blurbing and reviewing is the only way we can draw attention to books we think are wonderful and important, which obviously as people crazed about books we wish to do! e.g. I blurbed Leah Cypess's Mistborn because seeing a heroine be unemotional and unapologetic about it is so rare and was so appealing to me.

[firynze]

I think blurbs matter, in large part, by exposing another audience to a book. Exposure is CRITICAL. You can have the best book EVAR, and if no one knows about it, it won't be bought or read. And marketing is SUCH a crapshoot, especially on a budget. If a popular author blurbs a book, and says ANYTHING about it to their audience, that book's chances go up.

[sarahtales]

Well, sure, I just think it's a very tiny exposure, since the vast majority of the audience is pretty much unaware of blurbs or has made the decision to ignore 'em.

[sarahtales]

Blurbs: definitely not the selling point of books. From my observation they help very, very little.

I have seen said post, and I admit I'm confused by the response to it or the idea that one writer's way to deal is every writer's way to deal. But also, I don't think anyone's career will be hurt by someone deciding not to blurb them, so that's okay.

I really wish we could. I try my best to do so personally, and often fail, and try try again. What else can one do!

[dolorosa_12]

Thank you for posting about this debate. Yours is one of the first author posts that really takes the time to actually understand some of the reviewers' grievances (especially with regard to issues of feminism in YA literature), which most other authors have ignored in favour of giggling at the notion of a 'YA Mafia'.

I'm lucky in that I'm both a newspaper book-reviewer AND a book blogger, but I have absolutely no intention of becoming an author, so I can be a bit less cautious about what I say in my reviews. However, while I feel that there is a difference between criticism and attack, to tell reviewers to 'be nice' and only write positive reviews impedes our ability to do our job - which is to try and inform potential readers whether or not they'd enjoy a particular book

[sarahtales]

The only thing that will aid an author’s success is that author writing an absolutely fantastic book.

Ah, and if only that was a guarantee. *thinks of books she loves which do not get the attention they have deserved*

I think it's okay people are amused by the idea of a YA mafia, because really, knowing acutely how very, very powerless you are to do anything, hearing a theory like that does seem wild.

But Holly made her post because she saw people were feeling nervous, and absolutely nobody should ever be made to feel intimidated over a review. Which I think is very much worth saying

[dolorosa_12]

Oh, I know that feminism in YA has been discussed before, I just meant in the context of this specific YA Mafia debate. (I've read Justine's posts on it. She used to be one of my favourite bloggers, and I'm really sorry she's unable to post online now.)

The only thing that will aid an author’s success is that author writing an absolutely fantastic book.

Ah, and if only that was a guarantee. *thinks of books she loves which do not get the attention they have deserved*

Of course. There are all kinds of nasty things like luck and hard work and having a good editor and agent and all sorts of other things - as of course you are well aware.

[sarahtales]

Oh, I'm by no means saying the feminism discussion is done: I believe it should always be ongoing!

I too was addressing the issue of feminism in this specific debate, and whether authors should suppress feminist dialogue (MY GOD NO, but I don't think anyone in this discussion wants to) and bloggers should call authors morally bankrupt for writing problematic books (uh, I think it isn't useful).

[elvenjaneite]

You know, I think I've read maybe one book because of the blurb. Because reading is so subjective, there are a lot of books which other people have read and enjoyed--people who generally like the kind of books I do--which I don't. Authors seem particularly prone to this somehow--there's one whose books I adore, and whose recommendations have never worked out well for me. In fact, most of my recs come from bloggers I trust. (However, I have The Changeover on reserve

[sarahtales]

I hope there are not sides! Well, secretly I believe there is Team Booklovers and Team Horrible Illiterates, among which are my gross brothers. And Team Booklovers should all be glad of each others' care for books. I am glad, even for those who have seriously disliked my actual books.

I think subjectivity is why blurbs don't do that much for people. But I think also people have to consider subjectivity when they think 'that writer must have blurbed that book for mysterious cabal-like reasons' rather than just 'that writer must have tastes that differ in some way from mine.'

That said, I am extremely pleased the Changeover has wooed you! I love that book and I hope you will too. (But if you don't... that's tooootally okay.)

And yes, I think authors being friends is awesome. For we can make each others' books better! And that benefits everyone. And I'm glad you've had good experiences.

[elvenjaneite]

Yay Team Booklovers!

But I think also people have to consider subjectivity when they think 'that writer must have blurbed that book for mysterious cabal-like reasons'
Oh, yes, absolutely! My dad is kind of a crazy conspiracy theorist (though I love him) and one of the objections I've always had to that sort of thing is that it's so complicated--there can never be a simple answer to anything.

Well, I've had about three or four people mention that they loved The Changeover--I certainly hope I do too!