A review or an opinion?
From time to time my inbox is graced with an email from an artist I've reviewed on Amazon. This has happened a number of times over the years, is always kind of cool, and with the exception of one artist, has only ever come behind a negative review. The artists have run the gamut, from indie to has-been to household name. It's a fascinating thing, and totally not why I write those, and I always appreciate when an artist takes the time to make a connection and have a dilaogue. None of them have ever been "%^#%@^!", and I've even had one turn into an ongoing holler session.
The one from today started off odd from the title of the email, and I guess that's the only thing I really want to point out. It said:
"A review or opinion?"
I couldn't tell who the artist was from their email address, but I knew it had to be one. This statement has the philisophical sheen of someone who thinks everyone is entitled to an opinion (which I agree with) but that a review should serve some purpose other than to express an opinion (which I do not agree with 99% of the time).
A review IS an opinion. It's why, depending on the source, you should take them with a grain of salt. For every person whose opinion of you is great, there is someone else whose opinion of you is that you eat babies. One of them is right and you know what? So is the other one. It's all about what they like. There is no such thing as an objective review.
I'll write them back, sure, and it'll be a good conversation, I think. But believe me: this is the first thing I'll be pointing out to them. If they only want good reviews, don't sell your stuff on Amazon.
The one from today started off odd from the title of the email, and I guess that's the only thing I really want to point out. It said:
"A review or opinion?"
I couldn't tell who the artist was from their email address, but I knew it had to be one. This statement has the philisophical sheen of someone who thinks everyone is entitled to an opinion (which I agree with) but that a review should serve some purpose other than to express an opinion (which I do not agree with 99% of the time).
A review IS an opinion. It's why, depending on the source, you should take them with a grain of salt. For every person whose opinion of you is great, there is someone else whose opinion of you is that you eat babies. One of them is right and you know what? So is the other one. It's all about what they like. There is no such thing as an objective review.
I'll write them back, sure, and it'll be a good conversation, I think. But believe me: this is the first thing I'll be pointing out to them. If they only want good reviews, don't sell your stuff on Amazon.