Take it or leave it

Reality Check into the Boards ...

I consider myself an impartial reviewer. I try very hard to be analytical when I review. Take a step back and view things from a distance without emotion.

When I read, I analyze and I try very hard to attempt to help people improve as friends of mine have helped me in the past. Because this is the way I review, I suppose it can come off as criticizing to some. It is never my intention to come off that way. 

The reason I read and review is to assist. I'm not an expert in style, grammar or any of the so called writing rules. I only know what I know from my experiences and the expertise of the people that I've learned from. 

I don't tell authors, "Hey do this it's the way you must do it." I point out issues I see with a story, I look for plot holes, spelling and grammar, anything that I think may be confusing to readers. I'm not there to fangirl gush, I'm there to review. I'm a beta reader and a reviewer.

So, when an author or their followers come at me after I post a review I take it personal. The situation never should get that way. I understand how personal an author's writing is to them. Trust me, I do. Still, you need to take a step back and take a review with a grain of salt, and look at things rationally. Just because you don't agree with the review it doesn't mean it's all false. 

An author can chose to ignore the advice given, use only part of it or use all of it. It honestly doesn't matter to me. It is up to the author how to move forward and tell their story, not me.

I know an author who walked away from a publishing contract because the editor from the company told him to change his character and how he reacted to the situation in the novel. It was his character and he knew how his character would react to the situations put forth. He wasn't willing to compromise his story just for the sake of a contract. Just because you're given a critique it doesn't mean you must accept it as gospel.

I love reading and I love writing. It has been a part of my life since I was little. All I want to do is share that love. 

Nothing more. 

To all the authors out there. Just keep writing. Write for you. Write because it's what you're meant to do. Take your reviews, look at them from a couple of steps back, use what you can, and discard what doesn't apply to you and your style. Just, don't take it personal and don't make it personal. If your goal is to be a published author then you must remain professional no matter what is said about your work.