MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Rude author blasts commentor who complains about typos

anamardoll · 09-13-2011, 06:09 PM

I will add that good authors can use bad spelling and bad grammar judiciously to make a stylistic point. See also the "spiraling into madness" chapters in Faulkner's "The Sound and the Fury".

And I will ALSO say, as an Amazon reviewer, that I don't award demerits for errors unless they're just truly distracting. I mean, hey, errors happen. If I can figure out what the author meant, I don't worry about it.

BUT. If you're an author, you don't argue with a reviewer. That's just common sense. Even if the reviewer is wrong, you just ignore it or -- if appropriate -- you say "thank you so much for your review. I will keep your points in mind as I move forward on my next book and I hope it will be more enjoyable for you" or something similar.

Authors who do that, get MORE reviews because it's classy and the reviewer realizes they aren't going to be stalked for eternity if they give anything less than 5-star glowing praise. And I suspect they get more readers because, hey, classy and anybody can make mistakes and maybe the next one is better.

09-13-2011, 06:09 PM	#35
anamardoll Chasing Butterflies Posts: 3,132 Karma: 5074169 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: American Southwest Device: Uses batteries.	I will add that good authors can use bad spelling and bad grammar judiciously to make a stylistic point. See also the "spiraling into madness" chapters in Faulkner's "The Sound and the Fury". And I will ALSO say, as an Amazon reviewer, that I don't award demerits for errors unless they're just truly distracting. I mean, hey, errors happen. If I can figure out what the author meant, I don't worry about it. BUT. If you're an author, you don't argue with a reviewer. That's just common sense. Even if the reviewer is wrong, you just ignore it or -- if appropriate -- you say "thank you so much for your review. I will keep your points in mind as I move forward on my next book and I hope it will be more enjoyable for you" or something similar. Authors who do that, get MORE reviews because it's classy and the reviewer realizes they aren't going to be stalked for eternity if they give anything less than 5-star glowing praise. And I suspect they get more readers because, hey, classy and anybody can make mistakes and maybe the next one is better.