What do readers owe authors?

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by Harper Kingsley

I really do wish that people would think of other readers though. If a book is badly written, giving people a heads up is really nice.

My only motivation in commenting on a book is to share with other potential readers my enthusiasm or my disgust. I'm more inclined to comment if I'm in the minority--if there are a lot of glowing reviews and I hated the book, or if there are mostly negative reviews for something I really liked.

[M.T. Miles]

I would have to agree with most of the posts made so far. There is no moral obligation to write a review of a book you have paid for and read.

[forsooth]

"owe" is bad word wrongly used

reader advantage to advertise good author/book
get more books!

[Xanthe]

I don't "owe" an author anything. They are theoretically doing what they love, and I am paying them money for their product. That ends the relationship as far as I'm concerned.

Having said that, though, if an author's work fills some sort of niche in my soul or my imagination and becomes something that I either internalize or turn to as a regular "comfort read", then I will make the effort to bring their work to the attention of others - just because I hope others get the same type of enjoyment from it, and I want to do the author a good turn as a means of thanks.

I will post critical reviews of books I have read if I think that the author basically just phoned in the book, or if it's clear that they are jumping on a hot genre without the capability to create either a coherent universe or interesting characters - especially if they churn out book after book of the same type of tripe without ever evolving. If it's a new author who's still learning the craft, I try to be constructive. If it isn't, I won't mince words.

[QuantumIguana]

If I like an author's work, I'll give reviews, because it is in my interest. Good reviews can help the author sell more books, and if the author can sell more books, then they author can continue to write more books that I like. But I don't "owe" that.

[Pulpmeister]

Not so much "owing" perhaps, but authors--an insecure bunch in my experience--do enjoy appreciative feedback direct from readers.

One of my books is a non-fiction, true-crime book about a serial killer in the Australian outback. It was a very unusual case because detective writer Arthur Upfield, then a beginning author and an itinterant boundary rider, devised a scheme around a campfire to destroy a dead body using only the tools and equipment available on outback stations. This was the centre of his novel The Sands of Windee. However, by the time the novel was published in 1931, one of the men around that campfire had put the scheme in practice in real life. Three men vanished without trace (well, almost without trace). The killer was caught and eventually hanged.

Years after my book was published, I was contacted by a grandchild of one of the victims, who had been a New Zealander. The disappearance of the grandfather had been a deep dark secret in the family, and now at last she knew the full story. All she knew before that was that her mother had been an orphan. I was able to send a good photo of the grandfather--the family had no picture of him. I was also then contacted by descendants of another victim. They, too, had no idea what had happened to him, and were grateful to know at last.

It does make you feel good.

Mind you, getting feedback pointing out conspicuous errors in a non-fiction book can be embarrassing!

[usuallee]

Originally Posted by Pulpmeister

One of my books is a non-fiction, true-crime book about a serial killer in the Australian outback. It was a very unusual case because detective writer Arthur Upfield, then a beginning author and an itinterant boundary rider, devised a scheme around a campfire to destroy a dead body using only the tools and equipment available on outback stations. This was the centre of his novel The Sands of Windee. However, by the time the novel was published in 1931, one of the men around that campfire had put the scheme in practice in real life. Three men vanished without trace (well, almost without trace). The killer was caught and eventually hanged.

Fascinating. What is this book? I'm interested in reading it!

[Pulpmeister]

Usuallee: thanks kindly for your interest!

It's called "Murder on the Rabbit Proof Fence", by Terry Walker. It was published by a specialist publisher in Western Australia, Hesperian Press. It's still in print, as it is scarcely a best seller, and Hesperian do not remainder. www.hesperianpress.com.

Not yet available as an e-book, although I think maybe I should at least begin to prepare one for when the print copies run out.

A number of B+W pics in the text, and a colour cover photo of the rabbit proof fence near the crime scene, which I took when writing the book.

[Geralt]

Usually these days, money.

[BeccaPrice]

Originally Posted by Pulpmeister

Usuallee: thanks kindly for your interest!

It's called "Murder on the Rabbit Proof Fence", by Terry Walker. It was published by a specialist publisher in Western Australia, Hesperian Press. It's still in print, as it is scarcely a best seller, and Hesperian do not remainder. www.hesperianpress.com.

Let us know when it's available in eformat, please!

(I love Arthur Updike)

[BearMountainBooks]

Originally Posted by Pulpmeister

Usuallee: thanks kindly for your interest!

It's called "Murder on the Rabbit Proof Fence", by Terry Walker. It was published by a specialist publisher in Western Australia, Hesperian Press. It's still in print, as it is scarcely a best seller, and Hesperian do not remainder. www.hesperianpress.com.

Not yet available as an e-book, although I think maybe I should at least begin to prepare one for when the print copies run out.

A number of B+W pics in the text, and a colour cover photo of the rabbit proof fence near the crime scene, which I took when writing the book.

Why wait? There's a learning curve (hopefully you have electronic files and won't have to scan). Get theeself in gear!!!

[usuallee]

Originally Posted by Pulpmeister

Usuallee: thanks kindly for your interest!

It's called "Murder on the Rabbit Proof Fence", by Terry Walker. It was published by a specialist publisher in Western Australia, Hesperian Press. It's still in print, as it is scarcely a best seller, and Hesperian do not remainder. www.hesperianpress.com.

Not yet available as an e-book, although I think maybe I should at least begin to prepare one for when the print copies run out.

A number of B+W pics in the text, and a colour cover photo of the rabbit proof fence near the crime scene, which I took when writing the book.

Thanks!

[sargatanas]

I think the use of the word "owe", as many have already stated, is incorrect.

I am a writer, I paint, I draw, I play the drum kit and I occasionally sculpt. Having made this statement, these are all hobbies of mine that I enjoy in varying degrees.

I think that there are some parallels that can be drawn in this particular thread.
When I read, it is a very personal experience. I don't often discuss the books on my shelf unless they have impacted me in such a way that I want to share the effect it had on me with others, and hope they may have a similar experience. It is similar with music and art. I will promote the things that I enjoy and if my introduction of a particular work inspires someone else, then that's fantastic.

I love knowledge and read more non-fiction than fiction. However, I write fiction because I like to tell myself stories. I really enjoy polished artwork, but I do not produce polished artwork because I find it difficult to express myself in that manner. I prefer certain types of music, but do not play music in those genres, again, because I find it hard to express myself in those particular modes.

There is a definite relationship between artists (actors, dancers, writers, visual artists, musicians, etc) and their audience. You get to peek at how this person feels, or thinks, how they view the world to some degree. It's your own personal preference that informs this exhibitionist/voyeur dynamic. It's great to be critical. You have no obligation to watch or listen or read, but if you've done so, and your life has been enriched by doing so, share it. If it made you miserable, share that, too.

[jbcohen]

I know one thing that I would like more of from some of my favorite authors. A little bit more talk of where you are going with the book in the future. Perhaps a one sentence statement of what you are working on. My favorite authors almost never do that.

[BearMountainBooks]

Originally Posted by jbcohen

I know one thing that I would like more of from some of my favorite authors. A little bit more talk of where you are going with the book in the future. Perhaps a one sentence statement of what you are working on. My favorite authors almost never do that.

There can be a lot of reasons for that. Trad authors may not have a continuing contract. They may not KNOW if the next book will be published or written. (I know authors who had the next book written and the publisher decided not to renew/extend the contract.) So making promises and talking about what you're working on is very risky.

Another reason: Sometimes we don't know! I pretty much plan my series as 3 book series--past that, it depends on inspiration and...sales. Some of my books have 3 books planned, but if the first doesn't sell at all well, I'm going to move to a different project.

Another reason: Sometimes we don't know. We honest to God put everything we have into the current work. We live it, breathe it, beat it to death. We edit it so many times, it's memorized. By the time we're done and someone reads the book in four hours and then asks, "So, what's next?" our eyes bug out, hair stands on end and we (barely) muffle a soul-screech that could break windows.

Then there's the whole, "life just got in my way." You can plan and plan and sometimes despite your best efforts, things change.