Comments on: Should writers review?

By: elena

elena — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 13:02:18 +0000

Hi Bridget!

Thanks for dropping by! It was great to meet you today as well! Heading over to your blog now to have a looksee ^_^

By: Bridget

Bridget — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 11:37:47 +0000

Hola Elena,
It was great to meet you today (if only briefly)! And it’s great to see your snazzy work here!
From that little cover of The Great Gatsby, I must tell you that that classic was such a thrill to read, I couldn’t put it down… I only discovered it this year.
Actually, I wrote about it on my blog some time back.. thought you might like a lookie: http://thisisbridgetonsafari.blogspot.com/2009/06/jay-gatz-holly-golightly-and-elliot.html
xx Bridget.

By: elena

elena — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 04:14:39 +0000

@Phill: Don’t worry I wasn’t offended or anything, and I understand the point you were making. I feel like gig reviews are pointless, which is why I stopped writing them. ^_^

By: phill

phill — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 03:05:00 +0000

Oh no, I didn’t mean to say that your reviews are pointless! I very much enjoy reading them. Looking at my comment it kind of comes out a bit harsh/unfounded. There’s value to writing reviews no matter who reads them, and where they are posted. I think I was just a bit grumpy yesterday. My apologies! (:

By: elena

elena — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:27:30 +0000

@Phill: I hope my reviews aren’t pointless! I write them because I love thinking and writing about books. And I like to think I offer something unique in my reviews, but perhaps you disagree, in which case I would recommend that you don’t read any of my other posts :)

I’m hoping/expecting that Lolita will blow my mind. Thanks for your comment ^_^

By: elena

elena — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:23:01 +0000

@Lea: hahahaha yes, many trees have gone to waste over abominable books. I’ve been accused of being a snob for not liking Dan Brown but I turn my nose up at those people. ;)

By: elena

elena — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:21:56 +0000

@J.T.: Awwww thanks!

I’m glad you think so. Writing workshops are fun! (provided they aren’t soul-crushing). You make a good point about knowing what good writing is. And I guess we need to remember that writers do what they do for their readers as well as themselves.

By: phill

phill — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 06:58:56 +0000

I don’t know about reviewing the book in a definite form such as a blog post, but reviewing the book in their own head space is something that writers should do, definitely. Unless you get paid for it, or you really, really want your opinion out there on the interwoobles then writing reviews seems slightly pointless given the overwhelming tide of such reviews that exist around the place. But thinking critically of books is always a useful thing to do, and if a review is the way that that comes out then all the better. (:

Of your purchases I’ve read Gaiman’s latest (which I didn’t think was his greatest, but it was a fun read), and Lolita (which will blow your mind in the ways it uses the English language and sound). Happy reading!

By: Lea

Lea — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 01:59:43 +0000

Yes definitely! Writers know how hard it is to create something good, so can appreciate when a really great piece of writing is produced, as well as send up a collective groan for truly crap pulp fiction (ahem Twilight and Da Vinci Code – oh for the trees lost in your name).

PS – don’t look a gift gutter book in the mouth – maybe it was a book crossing??

By: J.T. Oldfield

J.T. Oldfield — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:35:33 +0000

Elena! I’ve missed you!

Actually, I think that writers make the best critics, at least when it comes to critiquing things like writing (I’m forever editing books in my head as I read). I think that having been through so many writing workshops, I know what good writing is–even if I’m not always able to produce it myself.