Mar
3
2011
YA Mafia
Author: DiaThis is the funniest/lamest conspiracy theory ever–the idea some bloggers (who are also aspiring authors) have that if they write negative reviews of YA books, successful YA authors (the YA Mafia) will blacklist them and ruin their future careers.
I’d never heard of such a thing until Holly Black posted about it: http://blackholly.livejournal.com/148264.html
I brought this up on the Blueboards, so I’m copying my response there here.
It seems like some people who write negative reviews already feel nervous about doing so, and so when they are called on it, even subtlely, they get defensive and maybe even slightly delusional, ie, YA Mafia.
In Holly’s post, in the comments, the bloggers who are worried about this seem to want to have the freedom to write whatever reviews they want, negative or otherwise, but still be welcomed with open arms by the author/authors’ friends/agents/whoever whose feelings they’ve hurt. That’s what I think is naive.
One, even if you write the most evenhanded negative review in the universe, that doesn’t mean that the author will take it that way. You can’t control how people internalize what you’ve written. I think that as authors, we’re better equipped to handle negativity in the form of reviews because that’s part of the job (not all of us of course; Candace Samms anyone?), but bloggers don’t have to ingest the kind of medicine they dish out and so I think being critiqued or disagreed with is harder for them to handle.
That said, I think bloggers should do exactly as they please with regard to writing reviews. Just as long as they understand that everything they do has consequences. Will it ruin their future careers? Of course not. Will it ruin their future relationships with authors who feel (rightly or wrongly) hurt by their past dealings? Of course.
You can’t have it both ways. No one can.
Tags: I hate blogging
March 4th, 2011 at 9:33 pm
I read through some of the comments and I am baffled as to way a blogger/ soon to be author would even want a blurb by an author’s whose book they didn’t like. That makes no sense. Asking would be beyond rude and just wrong.
March 6th, 2011 at 2:30 pm
I’m starting to think logic doesn’t have anything to do with it. It’s just pure silliness.
March 7th, 2011 at 4:25 pm
I remember discussing this on twitter a while back. I understand the idea that you should be polite, but why lie if you didn’t like a book? Plus, I think a mature reviewer should be able to say, “I didn’t like it because of x and y, but if you’re looking for z then this book is a good choice because…” If you hurt someone’s feelings, they’ll feel better as soon as they remember they make a lot more money than you do. :/
And I firmly uphold my right to dislike Twilight…and blog about it.
March 7th, 2011 at 5:17 pm
“If you hurt someone’s feelings, they’ll feel better as soon as they remember they make a lot more money than you do. :/”
I think that’s exactly why some people are so quick to be rude to authors, because of the mistaken idea that we all ride around in gold limousines and live in palaces made of diamonds or some other BS fantasy. Most writers have day jobs to pay the bills for a reason. The reason being that writing doesn’t pay jack. Only a handful can make a living solely by writing, and that handful just live like regular people. There may be only five authors in the world who can buy their own jets and dine on cavier every night, and I don’t think any of them write YA. At any rate, hurting someone’s feelings because she’s rich is just as horrible as hurting someone for being poor.
As far as reviews, lie, don’t lie–whatever. I don’t read em so I don’t care one way or the other. All I can say is, ignorance is bliss.
March 8th, 2011 at 1:38 pm
Nice post! All I have to say is that, people have opinions, doesn’t mean what they write is a fact. But there is a fine line between baggin on someone’s hard work like a child, and giving your honest thoughts and being respectful. I’ve read some immature reviews and thought nothing of it, I won’t waste my time reading something that basically talks crap about someone’s writing. But if you give an honest opinion, like, “It just wasn’t for me, I didn’t care for it” Fine, that’s their opinion, and everyone has different taste.
I totally feel like I am blabbing and not getting my point across, but I think I sort of did… so there ya go. HAHAHA