Storytellersunplugged

Want to watch your ego soar and fly on wings twice as strong as an eagle’s? Read a glowing review of your latest book. Want to watch said ego go into a tailspin and crash into the ground in a debris-spewing ball of fire? Read a scathing review of your latest book. Or any of your books. New, old, your best work or your least, reviews have the power to alter your way of thinking if you let them get to you.
Reviews cannot make or break your book. They can’t change the words you’ve written and they can’t erase the work that goes into the story. Hell, it’s arguable as to whether or not they even have much of an impact on sales (I tend to think they can and do, but that’s me.)

Reviews come in all shapes and sizes, some of them are light and fluffy and filled with high praise, and some of them are as cold and clinical as the good doctor forced to dissect a corpse that was left in a dark damp place for two weeks. Some of them are passionate and some of them are painfully unprofessional.

Okay, how many people reading this actually read reviews? I can’t see you, but I bet if we were all together in one room and all being honest, a lot of hands would rise about now. Now, how many of you take them seriously?

That answer is a little tougher. It changes, for me, depending on who I am reading. Not the book, but the review. There are certain critics out there who can have a very profound impact on what I buy. Some of them because I respect their opinions and often find myself agreeing with what they have to say and some of them because I know that whatever they didn’t like will probably be right up my alley. That does not, for the record, make the second opinion any less valid. It just means I have different tastes than the reviewer in question. I go to the movies to be entertained for 90-120 minutes. I know a lot of reviewers who go seeking only that one in a thousand movie that can qualify as art in their eyes. That isn’t for me. As I have said about literature I will also say about “art” when it comes to making movies. Art is often a happy coincidence.

Reviews are a tough thing to deal in. On the one hand, they can be easy when you’re dealing with a story that you enjoyed, liked or even loved. But when it comes to the other side of the fence, the one where the story made you want to quit a book (something I personally refuse to do) or even drive a nail through your tongue just to take your mind off the mind-shredding pain, it’s a whole different story. I speak from experience. Once upon a time, I was a reviewer myself.

I know a lot of reviewers. It’s a small field, and we often hang in the same circles at conventions. We talk, and we socialize, and in a lot of cases, we even exchange e-mails or IMs from time to time. That doesn’t make it any easier for the reviewer to review my books (or at least it shouldn’t) and it doesn’t make it any easier for me to handle getting a review (which it most definitely shouldn’t.).

Here’s the thing: as odd as it may sound—and it might only be my experience—writers don’t often have a lot of sources for feedback that can be called truly impartial. Ask a dozen of your family members what they thought of your latest book, and if you’re like me, you might find two that took the time to read it. Of those two, the likelihood of either being brutally honest is slightly less than the success rate for flying over the Grand Canyon merely by flapping your arms. They love you, they want to encourage you. It just doesn’t go the way it should.

Ask your friends, and while the odds are a little better, they still aren’t great. Ask a few other writers and you will probably get better results, but most writers feel obligated to be…diplomatic when the time comes.

Editors will tell you the truth, but they are also often in a position where the answers they give are tainted by their desire to get the best book possible from you. What they give is not the same sort of opinions, but normally—and we’re talking from my experience here, not necessarily as a general rule—there is a little sugar coating in the process. It’s a necessary evil, people. They have to make sure the book gets done on time and they want to make it the best it can be.

And then, friends and neighbors, you have the reviewers.

Reviewers are a different beast entirely. Well, some of them are. The good ones are. The good ones are fair and honest and sometimes brutal. They are a rare and precious breed.

But enough of that, we’re talking about the reviews here, not necessarily the reviewers. I’m going to use myself as an example. Why? Because it seems more fair to point the finger at myself than at anyone else in this little exercise.

We’ll start with the stuff dreams are made of. I’m not going to post entire reviews, just a few snippets to show the basic gist. Why? Because the reviews are available, and I’m far too lazy to write to each and every one of the reviewers in question and ask for permission. Also, it would add a lot of words to this little piece. The reviews, by the way, will mostly be for BLOOD RED, my forthcoming novel, because I’m rather proud of it and because it’s a great way to let you know the book even exists (free advertising and all of that.).

On the upside:
From Christina Morgan, for Horror Fiction Review, # 10
“The neatest thing about Blood Red was that it would have been a terrific story even without the vampires. There’s a small town full of secrets, and loads of fascinating characters with conflicts and problems. From the sleazy drug dealer who pimps out college girls to the cop who lives for the words “Can’t we work something out, Officer?”, from the nice guy next door with diabolical computer skills to the nanny who’s got the hots for the dad of the family, Black Stone Bay is populated with as many racy and exciting subplots as any afternoon soap or primetime drama.
I would have read it avidly if only to find out what happened to all those people … but then the vampires show up and it gets even better! Best of all, these are absolutely wicked vampires.”

Damn. How could I, as an author, NOT love to read words like those about one of my stories?

From Rick Kleffel, for “The Agony Column.”
“James Moore’s ‘Blood Red’ (Earthling Books ; October 2005 ; $40.00) does what all the best vampire novels do; it shitcans the stereotype and digs for blood beneath the skin.”

And

“What he does with the vampire legend will cause some people’s fangs to fall out, but that’s why this book should get past your “I NEVER READ VAMPIRE STORIES” filter.”
Okay, see? That’s just a lovely ego boost. There was a part of me that dreaded the idea of doing a vampire novel. Because, honestly, I haven’t been very dazzled by a vampire novel in a long time.

From Jim Brock, for Baryon Magazine #99
“This book could have been more aptly titled BLOOD DRENCHED. The red stuff flows freely thanks to the machinations of vampire Jason Soulis. A good old drenching is what it takes sometimes to sate the horror fan, but it is the rare author who can combine such a feast and a love story without allowing the gore to overwhelm the woo. James A. Moore is that rare author.”

And

“There is so much to enjoy about BLOOD RED. Moore is powerfully descriptive – as adept as any author at painting an image. Personally, I liken him to Robert McCammon and consider that the highest of praise.”

Yep. I was walking on clouds after that one, folks. McCammon is one of my favorite authors. I think he’s amazing. How could I possibly be offended by a comparison like that?

From Kealan Patrick Burke, Stoker winning author of THE TURTLE BOY and THE HIDES.
“The comparisons to vintage King are justified. Brutal and scary, James A. Moore’s Blood Red has restored my faith, not only in the vampire subgenre, but in horror as a whole. From the beautifully rendered town of Black Stone Bay, to the multifaceted and well-drawn characters, Blood Red is a book to be savored, one drop at a time!” I’ve never met Kealan, we’ve chatted a few times. I asked him to look over the novel and tell me what he thinks and he was gracious enough to send me a blurb. He said some other nice stuff in an e-mail, but that pretty much covers the basics.

Blood Mary—Horror-web.com
“Moore is a master storyteller who, in BLOOD RED, weaves an incredibly rich tale about vampires while not making it a vampire book.”

Okay, anyone who has ever been reviewed at Horror-Web knows the ladies in question can be brutal, and I’ll give an example or two a little further on. That little line of praise was enough to leave me warm and fuzzy for a couple of hours.
When Lee Thomas and I were chatting recently at a convention, we got on the subject of vampires and found that BLOOD RED and PARRISH DAMNED by Lee had a lot of similarities; enough that we decided to trade off and see if there were going to be issues where they were too much alike. Happily, there were none (And people, PLEASE do yourselves a favor and read Parrish Damned when it comes out, because, damn, that man can write!)

Hopefully he’ll forgive me for quoting part of a private e-mail here:
“I really enjoyed this book. I must have. I never read anything this quickly. It was sexy, smart and scary. Exactly what a vampire book should be. Really terrific imagery as well. Loved the character dynamics.”

And again, dayummmm…What a lovely thing to read.

The same here: The following is from Mick Sims, a retired reviewer who got one of the Advanced Reading Copies of BLOOD RED. Once again, I hope he’ll forgive me, but I’m trying to make a point here (No, really, I mean it, I am.).

“I don’t read a lot of horror novels these days, too busy writing them, but I thoroughly enjoyed the story. The characters are great. A lot of them at times, but even the minor ones have depth to them. The main characters are interesting to say the least. Not sure if a hooking college girl ring is a regular thing but it made for a very strong and strangely sympathetic character of Maggie. She has enough balls yet vulnerability to make the reader want to protect her.”

And

“Jason is a wonderful character and original enough to be fascinating. Every time he is ‘on screen’ he holds the attention. I loved the definitions of different types of vampire, and I loved the blending of the traditional vampire lore with updated variations.

“Readers might say the plot rings of Dracula/Salems Lot but I have read both and honestly can say your story, and writing, is superior. The writing is fluid throughout and the use of children unsentimental and realistic. The writing allows character development with a steady build up of tension. I genuinely wanted to know what was going to happen to all the main characters. That isn’t always the case with genre novels.”

Well, it doesn’t get much sweeter. I was truly shocked that he would bother to send the letter—there was no obligation—and doubly pleased that he enjoyed the book.

Lastly, from Publisher’s Weekly (7-25-05).
“Set in fictional Black Stone Bay, R.I., Moore’s contemporary vampire novel offers plenty of traditional horror chills leavened with flashes of humor.”

Of course, that much silver lining means there’s a cloud out there, too, right?

The PW review starts off with that lovely quote and ends with this:
“Moore (Writ in Blood) doesn’t feel bound by the classic attributes of vampires familiar to Bram Stoker’s readers, but his variations aren’t especially interesting and his failure to give Soulis much of a back story or motivation lessens the overall impact.”

Ouch. But, still, not a completely negative review…and in my defense I didn’t WANT to give much background on Soulis, because I wanted him to be a mystery. Personally, I like a little mystery in my horror. It only took a few minutes of quiet reflection to decide that those words weren’t going to ruin my life.

Lesson Learned: None, really. Well, okay, maybe that PW can be a tough audience, but I already knew that.

And the following from Craig Clarke for Clarke’s Book Reviews (craigsbookclub.com)
“James A. Moore is a good storyteller. I only wish he were a better writer.”

And

“Moore writes like a clumsy diarist with an endless supply of ink. What Moore needs the most is a brutal editor with tight reins. Not only does he repeat himself in consecutive sentences using different words, but he also likes to hammer his points home. This is insulting to the reader, who already got Moore’s gist three paragraphs back. In addition, his style is anything but fluid, and his sentence structure tends toward the confusing. It was exactly this kind of writing that made me put down Rabid Growth after only fifteen pages. And it made Blood Red an absolute trial to get through.”

There’re actually about four paragraphs where Mr. Clarke goes on and on about how repetitive I am. I don’t know if he was trying to hammer the point home himself, but he definitely made it clear that I’m not making it to his top 10 writers list. OUCH. That one felt sort of like a black eye brought on by an anvil dropping from above. And my moment of sour grapes: Hey, if you’re gonna accuse me of something; make sure you aren’t doing it yourself.

Potential Lesson Learned: I’m a wordy bastard. But then, I always have been. You who are reading this essay have probably already figured that out, right? Just ask anyone who decided to read my stuff or talk to me in person. Whether that ever changes is up in the air.

Well, I haven’t had a zillion reviews for BLOOD RED, but I’ve had several for other books, and because I’m still getting around to that point (eventually) I thought I should show the following:

From The Horror Channel’s website:
“Where to begin? For the past few months I’ve been reviewing Leisure’s monthly output, which includes re-issues and new novels from lots of big names in horror. Overall their eye for good horror is impeccable, but sometimes it seems that one just slips through the cracks that lacks the quality, storytelling ability, and tone that sets most of Leisure’s stuff apart from the rest. I’m sad to report that Rabid Growth is one of those.”

And

“Moore’s writing style is really what does this one in. He’s writing about teenagers so he tries to adopt their mode of thinking and speaking, and it just falls flat on every page. Not a single character in this story is well defined, despite the lengthy back-story that’s given (often multiple times) detailing their history together. They just don’t feel real; they feel like they’re there only to facilitate a story Moore felt like telling without any defined idea of what would go on within.”
Okay. That one just hurt. No two ways about it. There was more, but that’s the most direct set of examples.

Oh, and did I mention that I finally got reviewed in Fangoria? Here’s a few samples:
“Moore is a rising star on the horror scene, and prior novels like UNDER THE OVERTREE and FIREWORKS have garnered a healthy amount of acclaim. There’s no doubt that he enjoys telling a story, and RABID GROWTH is lightning-paced. It’s just that the rather thin plot and characters never sustain enough interest or sympathy to create a truly compelling read.”

Whimper. Ow. Ow. OW!

“The book also isn’t helped by a great deal of clunky, overly colloquial prose. With RABID GROWTH, it seems like Moore wanted to continue this story but really had nothing new to say, making for a forced, ultimately tedious read. The seeds are planted for a third installment, but perhaps this acclaimed writer should move onto more fertile ground.”

Have you ever seen a 6’2” tall Viking-type curl into a fetal position? I’m pretty sure there was more whimpering, too.

Lesson Learned: I’m not so good at sequels.

And lastly:
From BloodyMary at Horror-Web.com
“Holy plots Batman, this story leaves you with more questions than last week’s episode of Desperate Housewives! What happened to the little boy who went in the ship? What did the aliens want? Was Brightman a man who loved his town or an arrogant, power-hungry old tycoon? Were there any aliens even on the ship? I could go on for days people. Focusing almost entirely on the characters, the story suffers from lack of a point. Which would have been cool if there was actually something going on. Instead we spend 300 out of the 376 pages examining emotions and reactions. When action actually does occur, it’s brief. My last problem with the story was the rushed, anti-climatic, happily-ever-after ending; that was just wrong. “
You know that feeling, the one that runs screaming through your nerve endings after you drop a large rock on you bare foot and then, while stumbling around, manage to shave a few layers of skin off your big toe, and as you’re falling, you bark your shin on the edge of a concrete post? Yeah, that one. That’s what it feels like, only it’s inside, not where it can be seen.

Lesson Learned: Okay, so maybe I could work a little on actually progressing the story. Oh what the heck, maybe I could learn not to dwell QUITE so much on the characters in the process. Actually, I learned a lot from this particular review. Work on pacing, ease up on going crazy with descriptions, have a more cohesive plot to work with. As I have said to people before, so far this is my favorite “bad” review.

There. You’ve endured enough review snippets, good and bad. Let’s get on to the point, shall we?

If you’ve been published, the odds are good you’ve been reviewed. The same applies if you’re going to be published in the future. You WILL be reviewed. Expect it. Expect that sometimes it will be painful and sometimes it will be a wonderful thing. Mostly, it’s somewhere in the middle.

Also take advantage of the situation. You wrote a story, or novel, or poem or a non-fiction piece that you researched heavily. You put your life and heart and soul on the line. It’s what you’re supposed to do at any rate, if you’re serious about being a writer. I have said more than once, and only partially in jest, that if the money was big enough, I’d gleefully write Dr. Doom vs. Barbie. I have also said in the same breath that I would do my best to make it the most amazing story ever done. I aim for that with every piece I write.

Sometimes I miss the mark and sometimes I at least get close to hitting the target. But the thing is you have to try.

And the other thing is reviewers have to review. Maybe in some cases it’s for money (and believe me, it ain’t much money most times) and in some cases it’s because they love books and want to share their opinions. I know of some reviews where the people writing them had a lousy day and thought it would be fun to slam a writer or two (Pick ten authors at random on Amazon.com and read ALL of the reviews.). Let me clarify this: I do not mean a single solitary one that is listed here. In every case I respect the source of these reviews, whether or not I am fond of what was written about my works—and in some cases—no, I’m not talking about my reviews and I’m not mentioning names—a few rather sad individuals have made a point of belittling every author in the genre who is more successful than they are. I appreciate the efforts of good reviewers. I don’t care if they write with tongue in cheek or go for a cold and clinical evaluation. They’re taking the time to look at my work and I am grateful for it.

Reviewers are not out there to write happy things about my work. They are out there to write their opinions. Given a little time, you’ll be able to tell the serious reviewers from the ones who are merely being pissy. You’ll be able to tell the reviewers who only write “happy” or “fluffy” reviews from the ones who examine all of the details and carefully point out the flaws and the strengths in the works they decide to dissect.

And if you are wise, you might actually listen to what they are saying and learn a thing or two. I have. In a few cases, serious flaws in my writing have been brought to my attention. It wasn’t that I didn’t know there was a problem, it was just that I couldn’t quite put my finger on it without a little help from a reviewer.
One example: A few reviewers have said that I “Tell instead of show,” a story. That’s a flaw. It’s one I’m working on. According to Craig Clarke, I might have gone a little too far in the opposite direction, and I’m considering that opinion even as I write this.

Take the good reviews for what they are and make sure you pass them on to your publishers, who will gladly put their favorite parts on your next, novel (or the one you just got reviewed if there are Advance reading Copies sent out). Take the fluffy ones with two aspirin on those days and nights when you’ve started doubting yourself and find that the words refuse to come out of you without a crowbar or maybe a few tears of frustration.

Take the negative critiques into consideration, but always remember to write for yourself first. If you are trying to write for the masses, you’ve probably already screwed up more than you can imagine. Look at how many BAD knockoff books and movies are out there if you doubt me.

Take the sour grapes reviews and throw them aside: They aren’t worth your time and effort.

In the long run, reviews are just opinions. If you respect the person giving you their opinion, take what they have to say into consideration. I speak for myself with the following words, but I suspect a lot of authors would agree with me: Writing is a continually changing process. We are always, always learning as we go. If at any point you stop learning, it’s probably time to move on to another field of endeavors. Because without the evolution of thought, there is stagnation. I don’t know about you, but I personally have no desire to write the same book a dozen times. Dear Lord, what a boring concept.

James A. Moore