by Katrina Latham

I want to share with you two different opinions I’ve received about stories I’ve written.

“The writing is so good and I’m so disappointed the story doesn’t match.” –Contest judge

“Although we enjoyed the characters, I’m afraid the writing isn’t as strong as other manuscripts currently under consideration.” – Editor

I received both of these comments over a year ago, and they’ve stuck in the back of my mind as I’ve worked hard to improve both my writing skills and my storytelling abilities.

Writers can be very thin-skinned. Although each of these comments manages to be both polite and honest, I still remember feeling my face burn as I read them. The second one made me a little nauseous (maybe because I’m a professional writer and read the rejection while I was at work).

I am an unpublished writer, and I am also a novel reviewer. I write honest reviews on my blog”, for the Season for Romance, and on Goodreads.

Is it smart for me to share my opinions on other writers’ work when I’m trying to break into their industry? Should I only share positive reviews and keep criticism to myself?

Many people would say this is a no-brainer. Of course writers, editors and agents have a long memory if you pan their work. What if I want to submit my own work to that agent or editor? What if that author and I share an agent or editor, or both have a professional opportunity to work together? Would they really want to work with me?

Honestly, I don’t have the answers to these questions, and I’m not sure that anyone does. Surely it depends on the individual author/editor/agent.

The absolutely brilliant author Roni Loren recently dealt with this question on her blog, talking about authors who tear others down or post scathing reviews. She cautions writers who would post negative reviews:

I’m NOT saying someone shouldn’t be allowed to post negative or even scathing reviews. That’s everyone’s right. It’s definitely a reader’s right. Honest reviews are needed for every book, and I know I count on them to help me making my buying decisions.

However, once you put on the writer hat, you’re in a different place whether you like it or not. You’re not simply a reader anymore. People are watching you. And karma may bite you in the butt. So you need to make a personal decision on what’s right for you. (My personal yardstick is that if you wouldn’t say whatever it is to the writer face to face, you probably shouldn’t put it on the internet.)

I totally agree, especially with the last sentence. But I actively seek books to review, and I do publish reviews of books I don’t like.

But there are things I keep in mind when I write reviews – not because I’m worried about whether writing a particular review will screw my writing career, but because life is too short to spend any of it being mean.

1. Even though I don’t get paid for reviews, I approach reviewing as a professional writer, not as a grouch hiding behind the anonymity of the internet.

Everyone I meet on- or offline should expect the same courtesy from me. It’s much easier to say “This person’s writing sucks” when you’re not looking them in the face, but easier doesn’t mean it’s right.

I keep my reviews focused on the book itself, not on the author. And when I criticize elements of a book, I always try to be honest but polite – just as I am when I give people feedback face-to-face at work.

Some writers can take this on the chin, mull over the criticism, and decide whether I’ve touched upon a weakness that they can improve (or whether I’m just full of crap). Others can’t. And really, that’s their issue, not mine.

2. Authors and publishers make their books available to reviewers because it makes good business sense, not because they expect everyone to throw confetti around them.

Okay, this isn’t so much a rule for myself, but it’s something I try to keep in mind. Because to be honest, it’s actually harder for me to say negative things about a book than positive. I don’t enjoy writing reviews of books I didn’t like. But I know that when I accept a book for review, I’ve entered into a sort of contract that I will be honest. And really, there are things I’ve criticized about novels that other people have said they liked. At least giving readers my full, honest impression allows them to decide for themselves whether they agree with that criticism.

3. Readers should be warned about books that aren’t worth paying for.

Obviously, “not worth paying for” is a subjective opinion. And I haven’t run into many of these in my time as a reviewer. Mostly I’ve been lucky enough to discover new favorite authors or, at worst, books that just left me feeling “meh”.

But I have run across a handful of books that seemed to me to be an insult to readers. I mean, they actually felt like very rough first drafts that only got published because the author had built up a big brand name. To me, this is an insult to readers. And if I’m given the responsibility to review one of these books, then I will (politely, honestly) explain what I didn’t like and give it a low rating.

Will this give people a negative impression of me as a writer? Possibly. But they should probably worry more about having lost me as a reader.

I’d be really interested to hear from other writers who review books. Do you find it a difficult balance? And from agents and publishers – would you shy away from a writer who has posted negative reviews? And published authors – how do you feel about other writers who find fault with your books?

Kat Latham has been reading romance for a couple of decades. With degrees in English lit and human rights, she loves stories that reflect the depth, humor and emotion of real life. When she’s not writing contemporary romance novels, she can usually be found blogging or tweeting overly personal information. She loves meeting other readers and writers online, so follow her on Twitter or check out her blog and say hello!