I'm A Pit: Learning to Deal with Negative Reviews
So the other day I'm hanging out at my desk, pretending to work but really surfing the web for low-carb vegan dinner entrees (don't ask) when a Google Alert e-mail pops up, alerting me that a website called The Second Pass has posted something about my upcoming book, Who Moved My Mouse? Self-Help for Cats (Who Don't Need Any Help). Yea! How sweet.
Or not. Turns out I'm a pit. A pit is a book not eagerly anticipated by the site's editor, John Williams. A pit is BAD.
Oh, cruel reviews! It's an arrow to the heart. Only, not really. Mr. Williams hasn't read my book--he just didn't like the title. (Maybe he had a bad experience with a cat as a child. Or maybe a bad experience with a cat as an anal-retentive adult. Whatever.) And considering the site reviews some bind-busting books of a high-minded literary nature, I'm quite pleased I even made the radar. Go little cat gift book, go!
Here's the lesson: Once the book is released (or sooner--hey Mr. Williams!), reviews will be coming my way, both good and bad. The trick is to not read too much into either of them and just keep writing. I shared with a friend that I thought the best course of action would be to not read any reviews that come out, period. He laughed in my face. "Yeah, good luck with that," he said.
He's right. I'll read 'em. And laugh. And weep. And then, hopefully, keep writing.
I may make a special effort to send Mr. Williams an autographed copy though. Packaged in kitty litter. Poor man sounds like he could use a good laugh. >^..^<
Monday, March 15, 2010 at 11:18 AM | Dena Harris | 6 Comments | Email Article | Share via Digg | Print Article | tagged Second Pass, book reviews, who moved my mouse in Cat Stuff, Writing, General
Reader Comments (6)
Congratulations? :) On a happier note, he didn't say anything bad about your book (except for calling it "The Pit") AND neither of the comments posted on his entry had anything bad to say. Silver lining, right?
Occasionally I'll stumble across comments on user forums & the like from students that are playing or have played my pieces for concert band or percussion ensemble. One of them was from a flute player that called my most popular band piece "a crappy percussion feature that you should avoid at all costs." He was just jealous that the xylophone player got more solos than he did.
Everyone knows flute players are bad news anyway...
as one who shares the name Williams, i proclaim that there is a Mr. Williams who is looking forward to the release of this amazing, entertaining and life redeeming piece (book). it is about dogs, right?
Sometimes it's easy to get caught up in the seriousness of things. Perhaps Mr. Williams has been surrounded by the importance of too many weighty tomes in recent weeks. Perhaps the delightful humor sure to follow once he gets his actual hands your long-awaited book will be just the ticket to bring some levity. Yea. I'm pretty sure that's exactly what he needs.
Given how cat owners outnumber dog owners and everyone who has a friend or relative who loves cats will buy this book for them, I think you'll be okay. Not to mention all the cats out there with SERIOUS issues who could use a book like this. I know our cats need it. They have this nasty little problem of humans taking up space in THEIR house.
Dena, I think Mr. Williams could use a good shot of Catnip :-)