Saturday, April 6, 2013


F is for Fart Reviews and Fun with Writing



Some writers have egos the size of the continental United States, but I’m not one of them. Nothing I write ever comes out quite the way I intended. When I read my stuff, all I can see are the flaws.

And for me, getting published only made things worse. Soon after my book came out, a family member told my kids that she tried to read my book, but couldn’t get through it because it seemed to be all about farts. Ouch. Now, I know my first book isn’t for everyone. It’s a little gruesome…after all, it is about a girl morphing into a walking corpse! But that review hurt. Yes, there are some farts in my book, but I thought there was also a story!
 
Harsh reviews, mean reviews, cutting reviews…I will forever after call them ‘Fart Reviews’…come with the territory. If I’m going to keep writing, I have to find a way to stand by my work, to own it and let it go. I’m starting to believe that the only real way to deal with the pain of a Fart Review is to go back to the fun in writing. I’m a person that likes to do things the ‘right’ way. I’ve read tons of books about writing, taken classes, and asked for lots and lots of critiques. Now, I’m not saying a new writer shouldn’t do these things, but somewhere along the way to becoming a ‘serious novelist’ I started taking myself way too seriously. Apparently this seriousness is the kiss of death where my writing is concerned.
 
It’s taken me a few months, but I’m gradually getting back to the fun part. The old maxim is true – working on a new project helps tremendously. I recently received a tweet from a reviewer, asking when my next book would be out and that definitely took away the sting of the Fart Review. I also just received a copy of my paperback and my publisher added a positive review on the back. I’d like to get that framed and hang it in my office. And thankfully I have the undying support of so many people.

How about you? What was your worst Fart Review? How did you deal with it? Do reviews give you writer’s block?

1 comment:

  1. Fart Reviews - I need to remember that one. I love that term. ;)

    ReplyDelete

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