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!
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?
