Mark A.
Roeder is the author of the well-known and beloved "Gay Youth
Chronicles," as well as several other books, both fiction and
non-fiction. And many readers of The Independent Gay Writer magazine
know Mark's work first hand. So here is another side of this prolific
writer, revealing his thoughts on criticism.Visit his website where you are sure to discover all of his books but more about what drives him.
by
Mark A. Roeder
One of the greatest surprises awaiting a new author is the discovery that once published, he belongs to the public. At least that’s how the public sees it, even though the author may not agree. Few readers have reservations about criticizing books and, of course, there are professional critics as well. Everyone has his or own opinion and most are not shy about sharing it, especially through such forums as reviews on Amazon.com. At first, I read the reviews of my books to get a grasp for what readers thought of my work. Most reviews were glowing, others merely complimentary, some offered valid criticisms, and some were downright rude.
Criticism can hit a new author hard and it did me for a time, even valid criticism from respected colleagues. Soon I learned to take respectful criticism and put it to good use, improving my writing (and believe me, there is always room for improvement.) While I didn’t ignore other criticism, I began to realize that everyone has his or her own tastes, his or her own likes and dislikes. I noted that some loved the very aspects of my writing that others hated. Someone once said that no matter what you do, some people will hate it, some will love it, and some won’t care one way or another. Little could be truer. Once this fact is realized, most criticism becomes irrelevant, as it is merely an expression of the likes and dislikes of the individual reader.
Some criticism is downright humorous. One of my novels was criticized for sounding like it was written by a sixteen-year-old boy. Another reader pointed out that the narrator was, in fact, a sixteen-year-old boy so that was the whole point. He was right.
Another wise man (or woman) once said, “You can’t please everyone, so please yourself.” When I’m writing, this is just what I do. Never do I write with intent to please critics. This may sound arrogant, but when it comes to my novels, the opinions of others just don’t matter. If someone doesn’t like what I write, I simply don’t care. I know that no matter what I write, some will love it and some will hate it. This brings us back to the words of wisdom above. I hope readers enjoy what I write, but I feel no obligation to tailor my book to their individual needs. It’s just not possible anyway.
That said, I do read every email and letter sent to me and I do pay attention. Unlike anonymous reviews posted on Amazon.com and other sites like it, those who write me personally have taken the time to share their thoughts with me. Most are positive, but not all, and I pay attention to each and every one. When a reader writes that he or she would like to see more of this or that character, would like to see what happened after, or would like one of my books to get into a particular situation, I weigh their wants with mine and consider what is practical and desirable. Often, my readers have some very good ideas, and have influenced the directions of subsequent books. If I can accommodate their requests, I do, as long as it doesn’t interfere with my own plans.
Good criticism on such sites as Amazon.com can boost sales, so they are desirable. All authors should encourage their readers to post positive reviews. These will do much to combat those that are less than glowing. I long ago stopped reading Amazon.com reviews, but I know their value to sales. I don’t read them, but others do.
Criticism can be hard to take, especially for the beginner. Our books are like our children and negative comments about them do not go down well. There is always room for improvement, however, and if one keeps in mind the points discussed above, criticism is much easier to take.