On one of my loops someone posted that they hate a particular brand of writing. Unfortunately, for me, it’s light comedy. That’s what I write. They offended me by remarking that what I do is, “shit.” No, not me personally, but the kind of writing I am good at in general. That writer is no longer on my, “to be read” list, or “tbr” for short. Nothing personal, but if you hate what I do, I don’t have a reason to support you. It’s a thought they might better have kept to themselves. I would never dis someones hard work. If I don’t read that type of book, you won’t hear if from me on a reader/writer loop.
On another loop, an author started snarking on a particular writer that they do not like. They wrote that the did not enjoy what she wrote. Okay, all’s fair and not everyone has to like everything. Then, they crossed the line, as I see it. Personal information started to be divulged. Information that sounded, at least on the surface, like gossip and the leaking of secrets. Many people joined in. That author was not there to defend themselves and she got beat up pretty bad. I quit the group.
People behave in all sorts of odd ways. I know I am not always someone blessed with forethought. I don’t hope for perfection, but I do hope that people to act in a professional manner when promoting their books. They get into author loops and forget that there are people watching them all the time. *I* get into author loops and forget that there are people watching all the time.
One of my friends in the world of author-dom recently complained about a publisher that sent her a rejection letter. An editor for that publisher was on that loop. Now, this friend is super sweet and she did not burn any bridges, but she could have. If I had kvetched about them I would have been blackballed. I have a vicious tongue and a snarky attitude. Something I have to curb, every day.
A few months ago I posted a rant here. A nice editor at my publisher told me to re-think the post. I did. It got ripped down four minutes after it was put up. While not career suicide, it could have cost me readers. Duh, think Nancy. I will see that editor at the Romantic Times convention. I owe her a drink, or two.
If you’re a writer and you’re on the net, you are on a soapbox for the world to see. Don’t like it? Get a pen name. This is a brave new world and what’s out there is out there forever. I’ve seen posts of mine show up in a Google search that I made on a forum ten years ago. Some of them make me look pretty bad. I thought even less about the implications of the net then, than I do now.
Want to keep a blog about the stupid crap you do? Fine and dandy. I fully support everyone’s right to post their stupidity. God knows I do. However, if you write an anti-fur rant and someone Googles you for a job in ten years and their pro-fur, don’t bitch when you don’t get hired.
I try to take responsibility for my words and not hurt others. I do not always succeed. I’m sure if the people in that gossipy loop get a hold of this that I will be blackballed toast. I’d like to hope not, but people either build you up, or tear you down. The, “live and let live” philosophy seems to have gone the way of the Dodo. That’s a shame.
