What is a review of a book got to do with anything? The simple answer could be; everything, depending on where you stand in the transaction.
Got a stinging book review from a University Professor and a friend that shook me up quite a bit recently. I sold a couple of copies of my latest publications; 76, Clancy’s journey and Some Sh..y vacation to a friend of mine who happens to be a professor at McGill university where I also work. The reviews came two days later when I again ran into him and ask; did you get through any of the books and how was it? He had finished reading Some Shitty vacation as expected. This novel is a quick read, I call it the coffee break read, it was designed that way. Yes was the answer to the first part of the question, he finished it but what came next got me sweating a bit under the collar; there are errors he said; grammatical errors, didn’t you proofread before publishing? Come on man he continued.
"My friend the professor didn’t stop there, he went on to say what a delightful little read it is"
Well; yes I did my due diligence and was relatively satisfied with the end results. But before quitting on me or drawing conclusions on the book at this point, hear is the rest of the story. My friend the professor didn’t stop there, he went on to say what a delightful little read it is and also offer to review my future works before publishing. Now bear in mind that this is a professor, that’s what they do, that’s how they get the best out of their students. as it now is, he on his way to getting a little bit more out of the poet too so hang on in there baby.
What is a review of a book worth?
So yes I did noticed a few “small” issues as I call them that could have been handled differently for a better or clearer picture to shine through, however I didn’t think that such “minor” matters would take away much if anything from the story but that’s my way (the wrong way) of looking at it. Secondly, some of what the professor was referring to as errors was deliberate speech in the context in which I was writing, it was “street talk” from a street character. And finally, yes the professor was wright, there was actual errors there like this one which showed up in the very first sentences in the Forward of the book, “Some Sh…a hitman from the narcotics underworld who finds himself drawn back into the very situation he was try to escape”. That should've been; trying
Not good I can envision a potential customer closing and returning the book to the wrack as soon as it was opened and that was the first thing to greet that potential client. So other than being discouraged or disappointed, I’m so grateful to this professor for the critique and will take him up on the offer which came with it; that is to have him review my future works before publication. Thanks Niko, you will be hearing from me soon.
So what is a review of a book got to do with anything?
In this case it gets me to tighten up on my art, don’t take shortcuts. Not only for this book but for everyone hereafter, I shall endeavor to be more careful and keep my readers in mind at all times when I write, and what’s more? I’ll think of every one of you as a university professor from now on. That’s what a review of a book is worth to me.
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