Comments on: Reviewer’s Block?

By: Indigene

Indigene — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 00:49:09 +0000

Does reviewer’s block exist? I’d say yes it does and I definitely have experienced it, usually after a period of writing one review after another. I get to a point where I hit a wall and can’t possible formulate a coherent thought about the next book (whether good or bad) let alone put it down on paper. I’ve learned that forcing myself to write a review in this state is completely counter-productive – it doesn’t work, frustrates the hell out of me and ultimately as others have mentioned the quality of the review suffers, which isn’t fair to the author or any readers.

What I’ve learned to do in this situation is simply walk away and focus on something else, whether for a day or two or sometimes even a week. Then I go back to writing and almost always find my rhythm again. I’ve also learned not to overload – even though my TBR list is as ridiculously long as everyone elses. I still have some niggles with guilt though – like you, my knee jerk is to review every GBLTQ book I read. Although, I am getting better about this as well. I’ve decided that some books are just for my own enjoyment, or not, so I’ll read them with no plans to review.

My biggest challenge though is finding the time to review. While I can and often do speed read, writing a review is a much longer process for me. Real life and work often get in the way.

Great topic for discussion. Thanks for doing this.

By: Tam

Tam — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 15:54:24 +0000

I don’t do formal reviews so it doesn’t happen but I do get readers block from time to time. I just can’t focus on something. Or I get side tracked by doing something else. I know I would suck if I HAD to do a review of something because I promised I would or it was a “job”. My inner child kicks in and it becomes a case of “You can’t tell me what to do.” so I rebel and don’t do it. Even if I tell myself to do it. LOL

Maybe if you feel overwhelmed by the “okay” books you could do a series of less indepth review. Shorties. Get them out of the way and the feel better about moving on. Not every book needs 1000 words and an indepth analysis of every facet. They don’t have that many facets perhaps.

By: junkfoodmonkey

junkfoodmonkey — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 14:37:32 +0000

I find that even if I’m thinking “I’ll never get 1000 words on this book. I don’t know what to say about it” as soon as I start I end up getting probably twice that! It’s just the getting going that’s the block. I find this for writing too. Once I start I’m fine, but starting for the day, that can be hard.

Oddly it’s the books I like and think are really good that I often have the hardest time reviewing. I find it harder to say why I liked something and why it’s good than to find the faults in something I didn’t like. Maybe I’m more of a critiquer/editor at heart than a reviewer. Or just a bitch possibly!

By: Hilcia

Hilcia — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 14:22:40 +0000

Emily you’re not alone. The reviewing mojo comes and goes for me too. For me it doesn’t really have to do with the quality of the book, but with where my head is at the time. Sometimes I feel like just reading and the reviewing part of the formula doesn’t flow. Other times I can churn out the reviews without a problem. The great part of it is when they both click.

I try not to put pressure on myself to review the books if the review writing doesn’t flow immediately, but prefer to go ahead and review them when I’m in the right space to do it. I go on and review other books in the meantime and then go back to those. I’ve found that if I force myself to write them or rush the review, as Val says above, I don’t do them justice one way or another.

By: Val Kovalin

Val Kovalin — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 14:06:39 +0000

Hi, Emily! These are all really good questions. I’ve got to be one of the slowest reviewers (and readers) on the face of the planet. I’ve experienced the same thing you have about the bigger the backlog of to-be-reviewed books, the more overwhelming it feels, and the slower I go.

I tend to procrastinate the books that are so good that I don’t think my review can do them justice. The middle-of-the-road ones that you mentioned (where we readers don’t have much of a reaction) can be hard to review, too. Very short things like novelettes can be hard to review as are things with major plot spoilers early on.

I think it’s possible to burn out on reviewing. I love the m/m genre, but there is a lot of sameness after a while. I need to read different genres (like mainstream mystery or nonfiction) between the m/m books sometimes, and that helps to keep a fresh perspective.

I haven’t really come up with a good trick for getting back in the reviewing groove. Mainly I’ll just force myself to do it, and after I finish a few, the momentum picks up again.