What to Do If a Book Sucks

What to Do If a Book Sucks

This is a common question among bloggers and readers alike. I see it being asked everywhere, so I am going to throw my opinion on you. Feel free to take my advice or leave it.

Books sucking is something that no one wants to come across. We like books, love to read them, but we aren't sure what to do if we dislike them. Well, here's a few things you can think about.

Someone Requested a Review

Too bad. Whether it be the publisher, author, or hell, even another fellow blogger, tell them that it sucked. If someone took their time to request a review, and you took your time to read it, put it out there that you didn't like it. If you try to be nice about it and don't tell them, you are wasting everyone's time. Someone requested a review because they wanted your opinion on it. Don't lie and tell them some made up crap. Give your thoughts on everything. They wanted to know; they can handle it. 

Now Kayl, you say, a publisher was nice enough to send me this book, I don't want to anger them. TBH you'd probably be angering them more by lying. Their courteous enough to send you a book, the least you can do is tell the truth about it. Don't be afraid to send them your opinion, it's not like they're going to send you to Hell. Well, they might but they shouldn't. Publishers aren't the mean bad guys that rain fire when you don't like their book, they want to know that kind of crap. It helps them. (I believe it does because they can avoid books like that in the future.)

Why You Gotta Be So Rude?

That's the thing, you don't. Be constructive with your criticism. You know, that thing we learned in Kindergarten? Well, it says not to slam something completely. Offer advice, like hey this wasn't needed, or I really liked this but this other thing is just WTF. Be nice when your completely bashing a book, but be sure to get your point across. Essentially, don't be too harsh.

It Completely Sucked

Then, tell people that. Tell the author that you didn't like their books because:

A:

B:

C:

That makes communication so much easier, and it helps authors. Maybe because you told someone that their book sucked, they took a writing course or searched for help. They probably didn't know that their work sucked. They can see what they need practice with. 

People need to voice their opinions in the world. 

But not so much as to cut off someone else's voice. 

Cut Off Contact

I've never done this, so I'm not as experienced with it but hey, if you want to go this route, by all means. 

Take the This author's booked sucked, so I'm going to block them from every social media and blacklist them so they cannot contact me because I do not want to tell them that their book was trash approach. 

Avoid them at all costs. If you see them at a conference, obviously, you're going to be ducking in the bathroom so you won't see them. Even if it's twenty years later because we all know that they hold grudges that long. 

You're just going to wimp out and not let your voice be heard. They sure as well can't contact you. 

Wait, what about snail mail...

— Kayl'sKrazyObsession (@kaylkrazyobsess) November 12, 2015

Obviously, you don't want your opinion to be out there, but then, why are you a book blogger?

Some of these offer good advice, but some things I do not recommend. If you try something, don't hold me to it. 

As I stated, if you don't want to voice your opinion, then why the hell are you a book blogger? That's what we do on a daily basis. Own it because that is what your readers are looking for. If you didn't like it, tell the world. If you loved it, tell the world. Don't be afraid to hurt people's feelings because we aren't little kids. I think we can handle it. 

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