Cheryl Jarvis does some Reviewing of Reviews

July 7, 2012 | Written by admin

A GREAT bit of writing from author Cheryl Jarvis, looking at the various reviews her book received. Jarvis wrote a nonfiction book, The Marriage Sabbatical: The Journey that Brings You Home, that told the stories of women who took time away from domestic life to pursue their passion. She then stayed away from all reviews of the book for six months. At that point, she printed up every review she could find, to see what people had to say.

If you’re an author, by all means read her article in Publisher’s Weekly:

http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/columns-and-blogs/soapbox/article/52827-reviewing-the-reviews.html

It will offer you perspective, the next time some bonehead who hasn’t read your book says something completely stupid on Amazon, or the reviewer in PW notes that “this is good if you like this sort of thing.” (I particularly like the conservative talk show host who scorched the book, then admitted he’d never even seen a copy.) What’s clear is that “journalistic integrity” has little to do with the world of reviewers. Worth reading!

Posted in Current Affairs, The Business of Writing

  • http://www.queenofthecastlerecipes.com/ Lynn

    Thanks for posting this, Chip.  I had no idea people would be audacious enough to “review” books they hadn’t read.  Wowzer.

    • Chip

      Yeah — a bit of an eye-opener. Loved her story about the radio host admitting he hadn’t even seen the book!

  • http://twitter.com/joshkelley Josh Kelley

    Sad (especially from Christians), but eyeopening. Thanks.

    • Chip

      Sad, but not unusual, Josh.