YOU CANNOT FORCE LIKE

YOU CANNOT FORCE LIKE I wrote a blog post recently about how readers can help authors on Amazon. You are reading my blog, right? http://chopeclark.com/2012/09/when-you-go-to-amazon-dont-just-buy-a-book/ One of the suggestions involved clicking the little orange and white thumbs-up hand so that it turns gray, liking the book page, or the author page. Its a simple gesture to tell the author youve been there and appreciate what they are doing. Those types of likes are easy and have become more etiquette that critical in nature. Some likes, however, arent so clean and simple. For example, people liking your book, blog, articles, or even your Facebook notes. Someone out there is going to disagree about whether your are talented. While many of my readers loved to hate Alan, a character in Lowcountry Bribe, one painted him as too shallow and one-dimensional. So guess what I agonized over for a day or two? Then theres the other side of the coin, when you dont like others work. I belong to two writers groups. Eventually, a member introduces a piece I just cannot connect with. Maybe its the genre, the plot, even the dialogue, but it does not click. Sometimes the clash is such that I really dont want to critique it, knowing Ill be frustrated having to trudge through it and come out on the other end not having enjoyed the trip. For instance, someone Facebook messaged me a couple weeks ago, proud about his book release. I congratulated him. He then asked, Will you buy it? I glanced at the title, then the Amazon page. It was a how-to improve your life message. I replied that I was swamped with books to read at present with 30 on my nightstand and who-knows-how-many on my Kindle. He replied, Will you read it in a few weeks? I finally replied, Sorry. Im in a good place with my life, so I dont need self-help material. It just wasnt something I wanted to read. Then theres the bestseller list that everyone oohs and aahs over. I dont like many of them. As blasphemous as it may sound, I do not like to read Barbara Kingsolver. I do not think shell lose sleep over that, either. My moneys on the probability that she doesnt like my work either. Sometimes readers will buy a bestseller thinking its properly vetted and is a one-size-fits-all good read. Bestsellers are no different than the other books in the world when it comes to fans and non-fans. Nobody can write for all readers. Granted, that celebrity frenzy and strong word-of-mouth drive can sell a lot of books. And finally, you do not have to like all the classics. I love mysteries. Ill read Poe and Doyle. But when I finally find thetime to sit down with a book, to sip tea and relax at the end of my day, I want a story that carries me away. War and Peace aint gonna do it for me. Do not be afraid to dislike writing. At the same time, do not take it personally when someone dislikes yours. Avoid callingthem names and wishing ill-harm to their families. We cant read or like all books. What a boring world that would be . . . without diversity . . . without the effort of discovery . . . without the free rein to seek and find the authors that reallymake us happy to jump into a story.