Does anybody else get these sorts of emails? How do you deal with them?
I generally thank them for taking the time to try one of my books, and express my disappointment that the book didn't work for them because of this flaw, because I try (and sometimes it is bloody hard) to look at the email as a form of engagement in which they don't mention the things they -liked- because they didn't have issues with those.
And sometimes people point out flat out mistakes (continuity) in my books, and those make me weep in embarrassment. I will also often grovel, because I do consider that a failing on my part.
But if someone wrote a "this is the worst book I have ever had the misfortune to read" email, I'd probably go with the "I'm very grateful that you did try one of my novels; I'm so sorry to hear that it wasn't what you were looking for" approach. I worry less about them because, well, it's unlikely that they're going to be a future part of my audience, and I'm unlikely to do anything -else- that's going to drive them away.
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mmmag
no subject
Date: 2009-11-29 09:40 pm (UTC)I generally thank them for taking the time to try one of my books, and express my disappointment that the book didn't work for them because of this flaw, because I try (and sometimes it is bloody hard) to look at the email as a form of engagement in which they don't mention the things they -liked- because they didn't have issues with those.
And sometimes people point out flat out mistakes (continuity) in my books, and those make me weep in embarrassment. I will also often grovel, because I do consider that a failing on my part.
But if someone wrote a "this is the worst book I have ever had the misfortune to read" email, I'd probably go with the "I'm very grateful that you did try one of my novels; I'm so sorry to hear that it wasn't what you were looking for" approach. I worry less about them because, well, it's unlikely that they're going to be a future part of my audience, and I'm unlikely to do anything -else- that's going to drive them away.