Janet of DA has always seemed so cerebral, an intelligentsia, if you will. I like this impassioned woman much better.
http://dearauthor.com/features/letters-of-opinion/poisoning-the-well/
Lori: I'm adding this here and not in the comments because I want to make sure it's seen.
I'm pissed off. Seriously seriously pissed off.
Reading the comments on DA and the number of women saying that they're afraid, that they've quit leaving bad reviews, that they're thinking of stopping blogging, it infuriates me. I liken it to someone getting raped at a bar so now no women will go to bars or drink or wear pretty clothes because I don't want it to happen to me.
Nobody can promise you safety. But nobody can promise you won't get hit by a falling meteorite when you leave your house today. But you can't live your life like that and you can't make choices out of fear alone.
And if you like to drink, go to a bar. If you like to review books honestly, review books honestly.
Demand safety.
If you like a bar but you know a rape happened in its parking lot, then ask the management to have a bouncer walk you to your car. If they won't, then go to a bar that will.
Harper Teen says they won't guarantee your privacy if you accept an arc for review? Don't review Harper Teen. But guess what? Random House will so give Random House your business. (Making a point, I have no idea what RH does).
The Guardian thinks its okay to publish a stalker opinion piece? Cancel your subscription. Ask others to cancel theirs. Let The Guardian know and move on.
Demand safety.
Don't hide. Speak up. Demand safety.
Everytime a blogger stops blogging or someone deletes a negative review in fear, the StGRB group gets their wings. We don't want that to happen.
Demand your safety.
Don't give up.
In principle, I agree with you.
ReplyDeleteBut I don't have young children living with me, who could be casualties of that author who is batshit craze à la Hale, and shows up at the doorstep--or the garage, or the school, or your favorite restaurant--with a knife or a gun.
I cannot blame women who react in fear.
I am saddened that they are--because every time a voice is silenced, that Hales of the world are that much more emboldened.
I am conversely proud by the many people who continue to speak up--grand announcement or not--and who, like you, demand safety.
Because it is our right, because reviewers are not inferior beings to authors, and because women have every right to have opinions and express them, whatever the venue or medium.
I too have no children at home, so if she showed up at my door, I'd be sure to have my baseball bat handy. If she doesn't have access to my finances, she can't hurt me.
ReplyDeleteI find this whole situation similar to the Ebola 'crisis'.
Yes, Ebola is bad and yes, there's been a couple of cases in the US, but it is not an epidemic, at least not in this county.
Yes, stalking is bad - and illegal - and yes, there have been cases of authors going crazy, but compared to the general population of the internet they're not prevalent. Not even in our little corner of the internet otherwise known as Romancelandia.
And yes, everyone has the right to speak their mind, but the odds of them being attacked for it must be a very low percentage. Most of us are small bloggers, sailing under the radar of the crazies. I agree with the posters who suggest bloggers fearful for their safety stay away from Goodreads and Amazon. I truly believe that's where the crazies hang out - unless, of course you have powerful people in your life who don't mind if you let your crazy hang out on their turf.
Whatever an individual blogger decides, she should take her time making the decision. Decisions made in fear and haste can be regretted.