I've been an active member of many reader message boards and social communities for years.
Never will you find a more passionate group of people.
We love to talk about books. We also talk about authors, what's available on Kindle, book prices, bookstores, our favorite places to read, Hollywood adaptations, if vampires are real, and when our grandchildren are born.
Reader social sites are NOT JUST ABOUT THE BOOK.
Telling folks at a reader social community that they can ONLY TALK ABOUT THE BOOKS is like telling a food critic he can only discuss the food on the plate in front of him. He's not allowed to discuss the ambiance at the restaurant, the chef's culinary background, and whether or not the dish uses farm-raised or wild fish. There are many different aspects to a dining experience, not just the food.
And there are many other aspects to a reading experience, not just THE BOOK.
And folks at a reader's social site will want to discuss these different aspects, possibly in reviews, on shelves, on message boards, etc.
That's sort of the whole point.
Here are my tips for the day:
1. If you're a writer, and you can't tolerate folks saying anything mean about your book, you need to find a new job. It's not bullying, it's called literary criticism, and it goes with the territory.
2. If you have a reader social site, and you can't tolerate folks discussing ALL aspects of their reading experience--positive and negative--which may include author behavior, publishers gouging us with price manipulation, the digital movement, and various other topics, then you might want to consider trying something different. Because it's NOT JUST ABOUT THE BOOKS. And if you haven't figured that out yet, it's a little bit embarrassing.
Please follow me at BookLikes!
Have a nice day,
Penelope
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