A Blogger's Rant

You have to love people who make comments on your posts without ever having read the books. (Insert sarcasm here.)  They have decided, that just because it is a subject or author they love, that you have no right to your opinion.  They will make one snide comment in an attempt to what?  Embarrass you?  Deride you?  Make you rethink what you said?  I read a comment this morning on a review I recently wrote about a book - but they had not read the book; yet they felt qualified to inform me that my opinion was wrong.

If you are going to tell someone you don't agree with them, then don't YOU agree they should at least know the material?  You can't just arbitrarily tell someone they're an idiot without knowing what you're talking about, or you are the one who looks like an idiot.  I went on to explain the statement I made (it was actually some remarks the author had made against a race and religious denomination of people I thought others might find offensive, which, if this person had read the book, they would have  known - I merely stated that some might find the remarks offensive) and also to explain to them that this was my personal opinion, of which I had a right to.  Otherwise, why am I writing this blog?   Certainly it is to offer my reviews/opinions. 

Now, I am not saying that I don't welcome others' opinions; I do.  I welcome both positive and negative opinions.  However, like any writer (and even though I am not a novelist, of whom I have great respect, I am a blogger, which is also a writer) I don't appreciate being attacked personally because of something I wrote.  If you disagree, then state in writing why you disagree.  Don't make a negative comment on my review, (or others) about something I wrote without explaining your remarks.  You can't just tell someone their book is unbelievable, puerile, etc., or a reviewer that their comments are inane, ridiculous, etc. and think that it's not a personal attack.

I don't understand how someone can offer their opinion on reviews of a book if they have not read that book.  It is one thing to offer something of a nature such as "Thank you - I was/wasn't going to read the book, etc." and quite another to tell someone that they don't have the right to think the way you do regarding the content, considering they haven't even read the book.  They basically told me the statement was stupid, which I felt was a personal attack on me and, if any of you are honest, you would have felt the same way. 

So people, my point is this:  If you are going to offer a comment or opinion on a review, please either read the book first, or, if you are commenting on an article they are writing, explain yourself thoroughly.  Nothing upsets any writer more, regardless of what they write, than someone making a personal attack that is nothing more than an uninformed comment.

Happy reading and writing to you all.