Review with spoilers -- what to do?

aruna · Jul 26, 2014

What do you do when a review contains spoilers? Not just spoilers, but THE spoiler, the secret that the whole story works towards and is supposed to be the big reveal?
It's a 3 star review balanced between praise and critique -- it's not the critique I object to but the HUGE spoiler! (several of them, actually.)
If the reviewer would just put SPOILER ALERT at the start I'd be happy!

mirandashell · Jul 26, 2014

Hmm... is there any way you can contact the reviewer and get them to edit the comments? Or put a spoiler warning on?

aruna · Jul 26, 2014

I checked out his/her reviewer profile but there is no contact info there.

mirandashell · Jul 26, 2014

Any way of removing the review? I'm guessing it's on Amazon.

aruna · Jul 26, 2014

Yes, on Amazon. I don't really want it removed -- seems a bit unfair to the writer, who after all made the effort. confused.com! I was thinking of simply writing a comment to this effect...maybe I'll do that. But if I do -- let on that I'm the author, or not? ( my Amazon ID is not my author name)

mirandashell · Jul 26, 2014

Does it work that the older the review the further down the page it is? cos if so, I think it would be a good idea to put a comment on about the massive spoiler in the next review down.

Perks · Jul 26, 2014

Hey! I could go in and put a comment on the review. I'd be nice and then you'd have plausible deniability about engaging a reviewer.

PM me with a link and I'll do it.

J. Tanner · Jul 26, 2014

Yeah, I recently had something similar happen with a short story. I decided not to engage. If some other reader comes along and points it out, so be it, but I'm staying out of it.

My preference would be that it not be there, but there's this weird study on spoilers that found people tend to like stories more when they're basically spoiled going in:

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/sp...-ending-revealed-california/story?id=14282659

So, silver(ish) lining...

chompers · Jul 26, 2014

There's an option to ask posters questions. Maybe someone can go an ask that person to modify their comment with a spoiler alert?

jjdebenedictis · Jul 26, 2014

Adding on to J. Tanner's comment, I guessed the "twist" in The Sixth Sense very early in the film. I still enjoyed the movie a great deal. Spoilers are not necessarily the kiss of death to the audience's enjoyment.

Personally, I'd suggest you just leave this alone. It's not your job to police how people behave on the internet, and it's not a good use of your energy to fret about whether a review with a spoiler is going to cost you sales. As writers, we're a little too prone to making ourselves crazy; try not to sweat the small stuff.

Kylabelle · Jul 26, 2014

I agree with jjdebenedictus. I doubt it will hurt you at all, really. For one thing, many people never even look at reviews. For another, though there's disappointment for you in not being able to control your story (I get that, I really do!) and how it delivers its surprises, the spoiler effect likely has very little influence on whether anyone will buy or read the book.

So, distressing as it is, IMO you're better off rising above it and moving on.

aruna · Jul 26, 2014

jjdebenedictis said:
Personally, I'd suggest you just leave this alone. It's not your job to police how people behave on the internet, and it's not a good use of your energy to fret about whether a review with a spoiler is going to cost you sales. As writers, we're a little too prone to making ourselves crazy; try not to sweat the small stuff.

Thanks for the feedback... I certainly don't worry about the spoiler costing me sales (because I don't think it will) -- it's about reader pleasure, the "tease". The story is built up so that the reader is kept guessing all the way through, and diverted by red herrings etc, hints dropped in here and there, pieces of the puzzle fitting together -- or not, as the case might be.

Yes, could leave it be; but if it could be softened by a spoiler alert, why not do so? At the very least, the reviewer would be alerted about the convention of spoiler posting alerts for his/her future reviews.

aruna · Jul 26, 2014

Kylabelle said:
I agree with jjdebenedictus. I doubt it will hurt you at all, really. For one thing, many people never even look at reviews. For another, though there's disappointment for you in not being able to control your story (I get that, I really do!) and how it delivers its surprises, the spoiler effect likely has very little influence on whether anyone will buy or read the book.

So, distressing as it is, IMO you're better off rising above it and moving on.

As said above --- I agree that it won't have any influence on people reading or buying the book. But for those who DO, and happen to read the review before reading -- I do want them to get the proper experience! It's not about me being hurt. It's about the reader enjoying the book, part of which is the slow reveal of secrets.

It might sound silly, but if a simple alert can be added, why not. If the reviewer doesn't do so, well, too bad.

I am not at all distressed about this; I've got much more distressing things in my life right now. I'd just like to see if it can be somehow repaired.

Perks · Jul 26, 2014

I know I definitely appreciate spoiler alerts. Book reviews (and TV and film, too) that give away the plots make me nuts.

Marlys · Jul 26, 2014

I wouldn't worry about it. I looked at the review--it's obviously dense and gives a lot of detail right from the start. If I wanted to buy this book and didn't like spoilers, I would stop reading after the first few lines.

mirandashell · Jul 26, 2014

Perks said:
I know I definitely appreciate spoiler alerts. Book reviews (and TV and film, too) that give away the plots make me nuts.

Me too. I read a lot of MTS and absolutely hate spoilers.

JustSarah · Jul 26, 2014

Because I'll believe something ABC says.

The better thing IMHO is a quite comment directly to Amazon or goodreads. No need to engage the reader directly.

And yes, spoilery reviews have been blocked on goodreads. My overall opinion is still an overall 1 star! Sorry had to make the joke.

Aside: I read an excerpt, I love your work.

Perks · Jul 26, 2014

JustSarah said:
Aside: I read an excerpt, I love your work.

I've read several of her books. She's a phenomenal writer.

Let's keep talking about Aruna like she's not here. Tee hee! It's fun!

Cyia · Jul 26, 2014

Ironically, the spoiler reviews are exactly the ones I go looking for. I *want* to know the big twists before I read a novel. If I like the twist, I read the novel to see how it's staged. If I don't like the twist, then the book drops down my to-read list.

I doubt I'm the only one, so the spoiler might actually get you some sales.

SBibb · Jul 26, 2014

Cyia said:
Ironically, the spoiler reviews are exactly the ones I go looking for. I *want* to know the big twists before I read a novel. If I like the twist, I read the novel to see how it's staged. If I don't like the twist, then the book drops down my to-read list.

I doubt I'm the only one, so the spoiler might actually get you some sales.

Ditto. I don't always go looking for spoilers, but there are books I wouldn't have read if I hadn't known the spoiler for that book. And for the same reason, it's often because I want to see how it takes place.

Siri Kirpal · Jul 26, 2014

Sat Nam! (literally "Truth Name"--a Sikh greeting)

I'm with the okay with spoilers crowd. I usually read the ending of books first anyway.

Blessings,

Siri Kirpal

Netz · Jul 26, 2014

I like posts that have spoilers in them to have some kind of 'Spoiler alert' in their post/header, so I'm with Aruna on this. If I then choose to go ahead and read the review, then I've only got myself to blame. If I read a review that gives a spoiler but hasn't labelled it, then I'm a bit miffed (probably wouldn't stop me reading the book though cos I might then want to see how the twist had been carried out). I don't think Aruna should engage with the reviewer, though - some other person is bound to come along and point out the 'spoiler' etiquette (even if Perks doesn't!).

Liosse de Velishaf · Jul 26, 2014

aruna · Jul 26, 2014

Netz said:
some other person is bound to come along and point out the 'spoiler' etiquette (even if Perks doesn't!).

The lovely Perks has written the comment and so all I can do now is hope that he comes back to read it and follows its advice -- nothing more to do.

Liosse de Velishaf said:
It sucks, if you prefer non-spoilery reviews, but some people just have them as part of their review style.

OK, some people like spoilers, some don't. So why not give people a choice: add a spoiler alert, then those who like spoilers can read on, and those who don't can skip! Quite simple.

Roxxsmom · Jul 26, 2014

I've never cared much about spoilers, but then I'm the kind of person who can happily reread my favorite books over and over. But since some people do hate them, I personally mention that there will be spoilers in a blog entry or post where a recently released movie or novel is being discussed--or if I post a review on goodreads or someplace where I discuss plot elements.

I have to admit, I don't feel too terrible about spoilers for something that has been out for a few years or longer. If someone gets mad because I revealed the end of Lord of the Rings, my response would likely be, "You're kidding me."

The only suggestion, though, is to avoid reading reviews for things you haven't read or watched yet, unless someone can attest to it being spoiler free.

Review with spoilers -- what to do?

On a wing and a prayer

On a wing and a prayer

On a wing and a prayer

delicate #!&@*#! flower

is watching you via her avatar

unaccounted for

On a wing and a prayer

On a wing and a prayer

delicate #!&@*#! flower

Resist. Love. Go outside.

delicate #!&@*#! flower

Rewriting My Destiny

Swan in Process

Freshly caught writing bug lives!

On a wing and a prayer

Beastly Fido