When Writers Attack: Alice Hoffman
- Thread starter William Haskins
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- Feb 12, 2005
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- www.aliceloweecey.net
Wow, remind me to never buy a book by Alice Hoffman. It doesn't interest me in the slightest to contribute to the success of a person who behaves like a child.
D'y'know, this is the first non-vampire-writer hissy fit I've witnessed.
Anne Rice, smeyer, LKH...it's good to see someone from another genre spit the dummy occasionally.
Anne Rice, smeyer, LKH...it's good to see someone from another genre spit the dummy occasionally.
Gosh, it's nice to see writers react to criticism with dignity and professionalismbatshiat screams of outrage.
Thanks for posting all the links, William.
Thanks for posting all the links, William.
So not everyone is adapting to the social media sea change as well as he or she would like, then.
This is what social media does. Ten years ago, perhaps sooner, big media was a clositered hub of insiders and paid fat cats. The marketing and distribution chains were tightly controlled. The critics that mattered reached millions, not hundreds or thousands.
Twitter instantly reaches millions. Twitter spreads like a virus (if the thing is interesting enough). There is no framework in place to repel bad Twitter (or, for that matter, capitalize on good Twitter). There are still critics that matter, whose reached is prided by publishing houses. But there control of NY Best Seller or bargain basement isn't what it used to be.
Twitter will die or come under some auspices of control soon. And that doesn't mean some have some control of the medium (Star Trek movie used it well), but until then, reactions like these are akin to the Tiger biting Roy. It was a Tiger and it was bound to happen sooner or later.
This is what social media does. Ten years ago, perhaps sooner, big media was a clositered hub of insiders and paid fat cats. The marketing and distribution chains were tightly controlled. The critics that mattered reached millions, not hundreds or thousands.
Twitter instantly reaches millions. Twitter spreads like a virus (if the thing is interesting enough). There is no framework in place to repel bad Twitter (or, for that matter, capitalize on good Twitter). There are still critics that matter, whose reached is prided by publishing houses. But there control of NY Best Seller or bargain basement isn't what it used to be.
Twitter will die or come under some auspices of control soon. And that doesn't mean some have some control of the medium (Star Trek movie used it well), but until then, reactions like these are akin to the Tiger biting Roy. It was a Tiger and it was bound to happen sooner or later.
complaints about criticism and literary feuds are nothing new. you're right, it's the technology that's new. once relegated to cocktail parties and correspondence, bitching about reviews, rejections, etc is now capable of global broadcast.
i would imagine she's regretting it.
the "send" or "enter" button doesn't afford the same level of reflection as stamping a letter and dropping it in the box.
the "send" or "enter" button doesn't afford the same level of reflection as stamping a letter and dropping it in the box.
Anybody wanna summarize the Anne Rice or SMeyer temper tantrums for me? I must have been living under a rock.
Before Alice Hoffman reacted so badly on Twitter, she should have googled Roberta Silman first. It would have taken her only a few seconds more.
ETA: what really gets me is that AH posted Roberta's phone number. Strange.
ETA: what really gets me is that AH posted Roberta's phone number. Strange.
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Anne Rice read bad reviews of one of her vampire novels (Blackwood Farm? Not sure) on Amazon and hellaripped in to said reviewers, saying they didn't understand her, she would never allow anyone to edit her novels, etc.
Stephenie Meyer's novel Midnight Sun was leaked and she went in a huff, threatened never to write another word (like that's a bad thing) and blamed everyone but herself - because it was her who handed out advance copies of the half-written first draft.
Also LKH has banned all negative comments on her site; you're only allowed to praise her, not question her writing, or say you didn't enjoy such-and-such a book. Her novels are little more than vamp-porn now, her female MC a skank. Also she blogs about her personal life then has public shit-fits when readers speculate on same.
So yeah. Seems to be a trait running through the vampire genre.
Stephenie Meyer's novel Midnight Sun was leaked and she went in a huff, threatened never to write another word (like that's a bad thing) and blamed everyone but herself - because it was her who handed out advance copies of the half-written first draft.
Also LKH has banned all negative comments on her site; you're only allowed to praise her, not question her writing, or say you didn't enjoy such-and-such a book. Her novels are little more than vamp-porn now, her female MC a skank. Also she blogs about her personal life then has public shit-fits when readers speculate on same.
So yeah. Seems to be a trait running through the vampire genre.
Hmmm...and all the authors that went nuts are women. Interesting.
I despise Twitter. I think it's stupid.
Then again, I don't have a Twitter account. Or Facebook. Or Myspace.
Then again, I'm not published and famous.
But still, come on! You can't possibly go into the writing business, or any other artistic, creative business, and expect everyone to love you. It isn't like many other jobs where everything is black and white. Writing is completely up for opinion. Some will love your work, some will hate your work. Deal with it. That's the way it goes. And f-in' grow up. Seriously. She goes and cries on Twitter? And then posts Roberta's #? That's just awful. I'd never even post my ex's phone number online where everyone could find it. And I can't stand him.
I despise Twitter. I think it's stupid.
Then again, I don't have a Twitter account. Or Facebook. Or Myspace.
Then again, I'm not published and famous.
But still, come on! You can't possibly go into the writing business, or any other artistic, creative business, and expect everyone to love you. It isn't like many other jobs where everything is black and white. Writing is completely up for opinion. Some will love your work, some will hate your work. Deal with it. That's the way it goes. And f-in' grow up. Seriously. She goes and cries on Twitter? And then posts Roberta's #? That's just awful. I'd never even post my ex's phone number online where everyone could find it. And I can't stand him.
Can I add that the LKH blog is rife with spelling and grammar errors and the MOST BORING personal information this side of staring at a wall for an hour. "Jon and me went dancing, to spite our sor anckle and nee, and then out for sushi with our freind's." It's laughably terrible.
Wasn't part of it that the review gave away the plot?
I'd be pretty miffed about that, tbh. But not that stupid
All it would take is an e-mail....
And yeah getting snotty about a review is pointless. Not everyone is going to like you. Get over it.
I'd be pretty miffed about that, tbh. But not that stupid
All it would take is an e-mail....And yeah getting snotty about a review is pointless. Not everyone is going to like you. Get over it.
V.S. Naipaul has done something similar, and he's a male author of literary work. Maybe someone with better Google-fu than I can find something about that controversy and post a link.
Personally I'd subject them to 12 straight hours of /b/. That would separate out the weak and oversensitive (also, human beings)
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