Recently, Cristina Guarino and I were talking via Twitter and email about whether authors (both published and as-yet unpublished) should refrain from writing negative book reviews. As a writer who hopes to be published one day, Cristina was concerned whether her reviews – even if they were constructive and offered strengths as well as weaknesses – could damage her reputation in the long run. This reblogged post is the result of her musings, and I found it fascinating and well-argued. In fact, it made me think about my own book reviewing “policy.”

When I was a freelance music journalist, I was obligated to be fair yet honest about the music I listened to. I’d talk about what I liked as well as what I thought could use improvement, but never veered into snarky or disrespectful territory. That’s been my approach for book reviews, too. And though I love or like most everything I read, there have been a few negative outliers…

The mentality I’ve had is that over time, if I were to become a published author, I’d keep reviewing books I enjoyed but refrain from reviewing anything less than than a “3 out of 5.” After reading Cristina’s piece, though, I wonder if I should adopt that change now. What do you think? Do you mind occasional negative (yet constructive, not blasting) reviews from “writers in progress” who are also working on their own novels? Or should they be more mindful of how those reviews might reflect upon them? Please don’t hesitate to answer honestly. I’d like to know if there’s something I should do differently, or stop doing altogether, if my current reviewing method might prove harmful later on.

Do you feel from time to time that blogging and social media can be draining? I do – more with social media than with blogging. Some days it tires me out or frustrates me, or I have absolutely no desire to log on. That’s when I know I need to take a break for a day or two (or more). It also explains why one of my least favorite bits of “writer platform” advice is that we should be on as many social media sites as possible (Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Instagram, Pinterest, Goodreads, etc etc etc.) and constantly participating. How can someone have enough time and energy to do that without cutting into their writing time or (in this case) burning themselves out?

Earlier this week, I discovered this article at Cate Russell-Cole’s blog Octopus Ink. Not only did I relate to and agree with her points, but I also liked the tips she offered on how to deal with social media burn-out and maintaining a healthy online presence without overextending yourself. Some of the comments after the article are wonderfully insightful, too. I hope you’ll enjoy this – and maybe cheer about its message – as much as I did.