Pay It Forward

 

“To win without risk is to triumph without glory.”

 

That quote is courtesy of the French dramatist Pierre Corneille (1606), and there’s a lot of truth buried in that short sentence. The same is true for a pearl of wisdom I heard early in life — “Nothing worthwhile comes easy.” It’s a simple lesson that more people should follow--to get anything you want from life, whether it’s a career, a relationship, inner peace, or financial security, you need to get out there and pitch for yourself. It’s unlikely that anyone will do it for you.

 

I read a discussion in a writer’s group that mentioned book reviews, the bane of an author’s existence. The poster took the selfish attitude that posting good reviews and blog responses is an expectation for readers. If I read it correctly, they were saying that if you take the time to read a book, you have an obligation to post a review (hopefully a good one). They also felt that we (writers) should just accept any praise we get and move on. I got the feeling this person felt they were too important to acknowledge someone else’s opinion.  

 

I have never taken anything for granted regarding book publicity. I routinely send notes or e-mails to people who have had me as a guest on their blog, or as a featured author in their bookstore. I do the same for friends who were nice enough to post something favorable. It may only be a couple of sentences via email or Messenger, but I let them know that I appreciated their comments. I was raised by a generation that believed in sending Thank You cards for gifts and remembrances, and it stuck with me. If my gesture results in keeping my name near the top of their list the next time I release a book or they need a guest blogger, so much the better. Who says nice guys finish last?

 

I’ve been blessed with mostly positive book reviews throughout my career. I don’t write for the critics and when I read less-than-stellar reviews, I try not to take negative comments personally. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and quite often those criticisms stay with me for future stories. One encounter with a blogger, though, nearly changed my outlook. This woman read one of my romantic mystery/thrillers then trashed it on her site. Naturally I was annoyed, but not so much with her opinion of my prose. What sent me over the edge were her comments that attacked me personally because I’m a man who included a straight romantic relationship in my story. How dare I do such a thing! Everyone knows that men can’t write a realistic romance, right? If that wasn’t enough, she took the vendetta a step further and linked her nasty write-up to a rave review I had received on Goodreads. I’ve never met this woman, and I don’t know why she was hell-bent on destroying my career.

 

Good reviews are nice, but I don’t write to impress literary critics. The ones I’ve encountered are as useful as training wheels on a bowling ball. I write for the person in Parma, Ohio or Rugby, North Dakota who wants to escape from life for a little while. I think of fiction writing as being in the entertainment business. If you can pick up one of my books and get transported to someplace exotic, with characters that you like and a plot that holds your interest, I’ve done my job. I think the nicest compliment an author can receive is “I can’t wait to read your next one.” It doesn’t get much better than that.  

 

Tim Smith is an award-winning bestselling author of mystery/thrillers and contemporary romantic comedies. He’s also a freelance writer, editor and blogger. His author page is AllAuthor/Tim Smith