That Bad Feeling...

I've recently taken on the role of book reviewer. And I'm glad that I did because I love to read, and, as a self-published author, I want to support other independent and self-publishing writers. I love the fact that other people want my opinion on their writing. 

But I hate that feeling when I get into a book and I just can't stand to go any further. When I try to push through and read the book because I made a commitment to the author to read and review their book. But sometimes I just can't do it. I can't get through it.

I feel like crap when I end up trying to get through a book and just can't do it. And I hate the feeling even worse when I'm sitting there reading the book and I get frustrated with it because, in my opinion, the author is trying too hard. That's happened several times with several different independent books that I've been reading for reviews. It's horrible to tell another writer, who has put their heart and soul into their work, that I didn't like it. 

Or worse, that I didn't like it so much that I actually couldn't finish reading the book. 

I suppose that's the one thing about the job of book reviewer that I hate more than anything. I know what it's like to have this pride in your work and know that it's everything you could have made it. And I live in fear of the day when a reviewer says that my book sucks.

I don't ever want to be that reviewer for someone else. Every writer has something to say and a story to tell, but not every reader is the best to get that story. I have to keep that in mind. I have to live by that.