Reading provides an escape from reality. It takes us to places we’ve never been and we learn new things on those travels.

Dianne Hunt – 15 July 2013

About Reviewing

How did you get started?

I got started in March of 2013 when author L.A. Johanesson asked on Google+ if anyone would like to review her book, eloves me, eloves me not. I was already blogging but wanted to do something more with my blog. I took the chance, read the book and reviewed it. The review was well received and I realized how much fun I had reading and writing the review that I decided to reach out to authors. It was a chance I took that is working out so far.

How do you review a book? Is it a read first, and then make notes, or do you make notes as you go along?

My approach to reviewing books depends on the book I am reading. If the book is a really fun and simple read, I make mental notes while reading. If the book is more intense and thought provoking, I’ll highlight a passage, bookmark a page or I’ll make notes on Google Keep on my tablet.

What are you looking for?

My goal with Same DiNamics is to eventually provide assistance to authors in getting their books published and recognized by readers out there. I’m starting the process in helping authors by providing reviews of their stories so that readers can find a new and interesting read.

If a book has a great plot, great characters, but the grammar is less than perfect, how do you deal with that?

Assuming the book has been published and gone through all its editing process my approach will vary. I’ve found that books that have been deemed ready for publishing and gone through an editing process, are not always quite ready to be published.  If the book has just a little amount of grammatical or spelling errors (which I’ll admit I’m not proficient in grammar) I won’t make mention of it in my review but I’ll let the author know so that the errors can be fixed. If the book is riddled with errors at every turn of the page, I won’t review the book. I’ll email the author to let him/her know of the errors and explain why I can’t review it. Sometimes, no matter how good a story is the errors tend to detract from the story and the reader won’t have fun reading.

How long does it take you to get through, say, an eighty thousand-word book?

I’d say it takes me about a week to complete an eighty thousand-word book. Of course, it all depends on how much the book pulls me in.

How did you come up with your rating system, and could you explain more about the rating system?

I don’t use a rating system on my blog. However, when using the rating system at any other site that has them available, I’ll give 3 stars for a book that was good and can help to pass the time if you have nothing else to read. I’ll give 4 stars for a book that was really good and kept me engaged. I’ll give 5 stars to a book that completely pulled me in, didn’t let me go and made me think. I rarely give 1 or 2 stars, if I can’t write a constructive review on a book I didn’t like, I won’t write it. I don’t believe writing negative reviews that are not constructive. I will email the author and explain my reason for not reviewing the book.

What advice could you give to authors looking to get their books reviewed?

I’d say reach out to fellow authors by joining several different social media sites and ask them questions about which reviewer(s) they’ve used to get their book(s) reviewed. When reaching out to a reviewer, look at their blog and read through several reviews to make sure the voice of the reviewer is something they are looking for. Engage the reviewer, don’t be “pushy” and automatically assume that your book will be accepted for review.

Do you get readers emailing you and thanking you for a review?

I haven’t had emails per se but have received comments saying the review has helped them and they are interested in purchasing the book. I’ve also received emails from Amazon saying that my review was helpful to someone else.

My advice to authors on getting a “bad” review (hasten to add that might mean a perfectly honest, well written, fair review – just bad from the author’s point of view) is to take what you can from it and move on. Under no circumstances to “argue” with the reviewer – would you agree with that?

Yes, I would certainly agree with that. I’ve learned that reviews are mainly subjective and written from a reviewer’s point of view. No matter how much an author argues, a reviewer’s mind won’t be changed. It can definitely leave a sour experience for the reviewer where he/she would not want to work with the author again or promote their works.

About Reading

We talk a lot about writing here on the blog, and possibly not enough about reading, which is after all why we’re all here. Why do you think people love reading. We’re seeing lots of statistics that say reading as a past-time is dying – do you think that’s the case?

While reading, as I see it, is the very foundation of education I believe that everyone reads for different reasons. However from fellow readers and connections I’ve made, the general consensus for reading has been because of the pure enjoyment of it. Reading provides an escape from reality. It takes us to places we’ve never been and we learn new things on those travels.

I don’t believe that reading is dying as a past time but it seems like it has taken a back seat to other things. I think that our society has become a very busy and engaged one where we all have to be on the go that reading can sometimes seem like a chore. However, the success of Fifty Shades of Grey has proven that even those who don’t read on a regular basis found pleasure, no pun intended, in reading and found the time to pick up a book.

About Writing

What are the most common mistakes that you see authors making?

Rushing through a story to get it published because of their excitement. They have such a wonderful tale to share with the world that their patience gets the best of them and sometimes a book is hastily published without proper editing. Not investing in their book and getting an editor to properly edit their story and using a less than appealing cover for their books. A lot of books are still judged by their covers.

We’re told that the first page, paragraph, chapter, is absolutely key in making or breaking a book. Agents typically request only the first five pages of a novel, what do you think about that; if a book hasn’t grabbed you by the first five pages, do you put it down?

No, I don’t put it down. I give the book a chance to get my attention. However, if by halfway through, the book is a pain to get through I will put it down. I’ll think of why I couldn’t get through the book. I had one such experience with a book that I read for review. It was not grabbing me at all. I reviewed the book on the writing style, which is rare for me but explained why I didn’t finish it. It was not a negative review at all and the book was not bad, it just was not for me. I was not the intended audience.

Is there anything you will not review?

So far, I haven’t come across anything I won’t review. I love to read and enjoy discovering new genres to read.

About Publishing

What do you think of the oft quoted comment that the “slush-pile has moved online”?

I’ve never heard that quote and had to look it up. Hmmm seems like there is much I need to learn about the publishing industry. As I see it and at the risk of sounding cliché there is always a diamond in the rough. Manuscripts can be like that. Often they are overlooked because the author is new, or the subject is so far off what is considered hot, or the subject has been over saturated.  I won’t put much stock in that quote since I don’t consider what I read “slush-pile”. I consider most of what I read a source of entertainment or education and value and honor the author’s work, whether good or bad. If a book has been deemed to be in the slush-pile, I wonder if it’s because of lack of proper editing and guidance for the author.

Do you think attitudes are changing with respect to Indie or self-published titles?

I do believe that the attitude is changing for the better though there is still a slight stigma – that is slowly waning – associated with indie authors where they are seen as “not good enough”. There are indie authors who are becoming published traditionally and they are the trailblazers for all authors out there, indie or not. Everyone has a story to tell, it’s just a matter of finding the right vehicle to get your story told.

Do you have any ideas or comments on how the industry can “filter” good from bad, aside from reviews?

I’m not sure that there is any other way to filter the good from bad other than reviewing. Every time a book is read, it is reviewed by the reader when an opinion of the book is formulated in their minds. The reader may choose to write a review or may verbally praise or admonish a book to a friend. Word of mouth is still one of the best ways to introduce something new into society.

I also see it this way: An author sends a manuscript out to a publisher. The editor in charge of new manuscripts reads it or skims through it. To me, this is considered a review of sorts. The editor has decided from there whether the manuscript is good enough to be published, with some polishing here or there. In essence, the manuscripts first official reviewer is the publisher or editor.

End of Interview:

Read Dianne’s reviews at Same DiNamics.