This is such a tricky topic, but I appreciate Susan’s articulate, logical approach. In my former life (pre-blogging and writing), I left Goodreads reviews that ranged from one-sentence “I liked it” to long, rambling mini-novels. I didn’t follow any guidelines about how to review, but I didn’t leave spoilers either. Most readers review from the heart. They are posting an honest opinion of how they feel about the book.

I think it’s different for professional reviewers and bloggers. If someone is going to be a professional reviewer or have a blog where they review books, I think they should refrain from leaving spoilers. If they must reveal aspects of the plot, it’s a good idea to post a “Spoiler Alert” as a courtesy to the readers. Once a reviewer enters the professional or blogging arena, they have their audience to consider. As a reader, I would be very disappointed if someone decided summarize the entire book before I had a chance to read it.

Please read the post on Susan’s blog and contribute to the conversation if you wish. It’ll be interesting to see where everyone stands on this issue.

Fantastic post! I struggle with #3 tremendously. Fear of failure isn’t what is holding me back. It’s the fear of being judged. So I go through life not really putting my work out there. My co-workers don’t know about my writing. My neighbors don’t know. If I meet someone and they ask me what I do for a living, I say “Accounting.” I should be able to proudly say “I am a Writer!”

#4… Oh, gotta love #4. I see this all the time. A reviewer who doesn’t like their book is either too stupid to understand it, or they’re out to get them. I’ve seen authors argue with reviewers on Goodreads and Amazon. I’ve seen authors go on crazy rants on their own blogs. No one is always right.

Excellent advice!