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Reading Etiquette

Reading etiquette words over images of reader holding a Kobo device beside a person writing with a pen

I don't know if the topic of reading etiquette is becoming more prevalent because it's dominating most readers and authors' thoughts on Bookthreads/Bookstagram, or if this is just a niche matter that I somehow stumbled upon and now my feed is inundated with all of the impolite or improper things happening with books and reviews.

Either way, it doesn't seem like a pleasant theme to wade into, so for the most part, I've skipped the more egregious posts. However, I am sad to hear of how people are being treated on both sides as no one—readers nor authors—should be taken advantage of, especially when it comes to the gift of reading.

Readers, I'm sorry to hear of authors that attack you directly or publicly, reach out to you because you DNFed their book by questioning your stance, repost your reviews with snarky comments, intimidate you through their network, bully you by posting untrue statements, pressure you into giving only four or five star reviews, place undue burdens on you to publicize their books, dictate how you are allowed to access their books, or otherwise make your online presence uncomfortable or fearful.

This is so heartbreaking because readers should be able to be honest in their feedback without repercussion from the author or those affiliated with them, provided that the feedback has been offered respectfully. Many readers view reviews as a service unto other readers, so when this is violated, I can understand why readers feel like they can no longer offer thoughtful evaluations or valid critiques. The result? Other readers lose out on discovering broader perspectives of a book.

Authors, I'm sorry to hear of readers who demand free books from you, pirate or sell your books so that they can profit off you, bomb your books with false reviews, blackmail you into providing compensation, slander you with untrue accusations like the usage of artificial intelligence, threaten you and your loved ones because of your public persona, harass you for personal or book-related information, or generally make things challenging for you to be able to write and have a livelihood through your craft.

As you can imagine, I feel like I'm only scratching the surface with all of the content I've seen. I don't think I even know the worst of it, but how tragic that authors can be treated so poorly when they are offering not only their skills, but also their heart and time in writing the stories they write. Readers should be supporting authors, not looking for ways to take even more from them than they are already giving. Authors aren't robots (unless you're only reading books written by AI), and they have lives outside of writing. For some, writing may be the only means of income generation, so to obtain their materials through unlawful or questionable means can really hurt them.

I'd like to believe that things can be different in the Christian reading community; however, I'm also realistic enough that if some of these behaviours were to be exposed from readers and authors alike, I wouldn't be surprised. I've seen glimpses of hurtful treatment from both parties, though I'm also thankful that I might not know the full extent of what can happen in the background.  To be honest, most of these activities would never have crossed my mind prior to learning about it more recently.

Regardless of what the reading community is going through, we can and should do better as believers. To me, reading is supposed to be a beautiful mutually beneficial relationship where readers and authors are respected. Being aware of the ways that things can go upside down in this fraught world of book reviews, I feel even more pressure to ask God for His help in living out the following verses:

"Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves." - Romans 12:10

"Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you." - 2 Corinthians 13:11

"You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”" - Galatians 5:13-14

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Comments

  1. AnonymousAugust 6, 2024 at 2:42 PM

    This was a terrific article! I've felt the pressure to assign a certain star rating and to leave out certain thoughts about a story because the author has requested it or other readers have pressured me to give a better review/star rating. It's very difficult since I want to be as authentic as possible. I've also been called out by an author about part of my review, but thankfully, her followers actually agreed with me so her post about my thoughts actually backfired.

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    Replies
    1. Christian ShelvesAugust 6, 2024 at 5:31 PM

      Thank you so much! I'm sorry you've felt that way with star ratings (and to have authors actually request it!). It's good that your review ended up being validated, though I'm sure being called out was an unpleasant experience. I appreciate your thoughts as it confirms that Christian reviewers are also exposed to this behaviour!

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