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Tayari's Blog: Twit Hits and Table Flips

Posted by TayariJones on June 29, 2009 08:30 AM
Filed under The Writing Life

On Twitter yesterday, I noticed that novelist Alice Hoffman was not in such a great mood. The Boston Globe had given her new book a bad review. Hoffman called the reviewer a "moron" and even posted the reviewer's email address and phone numbers. I think we can call that putting out a Twit-Hit. (Gawker has the full story.)

Almost everybody in the twitterverse disapproved of Hoffman's reaction. About a month ago, Hoffman also complained on twitter about the treatment she received from Washington Post Book Review. Ron Charles, editor of that review, responded to her via twitter. (I must say he was very professional on that occaision, although he did loosen up a bit yesterday.)

I will admit that I thought Hoffman was coloring outside the lines a bit, but there was a part of me that was weirdly envious. It was exactly how I felt watching the Real Housewives of New Jersey. Remember on the finale when Teresa flipped that table? Haven't we all wanted to flip a table, but were too scared, too bourgie, too careful to do it?

When my first book came out, I got a sort of stupid review in The Washington Post. My poor little feelings were so hurt! Not only did the reviewer downplay the historical significance of The Atlanta Child Murders, but he also said that my writing was pretentious. There were also little factual mistakes. (For example, he identified Kenny as Octavia's stepfather, when he is actually an uncle.) It really made me want to flip a table. I am just really grateful that Twitter wasn't invented back in 2002. Twitter makes it way too easy to show the world your private petulant self.

But the question about the medium of twitter doesn't really address whether or not you should respond to reviewers.
I am not convinced that it helps you out at all, unless the reviewer did something that was ideologically problematic. Let's say the reviewer did something racially offensive. I think you can respond to that because it seems to be a matter of ideas, rather an issue of wounded feelings or personal taste. Also, I think responding to a bad review only brings attention to it. So Sensible Tayari is going to conclude that no, you shouldn't tweet in response to a negative review.

But Crazy Tayari says, flip that table, girl.

June 30, 2009 09:58 AM