An ambiguous, rant-ish post

Sometimes when reading critical reviews of my work, I can nod and think, "That's valid," or, "I disagree, but I can see how someone could read it that way." And other times...

"What? Did you read the same book? Did you skip chapters? Did you rewrite those scenes in your head? Are you certifiable? How on earth did you get THAT out of it? Did you have your eyes shut the whole time? Shouldn't it be illegal to write reviews if you're insane?"

Like that.

As a writer you can't talk back to reviews. You just have to button your lips and take it. You don't want to be ungracious, snotty, egotistical, arrogant, nasty...even if you really want to be. It never does any good anyway. But you scream a lot in your head. "WHAT?" It sort of helps.

It can be trying. I spend so much time on a book, I rewrite to death, I'm so careful with each word, and then to have it misread...well, yuck. People can not like my books, they can be turned off by my style or story or whatever. Everyone's reading experience is personal. But when they read through highly subjective lenses and think they're being objective, I want to tear my hair out. I want to sob. I want to talk back. I want to explain. I want to sit down with that reviewer and discuss the review point-by-point, detailing where they are mistaken.

But I can't. In review vs. author, review always wins. Review gets the last word. Except for a brief shimmering moment, in ambiguous, rant-ish blog posts.