More on Reviewing

I just happened to stumble upon this discussion over at OF Blog of the Fallen. In a nutshell, there is some thought that an author writing reviews of other’s work could well prove to be a slippery slope for all involved.

The concern, I think, is a legitimate one to a certain extent, especially concerning negative reviews, although even then I would be hard pressed to feel it necessary to call someone out on it even if I did think they may have a conflict of interest. After all, a writer writes. Whether it’s an in-depth, nearly critical review like those over at Strange Horizons or the much more casual review like I do here, a writer writes. Strange Horizon is, for example, a paying market for book reviews. It isn’t much, but certainly more than I make off mine, and it is a recognizable writing credit with an established online publisher. Had I the time or inclination, I would absolutely try and tailor my reviews for that kind of a market.

Anyway, their discussion there is short, and it just got me thinking a bit. I don’t face this dilemma yet, and really, I doubt I would ever concern myself with it much, but I can certainly see why some folks would feel the need to address the issue. As for me, I’ll just continue writing, reading, and sharing my thoughts about pretty much anything and everything.