I’m the first to admit that unless someone sends me a review directly I don’t tend to know about them. I rarely Google my name (once every four to six months…if I remember). I don’t avoid checking to see if new stuff is out there because I’d rather be an ostrich with its head in the sand. I do it because for the most part I get no benefit from finding out what people are saying about my books. And by that, I do not mean that I don’t appreciate the people who take time out of their day to write reviews for my books. I truly do. That’s not what this entry is about.
In the beginning it was groovy to see my name on the internet, but after a while I realized that in the big picture it just didn’t matter. Nothing anyone said would change what I was writing or how I was writing. I’m constantly evolving on both those fronts. I don’t need an outside source’s influence thrown into the mix. I spent enough years going through that in high school and in my early years of writing. (wg)
I’ve heard the argument that you should read all your reviews (the good, the bad, and the ugly) for the constructive criticism one could decipher between the lines. I think it’s bullocks. I’m not saying that some reviews can’t contain constructive criticism. I just haven’t read many that do. Personally, I tend to limit who I actually listen to for advice. If you’re an editor or my agent, I’m all ears. Same goes for my critique partners. There are also a few writers that I know online that I’d pay attention to if they gave me their advice on how to improve my writing.
In the end, I think taking reviews with a grain of salt is self-preservation. If I paid attention to what everyone was saying, then it would immobilize me. This way, I get to do whatever I want. 
Archive for October, 2006
My dh and I went to this cool place yesterday. I know it’s going to sound weird, but I can’t say enough good things about this place. I don’t know about you all, but to say I run out of ideas for dinner is an understatement. Like most people, we have about four things that we rotate over and over again until we’re sick to death of them. On top of that, I tend to go to the grocery store and spend two hundred dollars without buying any meals. It’s a gift…NOT! That’s what made finding Entrees Made Easy so great.
This place allows you to put together twelve meals from a menu that changes monthly. An example of some of the meals we took home are: London Broil, Stuffed Pork Loin, Brandywine Chicken, Herbed Shrimp, Baked Spaghetti, Mexican Quiche, Creamy Penne with Chicken and Mushrooms, etc.) These meals are not cooked. Instead, you get the meat (which is high quality cuts) and all the ingredients needed to complete the recipes hanging above each station. You put them together, they clean up the mess, and you take them home to the freezer. You pop them in the oven, when you’re ready to eat. It’s a win-win. The best part is that twelve dinners for two people only costs $130.00. How great is that? We’re so happy with the quality that we’re going to keep signing up. It’s going to save us a fortune. Another great thing is that the franchises are beginning to spread across the states, so there may be one near you soon.
