IndieView with reviewer Mati Raine of Steampunk Sparrow’s Book Blog

I think people are understanding not all Indie’s are created equal. Self-published isn’t always bad, but quality is still the main thing I hear readers crying for. Whether it’s traditional or Indie, readers want clean, error-free books. 

Mati Raine – 18 March 2014

About Reviewing

How did you get started?

I started reviewing as a columnist for my college’s student newspaper. I wrote one or two articles, but I really never reviewed anything I didn’t like. For me, reviewing at that point was a way to bask praise on a novel I really enjoyed. After taking several journalism classes, I started to learn how to look at books more critically and review in a more professional manner.

How do you review a book? Is it a read first, and then make notes, or do you make notes as you go along?

I tend to read and make notes as I go along. Many of the books I read are in electronic format now, so I can leave notes in text. This is useful to see not just when errors happen, but how often they are occurring. If a book has one misplaced quotation mark, I know it was just a fluke. But if I look back and see several instances, it is something I would flag as being noteworthy.

When I read a print book it’s much more difficult. I usually have an open word document to jot down thoughts as I go. I resist ever writing in an actual book though. I like keeping my physical copies clean.

What are you looking for?

When I read I usually just note problems. Inconsistencies, transition problems, and other small things I might miss farther down the road. Once I finish a book I sit back and look at everything as a whole. How did I feel the characters developed? Did they seem thought out? Was the plot believable? How often were there problems slowing me down? Did I need to finish this in one setting (was it a page turner?), or did I need breaks because some things annoyed me? I usually wait to do this the day after I finish the book so everything has time to ‘settle’ in my head.

If a book has a great plot, great characters, but the grammar is less than perfect, how do you deal with that?

I believe in isolation with reviews. When I find a problem, whether it is the plot, the characters, or the spelling, I take note of it, set it aside, and keep reading. I feel you have to learn to review through the problems. A book isn’t busted for me by one fatal flaw. I try to view every book as something that can be improved, so I ask myself: “If you took the spelling and grammar errors out, what would you think of the story?” Editing can improve a book farther down the road, so I feel you have to consider everything, write about it, then let each person decide for themselves.

How long does it take you to get through, say, an eighty thousand-word book?

If I am really into a book, it is rare I won’t finish it the same day. If I really sit and devote myself to a book, I can read about 100 pages an hour.  This is a little harder to do when I have other projects to work on, however. Typically I give a book 1-2 days to be finished regardless of length, unless it is a beta read or is requiring heavy note taking as I go along.

How did you come up with your rating system, and could you explain more about the rating system?

I rate on a 10-star system, because I hate using half stars. I came up with my rating system when there were several books I was reviewing that were sitting somewhere between a 3 and a 4 star, and I couldn’t decide which. 10-stars gives me room to mark down a book without destroying it, and I can be more precise about just how much I love or hate a book.

When I review, I start at ten and mark down as I go along. Bad plot? Down a star. Bad writing? Down a star. I look at things like character, world building, page-turning quality, general appeal, and also judge the books effect as a whole. My star system lets me isolate problems and review around them.

What advice could you give to authors looking to get their books reviewed?

Be brave, and be humble. As a writer and a blogger, I see both sides of things. When a reviewer tears apart your work, it’s hard to accept. But a good reviewer will help you understand how readers are reacting as they read, and show areas you could improve farther down the road. Books are works of art: they are never truly perfect, you just have to decide when to walk away and let it be seen. In the end, you have to stand by your work. If they don’t like the pairing you came up with, but you believe that helped you tell the story you wanted to, you need to stand by that.

Do you get readers emailing you and thanking you for a review?

Not often, most of my thanks comes from the author’s themselves. I am honest when I review, and very clear why I like or dislike something, so sometimes that feedback is appreciated.

My advice to authors on getting a ‘bad’ review (hasten to add that might mean a perfectly honest, well written, fair review – just bad from the author’s point of view) is to take what you can from it and move on. Under no circumstances to ‘argue’ with the reviewer – would you agree with that?

I would agree. As I said before, it’s up to you to stand by your book regardless of what the review says. I know it gets hard when you don’t have many reviews and one is low, but reviews are learning experiences, and they are simply opinions about what was written. When I get down about a review, I go and find a ‘popular’ novel on Goodreads I’m familiar with, even one I really like. Then I scroll through some of the lower reviews, and remind myself these people disliked a book I love. Is that bad? Is that the end of the world? I just think it’s part of the experience.

About Reading

We talk a lot about writing here on the blog, and possibly not enough about reading, which is after all why we’re all here. Why do you think people love reading? We’re seeing lots of statistics that say reading as a pastime is dying – do you think that’s the case?

I love reading because for a small amount of time, I can escape myself. Life gets stressful, worries pop up, and sometimes you just need to find someplace where life doesn’t matter for a little while. I don’t think reading is dying, especially with the rise of the e-book industry. I just think it’s evolving. I have books on my phone that I can read in between other tasks. It frees me to pick up a book when I couldn’t carry it around before. Having books on my phone opens more time for me, and I read more now than I did a year ago before I had this ability.

About Writing

What are the most common mistakes that you see authors making?

One of the most common mistakes I see is the repetition of words in the same paragraph, unintentionally. It seems like a small thing, but it really trips up the reader and can stop the flow of a book. If you say ‘suddenly’ at the start of a section, having it at the end is unnecessary. Exploring and varying word choice is a challenge writers have to adapt to.

We’re told that the first page, paragraph, chapter, is absolutely key in making or breaking a book. Agents typically request only the first five pages of a novel; what do you think about that? If a book hasn’t grabbed you by the first five pages, do you put it down?

It depends on the book. I hate stopping a book once I’ve started it, and most of the time I will push through a crappy opening to see what the rest of the story holds. I had one novel that I really hated the opening, but somewhere in the middle it started to catch its stride. When books have this problem, I shift into beta reading mode, flag it as a ‘too-soon’ publication if it’s already in print, and then do what I can to give helpful feedback on what exactly could be improved to make it better. Oftentimes, writers that have a problematic opening like this have already realized it, so feedback is still helpful.

Is there anything you will not review?

I won’t review erotica and horror. Erotica just doesn’t have enough substance to me, and the writing style that is so common in them doesn’t appeal to me. As for horror, I just don’t enjoy being scared. Thrillers and suspense are still fun though, because I can be on my toes without feeling the need to sleep with the light on.

About Publishing

What do you think of the oft-quoted comment that the “slush-pile has moved online”?

I can see some truth in it. I read a lot of Indie books, and while I find some gems, there is also the mass of books that just feel like they hit print too soon. Some writers are throwing book after book into the market, desperately waiting for someone to ‘discover them’. These books may not always be edited, and such, they reflect the slush piles in a publishing industry.

Do you think attitudes are changing with respect to indie or self-published titles?

I think people are understanding not all Indie’s are created equal. Self-published isn’t always bad, but quality is still the main thing I hear readers crying for. Whether it’s traditional or Indie, readers want clean, error-free books. Grammar and spelling problems hurt no matter where they are, and people hate ugly covers, despite what’s inside them. There are LOTS of good stories out there, and readers are forced to glean their time and choose carefully where they spend it. Few readers look at the publisher when they pick up a novel, but they can see the quality. Because of that, as the quality rises in Indie outlets, readers respect also grows.

Do you have any ideas or comments on how the industry can ‘filter’ good from bad, aside from reviews?

I think feedback is still one of the most powerful tools to make this happen. Book ratings, rankings and reviews all filter books, but beyond promoting good books and passing them on, a book just has to stand on its own. If it’s strong enough, hopefully it’ll rise to the top of its competition.

End of Interview:

You can read Mati’s reviews at Steampunk Sparrow’s Book Blog.