Comments on: Why Won’t (Insert Name Here) Read My Book?

By: Sandra Hutchison

Sandra Hutchison — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 15:21:39 +0000

Yes, it’s hard, and it always will be.

But also, please be aware that your friends may not have even seen your Facebook post. They’re not as universally shared as they used to be. You practically have to tag people to make sure they see them. And then they have to see them at a time they can do something about it, which isn’t always the case.

I find that the best remedy for these kinds of hurt feelings is experiencing my own success. If you depend on family and friends, you’re not really succeeding on your own anyway. So just keep moving on and finding your own readers. 🙂

By: Rhonda Rizzo

Rhonda Rizzo — Thu, 02 Aug 2018 00:16:27 +0000

Thank you, thank you, thank you for making me realize I’m not alone in this. I’m working through my resentment that I purchased everything any of my friends put out and many of them didn’t even “like” my Facebook announcement about the release of my book (The Waco Variations), much less purchase and read it. I’ve been consoling myself by doing just what you suggested.

By: Tammy Tolbert

Tammy Tolbert — Sun, 18 Mar 2018 05:12:08 +0000

I have two online publications and my short story was published in a quarterly anthology in January. I was over the moon, to see the art that accompanied my work. To see my story, 20 pages with my name, my words. Not one of my friends or family read my work. Writing two books, juggling work,caring for my family,with a ton of shorts and poems, all available to them. I started writing last year after some health issues kept me off work, it was something I dreamed of doing. I would love to know what they think. It is frustrating to say the least.

By: Jade Remeng

Jade Remeng — Sat, 10 Mar 2018 13:20:09 +0000

This was a good post and you brought up different sides of the issue. My opinion is that it’s not about reading or liking what you read. It’s about supporting your loved one in their life goals. Sharing art is a very unique type of communication. Most people aren’t artists and even fewer do it seriously and put months or years into a piece of writing. Do you really want to skip this opportunity to connect with your loved one in this way? To know more about their ways of expressions, thoughts and skills? If so, then don’t be surprised if they connect more deeply with someone who is open to try their art. You can find interesting and positive sides in almost everything and everyone, and it shouldn’t be that hard if you care about the person. I have some chronic pain and I see most people waste their time and health constantly in something they don’t even care about. So why not put a few hours into supporting someone you love. I think people make too many excuses.

By: Sandra Hutchison

Sandra Hutchison — Sat, 17 Jun 2017 01:56:40 +0000

In reply to Laura. Yes, it always helps if you know they won't pick ANYONE'S book. :)

By: Laura

Laura — Thu, 15 Jun 2017 16:53:21 +0000

My sister read my short story but everyone else said “I didn’t know you wrote stories.” Kind of an attitude of oh how sweet and a pat on the hand. No readers though. But since that don’t read anything, it was okay.

By: Sandra Hutchison

Sandra Hutchison — Tue, 07 Feb 2017 14:17:40 +0000

In reply to Annette Gendler.

We’ve all been there, Annette. I think you’re doing what you can! I know myself to be a rather cranky reader — if I don’t believe something in a scene is plausible, I have a really hard time reading any more.

By: Annette Gendler

Annette Gendler — Mon, 06 Feb 2017 18:18:05 +0000

Sandra, I love your article! My book is coming out in two months and of course I’m wondering who among my friends will buy, read and otherwise support it. But I keep reminding myself of how I react when my friends publish books: I always buy it to support them, but honestly, quite often I am simply not interested in the subject matter, so my support ends there. It’s even worse when it is a subject matter I’m interested in and I find the book poorly written. What to do then? I bought it, but I won’t finish reading it and I won’t do a review. It’s a difficult situation to be in. I enthusiastically support the books by friends that I do like, so I hope I’ve put enough good karma out there!

By: Sandra Hutchison

Sandra Hutchison — Tue, 17 Jan 2017 21:56:27 +0000

In reply to Ruchira Khanna. :) And my best wishes to you at that, Ruchira. Hang in there -- it can take a while.

By: Sandra Hutchison

Sandra Hutchison — Tue, 17 Jan 2017 21:55:31 +0000

In reply to MaryAnn S. Tastes vary so widely. It's just as tough with fiction as with visual art, I think, to predict what people will like, unless you've been already been agreeing about books (or paintings) for a while. Just today I noticed someone dinging one of mine on Goodreads for, she says, insulting librarians! Some people get my humor and some people don't. It's all subjective.