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A daily record of what I'm thinking about what I'm reading

To read about movies and TV shows I'm watching, visit my other blog: Elliot's Watching

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

I regret that this blog has caused someone pain

I received a message from an author yesterday who was apparently somewhat hurt by my recent post on his novel. I have to say that I felt very saddened by this. My goal in keeping this blog is to clarify my thoughts on my own reading, to keep a record of what I'm reading and what I'm thinking about what I'm reading, and to share my thoughts with the handful of friends and maybe strangers whom might come upon elliotsreading. Also, I think it's a something of an experiment: most reviews are published only after the reader completes the book and collects his or her thoughts, but in this blog you can read over my shoulder and watch my opinion of the book grow and take shape over time. You can read along with a reader, so to speak. In the post in question, it's true that ultimately I did not like the book, it just wasn't the type of book I usually read - though many thousands of readers have loved the book. But the several posts on the book show, I hope, that I entered the process with enthusiasm and grappled with my evolving thoughts on the novel seriously and honestly. I hate that I've hurt someone's feelings in this blog; that is not my intention, but I do want to be honest about my assessments of my reading. I have been very wounded, too, by reviews of my work and by many rejections, so can certainly understand that. At times I've thought of giving up writing, and I've thought of stopping this blog as well. Is it worth causing someone pain, inadvertently, if that can be avoided by silence?

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