Tuesday, October 25, 2005

Acceptable or not acceptable? That is the question.

Since when has bitchiness or snarkiness become acceptable behavior to published authors? Have those person(s) always been that way? Or is it a newly developed trait to fit into a clique? Or is it because they are getting too big for their britches?

Bitchiness is an all-too-familiar trait amongst published authors as of late. As if the little digs from one author against another, we've got authors giving their opinions far and wide and making it blatantly clear that they could give a rat's ass whether we, the readers, agree or disagree with their opinions.

When has this behavior become acceptable? To me, an author should portray themselves in a professional manner, one in which their publisher would be proud to be represented, yet far too often they simply do not. They carry on in any manner they choose to without a second thought as to how it makes them look, or their publisher for that matter, in the eyes of we, the lowly readers. Since when has being a published author given ANYONE the right to be down and out nasty, snarky, petty, and/or just plain RUDE to others, readers and authors alike?

Well, to me, this is NOT acceptable. Never has been and never will be. And I am sick and f*cking tired of seeing it! Grow up people and act like adults! You got a problem with someone, work it out or avoid them altogether because this whole malicious behavioral thing you have going on is really getting old.

You are the authors... the ones we are supposed to look up to... the ones who are to be our role models, and frankly, I have stopped posting on some Yahoo groups BECAUSE of this. If I want to deal with cliques or bitchiness or rudeness, I'll think back to my high school years and remember with a shudder all the bullshit I had to put up with back then, and let me tell you, I for one do NOT want to have to put up with that as an adult. I get enough fighting in my household with two teenage boys. The Yahoo groups I frequent are my haven... my escape so to speak. Why on God's green earth would I frequent certain groups when I have to endure the very thing I'm trying to escape from?

Am I among the minority here, or is anyone else out there being deterred from buying books from any author out there because of the petty bullshit going on out there?

4 People Gabbed:

Anonymous said...

I have to say I agree with you Anne. While everyone may slip now and then, I think in general people should behave online with the same kindness, courtesy and forebearance as they would if the people they are talking to were sitting in their living room.

Karen Scott said...

Anne, I appreciate witty snark as much as the next person, but it seems to me that you can be snarky, without being hurtful (book reviews don't count)to somebody else.

I'm a very sarcastic person, and some people say that that's the lowest form of wit, but I can hand on heart, say that I never go out of my way to make somebody else feel bad.

Also, what gets me is when these authors pretend that they're nice people, well I'm not fooled that easily.

I usually go with my instincts when it comes to others, which is why, I've left all but a few groups.

The author that I dumped yesterday is a fake bitch, and I couldn't bring myself to buy her books anymore.

Anonymous said...

Hey Karen, if sarcasm is the lowest form of wit why is Oscar Wilde still our reigning queen? (sorry, couldn't resist). I too am extremely sarcastic but it makes me hurt inside if I think I've truly insulted another person.

I don't cruise alot of these groups, but I hear alot. Ill winds blow far and wide. Do you know that the day after I complained about PBR's review my website got about 2500 hits from all over the globe! Why did people gather? Because it looked like a cat fight was imminent. I decided then and there that would be the last time anyone hit my site because I'd been a public "bitch". It's just bad form.

So come on, hit me with both barrels. I'll still smile sweetly through my teeth. At least in cyber-space. LOL.

Anne said...

Sarah- Isn't it just amazing how different people treat you online rather than when you are face-to-face.

Lauren- I've never seen you be bitchy. You're always kind and courteous to the readers and authors alike. How one acts in the privacy of their home is one thing, but being bitchy in the eyes of a reader and slamming them when it's uncalled for, just may turn a reader or two or ten or twenty off from reading that particular author's books. I know it has me.

Karen- I love sarcasm, honestly. I've got a bit of sarcasm in me as well. It's the bitchiness and just plain rudeness that I can't stand. It's becoming too common and if I ever get to be a published author, I hope I NEVER treat people like that.

Ann- I remember the PBR incident. LOL Funny how things get so easily blown out of proportion, isn't it? Anything to watch a highly anticipated "cat fight."