Collab: Joy & Ana’s Thoughts on Goodreads, Stalking, and More

About a month ago, the book blogging community was shocked by a Guardian article written by a YA author, Kathleen Hale. By now I’m sure you’re all familiar with it so I won’t rehash it. Around this time, a fellow blogger from the Philippines, Ana of Tara! Let’s Be Happy, and I got in touch and started chatting on Facebook. I don’t remember how it started but we ended up talking about a lot of things for more or less three hours. It was the start of a beautiful, bookish friendship. :) And one of the things that we talked about in those three hours was the Kathleen Hale issue.

It gave me the idea of doing a collab post on my blog, talking about the basic issues and questions concerning this Kathleen Hale controversy. So here it is. Although the article came out last month and this seems a bit dated, we believe that these questions are still very relevant. So let’s take it away, Ana!

---

Question: Some authors warned Kathleen Hale against checking reviews of her book on Goodreads. Some authors have experienced bullying from readers/reviewers on the said platform. So, as a reader and reviewer, what do you think about Goodreads? Yay or nay?

Ana: Yay, definitely. Ever since I started on this book blogging journey, Goodreads has been there to hold my hand. It allowed me to catalogue the books I’ve read and the ones I’m planning on reading. It even helped me connect with some authors. I believe it’s a great tool for readers all around, not just for bloggers. Like with everything else, we just have to practice caution in using Goodreads. Make sure that whatever we’re using it for would be for the benefit of the community of readers that reads our reviews.

Joy: Yay! You may call me naive (or just clueless) for not being aware of the bullying that goes on in Goodreads. I didn't know anything about it until this Kathleen Hale thing happened. I mean, sure, there are reviewers who lambast authors and their works but I've always seen it as criticism. Sometimes constructive, sometimes mean and harsh but just criticism. I haven't come across something with curses or threats addressed to the author. That being said, Goodreads has been a really great tool for me. I'm able to list down the books I've read and will read, I get to read what other people think of the books I read, and I get really good recommendations there. Plus, if you don't have a blog, Goodreads is a great way to record your thoughts about the books you've read. I think like any platform on the Internet,  what matters is how you use it. For authors, don't let the bullies get you down. Flag them, alert Goodreads, or just ignore them.

Question: Any thoughts on stalking and (cyber)bullying, and the #HaleNo campaign?

Ana: A big NO to stalking & cyberbullying. Stalking is never justifiable. Whatever the reason behind a stalker’s motive, it’s never good. I believe that there are better ways of using one’s time instead of spending it on someone you don’t know. If you want to establish a communication, there are a number of ways to do this without overstepping someone else’s personal boundaries. And bullying of any kind is never okay. We live in a genre where leaving derogatory comments on someone’s Facebook wall seems okay. But it’s not. And it never will be. The #HaleNo campaign is an answer to someone who validates stalking. I understand the reason, but I’ve never taken part.

Joy: When I first read the Guardian article, my first reaction was, who has time to do these things (the making up of a fake identity and the stalking)? Don’t you have things to do? It was exasperating. Here we are, bloggers who try to keep up with our schedules, juggling school, work, reading, reviewing, and everyday life. Who has time to make up a fake identity and constantly tweet hurtful messages to another person? Crazy people, that’s who. But Kathleen Hale didn’t realize that. Instead of ignoring and moving on, she engaged this “Blythe Harris” and well, you know what happened next. I think they’re both wrong, just as both bullying and stalking are both not okay.

Question: Any thoughts on 1-star reviews?

Ana: I’m familiar with them, but my blog isn’t. Meaning, I don’t plan on posting one star reviews on my blog. Why? Because my blog is where I post about things I love. I love great books and I want them immortalized on my little space on the web. I don’t see anything wrong with others posting about a book they didn’t like. But I know that it isn’t for me. I can’t write about a book I didn’t like at all.

Joy: I've only given a 1-star rating once and I didn’t write a full review. It would have been depressing. If a book is so bad, I don't finish it. There are so many books in the world, why waste my time on a book that I will just end up hating just so I can say that I finished it? It doesn't make sense for me. So if I finished the book, there's probably a good thing or two about the book and it deserves 2 stars or above. If I ever do give a book 1 star, I won't publish my review.  Heck, I won't even write a review because how will I come up with something nice to say about it?

Question: What’s your take on using pseudonym in blogging/writing reviews?

Ana: I’m not that comfortable giving out my last name. I am using my real name as well as all the other details about me. However, I try to separate different aspects of my life. Why? Well, I think that’s what I’m comfortable sharing with other people for now.

Joy: I don’t have a pseudonym. As someone who works in digital marketing industry, it’s important for me to have a positive online presence -- it contributes to my “personal brand.” I don’t feel the need to hide behind a pseudonym but I understand why some people need to do that.

Bonus question: Is Logan Lerman hot? (First of all, Ana was the one who asked this, NOT ME. But we did write down these Q & A during the time that I was crazy about Logan. I still am but I can control my outbursts now. ;) )

Ana: Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Joy: Super!!!!!!!!!! I mean, look at him!






I KNOW, RIGHT?!

---

While there are other issues out there concerning the book blogging community, we can’t tackle everything in one post. We think these -- Goodreads, stalking, bullying, 1-star reviews, pseudonyms -- are enough for now. And no, we’re not trying to be experts here. Just two Pinay bloggers and book lovers sounding off, and we’re looking forward to hearing your thoughts. Let us know what you think about this issues, or the book blogging community in general, in the Comments. :)