Greed Fuels The Mind

I am so sick of all the drama lately. Just recently I found out that a fellow book blogger got attacked by an author. She didn't describe it as an Indie Author, but this behavior seriously has to stop. You can see her full reason HERE. But Indie Author or not, authors in general should not have the right to act as bullies if a) bloggers do not write a review for their book or b) if bloggers give their book a low rating. First, there are many reasons why bloggers have not written a review for an author's book. It could be because they are super busy and have a bunch of reading that has been backed up. It could also be that your book was so horrible, reviewers are trying to save face and not write a review to avoid negativity. It could also be because like authors, bloggers too have an actual life. Things happen, S**t gets in the way. And as authors who are humans, should respect bloggers who are also humans, that it takes time and effort to write a decent review. And if you are an author who happens to be in the B section, than you should simply thank the blogger for even taking the time out of their busy day to write a review, and move on. If you continue to harass that blogger, it never ends well, and most times the author in question will get a horrible ending to it.
Most authors tend to make money off their books, whether it be 99 cents, or making the big bucks, you as an author are still getting paid. Book review bloggers do this for free, with our only perk of getting the book for free. And in no way, due to bullying, should a book review blogger change their initial reaction and thoughts on a review due to an author's nastiness. Authors need to learn to suck it up and grow a pair, or be in a profession where things get sugar coated and doesn't hurt their feelings. Would you as an author rather have an honest review, or one full of lies, just to fuel your tiny little ego?
I initially wasn't going to write another post on this, but this post came about from a tweet from an author that I "follow." A tweet came out with the words: Did you read a FREE book lately? Consider thanking the author by leaving a review. They put a LOT of time and effort. I'm not going to out the author, and I get her meaning, but she also needs to put her words in perspective from the other side. Yes, we understand that writing a book takes time and effort, but from a blogger's point of view, writing a review also takes time and effort too. And if we as a reader received a free item, weather or not if it was a gift, something won, etc., readers are not obligated to do so. Unless there is a disclaimer upon having acquired the "free" item, than readers do not have to do diddly squat. And to reiterate, writing a review takes time and effort. Stuff happens. And if something is for FREE, than readers shouldn't have to do something they don't want to do.