I've known him for years. He was the best man at my wedding.He has hitherto seemed quite a liberal tolerant person but some of the things he's written about disgust me. I'm certain I'm not missing the point or anything. It's just an offensive piece of trash that's been years in the writing. He gave up his job and his social life to do it. He's coming back from holiday (a treat to himself for finishing it) in a couple of days and he's going to know what I thought of it. What do I do?
2007-01-26 00:43:37 · 45 answers · asked by Zebedeesnose 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Etiquette
As has been said, tact and honesty would be best. Also, you could critique his writing rather than content.
--That Cheeky Lad
2007-01-26 08:54:48 · answer #1 · answered by Charles-CeeJay_UK_ USA/CheekyLad 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Express your concern about the racism; honesty is important when reviewing a book, it doesn't help any writer if all they hear is how great their horrible attempts at fiction are until they get slapped in the face by the publisher :-) On the other hand, it's also important to be sorta nice about it, especially with a friend. You say it's his first book and you've never noticed him being racist... well maybe you *are* missing the point not because of your reading but because of his writing technique! Ask him if this is indeed how he intends to come across... perhaps he's trying to address the issue in a critical manner but since it's his first book he just hasn't succeeded! I'm surprised no one has yet pointed that out, given that he's a new writer and you've always taken him for a liberal.
Also be sure to find good points whenever you're giving feedback; even if you can't find anything in the content you like, perhaps his descriptions are detailed? His location is well-chosen? His grammar and sentence structure is good? Look for positive points to balance the negative!
2007-01-28 01:58:33 · answer #2 · answered by Sheriam 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When you say it is racist do you mean that it really is racist (you give no example to judge) or do you mean that one or more of the characters is racist, there is a distinction. If it is just the case that one or more of the characters are racist then the book itself is not in point of fact racist but honest and true to life.
Books of fiction which are true to life and can therefore be identified with tend to sell. Books of fiction which are written by politically correct writers who are too afraid to tell the truth or who are over delicate in their sensibilities tend to gloss over truth and become patronising. Books that are patronising do not sell.
Any story whether it is a novel, a play, or a feature film has to have conflict and it has to have both the positive and the negative in order to create that conflict. Negative things that are good from a literary sense are really bad things like rape, murder, paedophilia, corruption, cruelty, sadism and racism to name but a few. Providing the protagonist (the hero) overcomes the devilish machinations of the antagonist (the anti hero) and thus causes the conflict to be satisfactorily resolved, then you have the making of a great story.
If you tell your friend that it is an offencive piece of trash then you are being offencive also because if it is racist that does not mean it is trash, it might be a very good story in all other respects, (again you did not give sufficient detail). If however you tell your friend that you thought it was racist and that really concerns you but you also praise the elements of the story which are good then you are being a true friend.
2007-01-26 04:04:33 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
It depends whether or not the book is well written. If it's just racist, self indulgent drivel then he hasn't got a chance of publishing it anyway and you may as well just lay into him. If it has some kind of racist character in it for an artistic purpose, but that isn't somehow well integrated enough into the plot for an honest point to be made, then you have to constructively tell him what's wrong with it so he can make it better. I would bet on the first possibility though...
2007-01-30 00:41:18 · answer #4 · answered by Alyosha 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
To be honest to answer your question we need to know more of the style of the writing and what the story is about . I am a avid reader and have read some books that are in my opinion are extremely racist ,sexist and evil etc but they have been wrote that way from the authors point of view for what's needed in the novel. Be honest with him ask him questions regarding the book . Only you can say how you feel towards him after speaking with him about the book . My friend is an author and some of her books I don't enjoy but not for one minute would i think she is how she describes characters in her book.
2007-01-30 00:25:31 · answer #5 · answered by scorpionbabe32 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Tell him something nice about it, like that he has good spelling or good grammer and puntuation. But be sure to mention its just not your kind of book, there are many people in the world today and unfortunately no matter how rude or racist it is somebody will like it and buy it and then he is happy he sold his book. He accomplished something and just b/c you dont like it doesnt mean that someone else wont either. Beside if it really sux he'll never be able to find a publisher and that should be punishment enough but you wont have to be the one he will be blaming for it.
2007-01-26 03:37:18 · answer #6 · answered by Tavia 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Ask him who his audience is, and tell him that he needs to get rid of the racist remarks if he wants it to be a hit. It is hard enough to get a publisher to except any book.
Say, you asked a friend and they told you. Tell him you would hate to see all his hard work go down the tubes, but racism is old, and you are afraid it won't sell because of that. Either that, or you can offer to be his editor, and take all that stuff out yourself. The job pays well!
Or, you can say that you have some of (whatever) blood in you, and that you are offended.
You should be proud of yourself.
You are a good person.
And (silently) thank him for your lesson.
2007-01-28 15:17:46 · answer #7 · answered by Blank 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
So- you are judgemental and he's a racist. Seems you have lots in common. Seriously though, prehaps you are missing the point. What you percieve to be a racist remark may suprise him. Don't spoil a good friendship without being certain that you are on the right track, but if his comments are being misconstrued, then he needs to be told so that he can amend his work.
2007-01-26 04:43:35 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
you did say it was a novel so he is trying to sell a book so what if it's racist. It doesn't mean that he shares the views that he has written about. Just tell him the truth that you don't like it and tell him why if he is a real friend he will accept your criticism
2007-01-26 01:00:22 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you are having this issue I'm sure any potential publishers wouldn't miss the racism either. You might want to tell your friend that you had trouble with some of the ideas expressed in the book and you're concerned that it might not get published.
2007-01-26 07:20:55 · answer #10 · answered by drshorty 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Is his style of writing to get attention, sell this book in great numbers and earn a ton of money? At present it seems to be in style to shock in the movies as well as in books...
I would not like to be in your place as a friend to be the critic of a book. Tell him the truth that you find it difficult to digest and that as a friend you are probably not equipped the best to critique the book.
Good luck, I hope that it won't hurt your friendship.
2007-01-29 03:36:51 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋