Some Ground Rules for Being a Good Fan

Sigh...so due to recent events (but, really, just the same sorts of bullshit recurring every few years) we need to talk about flamewars.

So here's the deal.  If you're a fan of mine (or, for that matter, a family member, or lover) here are some ground rules that will make you a good citizen of the bookosphere:

1.)  Feel free to read my stuff.  This is the best way you can support me.  But you know what?  I have a day job.  I won't be quitting it any time soon, and I certainly won't be quitting it if I'm not 100% certain I can maintain my livelihood with writing alone.  So if you don't buy my stuff, it's not going to hurt my career, my livelihood, take food out of my mouth, or anything else.  And even if my writing was my sole source of income, I'd be a damned ass to believe that any one person was obligated to buy my stuff.

2.)  Feel free to tell other people about my stuff.  If they're not into it...cool.  Not everybody reads horror and sci-fi.  Even people who do won't necessarily be interested in my stuff.

3.)  Feel free to leave good reviews of my stuff.  Good reviews are good for me. 

4.)  Don't feel obligated to leave a good review if I wrote something you didn't like, or that was objectively bad.  My opinion of you will not be affected one way or the other.  I will not stay up late nights worrying because you didn't like that one novel I wrote.

5.)  Feel free to leave a bad review of my stuff.  As I've reiterated over and over and over again, bad reviews are good for an author.  They positively influence the Amazon algorithms and lend credibility to good reviews.

6.)  If someone left me a bad review that you disagree with...that's fine.  There's no need to respond.  No need whatsoever.  My feelings aren't hurt.  My career hasn't been affected. 

7.)  If you feel the desperately pressing need to respond to the points a person made in a negative review, you can write a positive review yourself addressing each point.  You don't need to mention them by name, attack them on GR or Amazon, leave comments on their review, berate them on social media, or just generally interact with them at all.  They didn't do anything wrong.  Just remember: them writing a review has helped me.