A Polite Rejection

Dear Suz,

I'm a writer. I have set up an interview with a published author on the basis that I read his book first before doing a review and the interview. I've finally finished reading the book.

If I were to go through with the review now, it wouldn't get high marks. While the book was funny in parts, it was hard to focus my attention on. Half way through it, I began to skip pages and dreaded picking it up to read. If I hadn't said that I would do the review, I wouldn't have even finished reading it. It was too structured, was contradictory in parts, and overall I feel it was a waste of my money.

I'm not being paid for the review or interview, it was just a casual conversation online that led me to ask. Lesson learned now: Never ask for an interview or offer to do a review until you read the book first. But still, I have no desire to do the review, as I realize this could hurt his reputation. I feel he is a nice person and don't wish to give him a negative review. I also have no further desire to interview him as I feel that my distaste for the book would reflect in my writing. I refuse to write positive (basically lie) when I feel the opposite. Would it be tactful for me to write him and tell him that other obligations have taken a forefront and that I won't be doing the interview? What would be a good way to back out of this without leading him to believe that I just wasn't that into his book?

Weary Writer


Dear Weary Writer,
It is sometimes very easy to get yourself into a predicament such as this. Admiring a person and wanting to share the things that you admire about them is a wonderful quality. But when it comes down to having to critique someones work, it is hard to do so without hurting their feelings.
In this situation I would tell the author that you have too much going on at the moment to pursue that review and interview, but that you would like to keep it in mind for the future.

That would be a sort of "Don't call us we'll call you" response. Which is sort of a cop out, but not entirely inappropriate given the situation. You are doing so to protect the author and your own accountability. In the future definitely collect as much info and works that are available by an author before you pursue them for an interview, and never make a deal concerning a book you haven't read. If your author friend wants to know what you thought of the book, simply say that it was interesting but not really your cup of tea. This will allow him to think it was simply the subject matter or point of view instead of his writing skills.
Best of luck, Weary Writer, and don't give up on finding great people to interview.