I had a whole thread planned but instead what I’m going to say is this: pretty much the last thing this industry needs is fewer reviewers, or less passionate reviewers, or reviewers who only feel comfortable delivering praise.

When reviewers say they’re out, it’s a big red flag https://twitter.com/ardentlyaarya/status/1300072717195128833

When it comes to POC reviewers, this is even more important—first, because it’s already hard for marginalized readers to find representation, and second because reviewers who share a reader’s marginalization can help steer readers from harmful content.

None of this is news!

We aren’t writing in a vacuum; we aren’t journaling. We’re writing things we hope ppl will spend their time and/or money on, in a market that can feel pretty crowded.

Reviewers make connections between readers and books.

Reviewers are also the only advocates that readers have.

So: conversations that center the needs and feelings of writers and put them over the needs and feelings of readers (who are represented by reviewers here! okay??) miss the fact that writers are writing FOR READERS not just as part of a journey of self actualization