Those wonderful people who take time to provide a review on Amazon or Goodreads have no idea just how much new authors read and reread this feedback. As a writer you have to be somewhat self-delusional to begin with. The idea that tens, hundreds, and just get crazy and believe – thousands of people will actually want to read the words you have strung together. This idea is delusional. Reviews on the other hand are the first chance that people, who prefer that you don’t stop speaking to them, will actually provide you with real feedback.

A couple of reviewers have gently nudged me in the direction of; more-action, less description. First, let me do something that I have been warned against. That is to respond to a reviewer, so of course… here I go..

Geez that’s so darn hard! I want to show you all of the coolness that exists in the world around you, I want you to be immersed in this place and be transported away. How can I leave any details out!?

Okay, so that is a little tongue in cheek. I get it, it is the sweet spot all writers are striving to, give you enough information that you fill in the negative space with your own fantastic imaginations.  I recently read that Earnest Hemingway ( to whose writing my own bears no resemblance ) offered the ice berg theory where you only write a small percentage of what you are trying to communicate.

So I’m still searching for that sweet spot. An interesting point of trivia is that Rookie Privateer was initially 15,000 words longer before it was pointed out to me that not everyone wants every detail of a ship’s septic system to be fully described. I found the description to be quality information, and dare I say immersive. My wife, quite correctly, pointed out that most people don’t know how the toilet works and feel just fine about it.

Oh, and reviewers, I really do appreciate your sandwiched approach of .. say something nice … give a little advice … say something nice.