Here's my opinion, you really shouldn't post big spoilers at all. Period. End of story. Especially on social networks like Twitter, Facebook, or worst of all--Tumblr. There will be a crap ton of people who see it and while Tumblr as the ability to hide text (though why people don't use it baffles me) Facebook and Twitter are just what you see is what you get so why the heck would you post spoilers there? Allegiant by Veronica Roth was spoiled for me on Twitter. I didn't mean to read it but when someone I followed spammed it in all caps like, "OMG I CAN'T BELIEVE *insert spoiler here* JUST HAPPENED." "I AM DEAD INSIDE BECAUSE *insert spoiler here*" "VERONICA ROTH HOW COULD YOU *insert spoiler here*" and I sadly was forced to see it and bam. Whole series ruined for me. I have only read Divergent and thought it was okay but after finding out that spoiler I'm half tempted to just say screw it and never continue. I sure as heck have been putting off reading Insurgent and Allegiant which isn't fair to me because someone was too inconsiderate. I've had friends avoid social media like the plague during the release week (once even a month after release) of a book they really wanted to read because they didn't want to see spoilers. How sad is that? People have to avoid social media because other people don't sit and think "Oh hey, not everyone has read this book yet so I probably shouldn't post this huge spoiler." The first day or so isn't so bad but after the first week you see spoilers like there's no tomorrow. Because obviously everyone in the entire world has read this book after a week so it's totally okay to post spoilers. The Fault in Our Stars was ruined for me too, before I even knew what it was about. I was scrolling through Tumblr and there it was. At first I thought maybe it was a TV show or movie (because I tend to stick to only 3 or 4 shows to watch) but turns out it was a book. A book that sounded like I would've enjoyed it but not anymore because I already know what happens. BEFORE I EVEN DISCOVERED IT WAS A BOOK. Am I the only one that sees something wrong with that?
Posting spoilers in reviews I suppose I'm a little more lenient with because you can tag your spoilers or even hide them. Does that mean everyone does it? No, which also makes no sense to me. I had Ignite Me ruined on Goodreads because a person wrote a "review" with a huge spoiler front and center where you saw it even if you didn't mean to. And that was it. The person literally just wrote the spoiler and that was their review. It wasn't tagged, wasn't hidden, person didn't even try to warn anyone. I wasn't a huge fan of the series, though Unravel Me wasn't too bad, but once again I have to push Ignite Me back because now I know how it ends. I may have suspected the spoiler before but still. There is a thing called tagging your spoilers. Warn people in your reviews of spoilers. Do something besides nothing! You just ruin it for everyone and that isn't fair to them or even the author. You want to rant about a spoiler? Do it with someone who has read it--privately! Or again, tag your dang spoilers!! I was talking with my friend Mer about it and we both admitted that unless we've read the book we don't read reviews because we don't want spoilers. Now I have a list of bloggers I read reviews from before reading because I trust them and they don't post big spoilers, but otherwise I wait until after. Again, how messed up is that? Reviews are supposed to help you decide whether or not to read a book yet because people are too inconsiderate as the not post spoilers, people run from reviews like it was out to kill them until after they read a book. It's because of this that I try to post minor spoilers, that may not even count as spoilers depending on who you are, like introducing a character or a certain event that in the grand scheme of things isn't too terribly important. If I do post a big spoiler I promise you I try to warn people left and right about it because I hate to spoil things for others, especially since it's happened to me so many times!
I get sometimes that you want to rant about something that is a huge spoiler for others, it's happened to me before, but you really need to be considerate of other people. Instead of saying something specific and giving it all away, just post something like "I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS HAPPENED" "WHAT JUST HAPPENED? I CAN'T EVEN!" something that will get your emotions out but won't ruin it for anyone else. Then when you have a friend who has read the book too you can rage/rant to them about it, privately. We need to learn to be considerate to other people and not ruin things for them. It's just not fair.
Okay,
~Kayla~
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ReplyDeleteI normally have a waiting period before I start discussing things online. For example, I feel like it is okay to talk Harry Potter spoilers, because if you haven't read the books already then that is your own dang fault. But for new books, I don't spoil them. Same goes for tv shows. Just wait it out. It will be okay.
ReplyDeleteI agree so much with this. I'm in the same predicament about Divergent that you are. I was 50% through reading Divergent and actually liking it, then bam. Someone on Twitter had to announce it. I put down the book and haven't picked it up since then. It totally ruined that series for me.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree. I cannot tell you how many times I have had someone ruin a book, movie, TV show, whatever, by posting spoilers on social media with no warning. I basically avoided the internet before Allegiant! I remember one time, I had DVRed The Biggest Loser and was just hooked on the season, and some jerk posted the winner on FB literally the minute it happened. I was livid!
ReplyDeleteThat being said, I LOVE the hidden text spoilers on Goodreads and such. Maybe it is weird, but I use those to catch up on a series that I don't have time to re-read before a new book comes out. Personally though, I never post spoilers. If I had to, for some reason, they would be very clearly marked I am sure.
Like I said, I hate them and the people who writes them.
ReplyDeleteIt happens to me with Bloodrose and one of the books in Perfect Chemistry trilogy. It annoys me so much...from there I avoid EVERYTHING because I learn my "lesson" visited less blogs, read less reviews, follow less people on Twitter or just try to never read anything that involves a book I want to read. Like you said, sad...that we have to do that in the first place.
Even posting spoilers a month later is not OK. I can never buy a book a want when its released but lets say I won a copy...I have to wait at least A MONTH to receive it...is not like I get within a few days.
I'm so sorry that Allegiant and The Fault in Our Stars are ruined for you :( that sucks. Especially TFIOS I adored that book.
First of all I think many blogger/reviewers confuse reviewing with book club discussion. I never put spoilers in my reviews, ever! I was reading Allegiant a couple of weeks ago and was about half way through when a review one of my Goodreads friends liked showed up on my newsfeed, and the ultimate spoiler (if you have read the book you know what I am referring to) was the first sentence of the review!!!! It was a super spoiler, and I had to read the entire second half of the book with that in my head. I wanted to cry! Reviewers on Amazon are the worst offenders. A review is to let a perspective reader know if you liked/loved/hated a book, and why. Most are reading the review trying to figure out if they want to read it. They don't want to know what happens in the story. Maybe we should start a "tough love" campaign and tell these spoiler blogger/reviewers the true reason for reviewing.
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