There’s a saying about not meeting your heroes. It speaks to discovering someone you admire turning out to be a jerk. I’ve been seeing more and more social posts and book drama videos in which this is happening to readers.
I have to admit, I’m shocked by some of the behavior by authors. Whether it’s a public feud, a plagiarism scandal, or an aggressive reply to a bad review, these missteps don’t just damage reputations, they can derail entire careers.
It has made me think that some authors need a primer on how to behave as a professional author. Here are a few missteps I’ve seen authors make and tips on what to do instead.
1. Public Drama and Online Meltdowns
I recently watched a video by Book Lover Laura discussing Jessa Hastings, a successful romance novelist, who interacts with hostility toward her readers. You can find other videos, Reddit posts, and Threads conversations all questioning why Jessa Hastings is “condescending” and “rude” to her reader fans. The discourse in these posts shows Jessa getting upset at readers asking when her next book will be out or wanting to know if characters will get an HEA. She gets so annoyed that she threatens to kill off beloved characters.
I can’t say if her behavior has lost her fans and, if it has, if it’s significant. She still has a traditional publishing deal, so perhaps her readers just roll their eyes and keep reading. My question is: Why is she annoyed? Yes, it’s hard to feel pressure to write a book, but who wouldn’t want fans who are excited and eager to read the next book?
Another debut author, Erin Lee, got into book drama by saying people who love their dogs are crazy. She’d posted that a dog dies in her book and a couple of readers told her that’s not the sort of thing they want to read. Instead of accepting that some people see their dogs as family, she took to Threads to say how crazy it was. This one actually had me baffled. Who doesn’t know how important pets are?
The point here is that while social media is a powerful tool to connect with readers, don’t use it rant, bully, belittle, or complain, especially about readers or the publishing industry. It might feel cathartic in the moment, but it can backfire fast.
Remember: readers and peers are watching, and once something’s online, it’s forever. Even if you delete it, there’s someone who’s already screenshot it and is planning an Authors Behaving Badly video.
What to do instead: Vent privately to trusted writer friends, journal your frustrations, or take a social media break. Protect your energy and your reputation.
2. Review Stalking and Bullying
There are so many examples of authors creating forced errors by harassing reviewers. One of the most well-known was when Katherine Hale stalked a reviewer (who had problematic behavior of their own), including going to her house (you can read Katherine’s piece about it in The Guardian).
Other notable problematic authors are Matt Shaw who dedicated a book to a reviewer he disliked in a crude, misogynistic fashion. Personal assistant Sarah Klinger sent a rude email to an author’s ARC team for not giving her a heads up about reviews under 3-stars. Sarah Stusek lost her publishing deal after posting a video going after a reviewer who left a 4-star review. More recently Cait Corrain made fake Goodreads accounts to 1-star review-bomb other authors she felt competed with her.
Here’s the golden rule: Reviews are not for you. They’re for readers. Chasing down someone who gave your book two stars, DMing them to explain your choices, or commenting on their Goodreads review will only make you look unprofessional, thin-skinned, and petty.
Even worse? Creating fake accounts to hype your book or sabotage others. Readers are savvy. They will figure it out.
What to do instead: If you can’t tolerate reading a bad review, don’t read them! If you do read them, focus on the good ones and ignore the bad ones. Remember that all books, even best-selling and beloved authors get bad reviews. This version of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen has over 45,000 rating/reviews, 2% of which are 1-star (that’s over 900 1-star).
A better use of your time is writing your next book.
3. Plagiarism and AI Misconduct
Copying plots closely (unless a public domain retelling), lifting paragraphs, or heavily “borrowing” from someone else’s work is career suicide. Back in 1997, Janet Daily was caught plagiarizing Nora Roberts. While she lost her publisher and readers, she was able to keep writing, although she wasn’t as successful.
Authors today will have a harder time overcoming a plagiarism scandal. In 1997, how many people knew about Janet Daily? Today, with the Internet and social media, everyone knows everything if they’re online. Layla Moran was recently called out for plagiarising fanfiction written by others. More recently, Laura J. Roberts was accused of plagiarising from R.J. Lewis’s book, Obsessed.
The quick and dirty on this is, don’t plagiarize. Not even a little bit. You don’t need to copy a whole book or even a page to be in violation. Something a short as a few sentences could get you in trouble.
AI is another problematic area. While I haven’t seen a successful case of plagiarism against AI generated content, that’s not really the issue (although many will say it is). The issue is that AI has been trained on authors’ works without their permission. In essense, people are profiting off works of other authors by using AI to generate content.
I don’t want to get into the weeds about AI here. What’s important to know that at this time, AI is a toxic topic in the writing world. Readers want to support authors who generate their own words, pay for cover artists, and hire narrators.
The backlash on authors who use AI is fierce these days. K.C.Crowne, Rania Faris, and Lena McDonald recently got into trouble when they failed to take out AI-prompt responses from their finished manuscripts. McDonald’s showed that she asked AI to rewrite in the style of author J. Bree. Jessa Hastings (yes the author from #1) has been facing backlash for using AI-generated pictures on her marketing and openly defending the use of AI.
Some believe in transparency; authors should disclose they’ve used AI. Considering the vitriol faced by authors embracing AI, I don’t see many authors wanting to fess up to this.
The point is, authors need to be aware that using AI, even for research, idea generation, or plotting, is a no-no for many readers.
In both cases, authors are building trust with readers, and stealing work and using generative-AI can break that trust.
What to do instead: Be original and authentic. Build your brand on integrity.
4. Scamming Readers and Fellow Authors
Taking payments for services (ghost writing, editing, cover design, anthology management) and failing to deliver isn’t just shady, it can spark legal consequences. Running fake giveaways or baiting readers with offers you don’t honor will erode your credibility fast.
Several authors recently have gotten negative publicity and lost support by failing to deliver on Kickstarter campaigns. Britt Andrews brought in $95,000 in 2023 for a project she said would publish that year, but she still hasn’t delivered it as of July 2025. (Book Lover Laura has a series of videos covering this).
What to do instead: Be transparent, meet your deadlines, and treat readers and peers with respect. If you’re going to miss a deadline, don’t go MIA. Communicate with your readers/clients. A reputation for honesty is one of your most valuable assets.
5. Constant Self-Promo and Spam
Dropping your Amazon link into every Facebook group, spamming strangers’ DMs, or hijacking popular threads or hashtags is the digital equivalent of shouting “BUY MY BOOK!” in someone’s face. It’s annoying and ineffective.
I find many authors understand this and, as a result, communicate too little with authors. They don’t know what to post or email. You need to find a good balance.
What to do instead: Focus on building real relationships. Engage in meaningful conversations. Share behind-the-scenes content. Make people want to check out your books. Check out Marketing 101 for help on book promotion.
6. Burning Bridges in the Industry
I remember rooming with my agent at a book event, and she’d read me some of the query letters she’d received. I was always most shocked by the people who’d respond about how stupid she was or how she’ll regret passing on the book because it’s the best book ever in the history of the world (no joke, some people said this about their book).
When I became an agent in her agency, I attended monthly calls with other agents where they discussed trends in publishing, updates on editors, and yes, you guessed it, problematic authors.
It’s even worse when would-be authors post their opinions on social media for every agent and editor to see. No one wants to work with someone who airs their rants and rages.
Blasting a former agent or editor online, breaking NDAs, or publicly trashing a publisher might feel like you’re speaking your truth, but it can brand you as difficult or toxic. Word travels fast in publishing.
What to do instead: First, if an agent or editor rejects you, move on. I guarantee that no amount of badmouthing or begging will change their minds. Any other disputes, handle it privately and professionally. Choose your battles wisely. The goal is to preserve your future, not prove a point.
7. Entitlement and Ego
There has been growing discontent in reader groups about authors infringing on their spaces. There are some who don’t feel authors should be allowed on sites like Goodreads. This is a sure sign that readers are finding authors to be insufferable.
Authors who complain about sales, guilt-trip their followers, or demand reviews from readers often lose the goodwill they’ve worked hard to build. Nobody owes you their time or money, not even your biggest fans.
What to do instead: Appreciate every reader. Celebrate every review. Gratitude and humility go a long way in building reader loyalty.
8. Blending Personal and Professional in Toxic Ways
Being authentic doesn’t mean baring every wound. Authors who use trauma to manipulate readers, overshare their crises, or drag personal feuds into the public sphere can alienate audiences who are just there for the books.
Also, be careful about sharing your personal social, political, or religious beliefs. Of course, you can be you and believe what you want to believe, but posting online could lead to backlash.
What to do instead: Be real, but be intentional. Share what supports your brand, protects your mental health, and connects you with your readers in a positive way.
Has It Gone Too Far?
Recently, Ali Hazelwood deleted her Instagram account after being bullied for joking that she was Team Gale (Hunger Games) on an author panel. Later reports suggest she didn’t mean to delete the account. She just wanted to stop the comments.
In this case, it’s my opinion that this was a step too far. First, she was at an author event, and someone else posted the comment, not in a negative way, but as something funny. But those who felt Gale was a problematic character decided they needed to let Ali know by hunting her down on social media and telling her. Why? If she posted it on social media, I can see people sharing their thoughts (not bullying), but she didn’t post it. It was an off-the-cuff comment she made that someone else posted. Why did those readers feel compelled to track her down to harass her about a fictional character?
That said, the line between shaming problematic behavior and going too far isn’t set, and is likely different for each reader. Some readers seem to get joy from tagging authors when they write bad reviews, which seems mean. But readers are entitled to their opinions.
I’d like to think we can all agree that anyone looking to make a living writing books should behave with a level of professionalism and respect when online or in public. Stealing is bad. Harassing reviewers is petty. Feeling your readers owe you something is nuts. And being an overall jerk doesn’t endear anyone–readers, agents, or editors–to you.
Have you seen author behavior go sideways online? What lessons have you learned about professionalism as an author? Share your thoughts or your own “never again” moments in the comments!
