A conversation I had last week with my eleven year old son.
Me: I need to go read this book. I want to finish it.
Son: Why?
Me: I need to write a review on it. I have been putting it off and am just going to make time to sit and read it.
Son: Do you like it?
Me: Not really, it's boring.
Son: Why are you reading it then?
Me: The book sounded good when I read the marketing materials. I thought I would learn something from it that would be of use and that I'd enjoy it. But the fact is, I don't like it, it's boring and I have some issues with it.
Son: So why bother?
Me: I made a committment to write this review.
Son: Why do you do the reviews if it takes your time and you don't like it?
Me: I do enjoy reading the books that I think are good. It's just that I don't always know that a book is not going to be great.
Son: What do you get out of this?
Me: Well I thought I wanted to read it, it did sound good before I started reading it. I got the review copy of the book for free. I was happy to get it, I thought it would be a good use of my time.
Son: But now you don't like the book so forget it, don't read it.
Me: I am following through on my committment. Plus with the Amazon Vine program the new policy is that I need to review 80% of the items that I have received in order to stay in the program. I am trying to stay above 80%. I can fall behind if I don't force myself to read these books.
Son: I wouldn't do it. I'd rather just not participate and then get to stop reading a book I don't like.
Me: Well that is why they require that you only review 80% of what you receive, you don't have to review every single thing. I do want to stay in the program. I am not forced to order things, I am offered items and if I like the idea of some of them, I request it. I have a choice.
Son: Well it just stinks that you have to finish reading a book you don't like.
Me: You win some, you lose some. It's okay.