That customer who told me my binding was 'too tight' still bugs me

I was at a craft fair in Portland back in July selling some journals I bound by hand. This older woman picked one up, flipped through it, and said 'you know, this is too tight, it won't lay flat.' I tried to explain that some people prefer a stiffer spine for writing on the go, but she just set it down and walked off. Her comment stuck with me for weeks though, made me second-guess my tension on every single book after that. Has anyone else had a throwaway critique from a stranger mess with your head like that?

2 comments

2 Comments

dakota_fox23d ago

Customers like that think their random opinion is gospel. Some people actually prefer a tighter binding. I've got books that won't lay flat and they're fine for writing on trains or in the car. That lady probably never made a book in her life. Don't let one rude comment mess with your process. Keep doing your thing.

jordan18423d ago

Too tight" sounds like a legit concern though, not just a throwaway critique. If it won't lay flat that's kind of a design flaw for something people buy to actually use.