It's been nagging me
for quite some time now. Many of you know that I actually started book blogging
a year ago, but from back then, I've jumped from blog to blog. At the time, blogging
was really different. Do not get me wrong, I am in no way stating that I am an
"old blogger", or "professional blogger", or that I have
tons of experience. I've just noticed a lot of change in the blogging
atmosphere. Quite frankly, it scares me a bit.
Do you remember, a
year ago, when blogging was all about sharing your love for books with other
book nerds? Do you remember the joy and carefree-ness of it all? Is it the same
today? Sure, most bloggers still find it extremely fun and they treat it like a
hobby. But others, I feel… have unintentionally changed the reason why they
started blogging. And that reason is to get advanced reader copies/review
copies. People are getting greedy. A year ago, I started blogging because I
loved talking about books. And somewhere along the way... honestly, I feel like I've fallen
into the trap… to get books. It scares me that I REALIZE I'm blogging to get
free books. IT'S TERRIBLE. I must change this.
To be honest, I
think at least half of the bloggers out there share my terrible problem. So
much drama has happened and people have gotten so demanding that I think it's
just CHANGED everyone in some way or another. With more bloggers joining the
blogosphere each day, blogs are becoming more competitive. These days, it's all
"Bloggers who get the most books for review are the most popular
blogs." At least, that's what I think. And then I think, all the little or
less-known blogs have to try to live up to that, and people just start gaining
followers the wrong way to become that "bigger blog".
Again, the greed.
People are just starting to grab as many ARCs as possible and that's just…
wrong. Like I said, I've fallen into this very trap. Awhile ago, I got all
obsessed in getting review copies, because of wanting to live up to those
"bigger blogs". But now, I'm just stressed and it's making blogging
not-so-much fun. I've decided for myself that I definitely need to hold off on review copies for awhile.. if you think about it, it is completely disrespectful to the publishers out there who have provided us readers with review copies, and then you just.. don't review them? Yeah, not cool.
My point is, I think
every blogger should just sit down, and think for a minute. How has the book
blogging society changed you? Do you need to take a breather and hold off on
review copies? What about you bloggers who were around a year ago? Do you think
the blogoverse has changed? In what way?
**All opinions are
my own.**
HAPPY reading,
Jen xx
Posts
AWESOME points Jen! I have to admit I sometimes also obsess a LOT about getting ARCs and books but at this point I kind of don't care anymore since I'm the last person you'd see getting all the ARCs that everybody are really coveting because, like you said, the biggest bloggers usually get those ARCs and you want to get those ARCs. :P And it is kind of scary because you never know where it's going to go O_O But i definitely say that we should all stay true to ourselves and what we love :)
ReplyDeleteVivian the Spirit says:
ReplyDelete-standing ovation!!-
This is a fantastic post, Jen!! <3 To be honest, I've only been blogging for 6-7 months but I still vividly remember that I started because I was getting out of touch with my reading-side and I found myself admiring the wonderful and enthusiastic reviews of a book-lover on a book blog. Only after settling into the blogosphere did I realize the whole thing about ARCs, etc. I do admit that I envy those bigger blogs with more followers and recognition because sometimes, it's hard not to feel a bit lonely on your little blog. But I really love this post because it takes us back to what's truly the heart and soul of book-blogging and what the most important aspects of it are for us (and that it's not just getting free books.)
Thanks for sharing this!!! POOF!
I'm kind of obsessed with Indie books right now and could care less about most of those other more popular books. It's sad that blogging has become a show-off kind of thing. If I get an ARC ad I liked the book I still buy a finished copy. Doesn't matter if the ARC was an e-book or print book. I still feel my need to support the author somehow. Awesome post!
ReplyDeleteWow, Jen, you've just basically summed up how I've been feeling recently! I feel like there's just so much pressure to get review copies and ARCs, and like if I don't get them, then I'm not good enough-my BLOG isn't good enough. And the worst part is that I know it's wrong but every time I see a IMM or STS post, I feel worse, because I haven't gotten those books. But I know you're right and this has to stop---when did everyone stop blogging just because they love to?? Anyway... thanks for an AMAZING discussion post, Jen! <3 Everyone needs to read this!!! x
ReplyDeleteI have really been trying to keep myself focused on what really matters to me: READING and how that was the reason I started blogging. Although I have some review books still to go, I am requesting way fewer review books and planning to focus on the many books I already own and haven't read. I definitely do not want to get sucked into the drama of ARC grabbing.
ReplyDeleteGreat point to talk about!! Like you, I've seen A LOT of bloggers having that kind of greed, but honestly for me, ARC's aren't THAT big of a deal for me! I wouldn't care if they were physical or digital, but sometimes I'm just happy that i get to read a book that I'm so EXCITED about right NOW, instead of having to wait so much... Ive been blogging for a year as well.. but honestly, i think that greed was there from the beginning! But thanks for being so honest with us!! Everyone does need a wakeup call once in a while *hugs*
ReplyDelete- Farah @ MajiBookshelf
Great point! I'm 100% honest when I say that I never started to blog to get ARC's and I still don't blog because of them. Not only is the chance that I'll ever get one by a publisher 0,0, I just like to read whatever I want, whenever I want. The freedom of picking and reading the books on my own shelves is wonderful :) Sure, I request on Netgalley and I accept some e-books I get from authors, but I still feel grateful for it. There is never a moment I only want free books. Blogging has been a wonderful experience so far and I hope that I'll be here for a long time. The only thing I certainly feel is that whole "the more ARC's you get, the popular you are" thing. I hate that! Why is my blog less important and interesting than someone who reviews the newest books?
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that you realized this and I think it's very "brave" to talk about it! Very honest of you :) I hope you can find that love for blogging itself back!
Wow, really interesting post, Jen! Thanks for being honest, you have really made me think. I started a book blog because I love boosks too, and to be totally honest, that is the reason I blog now. I have to decline book requests because my TBR pile are getting too much. However, I DEFINITELY have felt "the more review copies, the better the blog" before. People share how many books they're getting and then I say 'Uh.. I've just got one in the past few weeks..' and then I try to get as many as possible.
ReplyDeleteBook blogging has changed, not that I have been around that long to know, but there seems to be mostly drama. Luckily, it hasn't effected me yet! :P
Thanks sharing your thoughts and being brave at admitting your feelings - I hope you can regain your book blogging love for the right reason soon! <3
Interesting perspective, and I appreciate your honesty. I'll admit that I started blogging because I was interested in getting free books, but as I've gotten into it, I have noticed an increased pressure to get more and MORE followers and a more and MORE popular blog in order to get the more "desirable" ARCs, and the competitive aspect has been a source of frustration, because I'm not interested in doing the giveaways and promotions and follower-mongering that seems necessary to get those stats... I just want to read and share my opinions so that others who have similar tastes can get some book recommendations. And if I get a few free books out of the deal, that's just bonus. Maybe it's because I'm not really a competitive person by nature, but that stuff just seems to take the fun out of blogging.
ReplyDeleteI love that you're so honest Jen! There was a time when I first started blogging where all I wanted was to have a bajillion followers and get a bunch of ARCs. But then I realized, that's so not the reason I started blogging in the first place. I started blogging to show that teens can have an opinion on YA books, and that they should, since we're the target audience for YA books. And I also wanted to show that teens are just a bunch of hooligans, that we can be organized and professional.
ReplyDeleteSo now I've kind of started slowing down with my blog, and I'm not so much focused on numbers and getting ARCs as I am sharing my love of books. I actually love writing reviews, and I feel like sometimes I forget about that, and the fun it is to comment on other people's posts. I just have to keep reminding myself why I started this journey in the first place.
Fabulous post Jen! <3
I agree with all your points. With my blog. I have not and do not get sent books to review. A little while ago I wished I did, but now I realise I'm just happy to blog for the fun of it :D
ReplyDeleteWONDERFUL post, Jen! I have to agree that this rush for ARCs truly does make me uncomfortable. Funnily enough, I dread getting ARCs these days because I don't have time to read the books I want to read! YET, seeing everyone receive a tooon of ARCs all the time makes me feel like such an incompetent blogger. I love how honest you were in this post, dear, and I've come to realize that the less ARCs I have, the better for me since honestly, how many ARCs do you really read that are good? For me, it's been a small handful, so I'd rather wait till other reviews trickle in, re-organize my TBR-Shelf, and pick up books I want to read in the meantime. Thanks for sharing this with us all, Jen! I think the book blogging community definitely needed a reminder of why we started reviewing in the first place - for us, for books, and for love. :)
ReplyDeleteAh, ARCs! I personally think of them as double-edged swords LOL! It's just very easy to get obsessed with them, especially since people around you receive them every week. ._. But I think the point of blogging is about talking about books you love to people who also appreciate them! ♥ I actually am very bad with my review copies lately, so I cut my ARCs request to almost none. :D The feeling when you haven't reviewed your review copies! *shudder* My conscience is always nagging me LOL! xD
ReplyDeleteAwesome discussion post, Jen! ♥ Thank you for being honest about this topic! ♥ :)
I totally agree with you Jen. I haven't been blogging very long but it seems like as soon as your blog is know for ''book blogging'' then you automatically feel like you have to live up to other people's expectations and receive tons of books for review and get ARCs every week and stuff..up until a few months ago I didn't even know what an ARC was! Since then I've had a few but to be quite honest I don't see what's so amazing about them. Yes you have the privelidged of reading a book before everyone else but I personally like finished copies better! You get the cool covers!! LOL. I have found it so much more stressful since I started receiving books for review that I am cutting down on what I receive purely because I don't want to be horrible and receive a book and never get time to review it. My exams are starting and I have a load of work to do and I find that I never get time to do other things I love because I always have books to read and review. That's why I recently made another blog to share my passion of photography so I can still do what I love, which is blog and write but more casually and whenever I feel like.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great post! :D
Great post, Jen! Perfect timing too as I was just (like right this minute) stressing over my blog and how jammed packed my schedule was. It's funny because I first started my blog to post reviews somewhere other than Goodreads, which I really enjoyed doing. I never thought I'd actually take it too seriously or feel, heaven forbid, that I'd need to plan things. So much has changed since then. :D Now all I think about is what review copy to read next, whether or not I should sign up for this tour, have I remembered all my books for the book haul post... it's endless! I think I definitely need a breather from review copies soon, or at least, stop accepting as many. It's getting a little overwhelming now.
ReplyDeleteAwedome post! I'm blogging for over 3 years now, and there was a point when I started feeling less worthy because I didn't receive lots of ARCs in my mail. But as you said, I took a step back and a break from blogging to remind myself that this was not the reason I started my blog. I didn't even know you can get free books when I started! It was sort of liberating. Lately I'm more focused on reading other blogs and commenting than obsessing over the coolest ARCs. And my favorite blogs are not those that get a ton of ARCs bot those that interact with their readers and read older books that most of us have access to so we can discuss them together.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the honest post, I think there are many bloggers who feel the same and are afraid to admit it to themselves.
This is an amazing post! Yay for being honest- I've done the same thing. What I'm trying to do now is cut down on the amount of things I request and get things done-it's really hard, but I think I'm doing kind of ok. Getting things is cool, but my pile of unread stuff isn't. Thanks for this post.
ReplyDeleteI think you have some valid points there. I think for awhile people will get really excited and go a bit overboard about getting in ARCs and the like. But then the excitement about that will wear off and if you're like me, the guilt of having all these books unread and unreviewed will get to some people :) Maybe?
ReplyDeleteHuh no kidding! I didn't realize any of that until you told me! I do not want to take ARCs now or in the future for some reason because I'll feel guilty. Free really? Maybe it's only me, but I'm supporting the Publishing companies or online websites or bookstore and the actual feel of buying is such an amazing feel. And please people, calm down, everyone's blog is unique so i guess that's why I haven't done any memes or I always go at my flow and many shouldn't be so competitive! We are a community for Pete's sake!
ReplyDeleteI think reviewing just new books aren't just meant to be of blogging. You go and blog of your passion and go at your flow.
I've noticed this change too, and it kind of makes me sad. There are a number of blogs out there that have earned their way to their ARCs. And I'm cool with that. It's a mutual benefit for bloggers, authors, and publishers. But, there are a handful of people that seem to be starting up book blogs fully intending to seek out those free reads. And that's frustrating because it seems to undermine what most bloggers are trying to achieve with their blogs- to actually share with the community their love for books. It makes me sad that because of this, bloggers are feeling the need to post ARC request How-tos or ARC request etiquette posts. That's not what this community is about!
ReplyDeleteWhen I first started blogging, I didn't realize people received ARCs. I was just really excited about a community that was all about reading (and more importantly, YA books!). I will admit, when I first heard about ARCs, there was a gleam in my eye. But, it didn't last long. Frankly, I wouldn't be able to keep up with it! So, I'm content with my library finds, the books I buy at the store, and the occasional giveaway I win from very generous bloggers.
I've also noticed that with all these blogs clamoring after ARCs, there seems to be a drop in passion. Posts aren't what they used to be anymore! Don't get me wrong. I'm not declaring this about the entire community. But, there are a number of blogs out there who seem to be overwhelmed by their TBR piles. They read and then plow through writing reviews offering only a paragraph or generic thoughts because they have so many deadlines to meet.