Hi everyone! So this is NOT a new segment I'm starting on the blog. Its just me wanting to talk to you guys a little bit about the jealousy that we sometimes witness in the book blogging world. I normally don't give any opinions out on subjects like these but when the publishers take notice, its has gotten pretty bad. I think we all need to realize what book blogging or what becoming a book reviewer means.
The reason I finally said, I'm going to post something about this issue, was because recently I was emailed about a certain blog tour and was told to please keep secret "X" book until later so bloggers wouldn't get jealous and so forth. At no time should a publisher have to mention this to anyone. This shows you how bad the jealousy/fighting has gotten. As a book blogger I am ashamed that other book bloggers are tarnishing who book bloggers really are. So this message or advice is to all those who feel the need to get jealous or talk smack.
My blog will turn 3 next month. I might be considered a veteran blogger now. Never in all 3 years have I felt the need to get upset or jealous because another book blogger has gotten a certain book or been invited to a certain event or blog tour. I celebrate it instead! You might say of course you don't because you get tons of books and invites to everything. You have no idea how far from the truth you are. I'm not saying I don't get books or invites, but in 3 years I have WORKED MY BUTT OFF on this blog and have gone to as many book conference as I can, to make connections with publishers or authors. I go to as many book signings as I can in my area or even further. I am on Twitter and Facebook chatting it up with as many as I can, be it authors, agents, publishers and book bloggers. I have done this since day one and will continue to until OUaT is no more (which I'm hoping isn't for a long time). You have to put your blog and yourself out there for publishers, authors, agents, editors, etc... to know who you are and what your blog is about. If you expect to start getting tons of books and perks just because you started a blog, you are going to be disappointed from day one. As a book blogger, your duties should be to help promote and spread the word on books and their authors. You have to have content on your blog, preferably everyday. If you are posting a review once a month, then I can tell you right now, no one is going to come knocking on your door to send you book or ask you to be on any tour. You should always be thinking of new and fresh ways to support the books you love with new content. Just like any job out there, you have to put the effort and time in your job to reap the benefits. Getting books I'd say to look at it like getting a bonus at work for a job well done. You can't even imagine how amazing it feels to get recognition for all your hard work, be it by a comment, email or books in the mail. It makes all the work WORTH IT! 
So if you started a book blog for the sole purpose of getting free books only, quit while your ahead. Book blogging does not work like that. When I started, I was buying books or swamping books out to review them and talk about them, I was out there chatting with authors online or via email to see how I could help them. Then once I started going to conferences, I was talking and emailing the publishers to see how I could help them too. It has been a long process and it DID NOT happen overnight. Just to give you an idea, it will be 3 years in March and yes I do get books but honestly from only one publisher really (which I work very hard for that publisher and have shown it). All the rest send me a book from time to time (which is great just the same), so if you thought I was getting showered with books, you are so far from the truth. My team and I we also continue to help out self-published and Indie authors, so a lot of reading material comes from them. We also buy books all the time, which as book bloggers we should continue to buy books to help support those authors and publishing companies like they support us. So there is no need for the jealousy or negativity that is going around in the blogosphere. If you want to get those books your dying to read, then put the effort into your blog and get yourself out there and show you mean business when it comes to book blogging. When you begin to do that, you will reap the benefits. Also you have to realize the cost of sending books and ARCs is very expensive and the publishers are limited. If they sent a book to every book blogger that exist, they would all go out of business.
So this is my piece of advice for today. I hope that if you are a book blogger, new or old, this post might help see things a little clearer if you ever question the process of how bloggers might get books. I'm telling you, you put the effort in and everyone will take notice.
Love to hear your comments or suggestions. PLEASE NO NEGATIVE COMMENTS. If you don't have anything nice to say, they don't say it at all.
Posts
It takes a lot of dedication to get to the point you are, and you should be proud of the accomplishments.
ReplyDeleteIts really does take a lot of hard wrk and I think a lot of new bloggers don't realize that or expect to reap the benefits without having to actually put the effort in. Thanks for the comment.
DeleteTerrific advice. When I see a blogger get a coveted book, I think "Good on them." I'm an adult, I blog for fun and for the love of reading and I refuse to let pettiness ruin something I love and have worked hard for.
ReplyDeleteThis post spoke to everything I've been thinking recently. Thank you!
Yes everyone should celebrate everyone good fortune. Life is too short for negativity! Thanks for the awesome comment.
DeleteThis was a very very good post explaining just how hard a blogger has to work in order to get to where you are. I personally have been book blogging for almost five years now and took off a year this past year because of college. Coming back I realize that I have to start over on the relationships I have once established. It is hard work. I am sort of surprised and shocked that there is negative mojo going around. I guess this stuff does happen but not enough to where publishers are having to say something. That is really embarrassing. Thanks again for your brave post - I really enjoyed it and appreciated it. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for commenting. Let me know if there is anything I can help with to get you back on the ball.
DeleteThat's so sweet of you! I appreciate it - honestly I wasn't fishing for anything lol
DeleteYeah - I'm on YouTube and my site is TheNightOwlPost.com - it's really just me starting my reviews back up again and getting a schedule again... easier now that I'm done with school :)
Very well said. Hope other bloggers take notice and all this hating can stop once and for all.
ReplyDeleteAMEN my dear friend! This job takes up 80% of my days sometimes more. It frustrates me to no end to see people come in and start asking for short cuts and easy ways out. There isn't any.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting this!!!
Yes sometimes, I neglectmy real job to work on the blog so that it can be great. So all bloggers need to understand the work one must put forth.
DeleteAs an indie author, I have so much respect and appreciation for book bloggers and the essential work they do. Whatever success my books have had thus far, has been due in many ways - to the amazing enthusiasm and support of bloggers who have reviewed and shouted about my books/characters etc. However, I have noticed a trend from some bloggers (especially 'newbies') to operate almost with a sense of entitlement, expecting to get given free books and getting upset when they don't. I like how you clearly spell it out here that book blogging is WORK and people shouldnt get into it just because they want to get free books! As you point out, sending books out is expensive and the whole process can be even more costly/daunting for indie authors.
ReplyDeleteYour description of all that is involved in building a successful book blog has similarities with the work that goes into building an audience and social media network for an indie author - its hard work, it takes time and effort and is fueled by the passion that we share for books, for stories, for reading. Thank you for a great blog post.
I do wonder how you manage to do it all. I'm talking about bloggers that post regularly and have been blogging for years and obviously have a life outside the blogging world. They have jobs, husbands, wives, kids and friends. I say this because I just started blogging and is more time consuming than I thought but at the moment I don't have a job or kids and I'm not married so I can dedicate time to this. I know it's hard work that's why I think you are all amazing. I started this because I thought it was a great way to talk about books with others (my family doesn't read as much as me) and I didn't know how many cool things there are here but just as anything else, you have to work for them. Nothing will come to you if you just sit around and wait, I should be out looking for jobs lol
ReplyDeletePeople seem to have a misconception of how ARC's are distributed and who gets what. They don't understand that ARC's cost money to make, not to mention now there are services like Net Galley and Edelweiss. This is a hobby and some of us continue to buy books, because we love books. If I don't get an ARC, I'll wait and buy the book. I mean we all get jealous, we will not be human if we didn't experience this emotion. Plus there are responsibilities that come with getting ARC's and review books. So nothing is ever really free.
ReplyDeletegreat post! I completely agree. My two year anniversary is coming up and recently this jealousy thing seems to be getting out of control. Blogging has helped me discover new books to read and has opened the door to a whole world of people that love books just as much as I do, but I tell you, I could do without the jealousy. There are plenty of books out there for all of us!
ReplyDeleteI don't get it. I love when other bloggers get a great book, or get to do something cool, or meet an author or whatever they get to do. It's all great! It makes them happy, so why should it make me upset or jealous? We are all here to BOND OVER OUR LOVE OF BOOKS.
Great post. I completely agree!
Michelle @ Book Briefs
Great post! I think it's so sad that people get jealous... I feel like if a person gets that jealous looking at blog tour posts or Stacking the Shelves posts, then they shouldn't be a book blogger. Or, at the very least, they should avoid those kinds of posts. Yes, sometimes I do get a little jealous if another blogger gets a book that I was declined for, but that's life. I don't get upset or angry about it, and I still love that the person got that particular book. I might be a little jealous, but I'm still happy for them.
ReplyDeleteIt's just disappointing to think that there are people out there who just flat out can't handle it.