BBAW – Day 3: What Book Blogging Means To Me
September 12, 2012 34 Comments
I’m participating in the Book Blogger Appreciation Week, which is an event to recognize the hard work and contribution of book bloggers to the promotion and preservation of a literate culture actively engaged in discussing books, authors, and a lifestyle of reading.
The blog post for today is about : What Does Book Bloggin Mean to You?
Go to the BBAW hosting site to find links to other blogs taking part in the BBAW. These will also talk about this topic today.
What Book Blogging means to me
Book blogging has become a fixed part of my life: I eat, I read, I do the shopping, I book blog. Not every day, but most days.
It’s great fun, so many perks:
I have made a lot of new friends online, that all share a passion for books. [BIGGEST PERK!]
I even met some of them – and what is better than meeting over a cup of tea to discuss books?
I have discovered lots of books that I wouldn’t have without book blogging.
I get hold of books that aren’t out (yet) in the Netherlands, because USA/UK publishers send me them.
I seem to win a lot of free books.
I don’t have to buy books anymore (but I still do)
But on the other hand:
It takes a LOT of time!
I now read books while keeping in mind that I need to review them.
My to-read pile is large. I mean, unpleasantly large.
I need to keep my reading and blogging organised via a spreadsheet. Sounds like work? It is! 🙂
Stress, to get reviews posted on time, especially when it comes to books I get from publishers.
Overall, I love it!
Do you book blog?
About Leeswammes
Reblogged this on nhicksbunao.
I use an app to organize my blogging! And you do seem to win a lot of free books! Great post.
Shan, that’s handy, an app for blogging. 🙂
Book blogging is a job all on its own, isn’t it? And yet we to do it just the same. 🙂 Great post!
Feline, it certainly is. I set high goals so it keeps me busy. It’s fun though, don’t you think?
I think the topside definitely outweighs the bottom side. 😉 And I hear you about the unread books. Some days I panic at the thought of ALL the unread books in the world. How will I ever get to them all!! Not to mention the couple hundred sitting on my shelves.
Absolutely Trish, it’s worth all the hassle. The problem with the unread books is that the writers keep writing. If they could just wait until we’ve caught up…
I like how you’ve included the negatives and that the good things overrule the bad. Actually I reckon what you’ve described as the biggest perk outweighs all the bad just by itself, and maybe even the good!
Indeed, Charlie. The community is great and without it, what would book blogging be like? I’d never have continued after the first few months.
I love how honest you are! You’re right: it can be stressful. I wish for all the realization that it shouldn’t be. 🙂
Jillian, I can only speak for myself, but I often agree on too many review books. Also, I make myself write at least 5 or 6 posts per week. I just make it stressful for myself! 🙂
Ha ha — I hear that. I always over-book. 😉
Great post! I agree, it is so great to find all these people in a blogging community who love to do it as much as I do! It’s good to get to know you a little more! 🙂
Thanks, storytimebooks!
Great post, Judith. Even without my blog I can say that the book-blogging community enhances my reading and my life. I couldn’t ‘live’ without it anymore.
Yes, it’s the same for me, Nadine.
It is a part of my life too…..it is the first thing I do when I wake up. 🙂 But…it is my fun.
And….to me blogging is all about the wonderful bloggers who make it happen.
Stop by to see my post if you like.
Have a fun day.
Elizabeth
Silver’s Reviews
http://silversolara.blogspot.com/2012/09/book-blogger-appreciation-week-day-3.html
Thanks, Elizabeth. Blogging IS great fun!
Enjoyed your post! Agree that blogging leads to outrageously large TBR piles, as mine has gotten crazy lately! But it’s worth it, for the great community out there!
Definitely worth it, Alexia!
The “unpleasantly large” pile of books to be read does become rather daunting, doesn’t it? As for a spreadsheet? The day I have to resort to that is the day I’m done blogging. That just sounds like too much work for me.
Belezza, yes, it is a lot of work – mainly it’s because I ask for a lot of ARCs (which I usually manage to read on time, but not always). To keep track of what is published when, I have the speadsheet – so I can post my review around the publishing date.
I have an embarrassingly large pile of books on my dresser. I never have to buy books again but I somehow always do!
Chris, when we see the books in the shops, they are SO tempting. Even if we have lots at home. It can’t be helped.
On behalf of all the “lurkers” out there, I would like to thank you for sharing your book thoughts with us all. You do all the hard work and we reap all the benefits – great reviews and the highlighting of books that may otherwise have passed us by. On the downside, bloggers are definitely responsible for my unmanagable wish list and my out of control TBR pile…!!!
Alison, thanks for not lurking this time! And thanks for your nice comment. Yes, sorry about your wish list and TBR pile. You suffer some of the pains and some of the perks. 🙂
It sounds like this is like one of those jobs/careers everyone aspires to have, it takes a whole lot of work but you love it all the more for it. Unlike when you work to live, you are living to work; or, in this case, living to read.
It would be a great job, Alice. If only we got paid for it! 🙂
I agree with your comments – I don’t do a spreadsheet but have a colour coded notebook. Plus, reviews of my own copies of books tend to get pushed back for review books. I still buy about 10 books a month so my books are now over two rooms!
I enjoy what I do though! Even though my wishlist for September sits at 20…eek!
I’ve got the same problem, Sam. Review books get priority and that means I sometimes don’t read “my own” books for several weeks. But yes, it’s all fun.
Book blogging is not for me, or at least not right now. I enjoy reading the books I pick myself and I don’t read a lot when I am at school. It sounds like a lot of work, but it’s good that book bloggers exist, because I have discovered a lot of nice books this way 🙂
Roxanne, you’re busy enough with school. In my case, I have no other priorities (except my family) so blogging has taken over my life a bit. I’m aware of it, and trying to work on it. 🙂
Completely agree. Sometimes it’s easier to fit in than others, and for now it’s worth it, but I understand why people take breaks from it sometimes.
Kate, I also can see what people take blogging breaks. Somehow, I’m not there yet – I would like to be able to do that every now and then.