The Writer’s Block: Lit Blog/Book Blog Controversy
June 4th, 2009
I *heart* blogging. I just do! Being away from my computer is difficult for me. It’s the first thing I do when I have my “alone time.” Part of what I consider blogging is reading others’ blogs and leaving comments when spirit (or topic) moves me. I subscribe to WAY too many feeds and I really like hearing and seeing what’s up with my co-book-bloggers.
I have read about the BEA Experience and panel on several sites. After leaving my comments o’ jealousy, I prayed that I find a job so that I have enough money to travel there myself next year. I mean… pictures with Julianne Moore, meeting authors, and signing trading cards at a booth… oh, and dinners and a little bear who travels everywhere and bags o’ free books and free Kindles and… *you get my point*. But, financially challenged Sher is stuck in not-so-sunny California (thunder and lightning this week) and living vicariously through the blog posts, tweets, and broadcasts.
I was shocked to read Amy’s post this week. However, I had no idea what she was responding to. I did a little digging and couldn’t find the post of this very “popular” blogger. Although, I found several “Lit Blogs” that did discuss the blogger panel at BEA. The posts were mixed, but mainly positive. Circa today… I read yet another post about this topic. What in the hell is going on?
Taking the higher road, neither post identifies the culprit blog/blogger. So, I left comments hoping that somebody would tell me the source of the topic. My secret blogger friend, who by the way is a very good blogger and I like her work very much, sent me a secret note and let me know where the source was. I’m not going to post it here since I’m sure there’s a good reason why Amy & Co. aren’t posting the link within their blog articles. I read it. MY GOD IT WAS LONG! This is a discussion that has been going on for 2 days. It wasn’t just the post that was long, but also the comments. My head was spinning.
So… I’ve read both sides. My opinions and what I’ve gathered:
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Both sides have some valid points that need consideration by the open mind of the opposing opinion.
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The so called “First Wave” of bloggers have donned themselves “Literary Bloggers” or “Lit Blogs.” They were banded together 5 years ago and were involved in the BEA panels at that time. They view themselves to be a bit more “journalistic” in their reviews and don’t appear to be as actively involved with ARC’s, Book Tours, Giveaways, etc.
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We would be what is considered the “Second Wave” of bloggers. It appears that we grossly outnumber the blogs in the First Wave and we have a greater mixture of experience and education levels.
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The First Wave bloggers who have claimed to have “paved the path” for us Second Wavers were not included nor “represented” on the BEA Book Blogger Panel. I think their egos were bruised and feelings a tad injured. Their style, tone, and method of blogging differs from ours and they believe that the panel should have represented both worlds… you know, more of a sampling.
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The Second Wave bloggers were just thrilled and honored to be asked to participate in BEA and did the best they could. It is my opinion that they are feeling a bit personally attacked by the comments of the First Wavers and care to set the record straight.
Rather than jumping in the midst and throwing my opinion in there (and, believe me… I do have some strong ones on this point), I was wondering why it is that we don’t form an alliance. Keep with me here… in industries, experts or experienced individuals may obtain certifications in their respective fields. For example, my experience is in Commercial Real Estate and I’m both a RPA and a CCIM. Now, both certifications involved schooling and that’s not what I’m suggesting. But, more like a set of standards… a code of conduct that we establish that all members that are “certified” will follow. Keep with me here… if we form an alliance that provides a “certification” that could be displayed on the blog via a button, then the publishers, authors, and readers would be able to discern a seasoned, committed, and ethical reviewer to a every-now-and-then-hobbyist. Like they say, many blogs start and are dead within 6 months and I’ve seen that myself since I started. For the new bloggers on the way to “certification,” they could state that they adhere to the book review guidelines of the “such n’ such alliance.” We could base this “certification” on:
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A certain number of years of blogging experience.
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A minimum amount of book reviews per week.
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The general, required components of a book review (title, author, synopsis, rating)
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A minimum amount of classics or award winners reviewed per year.
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A minimum amount of personal or public library reads that are to be reviewed in addition to publisher/author provided books to balance the review content. This would kill the misconception of us Second Wave bloggers writing positive reviews on only new release books to obtain free books.
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A maximum amount of free books accepted per year.
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1 book/reading-related “community service” action per year (i.e. donating to local libraries, spreading reading awareness, etc.)
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Foul language restrictions
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A commitment to excellence in writing including spelling and grammar.
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A certain level of readership, reading subscriptions, hits or something of that nature to evidence that the blog has reached a certain level of “knowness.” These levels can be set reasonably, but would prevent brand new bloggers from becoming “certified”
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Certification is based on a membership vote with a minimum amount of “yes” votes are required.
There are bloggers that could easily “fit the bill” for forming a panel, alliance and start up a program like this. I immediately think of the BEA Book Blogger Panelists in addition to Anna (Diary of an Eccentric), Serena (Savvy Verse & Wit), Kathy (Bermuda Onion), Lisa (Books on the Brain) and many more. Amy already has the BBAW Directory and the experience in putting together a group database and website. So… I’m just “pitching” this idea to the group… what do you think? Would establishing a group/alliance and then further creating a “certification” (for lack of a better word) that says that you’re committed to series of blogging ethics in the book blogging arena benefit us on a long term basis? And, if so… in what ways will we benefit?
I’ve been thinking about this for last 6 months and I think it really shuts down the opportunity for people to attack. Remember Trish (Hey Ya’ Lady Whatcha Reading) and the author who went off on her for the negative review? Having this in place would really have been perfect for our panel and to be able to communicate to the Lit Bloggers… or, they could join too… doubtful, but it would have been nice to have a unified, strong response.
I’m not even a year old, yet. However, this is a passion that I believe will be a part of me for a very long time. I am committed to seeing the results of doing something I love. They always say that if you do what you love, you’ll find success in it. O.K., I’m ready to test that theory. I feel as though I am a part of this community and this idea has been weighing on my heart for a long time. Now, if y’all think that I’m being a complete and total GEEK for this idea… I’m okay with that. Tell me to pound sand and I’ll zip-de-mouth-shut!
What are your thoughts?
Posted in Personal Blogs
20 Responses to “The Writer’s Block: Lit Blog/Book Blog Controversy”
Name: Sheri
Email:
Bio: Welcome & Thank You For Visiting!!! Hello... I'm Sheri, the proud keeper of my own personal menagerie consisting of twin daughters, 2 poochies, 3 kitties, and 3 fish tanks. To learn more about me, please visit my "About" Page where you can also access my BOOK REVIEW POLICY.
Allow me to preface this by saying that none of this is said in anger or upset. I’m a Virgo. We’re blunt and frank.
I just think the entire idea that someone imagines they are in an ‘elite’ and special club because they sit around, read books, and then write their opinion on it is silly. And also, being able to sit around and read a book fast doesn’t make someone special. Someone who can read and review seven books a week is a better book blogger than someone who can only read and review one book a week? It’s absurd. Certification? Just another way to take the fun out of something that is supposed to be fun, and to close the group off to new and GOOD bloggers who want to enter but may not have the years or readership.
I admit, I am a bit of a cynic. A friendly cynic, of course. But a lot about the world around me makes me shake my head in confusion. I thought the entire BEA Book Blogger panel thing was just unnecessary from the start. Again, because sitting around reading books and having an opinion really isn’t anything special or important. I’d rather spend my money to go to next years Medieval Historian conference and learn something valuable.
If there every is such a thing as ‘certification’ where people have to vote on me like it’s necessary for me to meet their standards and criteria to be validated, count me out, definitely. Very soon I am going to be both getting a Master’s Degree and teaching history at a University. I doubt I will do a review but every two weeks. Does that make me a lesser book blogger? No, of course not! Does that mean I wouldn’t be official and certified? Well, I guess so.
In the end, though, all of the above doesn’t matter because I can’t claim to really care what the trends of the internet are. I’ll continue to do with my blog what I will regardless of how many reviews I write, my readership, my commitment to public libraries and classics, and whether or not I have a dirty mouth (which I unfortunately do
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Valorie,
I love your blog and you know that I do! I’m just trying to think of a way to combat some of the strife that the book blogging community has faced, will face, and is facing. Maybe it is a shitty idea… and, it wasn’t meant to be a club… but, more with a set of standards and ethics that would set THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED apart from a blogger who reviews books for 3 months then stops blogging. You are a long-time blogger and a very good one, at that.
I’m glad that you told me how you felt and that’s why I wrote the post… to understand why we don’t have something like this in place. Perhaps it is the ability to have our creative differences, as you suggested, that precludes us from having an association of such I nature that I suggested.
I appreciate you and your blog. I love Virgos… I’m Virgo Moon and 6 houses in Virgo. I totally get it.
Thanks for the comment and your honesty. That is the end result that I was looking for in my post.
Sheri
P.S. I have a potty-mouth, too!
Well to be completely honest, I had no idea there was even a “controversy” brewing until I read your post here. (I’ve been running behind on my feeds and haven’t seen Amy’s post yet.)
There are always going to be “those” people who feel the need to set themselves apart and make themselves feel superior in some way. It’s petty, but true. Those are the people who suck the fun out of everything and all I can say is that it must suck to be them on a daily basis if this is the kind of thing they spend their time thinking about.
I completely understand what you mean about the blogs that come and go, but I can’t help but think, what does it matter? If they stop blogging, I stop reading. If they have grammatical errors and poorly written reviews, I stop reading. I’ve always assumed everyone else was kinda the same, but maybe not?
Either way, I won’t be stooping to the level of this “first tier v second tier” book blogger thing. If there are lit blogs around who like to think they are superior to your blog or my blog or any of the ones we frequent on a daily basis, that’s their thing. I don’t read them nor will I.
Frankly, I just think they’re pissed ’cause we’re drawing traffic away from them. So keep up the good work, LOL! And yes, my potty mouth needs work, but I do try to keep the blog PG-13 rated for the most part…..”hell” is way too much a part of my vocab.
Michele´s last blog post..Da-Dum…Da-Dum…Da-Dum-Da-Dum-Da-Dum
I just read Amy’s post…some people can really rain on a parade, can’t they? It all comes down to egos and self-esteem, and making themselves feel more righteous than someone else. I am sure if you took a cross-section of the Lit Bloggers, they have educations and professions that are fairly similar and admirable. And the cross-section of the Book Bloggers would be all over the board. After all, its free and any old person can get on here an make their views known. HOWEVER, if you are at the point where you are invited to sit on a panel, or are gaining enough attention that your words actually influence and make a difference, then I think that should speak for itself. For you to get where you are, Sheri, you have had to make a commitment and work hard. If you posted one book review every two weeks, and cussed like a sailor, I doubt you would have the following that you do. (A little cussing is always good, though, in my opinion!) Its the laws of blogging, and for the most part, they work.
Sandy´s last blog post..Sticky Business
I have not read Amy’s post yet, but I can tell you this. I don’t care if you are a seasoned blogger or a new one as long as your reviews are written well, limit foul language, and do not bash hard-working authors. I also don’t care if you review ARCs, library books, books you bought, etc.
I’m a reader! I want honest recommendations whether you are professional or not! I don’t want all this analysis that I could have done and gotten from professors in college…if I wanted that, I would have continued my higher education into the PHD level.
I really have an enormous problem with people who consider themselves above everyone else. We are all human, we all have opinions, and the Internet has become a great equalizer and allowed us to share our opinions with anyone and everyone.
You don’t like my opinion, don’t read my blog, you don’t like that I review mostly ARCs, don’t read my blog. I’m doing it for the love of reading and to hopefully help authors and POETS (who are underserved by publishers and reviewers) get their names and work out there.
Ok, stepping down from my soapbox.
Serena (Savvy Verse & Wit)´s last blog post..Miranda’s Big Mistake by Jill Mansell
P.S. Sher, thanks for the mention. I love your blog as well and wouldn’t ever consider my blog better than yours or anyone else’s.
Serena (Savvy Verse & Wit)´s last blog post..Miranda’s Big Mistake by Jill Mansell
P.S.S. if you have the time, please feel free to send me the link to the original piece by first wave bloggers. I’m curious.
Serena (Savvy Verse & Wit)´s last blog post..Miranda’s Big Mistake by Jill Mansell
I too would love to read the original post from whence this all began. That being said, I read and commented on Amy’s post and was on Twitter last night when the BIG Lit vs. Book blogger discussion was going on. Where I come from books are literature, the words are interchangeable, so just b/c they were “here” before the rest of us doesn’t make them any better or worse than us. I am certified to be a teacher and then a principal, with years of schooling, but book blogging is fun for me, and I’m not sure about certification for that part of my life. I hear what you are saying about a commonality between blogs and working for a common good, but there have been some blogs come on in the last few months that I think are awesome, even though they are new. I don’t profess to have a great blog, and I’m not a year old either, but I learn more everyday from bloggers like you, Amy, all on the BEA panel and more. I love our community and hate to see all the drama surrounding this the last few months. I’m not sure what the answer is, but I don’t think any of us are better than the other. I just want to review books and give my honest opinion. Yes, I get books from authors/publishers, but I also buy many and get them from my school library. I am thankful for every book, author, publisher, and reader who comes my way.
Sorry if I seemed to ramble. This discussion gets me riled up.
Shelly´s last blog post..Friday Fill-Ins 6/5/09
Interesting post, Sheri – I have read the “original” post that started the controversy, plus several other follow ups in and around the blog-o-sphere, and honestly I just don’t understand this whole first wave/second wave, lit blog/book blog thing. We all love books and like writing about them. There are many different styles of writing – some bloggers like a more journalistic style, others are more chatty. One style is not better than the other.
Here is my take on certification or such…I work in the medical field and I volunteer in the law enforcement field … both those areas are highly politically charged and there is always controversy brewing (and territorial “battles” and alpha dominance stuff). Blogging for me is an escape from that stuff. I hate when book blogging starts to get political (who is top tier, bottom tier? Who deserves ARCs, who doesn’t? etc…). I am very leery of any kind of association that would start ranking bloggers or certifying bloggers…in fact, I am not sure I’d continue doing this on the level I do if I had to be certified to be legitimate. Life is too short and this is way too much fun to start making it harder to do.
I am not trying to rain on your parade! And I know you are just searching for a way to dispel the criticism…but, I don’t even think a certification could do that. Some people just want to find conflict and criticize no matter what!
Wendy´s last blog post..Themed Reading Challenge: Links for June/July
Honestly? The first wave of lit bloggers created an alliance and then egos got in the way and it went bust. The whole idea really makes me nervous. I think it’s great to have ethics and a standard code of conduct but when you start creating groups, then I don’t think it would go over well.
Natasha @ Maw Books´s last blog post..Tomato Aspic from Mary Ann Rodman’s, Jimmy’s Stars – Perhaps Our Nastiest Author Recipe to Date
This is all disheartening to me. Not your post or the idea of having some sort of organization – but all of the blog wars going on. I haven’t commented on Amy’s post because I’m not sure what to say. I love her and I love her blog. I wish that this wasn’t happening to her as one of our champions. I also did some research on the web, but I don’t think I found the post that Amy referred to. I found one where a person asked questions specifically about hit counts, but that was about it. I’d never heard of literary blogs prior to this.
What about the idea of having more of a guild. Anyone can join and the fees go toward educational opportunities or maintaining the website, etc… I blog because I enjoy it. I want to be part of a group who enjoys the same thing. I don’t want to be involved in a Greasers versus the Socs (sp?) turf war. I’m also not in junior high any longer and I like to keep it that way.
I’m very much in agreement with Serena’s point of view. I’ve been around in one form or another since January of ‘07. So what? I may have developed a rhythm and pattern to how I write my reviews, but my opinion isn’t any more important today than it was when I wrote my first review. It is what it is. The amount of time I have to devote to my blog, Twitter, etc. also is what it is. I’m quite happy with that. If perhaps those who consider themselves better than the rest of us were too, this world would be a better place.
Literate Housewife´s last blog post..#169 ~ April & Oliver
Wow! I didn’t even know this controversy was out there…I’ve always known that I have led a sheltered life, but I guess that I am a sheltered blogger also! I remember how I was so amazed that I was accepted so quickly into the book blogging community. I love being able to share my thoughts about books that I know my book club would not be interested in. This turned into another outlet for me in my personal literary journey that my book club was not fulfilling.
I do know that I cannot guarantee 1 book a week, so I guess I would be out of the loop on that one…lol. I am probably one of the slower readers in the blogging community, but I do try to give a thorough review that reflects my thoughts.
I do worry that if there are too many requirements to follow that it may start to feel like another job. I have noticed some bloggers are not accepting as many ARC’s lately because they were starting to be time consuming. I just think it’s important to keep the ‘joy’ in reading.
I would also be interested to see where all this originated from. Please send me that link also if you have a chance.
Jo-Jo´s last blog post..Winners of the Mother’s Day Giveaway!
Michelle, I totally get what you’re saying… the quality of your blog speaks for itself! Awesome point!
Sandy, I agree that it sucks that they rained on the panelists’ parade. They actually did not pinpoint Amy… statements were made about the panel as a whole. Nice, huh?
Serena, that makes a lot of sense and really mirrors Michelle’s comment… the quality of your blog will dictate the type of readers you have.
Jennifer, my blog has improved (I think) with age. I can definitely see changes in my review from when I started until now, but I don’t know if those changes made my blog better or worse.
Jo-Jo, the joy in reading and blogging shall be the key! That’s for sure!
Shelly, in the comments of this blogger’s post there is discussion that by us accepting ARC’s that, in itself, removes the “amateur” or hobbyist status of our blogs. By working directly with publishers and authors, we have made this “professional” (for lack of a better word and despite the fact that we’re not paid). Seeing as how this is happening, some believe that brings about some resonsibilities that the blogger should assume. That, primarily, is where my idea originated from on this particular topic. But, your opinion is right! For most bloggers, this is an outlet and a “fun” part of our lives. Great point!
Wendy, I think you’re right. People are going to criticize no matter what!
Wow! What a post! I do wish we could all just get along – I really feel like there’s enough room for everyone. I’m so flattered that you included me in your list of bloggers you feel are worthy for a panel.
Kathy´s last blog post..Review: The Soloist
I can see why Amy and some of the others might be feeling a bit “raw” after the other comments. I mean, they got all excited over doing it and it was an honor to them and then someone goes and bashes it all the hell.
However, I really don’t care what said blogger said. I read for the love of reading and I blog because I want to. If I make some friends out of it and am lucky enough to get some ARCs out of it, then that’s great. I don’t have the time (or energy) to go flittin’ around the blogosphere to harp on well meaning folks.
As far as your post Sheri, I know that I wouldn’t want to deal with requirements of any kind. That wouldn’t be much fun to me.
Ti´s last blog post..Friday Finds: The Signal
Wow I’m behind on my blog reading, but interesting idea. Unfortunately, I’m not sure how it would all work. I tend to go with Natasha…best to let the internet be as it is without trying to organize ourselves too much.
I’d hate to ever be exclusive!
But I love your blog and your support Sheri! Thank you so much. I am trying to make friends with these other bloggers…we’ll see how it goes
Amy @ My Friend Amy´s last blog post..This Social Media Thing
Hi Sheri, I have to concur with the commenters here. I would not be for a certification process. As stated already I think it would further alienate people and seem elitist and frankly, given the criteria, I wouldn’t be certified anyway.
I read the lit blog/book blog posts a couple days ago and didn’t comment there because, why? They made some valid points but mostly they are bitter that they weren’t included at BEA. That room was packed to the walls so obviously the publishing industry is verrrrrry interested in knowing how to work with us. We aren’t the lit bloggers of yesterday, but we are a community with a powerful voice, and I think it’s great that the publishing world recognizes that.
But certification? That sounds too much like work and this is my hobby. I don’t want to have to abide by a bunch of rules in order to do it.
Lisamm´s last blog post..Give me your GUSHERS
OYE I am a little late to the party here, don’t get in with the twitter crowd becaue that’s ‘real-time’ and I have kids here in real-time..
But I left my response on your facebook note because I didn’t know you blogged it here also.
I am actually heartened to see that many of my favorite bloggers are also against the Elitist View of a Certification (*NOT that you meant it that way)* But it is so great that in TRUTH .. what it boils down to.. is that we indeed all just want to get along.. and continue to blog.. and continue to blog in a way that is not conformist to an *ideal*.
We are Bloggers. We are unique in our own right, with our own opinions, our own views, our own reviews, how e go about that despite what Colleen at Chasing Ray says about the Book Blog tour (“Some will do “one-day blasts” where apparently 30 or 40 bloggers all cover the same book on the same day (you have to be kidding me on this – do people really do this”) Whatever works for us doesn’t have to work for everyone else in the world.
And then she says “And yes, I think the whole blast thing was our idea before it got swiped for this 40 bloggers/one book thing.”
{?}
WHO CARES!? where it originated from, as long as BOOKS ARE GETTING READ &
BLOGGERS ARE A COMMUNITY OF DIVERSE PEOPLE & WHY CLASSIFY US FURTHER?!
As I said in My Friend Amy’s post, do I need a blinking warning label that says I’M NOT A WAVE 1 BLOGGER, READ AT YOUR OWN PERIL?
I am not here to conform, I am here to be a book blogger the best way I know how, and that’s to read and review books that I enjoy regardless how they got in my hands in the first place.
Colleen mentions that “But I think there is a fine line here of people reviewing for publishers and reviewing for readers” I don’t see the line.. I review for me. Books I want to read. Then review. My reviews are not all fancy pancy, they may help a publisher, author, or another reader. I don’t care. I just want to promote the love of books and book bloggers.
The original post is here at Chasing Ray btw http://www.chasingray.com/archives/2009/06/bea_notes_from_everyone_else.html
And NO .. you still cannot classify us as “NORMAL STAY AT HOME TYPES” .. or “from our basement in Terre Haute” what’s freaking wrong with that anyway.. (as some commenters on other posts have said that I was)
NOPE
I work FULLTIME.. I have two little kids… I have a husband.. I have NO cats.. I blog from my laptop AND FROM WORK
NOPE you cannot classify me. I do not obsess about my blog. I do OTHER things that BLOG. I AM ME and I am Diverse all by myself, so I know everyone else out there is too.. and more power to everyone else for being who they are also.
Love and kisses to everyone now please go vote for me so i can get more books (what? not ARC’s? The Horror!!)
http://contests.twitterbackgroundsgallery.com/2009/06/03/burtonreview/
Marie Burton´s last blog post..Friday Fill-In & A Plea for Votes!!
Lisa & Marie,
In case you subscribed to the comments on this post… there is a follow up post from Friday that sums up the results of this idea and the comments. I was just trying to brainstorm some ideas and not alienate bloggers by trying to form anything that would be too difficult or elitist. I was just trying to help.
For all others, I’m closing comments on this post but the follow-up post where I sum up that this was a dumb idea is still open for comments. To be honest, I feel really stupid for even suggesting it based on the reaction that I received.
Sheri