Book Blogger Confessions is a meme that posts the 1st and 3rd Monday of every month, where book bloggers "confess" and vent about blogging/bookish topics. If you haven't guessed the idea is to answer a question & you can share, vent and offer solutions. Ranting if the question demands it works & you'd really enjoy it if you did participate as there's a ton of respect between each other, even more than normal. We understand they are your solutions & if they work? Great. If the question isn't a hunky dory one? We're asked to:
Keep it respectful - no bashing authors or other bloggers!
So, if you want to participate here's the meme...
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| Hosted by For What It's Worth and Midnyte Reader (Grab their button and include it in your post with a link to the feature co-hosts) |
So here's the one for June 3rd (or whatever day you're completing it for this fortnight's link-up):
Do participating in book tours/cover reveals and author guests post drive traffic to your blog? What type of problems have you encountered when hosting them? (please keep it civil - no names or calling specific people out) As a blog follower, are you ever turned off by these kinds of posts? How much publicity is too much?
It drives traffic to my blog. I'll admit that, especially when there's a giveaway! I've had more traffic for some posts which weren't but I do like participating in book tours. I'd much rather write a review or do a character interview, something which isn't just a book blast where all (or most) have the same information. I try to do this & even in my own promotions and/or cover reveals where there is less fidgeting space I always try & mention something about this book that nobody else has. Even if it's just my opinion, but surely you guys want to know why this book appealed to me (seriously, if you don't tell me & I'll stop the digression!) There are sometimes minor issues (regarding, for example, the review copy). It always tend to be communication & in this instance the organizer? They aren't going to be in my good books but it doesn't mean I'll avoid them unless the issue is bigger than those small things you can overlook. For example, there are mistakes in the tour schedule or you're not listening to the dates I can do? Big issue. I'm OCD enough without this huge issue knocking me back! That would be the only way a tour could be really wrecked. I've definitely had fantastic experiences with promotion (like this month) & there's others further in the distance I'm also looking forward to (July blog tour, guys) but there's always going to be ones that just could've gone smoother.
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| *headdesk* (GIF free use) |
They can be just as repetitive as blog tours but people seem to put more effort into blog tours sometimes? Not always but there's likely to be, as mentioned above, reviews & things which could add some distinction. It depends on the meme but there are certain ones (I'm not thinking of one on a Monday, don't worry!) that I always skip. I can't expect something too original from reading out your teaser's or telling me a synopsis of a book you're dying to read. It doesn't matter if it's for a meme or a blog tour (just remember to stand out). Your originality is at it's strongest in reviews. You're not just providing me links to excerpts, places to connect with an author or buy a few books. More time is probably put into these posts & it shows. I see you & your reactions more clearly & that's how my book blogger friends sell a book to me. I obviously check out books in book hauls & often cover reveals too but who is to say I give it a second glance when all it has going for it is a link, cover or snippet of text in my feed? I love seeing the covers, authors & much more too! I'm not expecting you to speed up your reading so you have less of those posts but remember: I'm watching for something unique. Go interview characters if all else fails (I actually suggest that officially), OK? ;)
Or, maybe... And I know there's lots of them (I'm a mod in a group which gets a ton of giveaway interest) but, hosting a giveaway could always work?
Or, maybe... And I know there's lots of them (I'm a mod in a group which gets a ton of giveaway interest) but, hosting a giveaway could always work?
Don't forget to comment on today's confession if you like. I'll try & stop by... That's the thing about meme's in this community, they bring comment love ;)
9 comments:
I totally hear you on writing reviews or character interviews rather than just book blasts. I like to put my own spin on things rather than just copy-pasting things, but sometimes you can't avoid it, eh? ^^;
I love this post! Despite never having hosted a blog tour, I can't help but see how something's can be frustrating. By the way, the GIF is perfect, Amy!
Quote:"...even in my own promotions and/or cover reveals where there is less fidgeting space I always try & mention something about this book that nobody else has [...] I can't expect something too original from reading out your teasers or telling me a synopsis of a book you're dying to read."
Too true. And it's commendable that you always try to give a personal touch to...everything. It should be the very reason why we are here. It shouldn't matter that we have a new post every single day, or even every single week - so that we end up participating in every possible meme or event just for the sake of posting more. I know it's the current trend, or maybe the forever trend. But I don't want to be a successful blogger...just a honest one. OK, I'd like to be popular, but on my own terms. If I have to compromise too much - no, thanks. And what do endless book tours and repetitive cover reveals do for the book itself, anyway? Mmmh...well, OK, they give you the impression that the book in question is a masterpiece that you should not miss...but it's easy to see through this veil...to me at least. All the raving reviews spurting together on the same day - or no review at all, just a cover and a synopsis...I'll go and hunt on Goodreads, thanks!
oMG never noticed that this meme could be like the cover reveals or interviews..I don't see much increase over traffic
I don't like cover reveals when they are so many blogs, clogs up the reader.
I heard you on the interviews and character chats. I love them especially from authors I have a crush on~! But not having done a tour myself beside cover reveals, I know it can be frustrating. That's why my cover reveals are only of those I'm personally anticipating and not the ones the blogging world seems to be revolving around.
Yeah, I think the promoters need to keep your schedule in mind, not just theirs. I don't see a lot of traffic increase when I do a book blast. I like what you said about stating something different about a book than what everyone else has said. Clever.
Giveaway hops always provide the most traffic event hough I haven't participated in one in a long time.
I think anything can become too much...memes, cover reveals, reviews. We're all pretty much doing the same thing. It's only our personality and personal stamp that makes someone come back for more.
You bring up some really good points! Character interviews are one of the few posts I'll read, as regular author interviews all tend to be more of less the same and get boring after awhile. That's just my opinion of course, as I know others love them!
Alexia's Books and Such...
@Ana: Yeah, there's often a bit to copy & paste. But I'm happy to take time to write something that says loudly, maybe louder than other's promotion, "This is just for you readers." Thanks for stopping by!
@Rita: You know my love of GIF's & you know I'm a perfectionist so major smiling going on here ;) As always, I love that you stopped by (:
@Roberta: Sometimes negative reviews are discouraged but genuinely blog tour reviews have X positive reviews because that number of people read & liked it :P Thanks for stopping by! (:
@Julie: Not this meme but there are some which clog up as bad or worse (meme's don't have limits, cover reveals often do). Thanks for stopping by!
@Kipha: Sometimes I don't see those in my reader, shows the content (and author featured) can be more important than just the book or other promotions... If I see a tweet about that I check it out. If I saw a tweet about a cover reveal of a book I couldn't give a toss about? Nah. Also other promos? If I know the book I don't need that. Thanks for stopping by!
@Pam: I don't see a traffic increase either which is why if it's not a book you care about there's no point. I wouldn't want to state something different about a book when the book isn't worth it... Thanks for checking out my BBC post today, I know it's busy for hosts :L
@Karen: I need to consider doing giveaway hops, definitely! For reviews it depends on the book/author. There are books which reviews need to be written for & there are books reviewed which I skim past. Personal stamp, nicey! Thanks for reading my post after your (I'm sure) eventful BEA!
@Alexia: Character interviews are easier to get engaged in. For author interviews I often just skim-read or check out the questions first to see if I've heard similar things from the author and/or to read important q's only. I understand why both are useful though & some authors feel like readers should have to read the book to understand the characters. It's not rare for them to say no to that proposal :P I'll be stopping by your book blog, thanks for commenting! All the comments please me NO end.
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