This is a weekly meme hosted by Rainy Day Ramblings. Each week, they post a new question. Everyone is welcome to join!
Do you still accept review requests? Why or why not?
Yes and no.
Way back when I started blogging in 2010, I soon was inundated with review requests and received tons of e-books directly from authors. I also joined NetGalley and later Edelweiss and requested books that I wanted to read. I soon discovered that I do not like to read e-books! I much prefer holding a real book in my hands, but my sit-down time to read is minimal so my main method of reading is by audiobook.
I no longer accept e-books for review, and I no longer request printed ARCs from publishers. I am on a few mailing lists for audiobook publishers, and I like that I can request audiobooks (which are audio downloads) that interest me. I really, REALLY try to keep requests to a minimum because I still have my own Audible library that has over 200 audiobooks that I need to get to, plus my Downpour library, plus my Tantor library, plus I can borrow audiobooks from my local library on Overdrive or their library CDs.
I've been blogging now for over eight years, and I've learned that I really just want to read what interests me! I love to talk about books, and I'm passionate about what I read. However, I found that having too many books in my review pile (or books that didn't really interest me) sucked the joy out of reading. The whole reason why I started my blog was for it to hold me accountable to read MORE and to read my own books, so I'm trying to get back to that.
What are your thoughts? Please let me know in the comments, or leave me a link to your blog post if you are also participating in the meme!
Yes and no.
Way back when I started blogging in 2010, I soon was inundated with review requests and received tons of e-books directly from authors. I also joined NetGalley and later Edelweiss and requested books that I wanted to read. I soon discovered that I do not like to read e-books! I much prefer holding a real book in my hands, but my sit-down time to read is minimal so my main method of reading is by audiobook.
I no longer accept e-books for review, and I no longer request printed ARCs from publishers. I am on a few mailing lists for audiobook publishers, and I like that I can request audiobooks (which are audio downloads) that interest me. I really, REALLY try to keep requests to a minimum because I still have my own Audible library that has over 200 audiobooks that I need to get to, plus my Downpour library, plus my Tantor library, plus I can borrow audiobooks from my local library on Overdrive or their library CDs.
I've been blogging now for over eight years, and I've learned that I really just want to read what interests me! I love to talk about books, and I'm passionate about what I read. However, I found that having too many books in my review pile (or books that didn't really interest me) sucked the joy out of reading. The whole reason why I started my blog was for it to hold me accountable to read MORE and to read my own books, so I'm trying to get back to that.
Design by Parajunkee Design
YES! When my blog started gaining followers quickly, I was constantly drowning in review request emails. I decided that I couldn’t deal with them. I’d rather buy books that interest me and review those.
ReplyDeleteAj @ Read All The Things!
I agree, but I do feel guilt over not getting to those review copies. I have a list that I'm chipping away at but reading books that don't interest me just puts me into a slump!
DeleteFirst off - it's my first time visiting your blog, so, nice to meet you! I love your banner - it's so colourful and relaxing. Also, 8 years of blogging and more than 2200 followers??? Whoa. Congrats! I've been at it for 5 years and a half and I only have 99 of them...(OK, I've never been what you would call a consistent blogger - in my best year I posted no more than once a week - but I suppose being consistent is not the only way one can "succeed", so to speak, at blogging...).
ReplyDeleteI can relate to not wanting to read ALL the books (and though I do accept PDF review copies, I understand the struggle of reading on a screen - it makes me feel restless after a while...though I'm growing accustomed to it). I started my blog to give some less hyped books an outlet, and back then, they were all bought books. Now, I rarely get requests (because as I said, I'm not popular), but even when I do, I'm so selective you would thing I had to PAY for the darn thing LOL. Also, one never knows how an author might react to a low rating...
Since you said to leave a link if we were doing the meme, here goes...
Tell Me Something Tuesday
Thanks, Roberta! That was my intention in the beginning as well, to support lesser known authors and their books. But it grew to be too much. I was receiving many unrequested ebooks by email on a daily basis. I have bookCASES of my own unread books plus more in packed boxes, so I'd rather to get to those so that I can donate what's on my shelves and unpack more books that I have stored away. Yeah, I'm a bit of a book hoarder ;)
DeleteThanks, Heidi!
ReplyDelete