While this series started as a forum to share my thoughts on various trends that have me rolling my eyes, raising my eyebrows and in general wondering about the state of book blogging, it has taken off more than I ever expected. This modern-day expose on the world of book blogging has become quite popular, and I continue to accept suggestions from fellow bloggers about various trends they would like to see discussed in future editions. I’ve discussed readathons, giveaways, blog hops, rules and reasons to start blogging, followers, comments, and overdoing guest blogging.
Another blogger brought this to my attention, and I have to say it is probably the most egregious, in my opinion, of all. All of the blog tours in which I have been a member have meant the publisher or the author sends me a copy of the book, which I then get to keep said book or pass it along to someone else at my leisure. I get to pick the date of my review, more or less, and if I cannot meet the date, the tour hosts will adjust the schedule for me, if possible. Yet, there is at least one blog tour out there that handles things differently. One I found forces the blogger to pay to send the book to the next stop on the tour. Also, a blogger gets publicly admonished if he or she fails to follow the rules in a timely manner. In-sane.
Blog tours are providing a service to the author and to the publishers, but I cannot help but think that these blog tour hosts/organizers are taking this idea of a blog tour and bastardizing it to something it is not. To call out those bloggers who do not send the book to the next stop in a set time is just awful. Blogging should not be about public humiliation, ever. I just cannot get over the fact that at least one blogger does this. How awful.
Has anyone else seen this? Is this as disturbing to you as it is to me? Thoughts? Can you even really call these book tours in the true sense?
Thanks, Betty! I'm not saying there is anything wrong with the ARC blog tours. I do disagree with publicly calling out those who fail to send the book on in a timely manner. I agree that they are a great way to start reviewing advanced copies, but I also adhere to the philosophy that reading should always be fun.
Good point, Michelle. In defense of those ARC blog tours that you mention, it was the best way for me to get started receiving pre-published books to review. I loved it, because where else could I get books! And usually could manage to read a book in a week if it was small enough. But then, sometimes I got TWO, one time THREE. Then the joy went out of it. So I don't sign up much any more for these subgroups.
Reading should be fun, not a chore, especially when not paid for it (smiles)
I participated in one too and struggled with just that as well. As much as I love to drop everything and read, I still want to do it on my schedule and not someone else's.
No, these are not blog tours in the traditional sense. Blog tours are quite fun and a great way to generate buzz on a new book. There are some great, respectable tours out there. These are something a bit different. They are still blog tours but not always associated directly with a publisher and/or author.
Exactly. This is a volunteer job. We should never be publicly humiliated by other bloggers…ever.
Yes, that is my biggest issue. However, as long as all parties know what is involved, then this really is personal preference. I still disagree on the public humiliation.
Thanks, Lisa! This does happen quite often. As Jen mentioned, a lot of them do start by other bloggers, but I agree that being able to keep the book is one of the perks of blogging.
I love the tours in which I've been involved too. And given the number of review books I have, getting picky about those in which I do get involved is not a bad thing.
The public humiliation was my biggest bone of contention. I was involved in one blog tour that involved me having to send the book on to someone else. It wasn't that big of a deal. I did struggle with having to drop everything to read that book once I got it, and not knowing when I was going to receive it was an issue as well.
I'm not certain who started them and if publishers or authors are involved. I honestly don't care about how the book gets around. I do care about the public humiliation. That is never okay.
It is actually NOT what normal blog tours are, this is a specific subgroup. Normal blog tours are just people reviewing the book and sometimes having a guest post from the author, it is just that somebody has coordinated which days that will happen on which blogs.
Ick ick ick…I would not do it nor would I send it…I am getting to the point where I don't even want review books any more…way too much pressure. The tours that I have been involved with…have been amazing…
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These are the one ARC tours, and I *think* they are not usually set up by the author/publisher, but by bloggers who want to share an ARC around. At least that's how they started, I'm sure that some authors at least now send a book over there. I do agree about the public humiliation bit, though. Have your rules and if someone isn't following them, just stop including that person.
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