Book Blogger Confessions is a meme that posts the 1st and 3rd Monday of every month, where book bloggers "confess" and vent about topics that are unique to us. Feel free to share, vent and offer solutions.
Just keep it respectful - no bashing authors or other bloggers! If you want to participate just grab our button and include it in your post with a link to either Midnyte Reader or For What It's Worth. We will be providing a linky at the end of our posts so people can "hop" to see all the participants answers.
Question: Have you added or considered adding additional reviewers to your blog? Why or why not? If you have, please share how you found the right match when bringing new people to your established blog. Did you encounter any problems?
I have thought of adding another reviewer to help lighten my review load and add genre variety but I’m really picky because it has to be someone I know and trust. I’ve invested over three years building the blog and I don’t want to add someone that may bring drama or reliability issues.
I also like how the blog is mine...all mine....*cackles*... I don't really want to schedule other peoples reviews and I like the spontaneity that comes with blogging by myself. I'm a total fly by the seat of my pants kind of blogger and I rarely even have a weeks worth of posts ready.
I've had guest reviewers in the past and I loved hosting them but they all moved on. That’s the problem with the people I want. They either move on to their own blog, are giving up blogging for good, or review on Goodreads but don’t want the pressure of regular reviewing.
I am interested to hear how other bloggers went through the process if they did add reviewers. It’s scary to me to pick someone I don’t know at all but I’m sure it works out just fine since there are several great blogs that have multiple reviewers.
I’m also interested to hear from followers – if a blogger you love adds a new reviewer how do you feel about that? Do you think it changes the “voice” of the blog or adds to it?
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2013 Book Blogger Confessions topics here
Yes that's my reasoning for not having someone else too. This blog is my baby. If I did anyone it would be my kids ...But I also an incident go bad with a blog.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to do unless you have complete trust in the person. (for me anyway)
DeleteI agree with everything you say except I'm not fly-by-my-pants, I'm very organised so I have scheduled my blog for like the next month...
ReplyDeleteMy 'co-blogger' (I prefer the term 'occasional contributer') is actually my husband, when he feels like saying something, if he feels like saying something (which he has not yet but there is space for him if he wants to read genres I don't). And of course I am 100% the boss, and if and only if he produces content will I find a place for it in my highly structured blog plan. I would have a hard time adding anyone else, because my blog is 100% ME.
I wish I was more organized. It stresses me out though trying to schedule everything. then it feels like a job, then I don't want to read....I go into a blogger death spiral lol
DeleteMy hubby has written a few reviews on the blog. I was hoping he would do more but he hasn't :-(
I just asked :) Because I want reviews on my blog and I just do not have the time these days. But yes I did go for people I knew from before
ReplyDeleteI've asked a few bloggers that were giving up their own blog but they don't want to review at all anymore.
DeleteI like the other reviewers on your blog. they all have a sense of humor and their own voice.
Quote: "I also like how the blog is mine...all mine....*cackles*... I don't really want to schedule other peoples reviews and I like the spontaneity that comes with blogging by myself."
ReplyDeleteSame here.
Anyway, I've seen an interesting (and funny) thing done by some bloggers...picking up the same book (which they rated differently) and doing a double review. What about that? Just an idea :).
Pam (Midnyte Reader) and I talked about doing a few joint reviews/posts.
DeleteI'm just coming out of my general blogging slump and reading regularly again so it might be a while before I do something like that but it sounds like a fun idea.
I feel the exact same way Karen. I'm afraid with a partner it might bring up a whole bunch of other obligations and I don't want that. I usually don't have posts scheduled much in advance either. Yes I agree there is something freeing about being able to blog about what you want spontaneously. I like to fly by the seat of my pants too.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I've done Roberta's suggestion above with double reviews.
I know we've said this before but we are the chillest of the chill lol
DeleteI can barely decide what I'm posting day to day never mind keeping track of someone else lol And I think I might get mad if my co-blogger is more efficient and organized than me on my own blog lol
I had a co-blogger in the beginning of the blog but it didn't really work out. I've yet to see a guest reviewer added later on that actually felt like it was the other reviewer's blog too. My fav example of co-blogging is Rather Be Reading because they work seamlessly with the same amount of effort.
ReplyDeleteThere are a few blogs that have multiple reviewers that I really love. Rather Be Reading is one of them.
DeleteI like when multiple reviewers add something to the blog rather than just a way to have 7 posts a week.
Feels so wrong and personal to me. I don't think I could.
ReplyDeleteIt would have to be someone I know and love already but even then I think I would feel like I'm losing something. But I've seen it done successfully on other blogs.
DeleteI've thought about it a lot especially when I'm feeling overwhelmed or in a slump but then I decided I would rather just not post for a few days. It's a hobby....it's a hobby...it's a hobby lol
Running a blog by yourself is a lot of work. I totally understand liking having all the control. There are so many concessions that you need to make if you take someone on - as April has experienced with me. I think easing into it is the best way. I think personality is the best thing. You need to find someone who flies by their pants also. April and I got SO lucky with finding each other. Even now over a year later we are still constantly improving the way we work and communicate. I pretty much consider her a bestie now - I talk to her all day - pretty much from the time she signs off to when I go to sleep. She wakes up so much later in the day than me haha. I definitely think being friends is super important.
ReplyDeleteI think the reason why people that just contribute reviews move on is because they want more control as well. If they are just a reviewer they might feel like they are an employee instead of a partner...and who wants their hobby to feel like they have a boss?
That's fantastic that you found someone you trust to for with. I would be happy adding someone if I felt that way too.
DeleteI had a good blogger friend that used to guest review adult books on my blog (she only reviewed YA on hers) and she was someone I would have trusted completely. Unfortunately she gave up blogging.
I let a few people test the waters here to see if they liked it and like you said they wanted a blog of their own eventually.
I'm totally on board with you on not knowing the reviewer well enough to have them be apart of the blog and I like having the blog to my self too :) I don't ever have things per-planned unless I know what I'm going to be doing; like post some of these Confessions posts or giveaways. There are some blogs I follower that have multiple reviewers and it's great because sometimes they would review the same book and have totally different opinions on them so it's great. Adding a new reviewer to a blog I think is okay, a new voice might or can even give the followers a new perspective or look on a book. But I guess it also depends on if the blogger wants that.
ReplyDeleteI don't even have my Book Blogger Confessions post done until the day before lol I'm hopeless.
DeleteIf I added someone I think I would like someone whose a little different than me. It would be fun to debate a little rather than always having the same opinion.
I've guest reviewed but not had it the other way round. I'd accept that proposal, probably. No co-bloggers wanted though. I co-blog at a blog; you’ll have to ask the lovely Chrissie @ Once Upon A Series how our reviews go to together ;) Obviously it's a different experience but it's just as organized. If I said one was a bigger commitment I would be telling the truth. My blog, for now, consumes my time more. I hope to one day be at the point where we both put in about 50/50, well 40/40 cos we have other guests on the side. I know some great co-bloggers. In some cases it seems like one amazing person & then you realize it's more than one person :P
ReplyDeleteThe bad thing about co-blogging is when things go wrong & it affects everybody. Like technical issues. That's a massive domino!
When I was thinking about giving up blogging a few bloggers asked me to guest review on their blogs and that probably would be a great thing for me. No responsibility but I still get to review but ultimately I Like the spontaneity/flexibility I have with blogging on my own.
DeleteI wanted to feature a few of the independent books out there that I knew I wouldn't get to otherwise so I put a call out for reviewers and added 2. One worked out and the other didn't. Still I do enjoy having AimeeKay on as a reviewer. Love her reviews and she is a sweet person. It's still my blog, and she has her own blog for reviews and still does a few for me. So nice! :) She only does what books seem to interest her.
ReplyDeleteThat's the arrangement I had a few years back with another blogger and it worked out great but she's moved on and I haven't run into anyone I trust to try again. But then again I haven't been actively looking either.
DeleteI wanted someone to help lighten my load, but always worried about bringing someone on. Plus...it's MINE. lol But my cousin offered to help me out recently, and it's working out well for us. I just offer her a book, she says yes or no, and then sends me a review when she has it ready. She's not on a schedule and I try not to bug her.
ReplyDeleteNow I'm just scared she'll leave me!
I would like to *stumble* upon the right person ya know? I don't' really want to advertise for it. I feel like the right person will just click
DeleteI have thought about it, but always decide no because I want control, and to be able to trust me instead of someone else. i think my husband might write a few, but it is a different genre, and I am still in control
ReplyDeleteIt has to be the right person. I've seen it work out but the best ones seem to be BFF's outside of blogging.
DeleteI have a friend (book club friend) that will do a review every once in a while for me (she has done 3 in 2 years) but no I don't think I could take on a whole blogging partner. I would rather take time off than that. I just like the blog being my voice.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, I also don't have any aspirations of growing my blog. I think people that do have to have other reviewers. I can actually take a week off and it not be a big deal.
"I just like the blog being my voice.
DeleteThat being said, I also don't have any aspirations of growing my blog."
I <3 you. You re-ground me when I worry about blogging because honestly that's not my goal anymore either.
i think it would be hard to add another reviewer unless you started the blog as a joint effort. but whatever works for the indiviual blogger(s)!!
ReplyDeleteI've thought about it myself because I feel that reviews are a big weakness of mine, but hate the idea of giving up control...and I'd worry unless it was someone I knew really really well!
ReplyDeleteIf you click with someone then I'm sure it's a huge help but I haven't found that person yet.
DeleteI've thought about it, but it would be horrifying to let someone see how seat of the pants I am at times. Like letting someone watch you cook….
ReplyDeleteI don't mind giving up control, but sort of feel that all the coordinating would make as much work for me as just reading the books myself. So I tell myself that I don't have to read ALL the books...
That's how I feel too. The thought that I have to schedule my posts along with someone else's - when I'm rarely a few posts ahead myself.
DeleteThen what if they are way more efficient than me? I'll feel like a loser on my own blog lol
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ReplyDelete