Question: Do you feel pressured to get your reviews posted in a timely manner?
Answer:
In my earlier blogging days when I took on too many review books – yes. THE PRESSURE!!!
These days – not really - because I pace myself now with requests and am able to read and review books around the week they are released. And everything else is a *for me* read so I review it whenever. Or not at all.
One thing I have changed over time is reviewing arc’s early. (like months early). I don’t do it anymore for a few reasons.
1) While I might have helped contribute to hype – most people forgot about the book (and my review) by the time the book came out. Maybe it helped with a few pre-orders but I don't know and wasn't worth #2 - below...
2) A few years ago, there was a lot of arc envy going around ( I know there’s always arc envy but this was a particularly ugly time in the blogosphere) and I just didn’t want to add to making anyone feel bad about not being able to get a book early. That extended to both other bloggers and even readers who started feeling out of the loop because they don’t have access to arc’s other than giveaways.
If I do read and love a book 6 months before it comes out – I might do a post on it saying how much I loved it – but save my formal review for closer to the release date.
* NOTE: I'm talking more about big pub HYPED books - where everyone already knows it's coming out and just feels left out because they can't read it for another 6 months. Not the less hyped books that need all the love and promotion they can get.
I agree - all you said makes sense. My situation is a bit different, in that I only get a few digital ARCs occasionally (not that they don't count as books of course - I mean, they don't make the headlines when one gets them) of less popular books (ditto), except for that one physical copy the author sent me a month or so ago because we had history. In this case, I asked the author if she would like a review closer to pub date, but she was OK with trying to create a little buzz earlier - plus the first GR reviews were already coming...so I reviewed her book a couple of months prior to pub date. But as a rule, I agree that the closer to pub date, the better.
ReplyDeleteI hope there's a little less ARC envy around these days, but of course, how would I know 😉. It must have been very unpleasant though - to post an ARC review/pic/promo post just out of love for the book/author, and to get backlash because of that.
Oh...I always forget to say this...but the spring banner is very neat, and I love the sun-bathing (?) cat!
DeleteI forgot to say that I do usually post a short review on Goodreads whenever I finish the book. So it's there if anyone cares - but I save the longer, full review for closer on my blog.
DeleteDigital arc's count the same to me. That's what most of mine are.
The drama was mostly several years ago because of all the In My Mailbox/Stacking the Shelves posts - mainly after the book cons and people are posting stack after stack of arc's & writing reviews for the most hyped books 6 months in advance. It was just creating more envy and jealousy IMO. I don't want anyone to feel that way so I limit most of those kinds of posts.
Not that I don't share when I get books but you know what I mean - I don't want it to come off as braggy.
Quote: "people are posting stack after stack of arc's & writing reviews for the most hyped books 6 months in advance".
DeleteLOL, it seems a bit...extreme. Now that sounds more like bragging than anything - or at least trying to pimp one's blog the hard way...
Early reviews and huge Mailbox haul posts were kind of common years ago when there wasn't twitter/SM hype so it was a way to get word out but yeah - it came off as bragging (even though in *most* cases it wasn't intended that way) and caused more friction than help for a book.
DeleteI request way fewer ARCs that I see to so that right there helps take care of a lot of the pressure that came with reviewing on a schedule. For the ones I do request/review I’ve always tended to post the review on the day of release or within a few days prior. I feel like posting too early kind of defeats the purpose or something. I’ve never thought of posting time in relation to ARC envy, though, but I imagine that definitely happens.
ReplyDeleteI don't really see it all that much anymore. This was back in the day of really popular YA. arc's went out and certain people would get them and others wouldn't and it became an envy thing.
DeleteFrom what I see - a lot of bloggers request less now, there are fewer arc's and people don't post piles and piles of books anymore so it's as big of an issue as it was then.
I do feel ARC envy at times, especially when it is those I waaaant, but know I wont read for another year ;)
ReplyDeleteI am glad we oldies are not so pressured anymore
I think that's totally natural. I know I was sad when I didn't get approved for Starry Eyes on Netgalley and all my friends did but yeah - you learn that it's not the end of the world. lol
DeleteYes I sued to feel that pressure too! That's probably stopped blogging for a few months after my first blogoversary. I was way too stressed! Now it still bugs me that I have review pending [56 tight now ugh!] but at least I don't get all stressed as I sued to! I think it is fantastic hat you are so considerate to other bloggers that don;t have access to ARCs! I never thought of it that way! I just thought early reviews help more bloggers request a specific ARC. I'm usually so busy in RL that if I get to review it by the release day I consider myself lucky LOL
ReplyDeleteThe pressure is the worst. I went through a few years of that and I ended up hating almost everything I read/reviewed and there's just no fun in that. Unfortunately, it took me a few years to figure that out and then catch up on things.
DeleteI don't see the arc issue as much anymore but it was a bigger thing several years ago. I don't think the pubs even give out that many arc's anymore.
I just started organizing the books I've been getting for review. So I'm feeling the pressure now. I can't seem to read fast enough. :/
ReplyDeleteBeen there. Almost every arc that I have now has been unsolicited. So while I try to read and review those - I don't feel pressure to do so.
DeleteI only have one requested arc right now and that's for May.
I feel pressured to have reviews for the blog because I can't seem to get my stuff together to blog ahead more than a few days. But I totally agree with you about the ARCs. I will instagram some pics of the book but if I get it months in advance then I don't post the review until the day of publication or in rare cases a few days before.
ReplyDeleteI'm the same which is why I stopped taking on so many books. I don't like planning because it takes the fun out if it for me.
Delete
ReplyDeleteI mostly read and review books that I buy for myself. They may be months old so I don't really feel pressured to review them in any time frame. The only books that I try to review around release time are the ones I get from NetGalley. But I don't request many from them because they don't have a lot in the genre (PNR) that I mostly read.
This is how I am now so it's not really an issue anymore. I have one book to read from Netgalley right now.
DeleteI'm trying not to take on too many review copies these days because the pressure ruins reading for me. Mostly I'm just reading from my tbr and a random ARC here or there. It's so much more relaxing! I don't know how some bloggers manage all those ARC's. I would crack under that kind of pressure.
ReplyDeleteI'm very good about review copies now. I have PLENTY of books to keep me busy.
DeleteI kind of barely stay on top of reviews because I read the books about two weeks before the release date. I want to start reading them a few months in advance, but that just sounds stressful. I think the two-week window makes me more accountable in terms of reviewing on time. But maybe it would be better if I gave myself some wiggle room, who knows.
ReplyDeleteI can't read that far in advance. I tried reading/reviewing ahead but I feel so detached by the time the book comes out and I post the review. And I'm not great at planning - it takes the fun out of it for me.
DeleteWhatever works for you!!!!
I don't read ARCs super early, it just makes it easier to remember when the release date rolls around. I also pace myself on requests for review like you do!
ReplyDeleteLearning to scale back on those requests is what saved me.
DeleteI do feel pressure to read my ARC books on time, but I have learned my lesson and request way fewer books than I did in the past. I get in trouble when publishers email and offer up a book and I feel bad saying no, but it's not something I'm super excited to read so it languishes in my TBR. I've really been trying hard to resist saying yes when I shouldn't. :)
ReplyDeleteI think that's the cycle we get pulled into - you don't want to turn down anything so that you have access tot he books you really do want. I had to step back though or I was about to quit blogging. I couldn't' handle it anymore lol
DeleteI feel a little pressure. I am staying on top of my current ARCs but have a bunch of older ones I still need to get to. I am working on not requesting so much so I don't feel the pressure so much but I find it so hard!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm still tackling the old TBR pile but I so obviously missed those release dates (2011!!!) that I don't feel pressure and I'm totally up to date with any new requests.
DeleteBut it took me YEARS to get to this point.
Same here. When I started blogging, I was so diligent about reading and reviewing (and I accept everything) and as time goes by, the weight of pressure is too hard for me to carry. Right now, I only accepts an average of 8 arcs each year.
ReplyDeleteIt's so hard to keep up! Then throw in the tiniest variable - like a book slump, getting sick, a real life issue that keeps you from reading and BAM - you're out of control.
DeleteI take on maybe 1-2 books per month but if I feel overwhelmed then I don't take any.
I'm kind of like you - I felt way more pressure in the past than I do now. I still have books for review, but I really try to limit what I request and/or accept and it makes it a bit easier to get reviews posted around the time it comes out. Plus, I have more time to read "for me" books which are often books I own and never got the chance to read!
ReplyDelete-Lauren
www.shootingstarsmag.net
I felt insanely pressured when I blogged before, but I think I learned a lot from that. Now, I only request what I can handle, and I try to review them the week they are released. I did review one book like a month early, but only because I loved it and I wanted everyone to know I loved it. I linked back to that review on the book's release day, though. Like you said, reviewing books too early causes people to forget about them (and the review) by the time it's released.
ReplyDeleteI remember that ARC envy... it was madness. People were getting so mad over something that is a privilege. I lost all of my contacts when I stopped blogging, but it's not about ARCs. You can still read and review books once they are released, and people are more likely to go buy them or borrow from a library. It's already available, so if they liked your review they can start reading right away. ARCs are lovely, and they help promote books ahead of time, but they aren't EVERYTHING. Ugh, this issue really gets to me, and is one of the reasons (other than babies) I stopped blogging. People were so awful about ARCs, and I just wanted to read and love books.
I loved your answer for this! I'm also not sorry I was jealous of your Starry Eyes ARC! *wink I did have an opportunity to read it early myself, but it was just so pretty! I had ordered like... 25 copies, so I just had to wait for them to get here. Don't laugh! I give them as gifts, and I'm going to be doing a giveaway soon. I love being able to promote and help the authors I love, and buying their books is a great way to do that. Yes, ARCs help to spread the word, but authors still need people to buy their books. If I have the privilege of reading a book early, and I LOVE IT, I pre-order it as soon as I can.
I think I'm finished.
For now...
Do You Dog-ear?
Yes. you were there for all of it - the BEA/ALA/book envy stuff that was going on. It was so disheartening that I almost gave up too. I ended up sticking around but really pulled away from the community as a way to survive it.
DeleteI'm just now getting back into *meeting* other bloggers and back into SM. I'm much more discerning with who I follow too. I want to follow bloggers that are in because they love books, are supportive of each other and want to chat.
I love arc's. I think they're great and I'm going to still request them and go to book cons when I can but they aren't the be all/end all of reading. I WILL survive without reading the book early. I can buy it or go tot he library. It can get tough when you see everyone else reading something you want but arc's aren't owed to anyone. They are a tool for publishers/authors.
I was MORE jealous of you because you got Starry Eyes early! lol They turned me down so i was stunned when it showed up at my door. I had already ordered it too.
Maybe not! Haha!
ReplyDeleteI have a lot of "for me" books that I want to read, and a ton of audiobooks from my library, so it's not like ARCs are my life. I also really want to start re-reading some of my past favorites. I never seem to have time for a re-read, but I'm going to start making time!
Love you!
And yes to all of this! I am still reading books from ALA in Dallas! But I'm making my way though. I think a lot of us bloggers who are left don't care so much about the new and shiny and like discovering older titles and authors with a backlist.
DeleteAnd you know I love you back!
But I'm reading for FUN right now and I just finishedmy 4 or 5th 4&5 star books! It's been years since that happened because I was reading for reviews rather than for myself.
In a past blogging life I used to really get stressed about it and overload myself. Now I post reviews for things I've read when I feel like it unless it's a review copy which I try to be punctual about and as I'm far more selective on the review copies I don't feel snowed under any more. :)
ReplyDeleteSame! Lesson learned!
DeleteYES! I feel the same way and I never know what the right time to post new books is! Should you post ARC reviews way in advance? A little in advance? On publication day?? There are so many options! Great post!
ReplyDeleteIf it's waaaay ahead of time I might do an OMG - you really want to pre-order this one type of post but other wise I wait until 1-2 weeks before or the day of.
DeleteOf course, having said that, I screwed up and posted a review over a month early in March lol I didn't realize I was doing it though.
Yeah I'm about like you now. I post when I post and there's not much pressure which is nice. I do read most of my books 3-6 months ahead of release but I just schedule them for release week and wait. I do post those go Goodreads but no big issue with it there.
ReplyDeleteI don't read too far ahead anymore but 2-3 weeks is my average.
DeleteI agree with not reviewing books too early. I aspire to have my review up during the month of publication, either before or after. I understand being excited about a review book, and wanting to read it right away, but when I see reviews for books 6 months before they come out, I think that is too early.
ReplyDeleteI think some early hype helps but after awhile people just forget the book.
DeleteI haven't been blogging for a while . I wait to read hype books lately and I haven't really reviewed books on goodreads :)
ReplyDeleteI stay away from hyped books - except for Starry Eyes - but it's Jenn Bennett and I love all her books :-)
DeleteI also review ARCs closer to its release. I will do a quick post on Instagram and Goodreads when I finish reading it :)
ReplyDeleteSame - I do Goodreads and twitter and usually a cover pic on Instagram when I get the book.
DeleteSounds like you've got your methods of blogging all figured out! About the early ARC reviews, it seems most pubs don't even want us posting reviews until close to the release date. Like you said, I think people prob just forget if the book is reviewed too early. I just mention the book in my weekly update posts and maybe add my initial thoughts on GR and then wait til closer to release for full review.
ReplyDeleteMost of the very early (like 4-6 months) early reviewing happened years ago. I don't see it too much now. I think we've all learned that it's counter productive.
DeleteTalking about it on Goodreads/twitter is probably good for getting the word out but formal reviews are forgotten.
I think it's sensible to not review too early and not put the pressure on. I'm much more chill about my ARCs, in fact I really need to stop having them I'm that far behind but I never feel stressed about it. It's just one of them for me. I fall behind but oh well. Reviews are reviews.
ReplyDelete