Tell Me Something Tuesday is hosted by Rainy Day Ramblings and discusses a wide range of topics from books to blogging.
Answer:
This is such a great question! Because the answer is yes AND no. I think ARC’s are awesome but have led to the downfall of many a good blogger.
The pursuit of ARC’s can turn you into a raging green eyed monster, lead you into epic reading slumps because you accept books you don’t really want to read just so you can get the ones you do and just plain overrun you with too many books to read.
When I first started getting offers of ARC’s to review, I was so honored and excited. Not because they books were free – but because I love helping authors out and yes, I’ll admit, getting to read something early.
Pre- blogging, I always loved every single thing I read and could read 200 plus books per year. It never occurred to me that I wouldn’t like a book or fall into a reading slump.
I realized after my first BEA that you can indeed have too many review books, get overwhelmed by timelines and obligations and have slowly cut back over the years.
Right now, they are not worth it. I would much rather choose the books I want to read whenever I want, review or not review or not read at all if I don’t feel like it.
I’m finishing up the last batch of book conference hauls – there are maybe 50-ish left and I get almost everything else from the library now and it’s glorious!
I do still accept a few requests and Netgalley widgets but they are so infrequent that I don’t feel pressured at all.
Personally, I think it’s about knowing yourself and your own reading habits. If you’re really great at picking only what you’ll like, keeping to schedules and don’t feel pressure from it – then arc’s are great!
If you hate 50% of the books you request, feel burdened and hate reading because of them or get so jealous of other who do have arc’s then maybe they aren’t worth it.
You put it so much better than I did, mine is so short! lol
ReplyDeletelol Sometimes few words are needed.
DeleteI have a love and not so love relationship with ARC editions. If it's a book I'm anticipating then I love being able to read it before the hype sets in and also help promote the book, especially if the author is Australian. But on the reverse side of the coin, it can become really overwhelming with unsolicited copies, which is basically all but one or two of the books I tend to review. I've been really relaxed this year and just reading whatever takes me fancy so I'm enjoying reading new books that I wouldn't have normally discovered myself.
ReplyDeleteI never worry about unsolicited arc's because I didn't ask for them but I get it - they're still sitting there silently judging you lol
DeleteI'm just stepping away from the whole thing unless it's something I'm truly interested in. I like being able to read whatever I want without timelines and feeling freer to voice my onion - or not give one at all.
I guess early on (like any new blogger) I fell into the trap of requesting too much because of the novelty. It was exciting to be "chosen", to receive that approval, and to have a (gasp!) advance copy. That definitely wore off. LOL I've tried to take a big step back from arcs over the last year or so. Yes, I still request them but I am much more discriminating and choosy. Sure there are some from favorite authors that get me excited, but for the most part I really want to read the books on my shelves.
ReplyDeleteYes, definitely this! You're trying to get on blogger approval lists & feel like your value as a blogger depends on this approval and hey! it's fun to read books early.
DeleteI'm the same now - I request things I'm truly interested in but I feel like I can wait now and feel way less pressure.
I don't read ARCs as I like having the finished copy in my hand to read at my leisure!
ReplyDeleteI'm loving being able to read whenever I want right now and having the freedom to NOT review a book if I don't want to.
DeleteI only request a few each month and only ones that sound really good or from authors or series that I've already read.
ReplyDeleteThat's how I am now.
DeleteI like them and not. Pressure is bad but I do enjoy getting a book my library may not have (before I may recommend it... ). I haven't requested hardly any lately but one.
ReplyDeleteI'm loving the library but the problem with them can be long waits. Even so, I'm enjoying less pressure btu I think it's totally up to reviewers comfort level.
DeleteI was great with Netgalley and never took on too much but I overdid at conferences and pushed myself into reading slumps. And also took on too many author requests in the early days trying to help them out.
For some reason I never got started requesting on Netgalley so I've never read a ton of ARC's, although a few authors have reached out and that was super cool! Including a favorite who sent me an ARC after reading a review of her earlier book. So I'm sort of an outlier on ARC's I think, but the advantage of that is I never got in over my head and had the burnout. I totally get it though- I like to keep it simple and just read what I like, with no pressure. :)
ReplyDeleteNetgalley was never a problem for me. I'm not really someone to spend a lot of time searching for books. And the deadlines always freaked me out. I go there if I know exactly the book I want.
DeleteIt was the conferences and the early days of accepting review requests directly from authors. I truly wanted to help and thought I would like everything but I was accepting things that weren't my cup of tea.
It made me hate reading and it spiraled from there.
I have been in the situation, where I have too many review books, but I am getting much better with my requests. I sort of only need about 15-ish new releases a month, if I only want to feature new books. But, I have been mixing in backlist, here and there, and could probably get about with 12 ARCs a month. I am tying to make that my goal. I used to get really upset, when I couldn't get approved for certain books, but now I am ok with it, and just enjoy the books I am able to get.
ReplyDeleteFor me, it's about 5 review books per month. That allows me to also read my own books or take breaks.
DeleteI never got approved a lot - I got most of my books from conferences but it stings lol
This is such a great answer! I've definitely found myself in a place where I've been overwhelmed with review copies. Now I definitely only accept books I'm really interested in.
ReplyDeleteIt feels a little panic inducing at first letting the arc's go but the further I get away from them the happier I am.
DeleteThis is a great discussion and question! I think we've all been in the same boat. I always have this idea in my head that if I refuse an ARC, that publisher will never ask me again, so I used to say yes no matter what. Now I know that actually isn't true, and I feel more comfortable saying "no."
ReplyDeleteYes! I think that's a major problem with arc's. You try to get contacts and are afraid to lose them so you take on more than you can handle or books you aren't interested in.
DeleteI just don't worry about it anymore.
Very well said. I don't accept too many review books/ARCs anymore. You can definitely get overrun by them. I'm usually pretty good at knowing what I'll like, so it's not that I end up hating a ton of books, it's just not having enough TIME mostly.
ReplyDelete-Lauren
www.shootingstarsmag.net
Yes. There just isn't time to read every review book and read for fun or catch up with older books. Then life tends to intrude - how rude! lol
DeleteI like getting ARCs of books I was going to read anyway because it saves me money, ha ha. I see it as a little bit of a payment for all the time and money I put into the blog. 😃
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely. But I was rarely getting to or enjoying the arc's I was getting so it was more burden than benefit.
DeleteYep, I'm in agreement with all of this. ARCs are more often than not a headache for me now so I only request when I really really want to read the book and know I'll jump on it.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree, ARCs have ups and downs to them. I also don't like the pressure to review all the time. I tend to sometimes accept an arc, but rarely ever pursue them. I try not to sweat it too much and just take blogging and reading easy.
ReplyDelete