“The online book community has changed so much over the years. How do we keep up within our own book-sphere as well as within the community as a whole (i.e., libraries, bookstores, authors, publishers, etc.)?”
Keep up? What’s that? I am pretty much entirely out of the loop. I almost never know what new books are coming out when. If I do it is because I’ve read something else that I loved of the author’s and now I’m following them on Twitter. Don’t even ask me about publishers. I never know. I have realized lately though that most of the books I’m loving come from Tor.ÂÂ
My book finding habits have changed. I used to just go to the library and look at the new release shelves. I might browse around some favorite authors or genres in the stacks. I can’t remember when the last time I did that was.
Now I have such a list of books that I want to read that I heard about on Twitter or through other blogs and websites and I put in requests at the library. I just go as far in as the desk to pick them up. I never actually go into the stacks any more.
In a way, that’s sad. There isn’t the surprise of finding a good book that you didn’t know about. On the other hand, I’ve found out about a lot of books that I would have never found just browsing the library. Interlibrary loan is my friend. I have weird tastes in books.ÂÂ
I don’t worry about ARCs. I have a few book tour companies that I’m signed up with and if something sounds amazing I’ll sign up for the tour. I don’t do it often though. (Except for this summer. TLC Book Tours had a summer lineup that looked like they tailored just to get my attention.) I ignore NetGalley for years at a time. I love backlist books. There are so many books that I haven’t read yet that I don’t feel the need to be rushing to read new ones. I don’t need the pressure of having to read a book by a certain date. I read what I want when I want and I DNF liberally and sometimes not even on purpose. I just get caught up in another book and forget I was reading something else. People who put a lot of pressure on themselves don’t stick around these parts for long.
So how have you changed since you started blogging? Do you try to keep up with anything?
I still put too much pressure on myself, though I’ve gotten a bit better. I almost never DNF because I just can’t bring myself to do it and I read mostly ARCs and then have to stress about reading schedules. I’m mostly okay with it for now, but someday I might have to change things up a bit!
I am not on NetGalley at all, but otherwise you’ve described perfectly my reading habits and how they’ve changed .I still wander a bit at the library, but not like “in the old days.” Lots of placing holds and picking them up when they’re in.
I’m always out of the loop too. At this point, I don’t even try to keep up with publishing news, new releases, etc.
Over the past two years or so, I’ve stopped requesting most review books, and when I do request review books, they’re almost always ebooks. I just feel like ebooks are easier to deal with than mailing a print version (both for me and, I imagine at least, for the people at the publisher). Whenever I get a review book, I feel pressure to review it as timely as possible, which is fine every so often, but I like not worrying about it all the time.
I rarely ask for review books too. I don’t like the pressure. I just read what I want.
My ‘book finding’ habits have changed in the exact same way as yours. I find most books I want to read online instead of while browsing the library, and I pick up most library books via hold nowadays. I do try to make an effort to get out and browse the stacks, because I still find that fun and relaxing. As for ‘keeping up’, I try to stay up-to-date with my favourite authors but that’s about as much as I can manage. I’m usually a few years behind with ‘new’ releases, though I am trying to make an effort to read more new diverse releases closer to their release date this year. Great post!
Oh lordy. I started blogging in 2009 and so much has changed through the years! But one thing is for sure! I can count on other bloggers and also TLC Book Tours for amazing books! As for NetGalley, I use it, but only if the author is offering a book I want for reviewing on that platform alone. I do utilize the library way more than I should being a blogger and having loads to review for authors!
Thanks for sharing!
Armchair BEA Cafinated Reads Day 2
Who I keep up with has changed as my career has changed. Armchair Book Expo day 2: What do readers want? and Collaboration
I’ve stopped browsing at the library too. For me it’s usually because so many of the books would already be checked out. It’s just easier to browse online, put a hold on it and then I get what I want. I save my browsing for when I’m on vacation and get to check out the local bookstores. My Day#2 Armchair BEA
Loop? There’s a loop? Guess I’m totally out of it then. 😉 I used to work in a bookstore so would find out about new releases as I unpacked boxes or set up displays. I miss those days. I just started going to the library again, so hope to rediscover the thrill of stumbling across interesting titles!
Terri @ Alexia’s Books and Such
Love the image with this post 🙂 so fun!
I love browsing at the library I find so many hidden gems that way!
http://cover2coverblog.blogspot.com/2017/06/armchair-book-expo-day-2-wants.html
Since I started blogging, I have finally started DNFing books. I never really had a reason why I pushed through books I wasn’t liking, other than my stubbornness. I’m so glad I got over that; DNFing is SO refreshing!
Check out my Day 2 post here.