4. In what ways do you feel bloggers make a difference in the book community? Have you ever been surprised by their influence?
It feels like they make a big difference, or at least I’d like to think so. They definitely can help make an author look good to their publisher, which is always nice.
I’m not sure how much they affect book sales on a grand scale, because I see some books adored by bloggers that don’t sell well, and some huge bestsellers that bloggers give very mixed or negative reviews. I guess that’s the case with anything, though—like movies that do great at the box office despite really bad reviews.
That being said! If a reader sees ten good reviews for a certain book, even if they just glance at them and don’t follow the links to read more or buy, that tenth good review might be the one that makes them pick up that book when they see it in the store or library. So even though Reviews 1-9 didn’t directly result in a sale, that doesn’t mean they weren’t necessary.
I would love to hear readers talk about what it is about certain reviews that puts them over the edge between, “Hmm, that sounds good, I might want to read that some time,” and “I must buy that book now!” — Jeri Smith-Ready
It was a little difficult for me to realize how many people are reviewing my books, and keeping track of my publications. I was a bit self-conscious for a while, but I've gotten used to it over the years. I'm delighted that bloggers have so much influence. They help me get the word out about what I'm doing, and what's coming up soon. — Nancy Holder
Bloggers have found a way to bridge the ravine between author and reader. Professional reviewers who write for the big newspapers and magazines are at arm’s length of both writer and reader. They serve a purpose, but they’re just talking heads giving a static opinion. Bloggers make the connection and create the personal relationships. They are real readers who read for fun, get excited about authors and books and enjoy sharing their passion with others. Instead of getting the opinion of some person sitting in a sky-rise office, we’re getting the opinion of a friend whose tastes we know and usually tend to agree with.
Bloggers also provide a way for authors to reach out to readers through interviews and guest posts. They help to make authors feel more like real people to readers, as well as the opposite – give authors names and faces of their fans. A good blogger can have such a positive influence on the book community. I can’t say that I’m surprised by their influence, but I’m glad for them to have it. Actual readers deserve to have a say in what they want to read instead of choices being dictated by a handful of decision-makers. Bloggers represent the readers and serve as their voice. It’s really an awesome position to be in and one bloggers shouldn’t take lightly. — Kristie Cook
I’m still amazed by the truly global nature of many of these blogs. People from many nations all gather in one location to share their words, their stories and talk about what’s important to them, be it real life, books, movies, whatever. Wow. Talk about shrinking the world to fit on the head of a pin. I have met many new friends via blogs from as far away as Israel and Australia. They share with me books they enjoy and I do the same. That global community of readers is truly awe inspiring, at least for me. — Jana Oliver
Bloggers open up a completely new avenue for communication with readers. They’re like friends telling you their opinions of things. I think the whole internet is like that. We’ve fallen in love with judging things, which I think comes pretty naturally to us. I’m not sure bloggers always realize how powerful they are. — Julie Chibbaro
Bloggers, in so many ways, are more focused on good books… not necessarily highly commercialized ones. I've seen many an indie author being recognized for their work thanks to bloggers, and I absolutely know they impact other readers. I think people can relate well to how real bloggers feel about a story more than anyone else, and these bloggers are right there in the thick of novels, reading like it's going out of style. They're some majorly dedicated people. — Janenifer DeLucy
Definitely. After Kristi blogged about Tell Me a Secret, suddenly it was everywhere. Bloggers helped spread the word about the book launch and later the trailer launch party, which spread like wildfire in just a couple of days. I often read my favorite blogs to find out about the latest book obsessions, what interests readers, and their thoughts about the future of YA. — Holly Cupala
I think bloggers do a fantastic job about getting the word out about books. I've found countless books from bloggers, some of my favorite reads. The blogs I like best are the ones that really embrace books. I'm not at all surprised by their effect because really, the best thing you can do for a book is tell a friend about it. Blogging is telling a friend--and the rest of the online world. — Beth Revis
I think that bloggers make a huge difference in the book community. I honestly have no idea how people knew about new novels before book bloggers came along! The internet is an efficient way of spreading information, and bloggers do a phenomenal job of publicizing literature. The book blogging community is filled with intelligent people who love reading and writing, and their passion for books is evident. It’s fantastic that there is a thriving community of people who enjoy discussing and promoting books in a productive and positive way. The existence of this community is also great for young people, especially high school and college students. Reading and writing used to be such a solitary activity—it wasn’t as if young people could join a team of readers and writers. But now they can, because book bloggers provide the same support and synergy as a team, which is fabulous! — Lorraine Zago Rosenthal
Book bloggers are the cornerstone of the book community. It's not an accident that the biggest fans of any book are usually bloggers, because they're the ones who are most interested in spreading the word about great, new stories and most eager to get their hands on new ones. There's an interesting kind of trust in the relationship between bloggers and other readers. It's more like hearing from a friend who liked a book rather than reading a review published in a newspaper somewhere by someone whose tastes might be completely different than yours and who you'll never meet. Most bloggers are very accessible and eager to talk. That's where the community feel comes from. — Jason Letts
Totally. They create such a great buzz and tell their friends, it's really helped my sales tremendously! — Brenda Pandos
* The fifth and final question for the bloggers will be posted tomorrow in 3 parts. USE GOOGLE if you want to know more about the blogoversary celebration.