Last week, I finally made a change to my blog that I've been toying with for quite a while; I updated my 'contact me' page to state that I am no longer accepting review copies. I won't be emailing publishers, logging onto Netgalley, replying to review requests, using Bookbridgr or readign unsolicited ARCs any more. This applies to self-published books, books from minor publishers and books from major publishers.
It's taken me a while to come to this decision as like most book bloggers, I've always found it flattering and exciting to receive review copies. I remember how accomplished I felt when I received my first email requests, and when I was first approved on Netgalley for a title by a major publisher. Receiving a copy of Americanah before it came out was a real high point in my blogging 'career'. All these things felt like validation of the hard work I'd been putting into my blog, recognition that I was doing an OK job.
However, the longer I've been accepting review copies, the more I've come to see the negatives too. I can get a bit 'trigger happy' on Netgalley and Bookbridgr and end up with more review copies than I can possibly read. I don't like the pressure of having to read a certain book by a certain time, even if I'm not enjoying it, or having to write full reviews all the time. Sometimes I'll get excited about a book when I receive it, but then not feel like reading it when it's actually close to it's release date. Even though I try my hardest not to let the fact that I have received a review copy effect my opinion, it's always there in the back of my mind when I'm writing down my thoughts. Replying to emails and building up contacts with publishers is time consuming, and it's rare that I'll receive an unsolicited request for a book that fits with me or with my blog.
All these reasons have contributed to my decision, but the main one is that I'm no longer happy with how review copies have changed my reading habits. I miss being a mood reader, browsing my shelves and picking the next title to try at whim. I miss flitting between different books, rereading my favourites and spending months immersed in an epic series. I'm sick of neglecting the books that I have accumulated and I want to dive into the back-lists of authors I love.
I'm sure I will miss out on some great review copies over the coming months and years, but I don't mind waiting and purchasing a book if it's something that I am excited for. In the meantime, I have plenty of books on my shelves to keep me occupied.
Do you accept review copies? If so, have they changed your reading habits?
You've made a wise decision; in the long run really good for the book publishing industry; one reason in particular why I like Amazon Vine...choosing which books we want to read. My hat's off to you!
ReplyDeleteYes, I know lots of bloggers who enjoy Amazon Vine as they still get to choose. I think I would probably make the wrong selections though!
DeleteThis totally resonates with me, especially now. I miss my "free range reading" -- browsing the library or bookstore and picking up something on a whim, or descending into a unexpected binge. Plus, with all the drama with some authors taking reviews too personally, I'm wondering if I need to get away from new releases to older ones.
ReplyDeleteAnd of course, I'm on hiatus from taking in ARCs and it feels pretty good -- although I haven't found the energy yet to read anything!
Free range reading is the perfect term for it, Audra. And I was always reluctant to accept review copies directly from the author, as I didn't want to get into any drama if I didn't like their book.
DeleteHope you are getting through the early baby days OK. It's all a bit of a haze to me now, I just remember feeling like a zombie and not having the energy to do anything apart from play candy crush/watching TV. Don't worry though, your reading mojo will return :)
I'm with you 100% on your decision, as I made the same one recently for pretty much the same reasons. I'm appreciative of all the review copies I've received over the past few years, but having to review on or by certain dates ended up making blogging feel like a job and took the joy out of some of my reading. I think I'll be a better blogger because of this decision, although I am only slowly getting back into it after a hiatus.
ReplyDeleteThat's exactly it - I'm not a career blogger, and nor would I want to be, so anything that makes this feel like a job is unwelcome. I've also accepted that I am going to have breaks from my blog every now and again.
DeleteI understand what you mean about the pressure and how the whole reading dynamic changes with ARCs. I've been considering a hiatus myself and think that every blogger probably goes though these moments which define what type of blogger you choose to be. Hats off to you ... and enjoy :)
ReplyDeleteYes, there are so many types of bloggers. I don't have the time (or motivation) to push my blog & try to make money/a career out of it, so for me it's all about keeping it as fun as possible.
DeleteI'm still happily accepting review copies but trying to work other reading in and around them. I wouldn't say they've changed my habits so much as introduced me to new authors that I feel I wouldn't have heard of otherwise - part of my 'other reading' is tracking these authors down in the library and reading their back catalogues. If I come across an ARC that I can't get on with, I'm quite happy to abandon it and tell the publisher why. I reason that no one wants to hear a bad review, so why should I struggle on?
ReplyDeleteI have been exposed to some great authors through ARCs and I am thankful for having them, but now my time is so limited I've got to prioritise.
DeleteYour point about abandoning ARCs is interesting - I would always finish them regardless and then write a critical but not personal review of them.
I've done the same recently, but I feel negligent. As a librarian it is considered a part of the job to read galleys and all the 'hot' books in order to help patrons find the best books for their reading tastes. I don't really enjoy this aspect of the job as I'd rather read by whim and I'd rather read classics. For now, I am ignoring my guilt until I find a way to manage this job task. But I think it is freeing to not accept review copies so good for you!
ReplyDeleteHmm - as a big library patron, I'm interested in recommendations from librarians, but I don't care if they are big new releases or older titles. I think it's strange that you would be pressured to read galleys - you should be able to recommend classics to your heart's content!
DeleteI accept review copies, for book tours or other, but I'm extremely picky. it seems to work really well for me, but the big thing is to be hyper selective, and to be sure I don't over schedule myself
ReplyDeleteI think you are right to be picky - I always meant to be but could never manage it. Scheduling is important for book tours too, there's nothing worse than having to rush a book, it can ruin even a very good read.
DeleteHey, you are right. It has happened to me too. I used to love when I get books to review. But it changed as I have to read review books which I would not have read otherwise. Reading becomes a mere exercise and all the fun is lost...
ReplyDeleteIt's so exciting to get review copies first of all, isn't it? Sometimes it's great to be exposed to books you wouldn't have picked up normally, but sometimes it doesn't work out.
DeleteI haven't been accepting any review copies lately and haven't been reading the ones I have at home either. I suffer from the same problems as you mentioned in your post - I get too excited about books when they are pitched but then once I receive them, they no longer look as enticing. I much prefer picking an unknown book from a stack and exploring it.
ReplyDeleteThat's the other thing about blogging - it makes it hard to go into a book completely blind. But I'm having fun reading from my shelves at the moment, long may it continue.
DeleteI do accept review copies, but I've recently moved to a "review consideration" model instead of letting myself feel obligated by them. Some of my favorite books were ones that I discovered as review copies, but like you, I used to be more of a mood reader, and I was getting bogged down and stressing out about getting reviews out on time. I'm trying to strike a balance between reading what I want to read when I want to read it and allowing myself to discover new books on NetGalley or through review requests that I receive. So far it seems to be working.
ReplyDeleteI really like the sound of your model, Grace, and it seems like it's working for you. Are publishers OK with there being no guarantee of you publishing a review?
DeleteIt depends on the publisher, but so far it hasn't been a problem. When it comes down to it, bloggers aren't superhuman, and most of us have lives outside of reviewing books, and I think that a lot of publishers understand that.
Delete+JMJ+
ReplyDeleteI received a book for review long before ARCs became a huge thing, and the experience was so awful that I decided never to request anything again. It started when I suggested to a self-published author, whom I liked as a blogger, that he could promote his book by hosting a contest and asking the winner to review the book. He said he'd rather send it to me for review--and of course, I was honoured. But when I finally read the book . . . well . . . IT WAS AWFUL. =( Since he and I were blog friends, I didn't want to tell him why I couldn't honestly review his book without panning it, so I just kept hemming and hawing about when the review would be up until he finally stopped asking and I lost a friend anyway. =( That experience has convinced me that I don't want to read a book with a professional obligation hanging over my head.
Or well, with any obligations hanging over my head. Even school doesn't really require that you read a book, as long as you fudge well enough. ;-P Sometimes I struggle to finish my own readalongs or short-term series with themes that I picked out myself. Your term "mood reading" and Audra's term "free range reading" are perfect descriptions of what I like to do. While I appreciate structure once in a while, my favourite reading experiences have more in common with surprises than schedules.
That experience would have put me off ARCs as well! I have accepted books directly from the author before, but I found the whole thing uncomfortable to say the least, so I tended to stick to publishers.
DeleteAnd you're right that reading surprises are the best part of reading. Enjoy your free range reading :)
I totally understand where you're coming from. I'm having a bit of the same problem. I've just decided to pick and choose. If it doesn't move me then I won't accept to read it. I have plenty of great books to read too on my shelves. Enjoy mood reading! :)
ReplyDeleteI have way too many unread books on my shelves, it's nice to take the time to appreciate them and reduce their number a bit.
DeleteI totally get where you are coming from. I know I have received some books that I didn't ask for or chose because it was offered, although if genuinely don't like a story, I won't review it whoever it is from. However the majority of books I receive are just up my street and actually book blogging has really opened my horizons and some books I would never picked for myself I have really enjoyed. I try and make a point of reading a mix of review copies and books that I like or have bough myself to keep things varied. :)
ReplyDeleteYou are right that review copies can expose us to some great new books. I just have such limited time now that I don't want to sacrifice one single bit of reading freedom.
DeleteI completely understand where you are coming from! I haven't officially changed my policy, but I really should soon. I have come to think of review copies as both a blessing and a curse of sorts. Like you, I would get really excited when a book arrived, but far too often, I would then not find time for it or my excitement would wane by the time it came around to actually reading and reviewing it. I have a shelf full of un-reviewed ARCSs I still feel bad about, but I figure there isn't a whole lot I can do about them now--if I get around to them eventually, I do, but if not, I have cut myself off to avoid this kind of thing in the future. I have unsubscribed from Shelf Awareness Pro which is where I entered a lot of giveaways/request forms for ARCs--I tried not cancelling my newsletter subscription and telling myself I'd just use it to find out about new books not request them, but the review copy offers were just too tempting! So many people say we shouldn't feel obligated, but when given these kind of opportunities, I can't help but see them as obligations and I think that is actually to the detriment of the book and my reading in general.
ReplyDeleteWho knows what the heck will happen come the spring, but the past few months when I have moved away from review copies, I am so much happier with my reading choices and experience. There is a freedom in it I never even imagined I would need before I started blogging and didn't even know what an ARC was! "Free books" sounded so good, but they really are not all they are cracked up to be in the end.
They are definitely a blessing and a curse. Maybe publishers send them out too early, giving our excitement too much time to die down! I hate the guilty feeling of not getting to an ARC, so I'm going to get rid of all of mine, both physical copies and from my kindle, and start fresh.
DeleteAnd there's always the library for free books :)
I knew when I started blogging a few years ago that I will not accept any review copies. It has seemed tempting now and then, but realistically I knew that there are so many books I want to read anyway, it would just end up as an obligation and I wouldn't enjoy it. I think it's great that you make decisions that make things work for you - changes are often needed.
ReplyDeleteI admire your strength at resisting free books from the very beginning :)
DeleteI haven't really sought out review copies much. I do get them from one publisher, and I have accounts with Netgalley and Edelweiss but rarely use them. Mostly it's because I just want to read what I want to read, but to be honest I rarely want to invest time in reading books that I haven't heard much about. There are a few authors I'll always read, but for unknowns....there are too many books I want to read that I *know* I'll enjoy. I hesitate to spend the time on something uncertain.
ReplyDelete