I’ve been blogging for two-and-a-half years now, and in that time, I think I’ve changed my style of blogging.
In the early days, I was very supportive of authors, hence the interviews that I used to do.
Then I discovered that a lot of authors online only love you as long as it’s not their books that you’re dissing.
The main change in my attitude towards authors came with the whole Changeling Press fiasco, when the owner of Changeling, Margaret somebody-or-other took offence at my criticising their terrible covers. Then I read a very passive aggressive post by Dakota Cassidy, where she didn’t name names, but was clearly talking about me, only she didn’t have the guts to actually say so, and when questioned about it, denied that it was anything to do with me.
The fact that she delinked my blog, made a liar out of her, especially when I remembered that she’d done exactly the same thing when she deemed that The Smart Bitches were a bitchy lot. Something to do with their harsh review of one of her author friends if I remember correctly.
Prior to that, had been the Mary Janice Davidson’s post at RTB, where she used the word ‘reviewers’, and ‘asshats’ in the same sentence.
In recent times, there have been several incidents, including the whole Gail Northman/Triskelion affair, as well as the Carol Lynne, and Jaid Black row.
A recent comment on here by some author called Anne Caine, after I blogged about the similarity between her book and Carol Lynne’s latest, pretty much cemented my opinion of e-pubbed authors. Those gals are definitely more sensitive than the rest.
I’m definitely not as supportive of authors themselves, as I used to be. I’ll probably never do another author interview again on my blog, and I mostly avoid reading author interviews elsewhere.
I’m still a huge fan of romance books, but these days, I tend to avoid books by authors who have been…‘tainted’, shall we say.
Another way my blogging has changed is that I review a lot less than I used to. At one point I used to review one book a week, (I know, not exactly prolific) but these days, I simply can’t be arsed, unless I feel strongly about a book. (Apologies to those people I still owe reviews to.)
I don’t discuss my personal life as much as perhaps I used to. I think that’s probably due to the amount of people who now read my blog. In the early days of blogging, getting a good number of visitors always used to excite me, but contrary to popular belief, my blogging is never about that these days.
I also no longer comment at as many places as I used to. I used to be a regular commenter at RTB, but none of the authors who blog over there, hardly ever blog about anything worth commenting over. And to be honest, much like author blogs in general, I find the daily columns tedious as hell.
Every now and then, I’ll throw my two cents worth in, but I don’t even do that so much now.
I’m not alone with the commenting thing, I believe that this is something that happens as a general rule to long time bloggers. When you first enter Blogland, the blogger is bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, and they want everybody to know that they have a blog, so they comment on every single topic, on every blog, hoping that people will follow their link.
Over time, The Blogger realises that other people’s blogs can be fraught with danger, so they pretty much stick to their own blog. I’m sure you guys have noticed that rather than arguing with people on their blog (Monica doesn’t count), I always bring the issues here.
One thing that has definitely changed is the amount of e-mails I receive from various authors/bloggers, with various bits of Romanceland gossip. I’m not a ‘breaking news’ kind of blogger, so I generally wait until somebody else blogs about it before adding my tuppence worth.
One way that my blogging style hasn’t changed is that I still cover a variety of subjects. I refuse to only talk about books, because sometimes, even I get bored by book talk. Sometimes I do want to talk about what’s going on in the world, and for me, it seems particularly irresponsible to keep to book-related topics, when there are important events happening in the world.
Another thing that still hasn’t changed with regards to my blogging, is that I pretty much still say what I want to, regardless of who I might offend. I never really considered myself a snarky blogger, and I still don’t if truth be told. That’s a label that I’ve been given, rather than promoted, myself. I just say what’s on my mind, and let the rest take care of itself.
Let’s face it, if I wasn’t as forthright as I am, most of you guys wouldn’t even bother visiting would you? Even those people who think I’m the pits still can’t keep away from my blog. The irony of that always brightens my day. *g*
Shelby
July 8
1:01 pm
Karen, your blog is the first website I go to every morning, even before I check the news, weather, etc. My day doesn’t start right without a good dose of your opinion on issues both big and small. 🙂 What initially drew me to your blog is your honesty. It takes so much courage in this world to say what you feel, and that’s something I personally struggle with…so I live vicariously through you. 🙂 Plus you’re funny as hell.
If I ever wrote a story you didn’t like and you posted about it, I would probably handle it the same way I do other negative reviews, which is to read it, wince, maybe gloom around my office for a little while, then remember that for every one bad review, there are five good ones, and NO ONE can write a book that pleases the world. Also I have to tell you, because you put a lot of thought into your reading, I trust what you say and learn from it. I think it was in one of your reviews of Seraphim that you mentioned I got a little purple-prosey in spots, and I actually learned from that comment. Now when I write, before submitting to the editor, I go back and check for those areas where I got totally carried away with myself. And there are many. Heeheehee I ain’t a writer of romance for nuthin’.
Anyway, YES…if you speak your mind, you are bound to step on toes. But it draws readers like flies to honey, in part, I believe, because a lot of people don’t feel they have a voice in this world or the courage to use it.
I know you’re not blogging about your personal life as much, but I loved the one about your sister. And I remember one about your brother a long time ago that has stayed with me as one of the top most entertaining. 🙂 So a little serving of those two once in a while would be greatly enjoyed. And always TTG, too.
You’re a gem, Karen. Keep blogging, and I’ll keep reading.
Kate R
July 8
1:05 pm
are you kidding me about not doing the author interviews? That series you did of AA Romance authors was fantastic. (I certainly thought it was worthwhile–it got me thinking and seeing in a new light. Got me to read new books too.)
about yer question:
My blogging style hasn’t changed. I don’t fret as much about asshats, but then I haven’t been hit hard by them like some blogs. If my popularity ever goes up or down I’ll probably see a change and change my style. Wait, no–not if it goes down. Then I’ll just be talking to myself and that’s what I do anyway.
More of the Non sequitor time: feel free to steal the award you inspired and that I invented for myself.
Kate R
July 8
1:11 pm
(yes, I know it’s pretty obnoxious I am still patting myself on the back, but it’s the first time I’ve played with photoshop and hey! it’s fun! Can’t figure out how to save the layers shit in anything but psd though.)
shiloh walker
July 8
1:36 pm
Let’s face it, if I wasn’t as forthright as I am, most of you guys wouldn’t even bother visiting would you?
This is definitely why I visit.
Although I gotta admit, I sure do hope I’m not going to be considered ‘sensitive’ because I’m epubbed.
I love your blog. And while if you post a review of one my books and tear it apart, I’m probably going to flinch, I’ll keep it to myself.
Not every reader is going to like every book. I certainly don’t.
I dunno if my blogging style has changed much or not but if I look back in a year or two, I’m certain there will be some changes. Hopefully for the better, but you never know.
Rosie
July 8
2:37 pm
Karen, you make a lot of good points about blogger habits that I’ve noticed since I started two years ago too.
While I started blogging to sort of connect with other romance readers. I love those relationships, but I think less about people coming to my blog as I do seeing what’s out there.
Good topic and has me thinking.
FerfeLaBat
July 8
3:16 pm
This is the second introspective post in less than a month from you and I am beginning to worry.
Just to get it out of the way, I’ve been blogging for over five years and I can remember when you had to host your own blog with your own html software. Then spammers and viruses took over and we’ve been running to get ahead of them ever since with blog farms opening up providing groupware defenses. But that’s not why I’m risking abuse by commenting yet again on a post here.
I found your blog after you interviewed a friend of mine. You made a great impression. Then, not long after, that same friend was being held up for ridicule here being called a racist. Libel and defamation of character are not protected speech under “Speaking your mind” online. Worse. Anyone who defends the victem also becomes fair game for the same abuse. And it IS abuse. Some of your “reviews” are the equivalent of online bullying and like real life bullying it naturally draws a huge crowd of gawkers.
Authors, who are also people, can take criticism for the most part and brush off a few inadvertent insults especially when it’s done in a vein of mutual, professional respect. It’s part of the business. It drives book buzz and a good reviewer who writes well and can draw a substantial audience is worth their weight in gold. But when that reviewer consistently draws a crowd by a pillorying and a whipping, knowing the author has few options for defense, there is no mutual respect. It’s a public, personal humiliation, not a review of a book or even a career commentary.
I would not be telling you this if you hadn’t asked twice now. You seem to genuinely want to know why authors you befriended have “turned on you”. Mostly they don’t have a clue how to deal with you without making matters worse. With Monica, I can shake hands and we live to fight another day. With you? Not so much. You take it to a personal level and it’s very hard to come back from those depths unless you know each other very well.
To you it’s just a blog where you write anything you want about anything you want. The result is instant conversation with other people out there and the more comments, the more interesting and fun it can be. But it’s become something more than that and that is where the trouble begins.
I have to laugh though. For someone who doesn’t think she wants to deal with authors anymore you have a weird way of showing it. We’re everywhere, you know. And most of us aren’t exactly the gold standard for normal. Who would read us if we were?
Oh. And Hand on the Bible on a Sunday Morning, I swear, in all my years online I have never EVER posted anonymously. Ever. And unlike some pseudonyms, my URL or email has always been linked to everything I post. Makes for some interesting emails I must say. Ask anyone, even people who don’t particuarly like me. The list is long. Why? Because I don’t post anonymously.
Ann Bruce
July 8
3:35 pm
Let’s face it, if I wasn’t as forthright as I am, most of you guys wouldn’t even bother visiting would you?
Definitely not. I would curse your name if you praise every book that you come across and I end up wasting my money on duds. Now that would tick me off.
And I prefer honesty, even if it’s brutal honesty.
Eve Vaughn
July 8
3:58 pm
My blogging style hasn’t changed. I was a lazy blogger then and I’m a lazy blogger now. Sometimes I forget I have a blog. *sigh* I want to get better at updating it.
Kat O+
July 8
4:17 pm
Hey, I remember that post about your brother, too. Too funny (assuming Shelby and I were thinking of the same one).
I enjoyed your author interviews, mainly because your questions weren’t all book-focused and the answers had a bit of personality in them.
I never really considered myself a snarky blogger, and I still don’t if truth be told. That’s a label that I’ve been given, rather than promoted, myself.
One thing I’ve kind of wondered about reader blogs is how you feel about being tagged a “reviewer”. Did you start off wanting to be a reviewer? Or did authors/other readers give you that label, too? It seems like a catch-22 if you start a blog just to talk about what you’ve read (good or bad), get tagged as a reviewer by the community, and then have to defend your style as a reviewer when all you really want to be is just a blogger.
Anne
July 8
4:41 pm
I feel compelled to respond to this…
Shiloh Walker said… Although I gotta admit, I sure do hope I’m not going to be considered ‘sensitive’ because I’m epubbed.
Um… we know you pretty well by now, and I don’t think that’s going to happen to you and a few other epubbed authors out there.
I read your blog every time you post, Karen. The majority of what you post about I can relate to, and what I can’t, I don’t comment on.
I, like you, find myself not commenting too many places as of late, just those rather interesting posts and blogs that I find compelling enough to draw forth a response.
I used to do a lot of reviews on my blog, not so much anymore. It’s not that I don’t LOVE reading and love a lot of the books I read, it’s just that I don’t have the time I had before. It is true that life DOES get in the way sometimes.
I don’t do a lot of personal blogging either unless it’s eventful things like when the DH had his heart attack and things like that, and usually the girls, (Lori, Jen, and Kate) fill in for me and let you all know the news when things like that happen.
I do state my opinion more now than when I started. I think in the beginning I was looking for acceptance in the blogging community, but I figure now I’m as “accepted” as I’m going to get, so what the hell? Let it all hang out, so to speak.
So while some of your style has changed, I still love coming here and seeing what’s going on in your world. Thanks for sharing that, Karen.
Dee
July 8
4:52 pm
Hey Karen,
Boy, I hope I’m not too sensitive. I do come here, pretty much every day, but not because I’m expecting anything but a good laugh. Your voice is funny and you’re always finding things I never would have heard about otherwise.
As for my own blog, I wish I had half the interesting topics you come up with. I’m possibly the most boring blogger on earth.
Dee
shiloh walker
July 8
5:10 pm
Um… we know you pretty well by now, and I don’t think that’s going to happen to you and a few other epubbed authors out there.
Oh good. 🙂
Ferfe, I had to comment…
It’s a public, personal humiliation, not a review of a book or even a career commentary.
I don’t take somebody not liking my book, or even to tearing it to shreds as a personal humiliation. I learned quite some time ago that not everybody is going to like my stuff.
If the person spends their hard earned money on it, and it sucks, they’ve got a right to not be happy about it. I’ve thrown more than a few up against a wall over that same thing.
Insult my children, insult my beliefs, insult my family…that’s personal. Not liking my book, or even tearing it to shreds and telling everybody you meet not to like it isn’t personal.
FYI, that doesn’t mean I don’t flinch when I get lambasted in a review. I do. But then I think about all the times I read a book and wished somebody had smacked the author upside the head for writing that piece of crap. We all have opinions and if some people are more vocal about them… so be it.
And I think I’d almost rather have a negative reaction than just… eh, it was okay. Excellent or awful, at least it evoked some sort of response.
azteclady
July 8
5:26 pm
I don’t know Ferfe La Bat from the man in the moon, but I feel compelled to say:
Book =/= author.
Ripping a book to shreds =/= attacking its author
Huge difference. HUGE.
Now, if and when the author looses it, and then writes about the meanie(s) who didn’t understand/enjoy her/his baby/masterpiece; and then that gets back to Karen (or the SmartBitches, or whomever did the ripping), well, then the personal attack started on the author’s side, didn’t it?
And in those circumstances, I can’t blame Karen for reacting.
Ava Rose Johnson
July 8
5:33 pm
“But when that reviewer consistently draws a crowd by a pillorying and a whipping, knowing the author has few options for defense, there is no mutual respect. It’s a public, personal humiliation, not a review of a book or even a career commentary.”
Ferfe, you damn well put your finger on it.
Michelle
July 8
7:43 pm
I agree with Azteclady. Attacking a book is different than attacking an author. If a book is ridiculously bad, with glaring errors, Karen has a right to rip it to shreds. She isn’t breaking into houses and stealing diaries. These are published works.
Keep up the good work Karen.
December/Stacia
July 8
8:02 pm
I don’t comment much here, but I like that Karen is honest and says what she thinks.
avidbookreader
July 8
8:38 pm
Hey Karen,
I don’t visit as much as I would like to and that goes for all the blogs that I visit.
How has my blogging style changed? I think I do less rants, stopped focusing on trainwrecks and dead topics. Plus, I’m spending less time on the computer, too. Breaking news, author interviews, interesting opinions, thoughts, entertainment, I leave it to other readers who do a good job with that. I just blog about the books I read and rant on readers. I think I’ll just stick to that.
Keishon
Kristie (J)
July 8
9:00 pm
I don’t think I’ve changed my style much. I never did author interviews and I doubt I ever will. I somehow -for the most part – manage to separate authors from their books. That’s why I don’t visit that many author blogs.
My main purpose is getting to know other readers – thus I concentrate much more on reader blogs.
And while I get kind of a thrill when the visitor numbers are up – that’s a trap that’s easy to fall into – blogging for others rather than me. So I tend to try and curb that desire – all stuff I started out feeling.
And my thoughts on books? I don’t think of them so much as reviews as what I thought of a book. It depends on how much I’m reading as that fluctuates quite a bit.
Karen Scott
July 8
9:17 pm
You’re a gem, Karen. Keep blogging, and I’ll keep reading.
You’re an absolute darling for saying that Shelby.
I know you’re not blogging about your personal life as much, but I loved the one about your sister. And I remember one about your brother a long time ago that has stayed with me as one of the top most entertaining. 🙂
You mean the one where he watched porn, when he was supposed to be looking after our house and gave us a virus? *g*
are you kidding me about not doing the author interviews? That series you did of AA Romance authors was fantastic.
I’m glad somebody appreciated it Kate, and thanks for the award thingy, I love it!
No, Shiloh, you weren’t one of the authors I was thinking of in terms of the oversensitive thing.
While I started blogging to sort of connect with other romance readers. I love those relationships,
I like the connect with other romance readers too Rosie.
And I prefer honesty, even if it’s brutal honesty.
Thanks for that Ann
Eve you’re crap at updating your blog!
One thing I’ve kind of wondered about reader blogs is how you feel about being tagged a “reviewer”. Did you start off wanting to be a reviewer? Or did authors/other readers give you that label, too?
I’ve never considered myself a reviewer Kat actually, and seeing as I hardly ever review books, it perplexes me when I’m referred to as one. As far as I’m concerned, I’m a blogger who occasionally reviews books that I’ve read, no more no less.
I, like you, find myself not commenting too many places as of late, just those rather interesting posts and blogs that I find compelling enough to draw forth a response.
I’m the same Anne, and even sometimes when it’s an interesting topic, I still wont bother commenting just because I can’t be arsed.
Boy, I hope I’m not too sensitive.
Not that I’ve noticed Dee, but then again, I did love your books. *g*
Book =/= author.
Ripping a book to shreds =/= attacking its author
I wouldn’t waste your breath Azteclady, some people just don’t get the difference, and never will.
She isn’t breaking into houses and stealing diaries. These are published works.
I think authors who dwell and obsess too much on one person’s opinion of their work, have more problems than just a bad review.
Thanks December!
Plus, I’m spending less time on the computer, too.
Keishon, actually, I spend a lot less time than I used to on the computer too, these days, I literally check my e-mail, then run.
And while I get kind of a thrill when the visitor numbers are up – that’s a trap that’s easy to fall into – blogging for others rather than me.
That is so true Kristie, and sometimes I catch myself censoring some of the things I write. When I realise that’s what I’m doing, I say fuck it, delete my post, and start again.
Jenyfer Matthews
July 9
5:56 am
Well, Karen, I check your blog before I go and check on my own each morning so that says something.
Dee
July 9
6:05 am
–Boy, I hope I’m not too sensitive.
Not that I’ve noticed Dee, but then again, I did love your books. *g*–
LOL, yeah, but you despised my cover, hee hee!
Seriously, though, if you ever DO hate my books, you gotta promise me you’ll like totally hate it. Violently, even. I mean, can’t have Carol Lynne being the only one rewarded for making that poor donkey feel the need to shave his balls. 😉
Dee
KS Augustin
July 9
8:09 am
Yes, author blogs are usually boring, but that’s because we’re trying to cater for the biggest possible readership. I do envy you, Karen, at your relative freedom. I also wonder whether bloggers turned writers have also watched their ‘language’ after signing that first contract.
When all’s said and done, it *is* a business and so, like most businesses, authors tend to err on the side of caution. Doesn’t mean we don’t enjoy people like you, though!
Bonnie Dee
July 9
2:30 pm
“Yes, author blogs are usually boring, but that’s because we’re trying to cater for the biggest possible readership.”
Very good point. This must be why my blog is so incredibly boring. Or maybe it’s because I’m simply not a flamboyant personality, being more of a quiet observer than anything else.
But speaking of writers trying to keep feathers unruffled on their blogs, I’ll be interested to see if Bam (yes, I’m talking about you, my friend) for example, feels as free to say exactly what she wishes after her first book “Skin to Skin” (coming very soon from Samhain *shameless plug*) is released. Can one be a snarker and writer?
April Martinez
July 9
6:39 pm
Hi, Karen.
I’ve had a web site in one form or another for about nine or ten years now and have been blogging for most of those years, even before the word “blog” was coined. I’ve also seen many a blogger come and go, and yet, I still consider myself a newcomer because I have online friends/acquaintances who’ve been doing this a whole lot longer than I have. So, consider me an old timer.
If you keep blogging at all, your blogging (and commenting) style will continue to change over the years. Your audience and traffic will also change, forever waxing and waning — regardless of any changes you make. Sometimes, the posts about which you feel most strongly will seem unpopular, while a brief, offhand post will garner the most comments you’ve ever had. It’s hard to predict.
If you’re in this for the long haul, write what pleases you and reveal only what you feel comfortable revealing. Nothing kills a blog more effectively than blogger burnout or a blogger’s new and sudden desire for privacy after they’ve revealed too much. I’ve seen people get fired over their blogs, and I’ve seen people get stalked in real life because of their blogs, so I have just one piece of advice to give: blog only what you feel safe in sharing with the public, including co-workers, complete strangers, and family.
Blogging isn’t like going to Vegas. What you blog doesn’t stay in blog land; it follows you in real life.
Which brings me to the topic of anonymous posts/comments, about which you’ve blogged before. Many old timers know that there is no such thing as “anonymous” online, so you won’t find many old timers posting anonymously. You can very easily find out the identity of an anonymous poster via the IP address, etc. This is also why many old timers don’t comment as often as they might — every time you comment on someone else’s blog, you leave a little bit more personal information than just the comment itself; you leave your IP address and therefore your ISP, your location, your browser, etc. So old timers like me comment only on blogs we trust. 🙂
Anyway, keep blogging. Blog what you like, but what has kept me coming for now is the fact that you seem to have the pulse of the romance reading community pretty well at hand — or at least one corner of it; your blog is one of the handful I read to stay abreast of what’s going on in my little industry. Whether your blogging style or my reading needs change — that’s for the future to tell. But for right now, consider me one of your daily hits.
Anonymous
July 9
7:24 pm
Karen,
If I type your blog addy into search I can still find you..but if I use my regular link to your blog I’m hijacked to a weird ‘bible’ college website.
First time that’s ever happened..so if your blog traffic is down…i’m thinking someone’s playing games.
Maralyn
July 9
8:15 pm
“You seem to genuinely want to know why authors you befriended have “turned on you”.
I just read Karen’s post again, and I don’t see her ask that question anywhere. Could you please point it out to me, enquiring minds want to know.
Dionne Galace
July 9
8:19 pm
But speaking of writers trying to keep feathers unruffled on their blogs, I’ll be interested to see if Bam (yes, I’m talking about you, my friend) for example, feels as free to say exactly what she wishes after her first book “Skin to Skin” (coming very soon from Samhain *shameless plug*) is released. Can one be a snarker and writer?
Still trying to work that out, Bonnie. 🙂
A Lurker
July 10
7:03 am
Karen, I’ve been reading your blog for over a year, and although I don’t always agree with your views, and your reviews can be caustic, I have to admire your lack of fear when it comes to publicizing your thoughts. Too many women are so scared of saying the wrong thing, and when that happens, actual impassioned discourse goes out of the window.
I’m probably your worst nightmare, a liberal nut who never rocks the boat, but that’s not who I am, which is not to say that I can’t admire from afar, somebody with your shoot from the hip way of expressing yourself.
You just be true to who you are, the people who don’t like you, just need to stop visiting your blog.