The Book Blogger Hop was originally created by Jennifer @ Crazy-For-Books in March 2010 and ended on December 31, 2012. With Jennifer’s permission, Billy @ Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer relaunched the hop on February 15, 2013. Each week the hop will start on a Friday and end the following Thursday. There will be a weekly prompt featuring a book related question. The hop’s purpose is to give bloggers a chance to follow other blogs, learn about new books, befriend other bloggers, and receive new followers to their own blog.
If you receive a request from an author to read his/her book and you don’t have time, do you suggest another way to help the author?
(submitted by Elizabeth @ Silver’s Reviews)
I do alternate posts for blog tours if my schedule is full, but I haven’t yet for individual requests. I read a few chapters of individual request books, and I need to like the sample (which is more about writing and editing quality) before I would ever consider spotlighting a book. I’ll be honest, only a small few have stacked up to my standards.
I do make sure I have reasons I can express to the author if they ask why I didn’t do my kind of post for their book but I feel like that by doing any kind of spotlight post is reflecting that it is at least a book I would consider reading. I wouldn’t even consider a book with a sample that I found the writing/editing quality to be filled with technical issues.
When I do an alternate post, I prefer to post an excerpt because that gives everyone a chance to sample the book for themselves. Other than that I like author interviews. I have posted a few straight spotlights, but that is not my preferred way to showcase a book.
Do you use alternate ways (other than reviews) to support authors?
33 responses to “#BookBloggerHop | Alternate Ways to Support Authors”
I used to do this more often, but now, I just want to read books where I believe I will really enjoy the story. So, anymore when an author asks for a review, I just say no. I know it’s tough out there for self-published authors, but I like the quality control of the publishing houses. I only have so much time to read books, and there are so many out there, I just want to read quality over quantity.
You can often tell the difference in editing/writing quality. I don’t tend to worry about that factor with books that come out of publishing houses either because I know it goes through rigorous editing and rewriting. I have found a few from smaller publishers or independently published that are of equal quality technically but it’s more rare than I’d hope. I definitely appreciate quality over all else.
I used to offer spotlights and blitz post but now I don’t like it so when I cannot review the book I offer to post interview or guest post.
I like guest posts too!
I normally post on my FB blog or in my stories on IG if I can’t read 📚
IG is an easy place to spotlight a book you don’t review. I do that occasionally too ❤️
It’s so easy….then I just hope that people actually look at my stories!!!!
I’m not very good at it but I think there’s lots of people who prefer looking at the stories over the posts.
I do flick through people’s as long as they haven’t got loads!!!
My oldest daughter only posts in stories, so I have to look at hers. It’s the only way I get to meet her friends 🤣
🤣🤣🤣🤣
I feel exactly the same as you Tessa, although I have shared spotlights in the past.
It’s nice to have some options of helping that don’t take up much of your time.
I have done a couple of author interviews but that was through the PR company, I usually just do a normal review post with review requests 😊
You do so well at getting them all in. I’m always impressed by how much you take on!
I guess it depends on what the author writes. I have had authors ask if I would read and review their book on my blog, but the book was not something I would ever read. If that is the case, I wish them luck but say no thank you. I prefer not to post a book on my blog if it is not a book I would read. I have posted spotlight posts for books that I was asked to review on my blog, if I plan on reading the book down the road, but just can’t fit it in. I also prefer to post an excerpt, an interview or a guest post, Tessa.
I think those type of posts add a bit more substance which I like.
I’m not a good reviewer because I’m very picky about the books I read, but as an author participating in cross promotions with other authors, I offer an interview to go along with the feature on my Free Book Friday blog post. It’s a bit more work on my end (no two interviews are the same) but it is fun and entertaining to do.
I wish I could do more interviews and that people read them more. I think there is a lot of insight offered.
I can’t fit review requests into my schedule, but sometimes I’ll refer the author to another website where they can submit a review request to a team of reviewers. Just this week I read a book I’d already committed to reviewing for a blog tour. The book wasn’t for me (I’m in the minority), but I’m switching it to a spotlight/excerpt instead.
When I want to DNF a blog tour book early, I’ve done that when I have the option. When it’s not an option I just bite the bullet, finish the book, and use the sandwich method.
I take a different approach with self-published books because marketing for those authors is a huge task. So I will put up a spotlight even if I can’t review it and let the readers decide if they want to read it. I’m not really a fan of romance for example, but a lot of my readers are.
I think that’s a good idea and I am open to it as long as the sample is technically okay – it doesn’t have to be beyond – I’m just talking the basics.
“I feel like that by doing any kind of spotlight post is reflecting that it is at least a book I would consider reading” – yes! that’s exactly why I’m not keen on the idea. I WOULD do it for an author I was familiar with, but not an unknown.
I think that makes perfect sense.
I don’t post regular reviews, only when I have read a book, which isn’t very often. Working full time doesn’t help. I would love you to be able to review my book, but totally understand that you are very busy. Your reviews are always of a high standard
Thank you so much for saying that. Is it a book I have access to – like on Kindle Unlimited or anything? My schedule is booked up through April, which is crazy, but I could keep it on my virtual shelves to take a look at when I get the chance.
Yes ‘It Won’t Happen Again’ is available on Kindle (Amazon).
Found it and downloaded 😊
Thank you, when you are able to read it, I hope I have done the subject matter justice.
I’m pretty similar in how I approach these requests. It’s rare for me to do a spotlight unless I can’t meet the tour deadline. I almost never do this for individual requests. At a minimum, it has to be a book where I’d want to read it. Now that Goodreads has eliminated samples on the site (as has Amazon except for audio), I’ll have to go elsewhere to find one. I have a few examples where I’ve given indie authors a chance based on an excerpt and am now an ardent fan.
Great question!
I think Amazon still sends Kindle samples. That’s what I usually do.
They seem to have recently removed them. I can only see audio samples.