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Jul
05
Book Bloggers: Foxes of the Literary World [Beth Hoffman guest blogs]
2010 at 5am Posted by Rebecca Joines Schinsky
You see the subtitle up there? That part that says “panty-throwing, book-loving wild woman?” I have Beth Hoffman to thank for that. I’ve known Beth on Twitter (where she goes by @wordrunner) for quite a while, and one day, in the midst of a crazy bout of pantyworthy chatter, Beth called me a panty-throwing, book-loving wild woman. If you follow books online, you’ve likely seen the rave reviews for Saving CeeCee Honeycutt, no small number of which have come from bloggers. So here’s Beth with a guest post about Twitter, bloggers, and what it’s like to be a first-time author navigating the book world online.
Until recently I knew next to nothing about book bloggers. I was so consumed by the writing of my novel that I was lucky if I remembered to whisk on some lip-gloss and run a brush through my hair before my husband arrived home in the evening.
After my book was purchased and I took my inaugural flight to the Big Apple to meet with my literary agent and publisher, not only was I swept into a new and wonderful and scary world, but I was asked to reach out and connect with readers. I’ll never forget sitting in Pamela Dorman’s office at Viking/Penguin and hearing the words, “Please set up an account on Twitter.”
Huh? What the heck was Twitter, and what did it have to do with me? I sat like the proverbial deer in headlights while the concept of Twitter was explained. I left New York wondering how I, the girl who tests out as a card-carrying introvert, could possibly connect with anyone via a “tweet” – much less have it be meaningful.
But, I went home and dutifully set up a Twitter account, the whole time muttering to myself as I typed keywords like books, writers, and authors into the search bar. That’s when I found a handful of book bloggers and began to follow them. Lo and behold, they followed me in return. And what did I learn from my foray into Twitter and connecting with book bloggers?
A whole lot!
For starters, good book bloggers have finely tuned senses. In fact, I think they’re the foxes of the literary kingdom—sniffing out the magic of a well-told story in ways we authors, or at least this author, thought was reserved for only the finest of editors. Book bloggers read an enormous number of books—often reading at a depth that astounds me. And, they do it for no other reason than their love of the written word and the art of storytelling. In other words, there is little-to-no financial compensation for the work they do. And if that isn’t love, well then, I don’t know what is!
Each day I’d check out what the bloggers were recommending, and I enjoyed the previews of upcoming books and reading the reviews, yet I was terrified to have them read and review my novel. So, when the first review came out, I held my breath. And then, as I read what the blogger had to say, I exhaled with a deep sigh of happiness. What happened after more and more of the good book bloggers read and reviewed my novel is something akin to watching a tsunami roll in. My inbox exploded with emails from readers who, at the recommendation of a trusted blogger, went out and purchased my novel. My Google Analytics went off the charts, tallying up hits from every state in the USA and from countries all over the world.
That’s when I realized that book bloggers have become the new and oh-so powerful voice in the literary world—a voice that travels far and wide, and, at lightning quick speed. If anyone is wondering why I’ve used the word “good” so often, the answer is simple: just as there are good and not-so-good shoe manufacturers, so it is for book bloggers. Finding the special ones has been well worth my time. Not only do I admire these bloggers for their concise and well-written reviews, but I also trust them to tell the truth from their uniquely personal perspectives, and, to do it with respect for the author, even when a book might not be their cup of tea.
Truth be told, I will always have a tender spot for good book bloggers—they have the patience and dedication to do what I could not, and they do it with talent and panache.
I’ll never forget the evening that I was getting ready to step to the podium at an author event. My book had only been out for 13 days and I was still a bit nervous whenever I spoke to an audience. My cell phone went off and when I looked, it was an email from my publisher sharing the news that my novel had just hit the New York Times bestseller list. I stopped and took a moment to say a silent word of thanks. I knew that the buzz that fueled the fire that sent my novel soaring began with the reviews that were posted on the Internet, and the majority of those reviews came from book bloggers.
Learn Beth Hoffman’s website to learn more about her and Saving CeeCee Honeycutt, published by Pamela Dorman Books.
Beth, you are something special! And hearing you talk about book bloggers made me feel good. Sometimes I question myself and my insane drive to read over a hundred books a year, foregoing other activities to plunk away at the computer. But you are right, we do it out of love and we do it because it is equally rewarding to get to know people like you!
Sandy´s last blog ..Mid-Year Update
What a lovely guest post. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Beth and she has to be one of the most gracious and grateful people out there. Her post made me proud to be part of this community.
What a lovely testimonial. Beth has been a wonderful contributor to the conversation on books herself. It’s amazing to see author’s recognize the hard work book bloggers put out into the world. Thank you Beth!
MIchelle´s last blog ..Leah Cypess – Mistwood
Love this! We need a love it button….. upgrade from the like it button
I have yet to read Beth’s book but have no doubt that I will as I have seen the buzz around the blogesphere and have signed in jealousy that I have yet to experience this read! 
Sheila (Bookjourney)´s last blog ..It’s Monday- What Are You Reading
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Rebecca Schinsky and others. Rebecca Schinsky said: @wordrunner calls book bloggers the "foxes of the literary world." http://bit.ly/9ueh5n [...]
Thank you for this, Beth! As a book blogger, there are no finer words that could make me feel as if what I was doing really mattered and I appreciate it.
I love your book and anxiously await the next one!
Lydia (The Lost Entwife)´s last blog ..The Robber Bride by Margaret Atwood
You all are very kind. Thank you. One of the nicest (and biggest) surprises of all is that I’ve made such terrific friends in bloggerville. I have a dream of renting a big old mansion in Savannah and having y’all come down for a weekend so we could live in our pj’s, laugh like 5-year-olds, and talk books!
I really enjoyed the guest post and loved all the praise for book bloggers. I also chuckled at Beth’s reaction to Twitter. I recently joined as part of helping me network to find a job. At first, I was very confused and now I am completely hooked. I hope that you continue to find good bloggers and folks on twitter with whom you can continue to build community!
beastmomma´s last blog ..Friday Fill-In 183
Thank you so much for this excellent guest post! I definitely blog about books because of my love of reading and sharing books with others but it is nice to know that the blogging actually has an effect and is recognized!
Colleen (Books in the City)´s last blog ..Mailbox Monday-In My Mailbox
Great post. I’ve just recently dipped my toe into the book blogging world and am consistently astonished at the range and acuity of reviews that this community consistently puts out. They have also made Twitter a LOT more fun!
The future of publishers is readers. Book Bloggers are readers who will take the place of editors and agents in shifting through all the ‘stuff’ that’s published and finding the gold.
I have a follow-up question, if I may. I can’t help but notice that (unless I’m missing something) the VAST majority of book bloggers are women. Does anyone have any theories as to why that is? Sorry – for all I know this is a well-worn topic around these parts, but I’m a newbie to all this, and I’m curious.
I think you’re correct that women outnumber men in book blogging, and my personal theory is that this is mostly due to the fact that 1) women read more than men do and 2) women are outnumbered in traditional print book reviewing and have found more opportunities in blogging. But ask ten people, and you’re likely to get ten other explanations.
This is a great testament to the power of book blogging. Thanks for sharing!
Bronwyn´s last blog ..I Hate Eclipse And Need Things To Get a Little More Real Around Here
I am a writer who also met Beth on twitter. As a matter of fact, I have met so many talented/brilliant artists on twitter! What an amazing world twitter provides. I have been able to create a small following of my own there. Twitter has allowed me to sit in my pantry, type my thoughts while wearing pjs, and connect with readers as far away as Nepal and Lapland. I have read wonderful books (such as CeeCee), poems and blogs, and I have spent many happy hours just conversing with all my cyber friends. What would “the little writers” like me have ever done without twitter? I could never have found an audience without it. A big plus? I am having LUNCH with Beth in a few weeks! molly
molly campbell´s last blog ..MISS MANNERS
I am yet to read your book, but it’s on my list thanks to …yes! reading reviews on book blogs. So I have to agree wholeheartedly. If I want to know what to read, I turn to the book blogger. And I’ve been known to review a few myself.
Beth, you know we love you and would love nothing more than to attend that party in our pjs!!!
xoxo
LibraryLove
What a great post! Beth is such a kind-hearted, fantastic author — and person. It’s been great getting to know her on Twitter, too, and to feel like I was reading the book of a friend when CeeCee landed in my mailbox!
Meg´s last blog ..How ‘let’s play it by ear’ stopped striking fear in my little heart
[...] ~ Rebecca at The Book Lady’s Blog has a guest post by Beth Hoffman, author of Saving CeeCee Honeycutt: Book Bloggers: Foxes of the Literary World. [...]
Great guest post. It’s so good know that our hard work is paying off in terms of helping shine the light on the best of the books.
Beth F´s last blog ..Weekend Cooking- The Asian Barbecue Cookbook by Alex Skaria
[...] filled with guest posts from great authors. Beth Hoffman kicked things off with a discussion of how book bloggers are the foxes of the literary world, then Justin Kramon discussed creating characters and the use of autobiographical details in [...]
This is a fantastic guest post that I couldn’t help but tweet and spread the word about. Beth’s writing is fantastic, and she’s a great person. I’ve gotten to know her on Twitter since my review and just love her to pieces. I hope that she has a new book for us to read and love soon!
Serena´s last blog ..Mailbox Monday 89