The Reading Ape, who quickly became one of the most interesting and relevant book bloggers around the interwebs in 2010, is querying book bloggers. I don't consider Dead End Follies a book blog per se, it's covering a much broader range of subject. But let's face it, fiction is my main interest. So let's give the ape a hand and give his questions my best shot.
What does book blogging do best?
The best thing I've got out of book blogging (outside of my own blogging, of course) is to connect me with reader hype. Reading can be an idiosyncratic business. There is always that super-huge-legendary writer that you've never even heard of. I would have had no clue thatt Jennifer Egan even existed if I didn't read blog posts about A Visit From The Goon Squad. Book blogging connects readers and empowers them with the strength of a community. The readers give credit to the good stories first and foremost.
If you write a book blog, why do you?
Dead End Follies is not solely dedicated to books, but I do blog about them a lot. It's a very personal thing for me. I like to put my ideas on paper. It helps me understand better what I just dead. Putting distance in between me and the text, rather than incorporating it and switching to another read in one big blur. I have little desire for validation, for book reviews that is. As for the rest of what Dead End Follies is about...it's a different story. I'm glad people enjoy them though.
What do you think the future of book blogging is?
I think it's bound to a very prosperous future. By that I mean that it's going to grow a lot larger than it is now. The publishing industry is taking the high road to the internet, online book stores are asking for reviews but nobody takes them seriously, so readers start blogs and connect with others. The social medias are also helping. Someone posts his Goodreads update on Twitter or Facebook, somebody answers "Hey, I loved this book too". BAM. Discussion is created, a way it would have been unlikely to happen in real life. I feel that all the elements are there to push this platform forward.
What do your favorite book bloggers do?
They introduce me to writers I have never heard before and give me a good reason to read them. For example, Alley, from What Read Red made me discover Bill Bryson and Brenna, from Literary Musings introduced me to David Sedaris. It's because of Paul D. Brazill that I've discovered Anthony Neil Smith, who's now one of my favorite writers. I don't even know if I would've ever looked them up without reading their reviews. It's not always by discussion, but it's a question of making the info circulate. It's like long book blurbs written by people you trust.
If you could tell all book bloggers one thing, what would it be?
It's a community. Mix-up with the others. Take interest in what they do. If you stay on your blog and only care about your number of followers (which you can jack, using disputable methods), you'll have good static numbers, but nobody will read what you do. Because the goal is to be read, right?
If you could change one thing about book blogging, what would it be?
I'd create a central ressource for book bloggers. I'd separate them by field of interest (with of course, the possivbility to cover many genres), so bloggers would meet people that share their taste in fiction quicker. I took a long time to meet people who shared my enthusiasm for noir and crime fiction.
How do you think book blogging fits in the reading landscape?
As well as blogging in general fits in the occidental landscape. There's a desire to say something, to share thoughts. I can only see it being more and more relevant and the cyberspace is getting more relevant. With the mass exodus to cloud apps, our lives will take a well-groomed turn on the internet. I think book blogging is right at the heart of that. Readers are one click away from information, discussion and friendships.
What about your own blogging would you like to do better, differently?
Hem...I like the way things are right now. BUT, I am very chaotic in the way I think and I produce text. I post all over the place without structure or schedule. Coming up with a posting strategy would be a good start I guess.