My Blogging Problems is a feature where I think about the things I struggle most with when it comes to blogging. There are plenty of issues when it comes to blogging. How do you write reviews? To comment back or not? How do you tackle your TBR? Is DNF-ing a book sensible or admitting defeat?
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This is a sort of continuation of my last post about why I follow various blogs and it’s part of the second question I posed. Do you have to have similar tastes as those you follow?
Look, I know the answer is obvious. Of course, you don’t. What a ridiculous idea. I want to go onto to explain why, though. I know that some people probably do try to stick with bloggers with similar bookish tastes because how else are you going to get decent recommendations? I’m not one of those bloggers, but people do. I just want to take the time to remind people that they should give bloggers a chance even if their tastes are very different.
Why Did I Have This Thought?
This whole idea began because I was reading a review on The Quiet People for a book I really liked and I found myself disagreeing with Beth and her thoughts and I realised that our bookish tastes are pretty dissimilar. It got me questioning why I follow her blog and these posts were born. My first post explains the thought process which occurs when I decide I need your blog on my blog feed and this post explains why I won’t drop you just because you’re saying things which I don’t agree with (unless you’re seriously offensive but I doubt I would have followed you in the first place if you were).
I know I can disregard some blogs far too easily and I need to stop that and I’m sure many others do this too. I am here to explain why that is stupid and why just because you’re not reading the same books or enjoying the same books doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be following one another.
I don’t need to agree with you to want to hear what you say.
We’re allowed our own thoughts and we should never hold it against others when they voice your opinions. It gives you a well-rounded perspective and helps spark debate which gets conversations going. I really enjoy following bloggers who have different tastes to me both to hear their differing opinions on books but also to discover new ones. I love reading their posts because their thoughts get me thinking. They might say something about a book I loved which makes me realise there were flaws to it I overlooked and I love that.
I discover so many cool books from bloggers whose tastes differ from mine.
If I didn’t follow bloggers whose tastes were different I would never venture into new genres and that would just be sad. I never used to read historical romance until some bloggers I follow said some wonderful things about some books and convinced me to give them a shot. Turns out I love historical romance and I would never have known this if I didn’t follow bloggers with different tastes to me. It makes me sad to think I may never have picked up a Sarah MacLean or Tessa Dare novel because I would have been missing out.
Only recently I read a fantastic book I would never have looked at twice if it wasn’t for blogger opinion and I am forever grateful that a good review was posted online. If it wasn’t for Jamie I would never have read These Shallow Graves and I absolutely adored that book. I simply couldn’t put it down. It would have been unfortunate to miss out on it.
It helps me get perspective on hyped books
Some books cross genre boundaries and all bloggers seem to be talking about it. if I didn’t follow a variety of bloggers who read in different genres I would never get a well-rounded view of these overly hyped books. Some people rate them highly others take issue. I need to hear good and bad and everything in between otherwise I go in expecting the world and just end up disappointed.
Look, I know I shouldn’t have to convince you to follow more blogs. Often I wish people would talk me out of following more blogs because it’s impossible to find the time to stay caught up but I simply don’t care. Go and follow everyone and don’t let your brain talk you out of it for stupid reasons.
Do you find yourself disregarding blogs when you see they don’t talk about the same books as you do or are you a fan of variety like me?
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