Oh it’s been too long since I’ve spoken to you lovelies! I’ve missed you so but this will not be the post that catches you up on whats been going on with me. I hate to say it but this post, while coming from a good place, is not full of rainbows and kittens.
I would say sorry but I actually believe in a little tough love.
As you know I’ve been out of the blogging loop since I left Georgia last month. Yes I occasionally get to roam twitter for a few minutes a day but since that uses my cell data I don’t really get that luxury often. But on those few occasions where I have roamed twitter I have been absolutely appalled by some blogger behavior. I’m not pointing anyone out specifically but I feel like we all need to sit down for a second and remember that books are a privilege. That blogging is a CHOICE. I have seen so many tweets with people complaining about getting 6 ARC’s last week but none this week. I’ve seen tweets where people are blatantly going to an author they’ve never conversed with and asking demanding ARC’s and finished copies because “I’m a blogger”. I understand having an author as a CLOSE friend and asking ON OCCASION if you can have a review copy but these haven’t been the cases I’ve seen. I’ve seriously seen people tweet an author “hey I’m a blogger & want to review Book2 but need Book1. Can you send me one?”. Forget the “hi my name is..” they jumped straight to the “give me free stuff!” part! We, as bloggers, ARE NOT entitled to free stuff. We, as bloggers, DID NOT start blogging for free stuff. And we as bloggers need to get off that damn pedestal and get these thoughts out of our (I use that word very loosely) heads.
Next up can we discuss how HORRIBLE cliques are? I don’t know about you but middle school was hell for me. I was smart but not smart enough to fit in with the smart kids. I didn’t have the cool clothes or shoes or hair to hang with the cool kids. And even though I went to a performing arts school and was musically “gifted” I wasn’t a prodigy or anything so I definitely didn’t fit in with the talented kids. But as time went on and I grew into my own skin I made it to high school threw up my middle fingers and said goodbye to the cliques. I refuse to say hello to them again at 24 years old. Nope. Not going to happen.
We all know that drama within the blogosphere is inevitable and unfortunately a way of life. There is absolutely nothing I can say or do to change that fact. But can we all take a second to look at how hypocritical the drama is? You complain that “X” said/did something offensive and you’re going to address it. Then “X” defends themselves and you go off and do the EXACT same thing that “X” did to offend you in the first place! It’s a vicious and stupid cycle of “I’m offended that you’re offended”. Sometimes, yes SOMETIMES, I get that people can say/do things that are inappropriate in your eyes but you getting pissy and grabbing all of your blogger friends to tear that person apart only makes everyone look stupid, and I say this from experience.
Book bloggers are quick to band together in the event of plagiarism or YA bashing or author bashing but we are just as quick to join a mob to lynch one another. Of all the nerdy groups out there BOOK NERDS should be the least confrontational. We love books, we love exploring new worlds and sharing that love with other people. We should know better than anyone what a little hate and anger can do to people. Again I’m not talking about anyone specific since I have thankfully missed most of the drama but I have had numerous friends vent to me about the latest gang ups and it makes me sick. And annoyed….More annoyed than anything to be honest. At the end of the day, no matter where we are or what we do we are all people. We all feel and think (sometimes) and bleed. And we all make mistakes and do stupid things.
I really just wish we could also just sit down in Belle’s library with a lifetimes supply of Nutella and GET ALONG. And if you can’t get along maybe just hit the block button and wipe your hands clean. Sometimes that block button is the best course of action and if we all used the damn thing more often maybe our twitter feeds would be more rainbows and kittens?
Now mama’s sorry she had to hit you with that kind of love but I know y’all can take what I’ve written in this letter. I still love (most of) 😉 you and I can’t wait till I’m back to posting more often but until then take this post and think carefully about how you act and what you say to others.
-Octavia
