Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly meme created by Heidi at Rainy Day Ramblings in order to discuss a wide range of topics from books to blogging (and some slightly more personal matters throw in for good measure). After Heidi stopped blogging (apparently for good), five of us took over as hosts while providing new questions. The current team is composed of Berls at Because Reading Is Better Than Real Life, Jen at That's What I'm Talking About, Karen at For What It's Worth, Linda at Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell and Roberta at Offbeat YA. This week's question is...
WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE PAID TO BLOG/WRITE REVIEWS?
Absolutely...not. My blog is my kingdom and my happy place, where I'm free to run barefoot (figuratively speaking) and do cartwheels (not that I'm capable of doing cartwheels in real life, but again, you get my meaning). I carefully choose my books and I say what I want about them. If I got paid, I'd have obligations, and I'd have to read even the books that don't cater to my tastes. My blog wouldn't be my creative outlet anymore – just something that helps paying (a little slice of) the bills. And I couldn't have hiatuses and I'd have to curate my followers list and...I'm not sure I'd be allowed to be honest, or even if I did, I don't know if you all could believe I would. I'm clinging to this labour of love for dear life, and no, I wouldn't change a thing about it.
Well, that's it for now. Did you enjoy this post? Would you like to participate in the meme on a regular or semi-regular basis, and get emailed the prompt list? Just head over here and fill in Jen's form! (Of course, you can jump in anytime you like - you are under no obligation to actually do all the posts, or even most of them, just because you signed up, and you can remove yourself from the list at any time). And if you're interested in participating in a more casual manner, or only in commenting, here is the TMST prompt list for the rest of March and the month of April:
- March 22nd: How do you choose what to read next?
- March 29th: Do you leave blog comments? Do you respond to comments left on your blog?
- April 5th: Which books are you looking forward to reading this spring? (April-June)
- April 12th: What book has been sitting on your TBR pile the longest?
- April 19th: How did you choose your blogging platform? (a question I submitted)
- April 26th: Do you still own any books/comics/toys/memorabilia from when you were a kid? (a question I submitted)
I'll be back on April 19th, because I have a few NetGalley books giving me the stink eye and life is hectic...I wanted to reply to some of my TMST buddies' questions, and I feel bad for not doing that, but I'm running late for my reviews as it is...Anyhow, as usual, I'll visit your blogs in the meantime! 🧡
Now tell me something...if you could blog/review books for a living (or simply got the chance to make some money from it), would you?
I think I would like to be paid, in some form, or maybe more accurately I'd like to find a way to monetize a little bit without it being obnoxious (I had ads once but gah they took up so much space). But... you have very valid points. And I blog half ass sometimes and if I had a responsibility like that I'd have to actually be efficient lol. You have good points. :)
ReplyDeleteOh and I'm just getting to comments but I saw yours... this was the video I tried to share on Sunday. I couldn't resist after our little convo last week :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7QaN0NpGws
"I'd have to actually be efficient"
Delete😂
I still can't see that video (???), but at least now I have the title...ha!
Dang it! I thought you'd appreciate it anyway lol!
DeleteAlways 😊 👑.
DeleteGreg: I'm like you. I don't think I can be efficient enough as I blog according to my mood. I think perhaps if a person depends their income on their blog, they will try to find their efficient self somewhere deep within them, right?
DeleteHave a lovely day.
Yes! If I was getting paid to blog I'd shape up in a flash! :):)
DeleteYEP! All of this exactly. Unless I'm a literary critic for a publication, I don't want the stress that comes with getting paid!
ReplyDeleteI hope you are well and the job hunt is going smoothly. Good luck catching up on reviews!
We pretty much said the same things in the same way (sort of) 🤗.
DeleteThank you!
I suppose getting money is a good thing, but as of recent, my blogging schedule has been too inconsistent to commit to writing blog posts for money. I like to blog on my own terms and take breaks as needed, and there would just be too much pressure with money riding over everything.
ReplyDeleteIf it were a job, you probably would be able to fit it in your everyday schedule just fine, but still...yeah, the pressure 😱.
DeleteIf I could get paid for doing exactly what I'm doing right now then yes. If I had to change my blog to suit someone else, then no.
ReplyDeleteHa! If only.
DeleteYES! I concur with your thoughts (and that opening was fantastic!) This is my hobby. I don't need any pressure. I like the freedom to do what I want.
ReplyDeleteEveryone needs a happy place, especially if it gives you the chance to be creative.
Delete"that opening was fantastic!"
😊💚
I would love to write reviews as a paid job, but obviously not on my blog. I agree, you need the freedom to do your own thing 😁
ReplyDeleteThat's a different perspective that I hadn't considered!
DeleteTheoretically - I wouldn't mind being paid in some way - like ads or something but I don't want anything that requires me to be on a schedule or that makes me measure my words first.
ReplyDeleteAnd with ads - I don't want to put in the work that would make me a relevant blog worthy of ads lol
I'm over all of that. I just want to have fun and go at my own speed these days.
Karen @For What It's Worth
"And with ads - I don't want to put in the work that would make me a relevant blog worthy of ads lol"
DeleteYep! That would be exhausting. Also...you rebel LOL.
I'm a little surprised by your answer. I suppose not everyone wants to blog for a living. But I get the obligations to do certain things if you get actual money, such as meeting certain deadlines.
ReplyDeleteI read many book bloggers and some of the are paid to write reviews and they never seemed like they were being dishonest or appeared obligated to do certain things but I don't know first hand for such things so I can't say whether my observations are true or not.
I wouldn't mind getting pay to blog but I guess I would like to make my own schedule and pick what to post and when to post, that sort of thing. I think I was a little influenced by bloggers who does get paid to blog and maybe I think it's an easy job to blog but I know that's not true but it's kind of nice to think it's true. Who doesn't want to do get pay to do what they like to do?
Have a lovely day.
"I'm a little surprised by your answer."
DeleteI learned the hard way that some things you love must remain hobbies if you want to keep loving them. Also, we all need an escape from everyday life, and blogging is mine 🙂.
I don't have any blogging friends who get paid for what they do. Some have ads, but that's the extent of it. I'm curious now. Do they review on their own blog or write for online magazines?
"I wouldn't mind getting pay to blog but I guess I would like to make my own schedule and pick what to post and when to post, that sort of thing."
Now that's something I could get behind...maybe one can do that if they have a huge follower count, but that's another can of worms. In order to get those, one has to do some hard work, and I pass 😉.
I think I would prefer not being paid to write reviews - mostly because like you mentioned, it would start to feel like I'd have obligations and all the stipulations that come with it. And of course, there's the whole, are you really being honest? Although I did recently add that if there's a tight deadline to read and review the book, then there would be a small fee (mostly because I have to shuffle so much around in such a small timespan) but that hasn't happened yet.
ReplyDeleteI do think I'd probably be more consistent and on time with my ARC reviews if I got paid lol. I'd have more time rather than navigating a full-time job and just general adulting life, I feel like. I also think maybe I'd have a better idea if I want to pursue a career in content writing rather than do I want or do I not want to I don't know anymore, and I think I'd actually put in more work than I do (which is pretty much the very bare minimum - I'm terrible at replying to comments as anyone who knows me know, haha).
That being said, I do believe that book bloggers deserve to get more paid opportunities and not be glossed over as much considering it's been a topic that comes around every few months or so when we hear another platform gets paid opportunities and we're just stuck in the dust like chopped liver. I've had a few sponsorship requests that have popped up, but I've pretty much declined them because they're not something I would normally read or use or whatnot. I think if I actually do get paid, I think I'd follow that same rule I carry now.
That could be a happy medium - accepting some paid gigs on a case-by-case basis - except it might be tricky, because I don't know if authors could find it disorienting or unprofessional. And yeah, nobody finds it odd if a content creator who isn't a blogger gets paid...it's almost expected at this point...
DeleteYES! I love your description of what blogging is for you - it's that for me as well. It's my space and while I'm not the best blogger and definitely struggle to hold on to it, I love it the way it is, and I wouldn't want money to change it on me. And like you alluded to; the money would never be so significant that I'd be able to JUST blog for a living. So not worth it!
ReplyDeleteI always make a goal to post once a week when the year starts, so...not the best blogger either LOL.
DeleteExactly! Even if we agreed to paid opportunities, it's not like the money would make a huge difference. One should blog for a living, not just on the side - and even then...
I think I would feel the same... Paid guest articles is a different thing, that I would probably do. But as you so rightly said "my blog is my kingdom."
ReplyDeletePaid guest articles would be neat...👑 🙂
DeleteYeah, getting paid for something does add stress to it. But like Greg, I think I wouldn't mind some way to make more money from blogging in a way that wouldn't put more obligation or stress on me. I have affiliate links, but those don't even pay for the yearly cost of running the blog lol.
ReplyDeleteBeing on Blogger doesn't come with expenses, so it's probably easier for me to reject the paying gig LOL. (Though I'm sure I'd do that anyway, for the reasons I stated above). I don't know if there's a way to make a little cash from blogging without its being too much of a hassle. Also, these days, we are the outcasts...all the cool kids make videos or take pics 🙄 (mind you, this isn't a stab at them, but at the people in the industry that decided we're out of fashion and useless).
Delete