I didn't participate in 2013 Challenge, and I have to admit that I was and still am among those who are not convinced into motives of such a challenge, but there is no doubt that some things posted on Recipes for Success were quite helpful, especially all information about what you, as a blogger and reviewer, should post on your NetGalley biography and reading about publisher's thoughts about writing reviews.
This year I decided to be less doubtful and sign Netgalley Wellness Challenge 2014 pledge -it doesn't hurt that there will be " a $100 gift certificate to the book retailer of your choice to 5 random members".
Let's discuss!
NetGalley decided to focus on "book talking" skills - creating a buzz and spreading a word about upcoming releases among reading community. And submitting reviews, of course. Well, is it me or all this looks like trying to make readers do marketing and promotion? You can write a reviews as long as they are creating positive buzz that will result in people buying books? Does this mean that if I submit reviews regularly, but they are mostly negative that publishers will start to decline my requests?
I have no delusions about why authors and publishers are mostly using NetGalley and other similar websites - give ARCs to bloggers and reviewers and you get the best promotion. Readers are happy that they got early copies of books they want to read. They don't look for anything else in exchange. Just free, advanced copies of books. Yey! (If that's not case with you, I'd love to hear your thoughts.) And then all those bloggers and Goodreads users do this other thing - great thing for publishers and authors -
we brag with our book haul.
Waiting on Wednesday, Stacking the Shelves, Sunday Post, In my Mailbox... Sometimes we don't even get to read all ARCs we get, but only mentioning titles in weekly meme posts creates a buzz. I remember all the times I saw same book on dozen WOW posts. And later on Sunday Posts. Of course I want to see what the big deal is about.
What will I do/read?
I have a ton review copies I need to read, but I'll focus on few titles that I really am interested into. I'll try to read them all and submit my reviews, but as always I plan to be honest. If I end up hating some of them, I will tell you that. Loudly. My Twitter feed will probably be main media for all observations and thoughts about reviewing and "buzzing", so if you don't follow me, do it now. (Please!)
Did you sign Netgalley Wellness Challenge pledge? Love or hate challenges? Do you manage to read and review all books you request?
Share!
good luck with the challenge. I won't be participating but it would be awesome to see someone I know win!
OdgovoriIzbrišiThank you!
IzbrišiI signed up for the NetGalley pledge (you're right, the $100 gift card is a pretty good incentive!) I found some of the information useful last year. I don't buy the importance of the feedback score on the NG profile, which I know a lot of bloggers complain about. I try to keep up, but there always end up being review copies that I get approved for that I just don't feel like reading when the time comes. Oh well, I read what I want...
OdgovoriIzbrišiLisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies
I know - you lose interest sometimes, especially if there are too many negative reviews. On the other hand, there are a lot of books that you borrow from the library or buy and you want to read those too. ARCs can take too much of your time and then reading starts to feel like a job. With no money! LOL! :)
IzbrišiGood luck, Lisa.
I signed up for the Wellness Challenge this year for first time. I thought it can't hurt. I don't ask for any more than I can read, and only ones I think I will enjoy! I haven't read their page about it, but will listen in to the online time that they have organised.
OdgovoriIzbrišiThis is our first challenge as well.
IzbrišiAt the beginning I made a big mistake of requesting everything I thought might interest me. I am smarter now! ;)
Maybe I'll try one day but good luck for it!
OdgovoriIzbrišiThank you, Melliane!
IzbrišiI really want to try it too, but I'm not convinced about the goals of this challenge either. I'll admit though that the $100 gift card is very alluring! Good luck with the challenge, Glass!
OdgovoriIzbrišiI didn't sign up for this challenge simply because I completely fail at challenges Glass! I don't know what happens, but the moment I sign up, my dedication goes right out the window and I never complete whatever it is I set out to do. I'm better off just doing the challenge on my own without officially signing up. I'm ridiculous, I know. Looking forward to following your progress!
OdgovoriIzbrišiIt's rare that I sign-up for challenges; I find that they limit what I can & can't read, plus I am horrible at keeping track. I always feel like such a failure when I don't meet my goals. Good luck!
OdgovoriIzbrišiI didn't sign up for the challenge. Haha. I'm just not good at that sort of stuff, where you have to follow a strict set of rules, that you have to read this and that, and for what exactly? bragging rights? I dunno, I'm a free-spirited person :P Pretty laid-back and only read what I feel like reading, whether they were released yesterday or last year or ten years before or will be released tomorrow or in the next 12 months. I'm unpredictable like that haha
OdgovoriIzbrišiFaye at The Social Potato Reviews
I'm really bad about remembering or should I say keeping up with Challenges. In my first year blogging I signed up for three and only really stuck with one even though I met the requirements for the others. Nowadays the only one I do is the Goodreads one but that's really easy and requires little effort on my part since I'm always reading and checking Goodreads lol.
OdgovoriIzbrišiI signed the challenge as well, but I typically try my best and get through all the books that I request. I always send feedback whether I don't like the book, thought it was great or dnf'd it. So I'm curious to see how this goes. Great post!
OdgovoriIzbrišiJanina @ Synchronized Reading
I wish I could read and review all the books I request, but sometimes I'm not even feeling a book enough to finish it. I usually try to send some kind of feedback through Netgalley if I'm not going to review, just so they know. But I can't stop requesting awesome looking titles, so it seems like I never catch up to 100%! :-)
OdgovoriIzbrišiI signed because I wanted to win, and also get caught up.
OdgovoriIzbrišiGood luck with the challenge, Glass. I'm not a NetGalley member currently. Maybe sometime in the future when my to-read list is looking a little "low." Have a great week!
OdgovoriIzbrišiGood luck! I"m a Netgalley member, but I don't have many ARCs... I tend to be the type who watches what I request, lol. I'm picky on ARCs. :3
OdgovoriIzbrišiIt does seem like they just want more reviews and promotion which is obviously what the site is for. I'll always be honest with my reviews as well. I'm not going to write a positive review just to write one. That wouldn't be right. Good luck with your challenge!
OdgovoriIzbrišiI understand that they want more reviews because that's what the site is for, and if you're a book blogger receiving books for review, then you do need to review them, at least most of them.
OdgovoriIzbrišiI'm struggling with my tbr pile, but you just have to do the best you can!
Mands @ The Bookish Manicurist
I've never even heard of this before, hmm. It seems kind of strange because isn't everyone already doing this anyway? Except now there is a possibility of winning a gift card? And only positive reviews... ha. I'm with you, I'll always let people know if a book wasn't that good.
OdgovoriIzbriši