Discussion Post: Types of Book Bloggers

~ aentee @ read at midnight

Disclaimer:  This post is not meant to be taken too seriously.
discussion-post-3

I think every blogger have their own distinctive voice, but I also think that I can identify all the most common review styles in this post.  I feel that as reviewers, sometimes we are afraid the insurmountable wall of text we type up will turn off our reader, and I certainly employ all of these strategies below to keep reader’s attention.  Is it necessary? Probably not.  Is it fun?  Heck yes!

Do you fit into any of the categories below?

discussion3GIF

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A picture can tell a thousand words, but a gif can convey all those feelings and emotions you can’t even bear to put into words!  These bloggers employ the genius use of gif to break up walls of text and keep my attention. I admire and envy bloggers that can find an appropriate gif for all occasions whether it’s sad, glad, and everything in between, you must teach me your ways!  Furthermore, gif also shows me a glimpse what the blogger is intereted in outside of reading: whether it be Disney, anime or a South Korean drama – these things almost guarantee it makes me like the blogger even more!

Variants of this are:  The Graphics Maker, The Book Photographer.

discussion3Quotes

“[A] quotation is a handy thing to have about, saving one the trouble of thinking for oneself, always a laborious business.”  – A. A. Milne

These bloggers provide evidence for their love of the book by quoting sections of it, whether to display the protagonist’s characters, or to illustrate how beautiful the writing is, or even how awful the tropes in the books are.  I love being given little excerpts from the book as it makes me feel like I have a better understanding of what I’m getting into.  I also admire bloggers that quote because I am the worst at remembering the highlight or bookmark choice paragraphs.  Confession time:  I had often refer to Goodreads’ quote section when I need to quote something until I discovered how to view my Kindle highlights.  Anyway, in case I didn’t make it clear enough through my Instagram, I LOVE QUOTES.

discussion3fonts

By this I mean the blogger makes it easy for us to find the important points of their post by bolding it.  Maybe even italicising thing.  The occasional even change font size and colours (IDEK how to do this on WordPress, so I can’t demonstrate, boo!). I haven’t tried doing this in my own blog posts, but I always appreciate it when I see it in people’s posts.  I confess, sometimes I skim read *gasp* blog posts, so these highlights really helps me to understand the main points of the post quickly and painlessly.

discussion3List

If Buzzfeed’s popularity is any indication, everyone LOVES lists – myself included.

  • Because lists are easy to write and easy to read.
  • Because lists helps order your thoughts when you love something too much to be coherent
  • Because lists are appealing in a way that spawns memes like Top Ten Tuesdays.
  • Because lists will obviously soon take over the Internet.

Variants of this are:  Pros VS Cons Book Reviewer.

discussion3snark

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I feel like this is basically a whole genre of book reviewing, there are blogs out there who’s purpose is to snark on books like Fifty Shades of Grey, Twilight, and the likes.  To be honest, I am sort of addicted to reading these reviews, though I have no invested interest in the books itself – the reviews are probably more entertaining than the books anyway.  I can only dream to be as witty as these bloggers, but unfortunately, my grey brain cannot snark in style.

discussion3writer

giphy (1)The writers keep it classic, they use the power of words alone to keep their readers riveted. There are several blogs that I would read every day even if there weren’t a picture of a gif in sight, just purely because I adore the insight of the blog writer.  Whether they are writing a discussion post, a blog review, or even their own story – sometimes the power of words is enough to sell your blog.

Personally, my first blog posts were just reviews, the only pictures being the book cover. However, after reading other blogs I started incorporating in elements such as quotes and gifs, now it seems so fun and essential that I can’t help but have it in everything.  I’d like to to think that I’m still experimenting to find my blogging voice.

What do you guys think, do you identify with any of the above groups?  Furthermore, do you feel that you need to add gif or graphics or quotes into your post to make it easier for your reader – or do you do it because you enjoy it?  How has your blogging style evolved?  On the other side of it, what types of post do you enjoy reading the most?

Published by aentee @ read at midnight

107 thoughts on “Discussion Post: Types of Book Bloggers”

  1. I love this post!! I’m going to write a variation if you don’t mind, and I am keeping those gifs in my vault!! Im probably the gif blogger!! I have dozens saved in my computer! They help me get my point across. Loved this post!

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    1. You can see this post? I scheduled it so I can’t see it on my own website haha. *confused*

      But thanks for liking it 🙂 I would love to see your variation of the post 🙂

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      1. For some reason i got an email notification of the post, it said it was published the 19th. I figured it was a glitch, but im just as confused as you are!

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      2. OHH I think it’s because I was silly, I drafted this post on the 19th but I thought I had changed the date, apparently I hadn’t. No worries, nothing wrong with either of our WP haha 😀

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  2. This is such a fun idea for a post! I’m still experimenting to find my blogging voice too. I’ve only written one book review and it doesn’t have any graphics or gifs. I think I’ll start including some. I really like the graphics you put in this post!

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    1. Thanks Krista, I’m glad you enjoyed the post 🙂 once you start on the gifs you really can’t stop, they’re an addiction haha.

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      1. Do you know if there are any copyright issues with gifs? That’s partly why I haven’t included very many images in my blog because I’m afraid of getting in trouble for using someone else’s images!

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      2. I usually only use images I have purchased the rights to in my graphics – but with gif I think it’s a gray area. I think that because the gif themselves may be a gray area: e.g the video clip source, did it come from an official DVD or from a pirated download, it makes gif themselves a gray area. But if other big name bloggers are still holding onto their sites ok, I think we will also manage haha.

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  4. I think it’s intellectually dishonest not to include “The Unrepentant Pottymouth.” Being a card-carrying member of Unrepentant Pottymouth Book Reviewers Local Union 404, I must voice my outrage.

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  6. Such a fun post! I’m still finding the perfect medium for me. As of now, I am SO a quote person. I’ve tried adding different gifs to posts, but I get so distracted! “Ooo this gif is nice, ooo but this one is nice too!” I’m considering adding lists though, so much easier to read.

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    1. I love quotes as well! Gifs are hard for me, too. I spend way too long on tumblr searching for the perfect one, I need to make a folder haha.

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  7. You always have the best discussion posts, I love it! 🙂
    I’m not sure if I can be a mix of those things? I like to put some of my main points in bold, to make things easy for others who want to read my posts, but when I do reviews, I really enjoy putting some quotes to highlight great points of the books, or just sentences that I found very beautiful. I read TONS of quotes on Goodreads, too, I love them! 😀

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    1. Aw, I’m so glad you think so! ❤

      I am definitely a mix of those things, and I think many people are. I love your review, your thoughts are so well organised! Goodreads quotes are the best, they serve as inspiration for some of my posts haha.

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  8. I’m definitely still experimenting too, although I’d probably fall in the Quoter category. I’m so puzzled with people using so many GIFs, I used to have a folder full of GIFs and I couldn’t keep track of every one, I would end up scrolling for ages to find the one that matched my reaction perfectly. And the Snarker is so good ! One of the best reviews I’ve read was a very snarky and funny review on Fifty Shades of Grey. I hope to get to that level at some point.

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    1. I know, I am always in awe of people who seem to have the perfect gif set for everything e.g. A Hercules set to match a mythology inspired book. I spent like an hour searching for the 3 gif I used in this post lmao.

      I love reading snarky book blogs, one I would recommend is readingwithavengeance on tumblr, she does chapter by chapter analysis and she’s both smart and funny.

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  9. I AM ALL OF THEM. I think. XD hehe. I may not be so much the Writer though. Ohhh, but YES my blogging style has changed! I NEVER used to take photos or be snarky and my old reviews *cringes* I just can’t even look at them. So I definitely related to most of these. XD

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    1. When I was writing these I actually thought of you and how you were actually all of them haha. But you have such a distinctive style of writing I am convinced I could spot your review anywhere in a blind test!

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  10. I guess I fall into the writer category? I love reading reviews that use snark, gifs and lists! Cant forget the lists! I think I am still trying to find my voice really, it seems to change dependent on my reaction to each book lol.

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    1. Haha me too! I change my mind about how I format the post depending on how much I have to say about the book 🙂 ah well it’s our blog, we can so whatever we want!

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  11. Thanks for another great post Aentee! 😀 This is literally my escape from the HW I have to do 😛 Personally, I think I am very much a GIF and a FONT person. Hmm, sometimes list too. But I have accumulated over a thousand GIFs on my laptop. >.< Addiction ✓

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  12. I think I might be a little mix of writer and photographer. Taking my own book photos is great fun and I enjoy being able to add them into my posts. I love this post, its so light and funny and very true! I love your style of writing, and this idea is great. Love it!

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    1. I would love to be able to take great photos like you do 🙂 Unfortunately, most of my books are ebooks so they aren’t very photogenic haha!

      Thanks for your kind comment ❤

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      2. I can imagine haha, I don’t have many physical copies because my apartment is tiny, and my small collection is already taking up way too much space!

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      3. I’m hoping to buy a house next year and if I get my way and we buy a 4 bedroom house I plan on converting the 4th bedroom into my own personal library haha I should never run out of room then.

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      9. I grew up in Auckland! But I live in Oz now, a bit home sick all the time haha.

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    1. I love using quotes as well, but have not quite masteredd the art of bolding fonts yet – so I will look to you for examples.

      Just take a dive into tumblr and you’ll be on your way to gif expertise in no time 😀 Thanks for commenting, Amanda!

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  14. This was such a great post! For me, it depends on the type of book I am reviewing. I’m still figuring out what I like best. Sometimes, however, I can’t help it and the GIFs start pouring out of me! I wish I could be more like The Snarker. I LOVE these types of reviews. They are so entertaining. There are a few bloggers who could be described as The Snarker, and I will read EVERYTHING they post.

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    1. Me too, Sarah! Whenever I write reviews for a book, what I do with the presentation depends on how I feel about it. If I don’t have much to say, I will pull out all the stops with gif and quotes to cover up for my brainlessness 😛 If I really love a book, I will make a list and graphics!

      I loveeee Snarkers, one I adore is tumblr user readingwithavengeance, check her out!

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    1. Glad you think so! I think whatever we’re comfortable with putting in the reviews work for our audience!

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    1. Thank you 😀

      The first three categories are the most fun, IMO, but whichever works for you will work for your readers 😀

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  17. Great post! I think I fall under the ‘writer’ category. When I started blogging, I’d only just write it without including any pictures, but I think pictures make reviews seem more fun and appealing 🙂 I love your illustration of the deer and the fonts for the title looks very pretty!

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    1. I loved reading your review, and tbh it takes a lot to hold my attention span because I am so scattered, so I think writing alone is more than enough for you 😉 I just have a lot of fun making graphics so that;s why I incorporate them. Thanks for liking the picture, I believe the font is called Violation? And the picture like all of mine is made in photoshop from image packs I purchase royalties for from Creative Market! I confess I cannot draw!

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  18. Loving the discussion posts, Aentee! This is such a great idea, is it okay if I make a similar post inspired by this one in the future? I’ll make sure to link back to you for the idea. And from your list, I think I’m a mix between the font lover and writer. Oh and I love the graphics! Sheldon! XD

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    1. I would love to see your version of it, Summer! I can’t wait :D!

      I spent approximately one hour on a TBBT tumblr in the process of writing this post, true fact!

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    1. Alyssa, you are most definitely a writer first and foremost :D! Thanks for liking the post and plugging it on twitter ❤

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  21. I like this post! I’m definitely the writer and I try to be the gif master but 99% of the time I forget they even exist oops haha. I’m trying to play around with graphic design so that’s the extent of my picture skills. I think you covered most of the types of book bloggers haha.

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    1. The gif thing is *hard* haha, I don’t know how people do it so well consistently, it took me ages just to find these three gif in the post that vaguely matches up to what I’m saying.

      Graphics are so fun! I recommend looking at Creative Market or Pinterest for inspiration 😀

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  23. Hahah I love snarky reviews, but I always strive to be more of a writer! Kind of, or at least I try to hahaha. Finding gifs is really hard though sometimes, especially if you’re trying to find one that matches the review.

    Awesome post!

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    1. Writing alone is so difficult for me haha- but like you I try! My suggestion is to go an save a whole bunch from tumblr and then go through them when you are writing a review 😀

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  24. I was thinking about this post this afternoon… it made me wonder about how other bloggers see each other? Like, do the “Writer” bloggers look at the “GIF Master” bloggers and think, “Ugh, immature!” while the GIF’ers look at the Writers and think “Boooooring!”. Okay, that’s probably an exaggeration, but just curious what bloggers think about other blogging styles.

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    1. I’m curious too. I think both are valid way of doing reviews and has its appeal to the blog’s respective audience. People take in information differently after all, so there’s not set way where one is superior to the other. Some of the most popular blogs are packed with gif, but others have just writing. What matters at the end is the content and whether you can engage your audience, I guess – as most of the time I don’t think the blogger’s voice gets lost in the gif or wall of text 🙂 then I personally use both so I can see the appeal of both!

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    1. They’re not my art — I purchased royalties for image packs from Creative Market and made graphics from them in photoshop. Thank you though 🙂

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      2. I had a lot of practice during my livejournal days haha XD; If you ever need any help with it though I will be more than happy to help 😀

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  27. I looooove this post! 🙂 I sort of a mix between the writer and the font lover I suppose! But I keep it the bolds and italics as I don’t know how to color change in WP! 😦

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    1. Thank you :D! I would love to know how to change colouring or font size in WP as well XD For now, I have to stick to making a picture of the text if I really want to highlight it haha *fail*

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    1. The list makers are the best, I think I am mostly review in form of lists as well – makes everything so much more coherent 😀

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    1. I constantly change my review format based on how much I like the book as well – like if I only thought the book was OK, I wouldn’t go all out making graphics and lists etc for it at all *terrible*

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  30. Oh goodness, I could recognise all of these variations in the lovely bloggers I’ve met around the community – though some are definitely more prevalent than others, haha 😉 I try to fall into the category of “The Writer” (mostly because I have no other talents and can’t be bothered to embellish anything with GIFs) – I know those are my absolute favourite posts to read, and it’s something so special to find a blog that captivates me simply with the force of their words. ❤

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    1. My most trusted bloggers are usually just writers of reviews as well, haha. But all the other things are fun to see, too!

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  31. *cries* I don’t think I’m any of these *cries uncontrollably*
    The closest I can probably relate to is the ‘writer’. I don’t tend to use snark often, rarely actually. I don’t use GIFs either. I’d love to infuse a bit of humour into mine to be honest, but I think the Aussie humour tends to fall flat with international readers. My next review, I might try to fit into ALL the categories. Challenge accepted 😀

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    1. I totally appreciate your Aussie humous :D! I’ve said it before, but I think your reviews are so fantastically written – straight to the point, but still complex.

      Haha I can’t wait to see this next review of yours!

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    1. You are a list maker for sure haha, but that’s the type of reviews I prefer to read the most, my attention span is too limited haha.

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    1. I started doing graphics and gif and it eats up so much time haha. I agree though, quality content shines above all :)!

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  34. I am right now just doing reviews but also began with sharing quotes I like. Let’s say I want my blog to be a recollection of my reading journey. 🙂 I also love reading and following similar blogs but they are too hard to find. Most blogs are doing memes and giveaways and such, so I find it at times overwhelming, though it helps me discover very good books!

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  38. Great post, I love this! As a fairly regular book reviewer, which are available through Goodreads and WordPress, I like to incorporate various quotes from the books, with tendencies of a classic writer.:)

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      2. She’s the best!! Otherwise I would just go wild on Instagram there’s lots of fantastic book photography under the #bookstagram tag!! Though you probably already know that as well haha.

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      4. Yes if you love book photography Instagram is the place to be. A lot of very friendly people as well 🙂 !!

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