Let’s Talk Bookish is a weekly meme that was originally created and hosted by Rukky @ Eternity Books starting in August 2019, and was then cohosted by Dani @ Literary Lion from May 2020 to March 2022. Since April 2022, the meme moved to another host, Aria @ Book Nook Bits. Let’s Talk Bookish is a meme where participants discuss certain topics, share their opinions, and share their love by visiting each other’s posts.
This week’s topic is a freebie, so I decided to dive into the rich LTB archives. I then decided to go with the first LTB topic ever: posted on August 9, 2019. It’s bookish/blogging myths. You are free to choose your own, but I choose to provide my perspective on the ones Rukky choose back then. You can read her post here.
#1: DON’T JUDGE A BOOK BY IT’S COVER – A SAYING THAT MOST DON’T FOLLOW
In my case, this is the truth and not a myth. Due to my visual impairment I am not able to judge a book by it’s cover in the most literal sense of the saying. I just can’t figure out all the small details. Therefore, I judge a book on it’s blurb and sometimes reviews.
#2: CLASSICS ARE THE GODS OF LITERATURE – THE GREATEST LIE EVER
Well, it is the greatest lie ever. Many people have the tendency to read the classics just to read them because they are classics, but to be completely honest, I’m absolutely not interested in them. They are boring, hard to follow and they don’t fit into modern times anymore. Some parts are racist, some ableist and so on. However, I do not fully agree with those being partially rewritten by sensitivity readers, but I understand the train of thought. It’s just… You can’t really rewrite a story that has been written centuries ago to adjust it to modern times without losing the context of the times it has been written in. It somehow doesn’t feel right. I know this is kind of controversial and I hope I worded it correctly since English is not my native language, but I hope I make sense. Myself, I just avoid the classics because to me they feel like a waste of time.
#3: IT’S SO EASY TO BE A BLOGGER – OK, MAYBE THIS IS THE GREATEST LIE EVER
Hahahaha yes, this is so untrue and therefore one of the greatest lies ever! I agree with Rukky here on most parts. It’s hard to juggle blogging into daily life whith work and so on. Especially when you also need to read books to actually be able to write content. Plus, I manage 2 blogs (can you imagine?!). Also, maintaining a website and redesigning it every once in a while is not easy. A new struggle, which hasn’t been there when this LTB post was originally published, is Booktok and it’s high popularity. I believe Tiktok didn’t even exist back in 2019. Nowadays, you really have to fight for your place because many bookish content is posted on Tiktok and therefore it feels like book blogs start to matter less and less. Tiktok provides “fastfood content”, content that is easily consumed. Quick videos, which take up a maximum of 1 minute. Bookstagram also becomes more and more popular. Blogging – and especially book blogging – already was a niche but feels like becoming a niche more and more. So, gaining readers and interactions is not easy. At all. You have to work hard for your blog to succeed. And sometimes, I feel like giving up on it altogether. But I miss my little corners on the internet so quitting never succeeded. You may know that I sometimes have my doubts about continuing my Dutch blog, because most Dutchies are on Bookstagram and Booktok. The interactions in the blogosphere decreased to close to none in the past years and you have to work 10 times harder than within the English blogosphre. And you are often left with the feeling that it’s all for nothing. But again, I will miss my little blog.
#4: YOU WILL HAVE INSTANT FOLLOWERS AND BECOME THE NEXT BIG THING – *SIGH* YET ANOTHER GREAT MYTH
In fact, this is actually a great myth. I look at them one by one, so I mostly explained myself in the pervious one. In order to get yourself and your blog known, you have to be present in the blogosphere. That could be on social media, but especially through bloghopping. I am present on Twitter and try to be on Instagram. However, I want to keep my Instagram Dutch (for now maybe?) so I have a little place to show the books I’ve read in Dutch (and to support Dutch publishers) and originally Dutch books once I have these. I find bloghopping much easier personally because of the algorythms social media has these days. However, I don’t do ARCs and stuff, so being noticed by the big publishers isn’t my goal. I don’t want that pressure. Because you know, it’s more pressure than I already feel sometimes.
#5: READING IS A WASTE OF TIME – THE MOST RIDICULOUS STATEMENT EVER
Oh yes, this definitely is the most ridiculous statement ever. I’d rather sit and read then watch tv. Because, for me, that’s a waste of time. i’m so bored so fast. Also scrolling on your phone whilst travelling is a waste of time. I manage to read a good chunk of a book when on the commute to work and back. And yes, that means more content for the blog right?
Okay so that’s it folks! Some bookish and blogging myths out there. What are your thoughts on (one of) them?
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