Let's Talk: Blogger & Author Appreciation

Blogger & Author Appreciation

Recently, some tension has developed among the blogging and writing communities. (If you know of the whole "Bingo Card" extravaganza, you know what we're talking about.) Us ladies here at The Book Bratz have decided to reach out to several other bloggers and authors alike - and see what they have to say about the other side! Because, despite what you may think, bloggers and authors need each other. We have a perfect dynamic that keeps things running smoothly!

So, we asked some bloggers what they feel about authors and vice versa. Here's what they had to say! Due to the overwhelming amount of submissions we've received, a good friend of ours named Rachel over at A Perfection Called Books posted even more kind things that authors and bloggers had to say over at her blog! Go ahead and go give it a peek!!

What BLOGGERS want to say to AUTHORS:

"Authors are some of the hardest-working people I know. It takes a whole lot of courage to put your work out there for other people to look at and judge (sometimes harshly). Hats off to them for their bravery and super-awesome talent - can't wait to be like you guys when I get older!"
 -Jessica, blogger at The Book Bratz

"Authors opened up a whole new world for me, and I am grateful for that. We work side by side every day. They need us and we need them. None of this would be possible without each other." 
-Amber, blogger at The Book Bratz

"Authors are some of the coolest people around, and I love them to pieces. I love their commitment to their stories and to their readers, and I love that they spend so much of their time creating characters, worlds, and relationships we all love. I want to give all authors hugs and cookies/cake, basically." 
-Sydney, blogger at Utterly Bookish

"Books have always been my best friends, always have been there to make bad days better and to help me push back the darkness...and now, not only the words by the authors in book shape can help me when I need it, but some authors themselves have been there for me on the tough days, have made me smile when I needed it, and make me smile because book people are MY people!"
 -Pili, blogger at In Love With Handmade

"We bloggers are so fortunate to have such fantastic authors who write amazing books and engage with their readers. People can make mistakes, and sometimes we just need to let things go. We need to move on and show authors how much they truly mean to us; without their books, what would we be blogging about?"
-Xander, blogger at ForeverBookish (in reference to the bingo card disagreement)

What AUTHORS want to say to BLOGGERS:
 

"I'm lucky enough to have the backing of a large publisher, but my book would be nowhere without bloggers to spread the word. I can't thank you all enough for reading and reviewing (good or bad). You bring so much light and heart to our industry, doing everything you can, usually for nothing, and always with the best intentions." 
-Victoria Aveyard, author of Red Queen

"I'm so thankful for bloggers. Whether they give positive feedback or not, it gives my book exposure and helps me grow as a writer. The mutual benefits for bloggers and writers when working together are wonderful, and you gain new friends and supporters."
 -Juliana Mae, author of The Way He Looks at Me

"Bloggers are literary fairy godmothers. They can send a deserving debut author to the ball where every eligible reader is searching for a princely tale. Way better than glass slippers and everyone gets a happily ever after. Without bloggers, authors would be stuck at home with the mice." 
-Sarah Negovetich, author of Rite of Rejection

"As a debut author, I’m still acclimating to reviews. While the positive ones fill me with a little extra glow, I’m grateful to all bloggers and reviewers. Anyone who’s invested energy in my book - and then given their time to discuss it - has broadened the conversation. The more perspective and insight, the better off we all are." 
-Moriah McStay, author of Everything That Makes You

"If there is one piece of advice I could give every published author in the world it would be this: engage genuinely with bloggers, because they will be your biggest and brightest champions. Through my publishing journey, some of the nicest, smartest, and most creative people I have met were book bloggers. They’re amazingly impassioned readers and so astonishingly supportive. If you make friends with the bloggers talking about and sharing your book, there’s nothing you can’t do. Facing the blank page is a lot less scary when you know you have such a caring community cheering you on." 
-Erica Crouch, author of the Ignite Series

"Before Zodiac, I’d been trying to get published for ten years. Then in March of 2014, I received Z's first printed galley, and I honestly can’t remember what that moment felt like. What I do remember is the blogger who messaged me after reading the galley, gushing about how much she loved Z. She was the first reader to reach out to me, and though she doesn't know it, she will forever be the first person to have made me feel like an Author. I also remember the pair of co-bloggers who warmly welcomed me into the world of Twitter book chats by allowing me to be part of their reading experience. Listening to their honest feedback was one of the coolest things I’ve ever done. Most of all, I remember the bloggers who included Z among their lists of favorite reads for 2014—I was going through the hardest moment in my life at the end of last year, and though they didn't know it, for awhile their love and support was the only light in my world. I don’t know what it would be like to be an author without blogger friends, and I don’t want to—thank you for reading my stories, for supporting me, and for reminding me I’m not alone." 
-Romina Russell, author of Zodiac

Now, it's your turn!

We want to hear what you have to say! Either comment down below or spread the love even further by putting up an entire post on your blog expanding your thoughts. Bloggers - how and why do you appreciate authors? Authors - how and why do you appreciate bloggers? 

If you read this and felt super warm and fuzzy inside, great! That's the point - we all need to love and appreciate one another! So spread the warm and fuzziness! Create a post on your blog explaining why authors are important and vice versa. Tweet it, post in, and put your link down below with the others. Help us spread the Blogger/Author Love!

Thank you so much to all who contributed to this post and sent us in their opinions, bloggers and authors alike! They're going to expand their thoughts with full posts on their blogs talking about the Blogger/Author appreciation. Take some love and send it on! 

Did you submit a blurb and not see it here? Due to the overwhelming amount of responses we received (you guys seriously rock!), some of the blurbs were passed on to Rachel at A Perfection Called Books for her post. (Don't worry, it's the same thing - just another place for people to see it!) Go check it out!