Book Blogger Confessions Announcement.

I was away this past weekend and didn't get a chance to add this to my scheduled post, so I wanted to announce this here.  Yesterday was the last Book Blogger Confessions. 

My co-host, Karen from For What It's Worth put it best:

When my (former) BBC co-host Tiger Holland and I started the meme, everyone was kind of afraid to say out loud that there was a downside to blogging. Or even admit that we were overwhelmed. It was something you “confessed” privately in emails only with close friends.

I’ve noticed a huge, and welcome, change this past year where we feel free to express our feelings publicly and write posts about it on our blogs. So to put it simply…Book Blogger Confessions as a meme doesn’t really seem as necessary anymore.

I want to thank everyone who has participated.  I've enjoyed "meeting up with you" once a month or so and reading your opinions.   Most of all I want to thank Karen, who thought enough of me to partner up with her for this meme.  I have to admit, I was stunned, flattered and extremely honored when she asked me because she is a blogger that I've always thought so highly of.  We've become good friends and I feel so blessed to know her.  I think we're both ready to move on, hopefully to other blogging endeavors.   

I know that I've been lagging in reviews and posts lately and I apologize.  I guess I'm in a bit of a blogging slump, but it just seems to me that other things are taking up my time and honestly, I'm really enjoying my summer.  I've been travelling a bit and I've taken up gardening.  It's also been very busy at work.  I'm hoping that attending Authors After Dark in Savannah will inspire me and kickstart my enthusiasm for blogging more often.  I don't want to quit blogging, I just haven't felt like writing lately.    

Thanks for your patience and thank you again for participating in BBC.    

Book Blogging Confessions - Vlogging (Monday, August 5, 2013).

Book Blogger Confessions is a meme that allows book bloggers to discuss issues unique to what we encounter in the blogging world. Every 1st of the  month we will post a question and invite you to answer, comment and discuss opinions and different views.

Please keep the dialogue courteous. No bashing!

If you would like to participate in this meme sign up below and please feel free to to grab the button to include in your post with a link to For What It's Worth Reviews or here at Midnyte Reader.

Question:
Vlogging.  Have you ever vlogged (video blogging)? Why or why not?  What do you think makes for an interesting vlog?  How does a book review vlog compare to a written review in your opinion?  What are a few of your favorite book review/author vlogs?  (Source Amy Bookworm).


Answer:  I've done a few vlogs for In My Mailbox.  Three to be exact.  I haven't done one for a book review or anything else. 

For me, doing that feature was less intimidating than a review.

First off, I think I'm a better writer than a speaker and I would probably just gush about a book over and over again.  Plus you know, all those annoying "ums" and "likes."  I don't want to subject anyone to that.  Oh yes, I know that there is a thing called "editing," but I'm just not that great at it.  Second, I think the feature was better for a vlog start because I knew what I wanted to say/do.  Show books I acquired.  I guess one could go into a review with a sort of script or note cards, but I just didn't.  Also, perhaps I thought that a feature would get less views and is less important than a review and also would be shorter and I wanted to ease into it. 

To be honest, doing those vlogs was a huuuuuge step for me.  I never in a million years ever thought I would do a vlog.  I hate being in front of the camera.  I think I just did it because I thought it would be fun and different. 

I think what makes an interesting vlog is someone who can speak clearly and express themselves.  I'm not saying I'm an expert at that or even did that in my own vlogs, but that's what is interesting to me.  I also love vlogs that are fairly short.  It helps keep my attention.  Good editing can also help with keeping a vlog shorter.  Unfortunately, I was so bad with the editing software I didn't do this.  I just showed my books in one take.  I also love seeing people.  It helps put a face to a blog and remember the blog.  I also enjoy seeing people's book rooms, shelves or anywhere else they vlog.

I think comparing  a written review with a vlog is the same as comparing apples and oranges.  They are two different animals.  I guess with a written review you can go back and change things and correct your spelling and typos more easily.  Also, it might sometimes be more interesting to the reader.  They can just look at the review and see how long it is, see how it is formatted (characters, plot, etc.) and skim if they want.  With a vlog you can certainly see how long it is, but it's hard to skim.  However, with a vlog maybe you would say things that you wouldn't write and that might be something interesting for the viewer.  With a vlog, you can show your enthusiasm and expressions perhaps more vividly than in a written post (even with the use of caps, exclamation points and gifs).

I love Misty's (The Book Rat) vlogs.  She does amazing editing and her vlogs are always interesting.  Plus she has a beautiful voice!  Savvy (Books with Bite) is also a good vlogger and Sarah (Just Another Story). 

If you are interesting in my short lived vlogging experiment, I've included the links here.  I thought I did three, but I could only find two.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FI2ctUD_z6U (from 9/11/2011)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfJlQ89BX2g (from 2/26/2012)

How about you?  Do you vlog?  Would you consider vlogging?  What do you like or dislike about vlogging?  Let me know.  I'd love to hear your thoughts!