Let’s Talk Bookish is a weekly meme hosted by Rukky @ Eternity Books and Dani @ Literary Lion. Discussions pertain to topics related to reading or books. Share your opinions, and spread the love by visiting other “Let’s Talk Bookish” posts.

Prompts: Do you feel appreciated as a book blogger? Who do you think appreciates the work of book bloggers the most? Do you think that bookish social media is aiding in the depreciation of book bloggers or is it supporting them? Is it wrong to want compensation from the book industry for our work?

I started blogging because I happened upon a discussion calling for more diversity in reviewers, and I was also searching for an outlet to talk about books. I didn’t know if anyone would read any of my reviews. I always feel appreciated whenever I receive views, likes, comments, and/or follows. Literally me, “Yay! Someone liked it! Oh! There’s a comment. Someone read this! ” Considering that I started with zero expectations and wondered if anyone would read what I wrote, nearly anything makes me feel appreciated.

That’s also how I show appreciation to other bloggers–likes, views, comments, and/or follows. I carve out as much time as I can to blog hop because it’s important for me to show my appreciation and be engaged. I genuinely enjoy the content from bloggers and love talking about books when possible. When I wonder about a book, the first thing I do is look to trusted bloggers for their thoughts. Appreciation, then, likely comes from others in the bookish community and are likely to also be bloggers themselves. We want to interact with others who share in our love of reading, and we understand the time and effort it takes for a single post, whether it be a review or a list of recommended books.

As more accessible alternatives to blogs become available, blogs may become less valued. Blogs are more text-intensive as opposed to newer platforms like Instagram and TikTok. More visual platforms likely require less cognitive effort. It doesn’t necessarily mean blogs will cease to exist or will no longer be valued. There will always be a place for blogs but they may not receive the same amount of traffic. Consider newspapers and the rise of television. Although most people say they get their news from the television, newspapers are still around. Each medium still has an audience.

With the time and effort expended, I do not think it’s wrong for bloggers to want compensation, especially if a blogger has a large following. Creating content on any platform requires a lot of work. Like with any job, there should be compensation for time spent and/or output. Those compensated should then be transparent about it, allowing readers/viewers to decide how much weight to place on the review.

I would love to know your thoughts. Do you feel appreciated as a blogger? How can people show their appreciation of you and your content? Should bloggers be compensated? Do blogs have a future especially with the rise of alternative social media outlets?