I love that Book Blogger Appreciation Week is a celebration of book bloggers. And I've been enjoying many people's posts on today's topic: "thanking and spotlighting your favorite blogs that didn’t make the shortlists". And yet ... I've always found it painfully difficult to come up with a list of my "favorite blogs." Fortunately, as is often the way with blogs, one of my blogging friends has paved the way, by managing to articulate what I was vaguely thinking about this.
At A Chair, A Fireplace, and A Tea Cozy, Liz Burns said:
"A favorite can depend on many things. Who are my favorite bloggers? Those I link to. Those I comment at. Those I follow. Those I email and tweet with. The ones I read and don't comment at, but my reading shows in your statistics. Basically, it's those I read.
Those I read. And who do I read? Those I know. Have I shared my blogosphere as cafeteria analysis? Different bloggers eat at different tables in the caf. It's not about cliques; just about who you know and have fun with and talk with. But it's important to remember that there are many tables in the lunchroom and many lunchtimes, and maybe even the caf is open for breakfast and dinner so there are those times and tables, also." (She continues the analogy - click through to see)
Colleen Mondor said, in related vein:
"Awards come and go but faithful readers, we're the real achievement. I know I have a few and I appreciate you all, each and everyone. That's who I'd like to give an award to - the ones who have been with me all along and keep coming back to support my writing. I appreciate my readers, and I hope all of you do too."
Charlotte from Charlotte's Library talked about bloggers that she has "emailed with to continue conversations that started on line". [Full disclosure, I am happy to be one of those bloggers for Charlotte.] She also mentioned "bloggers whose taste in books marches hand in hand with ones own", and I know we can all relate to that.
Liz, Colleen, and Charlotte all hit on common themes about "favorite bloggers." They are the bloggers we read faithfully, and interact with, and, over time, become real friends with. My favorite book blogs are the ones that I link to regularly in my afternoon visits posts and literacy round-ups. They are the blogs that prompt me to click through from my reader, so that I can comment. They are the blogs whose reviews inspire me to want to read the books. They are blogs of people I have worked with on the Cybils and Booklights and Kidlitosphere Central, trading many, many emails back and forth. They are the people I already know when I meet them face-to-face for the first time at Kidlitosphere conferences.
I love Liz's cafeteria table analogy, too. I was always a bit of a floater - I didn't have a regular cafeteria table in high school. I liked having a few places I could go, in different moods. I liked having backup. It seems, in thinking about this question, that I'm still like this today. Within the Kidlitosphere I have my Cybils peeps, my literacy / Booklights / Share a Story - Shape a Future peeps, my book recommendation kindred spirit peeps, and my fellow Red Sox fan book blogger peeps.
These are overlapping, ill-defined groups, of course. But they're all people I'm happy to hear from when they post, or email, or Twitter. They're people I look forward to meeting face-to-face, if I haven't already. They're people who inspire that moment of connection when they write exactly what I was trying to say, or have the same reaction I did to a book. They're my colleagues, in this book blogging world. And they are my friends.
But I'm not going to name them here (because I'd be bound to miss someone important, and then I'd feel terrible). You all know who you are, don't you?
Guess we'll just have to refer to your sidebar for this one! :)
Posted by: Janelle | September 14, 2009 at 01:16 PM
Hi Jen,
Because of everything you said, I don't worry about failing to identify someone on lists. We can never list everyone and the people I read and have developed friendships with know that while being acknowledged publicly is nice, it isn't necessary.
I used BBAW's shortlist format. Shortlists are notable mentions but the name itself says these are not complete.
I used the BBAW format as a way to introduce readers to blogs they might not know.
I can't remember how I found your blog except a friend of mine liked you and directed me here one day. You're not on my shortlists but I think pretty highly of you and that's why I came by.
Enjoyed reading your posts. I'm enjoying reading how different bloggers approached the assignment. Thanks.
Posted by: susan | September 14, 2009 at 01:28 PM
Okay, forgive me for all the tense switches. My kidlet was distracting me. Seems she wants me to do her homework with her. She's in high school now. She needs to be a little more independent.
Posted by: susan | September 14, 2009 at 01:30 PM
I liked the way you handled this one, Jen. Very nice. :-)
Posted by: Melissa (Book Nut) | September 14, 2009 at 02:36 PM
No shortage of links in my sidebar, Janelle, that's for sure.
Susan, thanks so much for the feedback. I enjoy your blog, too. I think I probably found you through Chasing Ray, or Tea Cozy (both linked above). And I do take your point about shortlists by their nature being about just naming a few. Perhaps a cop out on my part, being unwilling to do it. But one other rule I try to abide by on my blog is, if I don't enjoy it, I don't do it (like interviews, which I find difficult, or like picking a few people to name as favorites). But I did like what you did, with naming a few favorites in each category. Very nice!
Thanks, Melissa! Your post made me feel a bit like a fraud, because for all my "I'm not naming favorites", I enjoyed reading yours. Nodding my head like "yes, I'm looking forward to meeting Abby, too", etc. But really, I think you were saying the same thing I was - the favorites are the people who feel like friends. Like you ;-)
Posted by: Jen Robinson | September 14, 2009 at 04:18 PM
Very nice post.
Posted by: Doret | September 14, 2009 at 04:40 PM
Thanks, Doret! I was happy to just see your blog on one of Susan's
shortlists.
Posted by: Jen Robinson | September 14, 2009 at 04:53 PM
I understand why people are reluctant to do this, but I do hope that others have found some new blogs they can enjoy. I think it takes many parts of BBAW to make that happen..either awards, the memes, the guest posts...are all about spotlighting book blogs and we all use them a bit differently.
Posted by: Amy @ My Friend Amy | September 14, 2009 at 06:39 PM
Oh, Amy, I know. I'm not criticizing the process. I've enjoyed reading other
people's lists today. I just personally couldn't do it. Probably more
insecurity than anything. Of course I managed to sneak in a few blog names
in my post anyway... Anyway, I agree - that's a great thing about blogging -
we all do things a little differently. Looking forward to the rest of the
week!
Posted by: Jen Robinson | September 14, 2009 at 07:15 PM
"my book recommendation kindred spirit peeps" - I'm feeling the love...and right back at you :)
Posted by: Lenore | September 16, 2009 at 11:37 AM
See! I knew you knew who you were without being named. (Though Natasha made
a good point on her blog that the point is for OTHER people to know, so I'm
extra-glad that you commented, Lenore). I do love that I can have "book
recommendation kindred spirit peeps" who live thousands of miles away, and
this blogosphere lets us share book recs. Very cool!
Posted by: Jen Robinson | September 16, 2009 at 11:44 AM