The Way of the Dodo

Have you ever checked out the reviews on Goodreads for an older, backlist title and ran across old blogger friends' reviews and thought, "Hmm...I haven't seen them around in ages. I wonder what they're up to or if they're even still blogging..." This actually happens to me pretty frequently now, and not only because I'm a lame, out-of-touch blogger. Though, I'm sure that's partly to blame.

You see those posts all the time about how a blogger is feeling less than motivated to keep posting, as if they're not being heard and it's all pointless. I know I've posted about those feelings from time-to-time. But then there are those who actually just give up blogging altogether, never to be heard from again...even on Goodreads.

I've contemplated only reviewing on Goodreads and just posting discussions and promotional stuff here. I honestly think they get more attention over there and are just more visible than they are here in my little corner of the blogosphere. It also seems that more people have taken to Bookstagram and Booktube, in lieu of traditional blogging, and it does tend to make me wonder, "Why bother?" Especially when you discover that some of those people are getting paid for their contributions.

I see nothing wrong with that. At all. We put a lot of time and effort and even our own money into this "hobby" and it would be nice to be fairly compensated for that, especially when we're promoting on behalf of a publisher or author. I honestly don't get those who think being paid for this would be a bad thing, that the early reader copies are compensation enough. If I could at least make a part-time job out of this, I'd definitely be more inclined to keep doing it.

But I digress. This wasn't supposed to be a post about getting paid. It's about missing the good ole days. About knowing the people you're blogging beside and remembering our fallen friends, those whose other priorities meant they had to leave the community. It's about being stressed and wondering at what point you just throw in the towel.

If I were witty and clever, I'd sing about the disappearance of bloggers to the tune of "Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?", but you really don't want to hear my singing voice and the song is stuck in my head now anyways.

So. Do you think traditional book bloggers are on the edge of extinction? Have you lost any friends to the abyss? Are you considering a departure in the near future, or do you plan on hanging on till the bitter end?