The Not-So Austen Bookclub discussion
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Let's Talk About...The Internet & How It's Affected Our Reading
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I think the Internet makes my obsessions grow. Even if I only mildly enjoyed a book, if I look at too many fan arts and heartful text posts reminding me of all the reasons I liked the book and opening my eyes to new reasons, my opinion will begin to change or, at the very least, I will gush over it more and be more excited if, for example, the next book is coming out. Some times, that's a good thing because I can realize the story's full potential. Other times, I need to take a break from that fan-created content or swear off it forever because I will begin to feel like I'm being controlled by the Internet's views and opinions - a bandwagoner, so to speak.
This can also be reversed, like for Twilight. I gave up on it and found it just ok but not capturing my attention. But when I went on the Internet and viewed all the hater content, I got angrier and more offensive towards the books and movies because of the influence of the haters. I had to stop looking at Twilight-related content for a good while until I could reaffirm my opinions and find out what I really thought about the works.
This can also be reversed, like for Twilight. I gave up on it and found it just ok but not capturing my attention. But when I went on the Internet and viewed all the hater content, I got angrier and more offensive towards the books and movies because of the influence of the haters. I had to stop looking at Twilight-related content for a good while until I could reaffirm my opinions and find out what I really thought about the works.
Mod
Ooh that is an excellent point! The internet can manipulate our thoughts quite a bit. They can make our dislike towards a novel or author grow vice versa. I never really thought of that until you brought it up! :) :D
That happens to me quite often. When I go to post a review, I find myself reading other reviews and changing my opinion on the spot, and having to concentrate to bring back what I really felt. It makes me feel almost self-conscious to write how I truly felt about a book when maybe a lot of people felt the opposite of me.And I also find myself buying so many books. From Goodreads, to YouTube, to Twitter, there are so many more mediums for finding recommendations that it is difficult to finish all of my TBR books before wanting to purchase another armful. I've also won quite a few giveaways on this site as well as through Twitter, and it only adds more TBR books, although when I win more, I seem to buy less. And hey, who can complain about free books?!
Ultimately, it's made my love of reading grow exponentially, because I'm able to discuss these books and see other reactions to them and share this passion for literature that I don't see all too often in people surrounding me "in real life." It makes me look deeper into my books and get more out of them as well as broaden my horizons on what books I will read.
To be honest, I don't see the problem in adding to our TBR lists . . . why is that on the negatives list? Surely the more books the merrier? Even if we have plenty now, we may run out of recommendations in the future . . . I know many a person who doesn't read simply because they 'have nothing to read'. The main con for me would be all the time I spend on the internet . . . that's what really affects my reading. Things like Goodreads started out as websites for book recommendations, but turn into social networking sites for me, what with all the amazing people I've met. Yes, we discuss books, but also films, TV and everything under the sun.
On one hand, I have a fatter TBR list, on the other, I'm getting through that TBR list a lot slower, what with all the time I'm spending on the internet instead of reading. Sometimes I think I spend more time discussing books than actually reading them, and that's when it's time for a break from the internet xD
It's frustrating to me to have so many books on my shelves that I haven't read. I feel pressured almost to keep up with whatever books are being talked about a lot and have other books sitting forever before I read them. It's great to have so many to read, yes, but it's also a little overwhelming, I suppose. Not to mention the million free books I end up downloading from Amazon that get shared on Goodreads and Twitter! I am thankful to have each every one of my books, though. :)
Mod
I've put huge TBR lists on the negative side because although there are all these brilliant books I feel like I never actually end up reading them because I find new books and decide to re-read books instead of getting to them. And a lot of the time I don't find a certain book interesting and it ends up being abandoned when maybe if I tried harder I would have liked it.
I'm not sure if that makes sense.
Also I totally agree with the 'Spending more time discussing books instead of reading them'.
On one side it's great to discuss your love for books and get it out there in the world but it can sometimes make us forget other priorities such as actually reading.
The internet has opened up my eyes to what books are out there that would interest me. I have also been introduced to so many different genres that i probably wouldn't have ventured to read before, authors and types of books that are perhaps atypical to my 'usual' reading tastes. I have been able to converse with so many people who are equally as passionate about the written word as i am. I have been able to explore bookstores online and reading groups, blogs and book websites that have only increased my love for reading! Without the internet i am not sure if i would have had the courage (perhaps not drive as such but definately the guts) to start writing a novel and continue writing every, single, day. I have naturally spent a lot more time reading, writing and discussing books than i ever used to - but i don't see this is a negative at all. Yes, i have spent more money on buying books because of all the wonderful things i have discovered online and new releases etc.
Positives:- I always thought that I was alone in liking to read. Not many people I know like reading, so I felt like a freak in comparison. It opened my eyes to a whole world of bookworms!
- I have discovered so many new books that I would never have known about beforehand - I am able to buy books with higher ratings so that I know which ones I have a better chance of liking.
- Discussions about books and book-y topics with other members that expanded my view of the book world.
- I'd never have been pushed into writing if it hadn't been for small competitions on here and NaNoWriMo
- Yearly goals that pushed me to read more
- A giant TBR pile so I know what to read next and what I've already read
- So many bookbuds!
Negative:
- I probably spend more time on here than actually reading!
Mod
Like Kendall mentioned, sometimes the Internet can be more of a distraction than a help. But often, for me, the Internet is a way of making my bookworm life easier.
Instead of fruitlessly scanning the bookshelves at my local library and picking out books with cute covers, I can hop onto Goodreads, check through lists and bookshelves (e.g. 'YA Fiction November 2013' in Goodreads listopia was a great search!) and then narrow down which books I'm looking for when I head to the library/bookstore.
The Internet has also made me more aware of the ever-changing release dates of books.
I no longer have to bug the lady at the Dymocks register with the line: "Can you check when this one comes out?" I now have the means to look up books and figure out when they'll be released, so I can pre-order/order them accordingly.
The Internet also makes it easier for readers to gain exclusive reading chances. Readers can receive ARCs of books, drafts of books and even participate in giveaways - receiving books electronically as well as physically. Opportunities that wouldn't be easy to access without the Internet.
Not to mention this whole group wouldn't be possible!!
But I think it has also made the reading experience more complex (whether that is a good/bad thing is really up to the reader to decide for themselves.) It's not just about finding a good book and reading it anymore. It's about analysing it, reviewing it, checking out the hype on it, etc. Sometimes this is a great thing. The reading experience has truly evolved since (e.g.) Austen's time! But sometimes it can feel a little overwhelming.
But the ultimate 'down side', so to speak, for me...is the TBR list.
That horrible TBR list!
Thanks to the Internet it just grows, and grows, and grows...! I keep finding so many books I had no idea about. My TBR list currently stands at 1808! And I bet, by the end of tomorrow (or even today!) it will grow even bigger.
I'll never ever catch up. And that is a frustrating thing for someone who loves to read and wants to read as many books as she possibly can!
However, meeting such wonderful bookworms through the power of the Internet is an experience that trumps all the hassles that Internet usage can bring to our reading lives, I think :)
I really don't like the fact that the internet has made people a lot more critical about the books they read. Like BN said, people are too focused on analyzing and reviewing to just focus on why we all read in the first place. I just want to read to explore new worlds and go on adventures; I couldn't care less about the fine details that most members will take into consideration, causing them to drop their rating from a 5 to a 3. Can't we just enjoy it for what it is and not worry about the little details?
I think that the internet can fuel an obsession but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I love being able to express my love for things and to be able to talk to people who love the same things I do. I am the only one in my family that likes to read so Goodreads is a place where I can go and be myself. That's a beautiful thing.
H99 wrote: "Fuel the obsession, yes, or even light the first spark. I thought I was the only one here! I'm the only person in my family who likes to read too!"
Really? I'm glad I'm not alone! It's weird being surrounded all the time by people who don't like to read.
H99 wrote: "Exactly. No one understands me when I scream and jump up and down when receiving the final book in a trilogy."Same here. I'm the odd man out in my family.
It is an obsession and one that certainly has grown since being a member on Goodreads. With the internet i am now able to browse online bookstores {like Waterstones for example} without having to wait to go into the shop - which is both useful and also tempting! It is just great to be able to know what is out there and when new books come out, as before i was always late in finding out if an interesting book had come out. For instance, when i was younger {& no IT} i found out about the release of a harry potter several weeks late!! With the internet i now would not have that issue.
Lucinda wrote: "It is an obsession and one that certainly has grown since being a member on Goodreads. With the internet i am now able to browse online bookstores {like Waterstones for example} without having to w..."I have to agree with you there. I love being able to know when new books are released so I can read them as soon as possible!
Yes, that is a really useful thing!! *grins*
Lucinda wrote: "Yes, that is a really useful thing!! *grins*"For sure!
H99 wrote: "Olivia wrote: "H99 wrote: "Exactly. No one understands me when I scream and jump up and down when receiving the final book in a trilogy."Same here. I'm the odd man out in my family."
Same. I'm t..."
Haha That's what I meant:P
H99 wrote: ":) I know that's what you meant... I just wanted to say it. :P"Haha understandable:)
H99 wrote: "Exactly. No one understands me when I scream and jump up and down when receiving the final book in a trilogy."I'm not the only one who reads in my family, but I'm the only one who really appreciates it. My mom thinks she's crazy about reading, but she doesn't cry or laugh while reading, or get excited when a sequel comes out. She also has the nerve to try talking to me and asking me questions while I'm in the middle of a book (this annoys me to no end). Meh.
H99 wrote: "Lady Poppy wrote: "H99 wrote: "Exactly. No one understands me when I scream and jump up and down when receiving the final book in a trilogy."I'm not the only one who reads in my family, but I'm t..."
Agreed.
Mod
Now I can just look up random things (or see what my friends read via Goodreads) and find a whole bunch of new books to read.
Reviews are always tricky. I usually try to stay away from them because I believe that the reader makes the book. Different readers have different tastes and thought processes, so everyone experiences the book differently.
When I read a review, I'm influenced by their experience, and I see things in the book that I hadn't seen before - which isn't always a bad thing, but I find it a bit sad when I love a book then in reading a review, realise all its flaws.
Of course, looking at my To Read list is always a terror. Look at all these books I cannot read in time for the next wave of book releases. There are a lot of series that everyone is into and talking about, all up to date with the latest book.. and I'm just sitting here going 'wait for me!'
And by the time I get up to it, the hype is over and there's a new thing.
Not a book, but for example the Lord of the Rings movies. Everyone's seen them and are over with them. I only started watching them on New Years Eve! Now that The Hobbit movies are coming out, everyone's excited again but it's not the same as when the movies first came out. (Maybe LOTR wasn't a good example because I was barely two years old when the first movie was released but you guys get the idea)
I'm terrible at catching up to things, and keeping up with things. If I have to wait for a new book to come out, sometimes I'll just forget about it and abandon the series. D:
Now with Goodreads, I'm hoping to change that!
H99 wrote: "Reviews are tricky, yes. Sometimes it's reassuring to find a person who agrees with you and not the majority's opinion, but sometimes it ruins a book for me. I try to not let reviews influence me t..."I agree totally.
When i write a review on a book and share my personal thoughts on it with others - i do so honestly and openly. My thoughts on that book are soely my own and i do not wish to alter one's own judgement on something ~ we all regard things differently and in our own unique way {especially regarding the imaginative mind}.
If you read reviews with an open mind and do not become influenced by strong opinions, then hopefully your own reading experience will not be altered.
Mod
I like reading reviews that agree with me but I almost always avoid negative reviews unless I myself didn't like the book.
This is because there will always be at least one person who doesn't like the book that everyone loved.
Also sometimes reviews are helpful if you aren't sure about picking up a certain book. Sometimes one really good, inspiring review can make you pick up the book you've been avoiding.
Mod
I love writing reviews, but I have noticed through my review blog, and on Goodreads, how people are starting to not think for themselves when it comes to choosing books. One person's opinion can honestly stop ten or more people from reading a book they might have otherwise enjoyed.
It's wrong, in a way. I always stress at the end of my reviews/in the comments section of them, that my opinion is just that - my opinion. Not yours. Not anyone else's. Mine. If I hate a book, it doesn't mean you'll hate it. You may love it and give it to your kids when you have them, and they'll pass it onto their kids! Or, you'll hate it too.
But you're experiencing books. You're learning new words, gaining knowledge and a wider understanding of literature.
The Internet seems to = validation, truth and fact for people nowadays. If it's on the Internet it's gotta be true! If 78% of Goodreads readers rated a book 3 stars out of 5, then it mustn't be 5 star material.
Wrong.
I think that we should be forming our own opinions. Does the book look interesting? Do you want to read it? Then do! I personally try not to read the reviews of books before I read them. I'll pick books I like, or have seen at the library, etc. and I'll read them. After I'm done, then I'll check out reviews.
Reviews of books hold a lot of power. When used for good, they can reveal new and brilliant books for people to check out. When used as a way of expressing one's opinion in a way that overrides everyone else's, then it can get out of control.
Mod
I love writing reviews, but I have noticed through my review blog, and on Goodreads, how people are st..."
100% agree!
Reading a book is such a personal experiance and we all see things and feel things differently to each other. What someone may love and connect with, another person may dislike and feel detatched from. Being such a personal persuit, reading is subjective and so i wouldn't pay too much attention to reviews. I would take the chance to read whatever you like...and then base your own judgements on what you felt, rather than not having an opinion of your own.
Mod
For e.g, with a few clicks you can discover what % of readers rated a book 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 or no stars. You can read reviews from thousands of people all of the world. These reviews can appear on the same sites where the book is being sold (e.g. Amazon) - which can affect whether or not people buy the book/take a chance on it.
Authors are more aware of the reception to their books. They don't have to go to lengths to receive statistics, or to find reviews. They're easily accessed via the Internet.
The internet has caused me to buy more books and then hang out on goodreads instead of reading them. I've made friends with people who like the same type of books like me, which is awesome!
I waste so much time on the Internet that I have less time to read and do other things. I've cut back a bit but it's still pretty bad... I have become aware of more books through GR tho so that's good :)
Same. I am so addicted to the internet.
Mainly it's made my TBR swell massively (when before I didn't even plan ahead at all!) and buy more books at a time than I used to. Just so many books out there that I didn't even know existed before coming here on GR.
Pretty much. It opens up so many more doors and shows all of the different genres and such that I never knew existed before.
It's been kind of bad for me. I hoard books and now with ebooks being so accessible, I hoard online and irl. It's so bad. I probably have about 4,000 books in total. >_<
I hoard books too. I honestly have no idea how many I have. I doubt it's anywhere near 4,000 though!
Olivia wrote: "I hoard books too. I honestly have no idea how many I have. I doubt it's anywhere near 4,000 though!"Same!
I met my best friend through Booktube! so thats a positive!!
When I think about it, I realize that without Goodreads and my library's website I'd be reading books with half the variety as I do! In some ways - social media, why-don't-I-just-check-out-this-website procrastinating - it decreases my reading time and critically so, but there seems to be a middle ground. For as much as people stick to the Internet instead of other pursuits there's advantages, and like I said, there are plenty of books that are gained in things like Goodreads, etc. It provides a veritable bazaar of books to read and discuss/fangirl/rant about and it affects the time we spend in reading.
I have only recently stepped into the world of online book-sharing and enjoying and thus far my single complaint is that I find myself on Goodreads more than I actually am reading, which I don't think was the intended purpose of the site!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znj1nX...
Now there are both positives and negatives to this topic.
Some negatives:
- The internet has caused me to buy more books constantly. I always see these books that everyone loves so I go buy a bunch of them and then my TBR pile just grows which can get frustrating.
- When people recommend me books because they love them but don't always consider my opinion as to whether it is a book I would pick up which kind of annoys me.
Some positives:
- Goodreads and the Internet has caused me to branch out in terms of genres. Well kind of. Before Goodreads I didn't really know of the existence of the YA genre I generally just read Children's books. But now I'm reading a bigger genre. Thriller novels, a couple of New Adult novels and heaps of YA novels as well as Classics.
- Discussions! I love all the people on Goodreads and other bookish places who discuss and share their love for books. I love that the Internet celebrates books and reading and has opened my eyes to some really amazing books and authors too.
So what are your opinions on How the Internet has affected our Reading?