Breakfast with the Bookie is a semi-weekly feature here @ Badass Bookie which is making a reappearance in 2012. Every other Wednesday morning, let's all grab our teas and coffees to gather and discuss and share our opinions! Everyone is welcome to join and make sure you leave a comment to state your opinion. Don't be shy!A while back I addressed this question on Twitter and I got back a resounding YES from not only new bloggers but older bloggers who have been on the scene for more than a year or two! Honestly at first I didn't see the clique-yness of the blogosphere but lately I have been noticing the problem quite a bit - perhaps because I've been looking out for it.
I find a blogger on Twitter who said "Guess I'm fortunate that I met some folks who are willing to talk and help me out in getting started. I still find it hard to be 'in' with everyone though. You can definitely tell who is part of the in crowd and who's not."
Cliques are natural in communities there obviously going to be people who you are closer to then others and you might not be aware that you are being clique-y ( hell, I've probably been clique-y and not released it) but others notice it and I think it's something we should dissect in this discussion post! :)
The Different Cliques of the YA Blogosphere ( An Unfinished List) -
The Big Fish Clique - The experienced bloggers who have a couple of years under their sleeves and have rather successful blogs, seem to know their way around the publishing world. Bloggers who you look up to. The 'Professionals' ;)
The Country/State Pride Clique - The bloggers who's stick together because of their nationality. They talk about things you have never heard off and joke with each other over twitter and seem to be GREAT friends!
The Age Similarity Clique - Bloggers of close age that stick together. The mommy bloggers friends with the mommy bloggers. The teen bloggers friends with the teen bloggers. The uni bloggers friends the uni bloggers.
The Fan Girl Clique - Bloggers who share a love for a book and stick together to express their love.
My Opinion - The Dissection and How Can We Close the Barrier?
Honestly, Bloggers are very nice people, especially book bloggers. I've been on the receiving end of generosity and kindness that has really touched me. I think that the clique-yness is unintentional and some bloggers might feel that they're being excluded it could simply be because it takes time to form a close friendship with other people ( even bloggers!) and that friendship can take years to form. It's not as easy as starting a book blog and immediately becoming BFF with others.
Like every other relationship in life, it takes time to form the bond. Best way to close the barrier would be to socialise. Twitter is a great way to make new friends and form those bonds. And while the clique-yness can be seen on Twitter as well, make the effort to reply to other people tweets and to follow many people!
As for those who have already got those close friends ( I know I do!) - I think it would be great if everyone could take the time to reply bloggers who tweet you, go out of your way to make others feel welcome and definitely support those bloggers who have trouble starting out and need a helping hand! :)
Now, what's your two cents? Topic is open for discussion!
Badass Bookie xx
You know, I didn't really notice the clique-yness until I joined Twitter last year. At first I was completely floored and even discouraged, mostly from watching the published authors chatter back and forth like they're all college roommates. It's seriously impossible to break into their bubble until you get published yourself (which I get... they have a LOT of fans so they can't befriend everyone). But I agree, most everyone involved in the blog/publishing world is extremely nice.
ReplyDeleteI'm not popular enough really to have many bloggers asking me questions, but I've had a few, and I thought it was fun helping them get started. We were all newbie bloggers at one point in time!
Ha, there are definite cliques, and they're SO obvious. But I also thinks it's pretty easy to make friends in the blogosphere, especially through twitter.
ReplyDeleteI haven't noticed but I'm often in my own little world:) I'm sure I will be looking for it now though! Very interesting post. Shari over at My Neurotic Book Affair
ReplyDeleteI am a fairly new book blogger; I just started in the beginning of November last year, so I've been around for less than four months still.
ReplyDeleteI can honestly say that I haven't noticed much cliquiness at all. I follow a lot of book bloggers on Twitter, and have never felt left out by any one person or group. If I tweet at someone, I always get a reply, no matter what clique other people might feel like that blogger belongs to. I think in general you just have to put yourself out there a little bit; if you don't ever dare contact someone because you assume they won't care - you're obviously never going to get anywhere. Yes, it can be a little intimidating, but yoy won't get to know other bloggers unless you actually make an effort:)
I agree with Nina, while I do do notice certain people stick together on twitter, I don't think they are against occasionally letting someone in.
ReplyDeleteI especially once they have a chance to meet you IRL where I think a lot of the connections are made.
I guess you have to meet and connect with new bloggers till you find a place to fit in.
- Jess
I hadn't really noticed cliques, but now that you've pointed it out, I can defintley see it! As a newish blogger, when I got myself a twitter account, I could tell who was friends with who. As I'm on twitter quite a bit, I see those connections and alot of the same people, tend to stick and only mingle with only a bunch. I know that it takes time to make friends (it's even harder when it's done online) but I feel as if, I've come in late and everyone's already buddied up. Luckily, I've a made a few close twitter friends which I hope to further our friendship and meet loads of other bloggers! :)
ReplyDeleteI think if everyone tried to include or reply to someone outside of their little circle it would help. But it's normal for birds of a feather to flock together!
ReplyDeleteI've had more than my fair share of unanswered tweets just sent out in general and then sent to specific bloggers. I don't know if they are being cliquish or are just not seeing my tweets or just don't care, but I leave feeling a little embarrassed. I've had some fun chats with an author and a blogger where the tweets have been flying so fast I wouldn't have noticed if anyone commented. So that could be happening. But, if I want an author to know something, I usually visit their twitter account and tweet them there. They do all seem like college roommates or sorority sisters, but I think they like their fans, too. I just think of them as rock stars so I'm too afraid to approach them. I usually make friends with people outside of twitter and then talk to them on twitter. But really for the most part, bloggers are a great group of people and very kind. They bend over backwards to try to help you. Friend me on twitter and chat to me, I'm always open for a chat if I'm on!
ReplyDeleteHeather
I think this cliques exist, sort of, since I feel like the groups are there, but there's no rule that says you can't jump from group to group or be in many. I have found that everyone in the blogging community is mainly wonderful :)
ReplyDeleteI never noticed either, but now that you bring it up I can totally see this! But I think you are right, it is unintentional. I have been book blogging for almost 2 years and while I know I have a good number of reviews and discussions under my belt I by no means feel like an expert. And I will even admit that sometimes I feel 'outside' the book blogging circle but I also realize that this one of those things that you literally get out of it what you put into it. If you are sitting around not talking to anyone (commenting, twitter, etc) then you probably will not get the same response - no matter how great you blog is.
ReplyDeleteThis post is great because it really has opened my eyes. Thank you so much for posting this!
I am super duper shy and sensitive so I am hyper aware of this kind of stuff. I feel like a ninny just admitting to this btw.
ReplyDeleteI was ALWAYS teased for being a library/book geek so I felt I'd have kindred spirits when I began blogging, and I have felt (on occasion) as if I was in a contest for best ARCs received that week, best this, best that, etc. and all that jazz.
It kinda discouraged me a little bit but then I realized that with anything there is a natural competitiveness.
We are only human and to feel a bit of envy or whatever is natural and nothing to be ashamed of. Its what you do with those feelings that define you.
I will admit I am feeling how ever way & work it out so it doesn't own me.
It is NORMAL for ppl to pair up with like minded ppl.
Like in school we had certain tables in the lunch room where certain kids sat.
I have never seen one group exclude another blogger or anything as nasty as that.
I think the issues we see are inner group conflicts.
Which are normal too. The bestest of pals fight and make up (hopefully).
Sadly our lives are online & everyone will be able see the drama unfold and toss in their 2 cents. That 2 cents may escalate a situation or nip it in the bud.
Its a slippery slope.
I am by nature an introvert so I am "safe" in certain ways but its not always the best way to be.
Thanx for the good post btw. It was well thought and impartial and funny too.