A bunch of book bloggers are in a room together - what do they talk about?

[Florinda]

I will be attending the BlogHer'09 conference in Chicago in July, and have the opportunity to suggest a side session on a specific topic and/or for a particular blogger subgroup - it's called a "Room of Your Own." I'd like to propose one for book bloggers, but I have to include ideas about content in my suggestion, so I thought I'd throw it out here.

I've thought of a few subjects that could be discussed:
- blogger/author relations
- the best (and worst) publishers and reps to work with
- blog-building ideas specific to our topic
- what actually defines a "book blogger?" (Since I mix book-related posts in with other things, I'm not always sure I'm one myself!)

Would you attend a session like this? If you could meet up with other book bloggers to share information and opinions, what topics would you want to talk about?

I'd really like your thoughts and input! Thanks in advance, and if the session ends up happening (no guarantees - it's subject to polling), I'll let y'all know!

[Dave Rosenthal]

The author/blogger topic is a rich one -- just look at the comments in the forum "Bad reviews and angry authors". There are, of course, many other authors and publishers who are actively soliciting bloggers, as newspapers and magazines drift away from reviews.

[Wayne Hurlbert]

With newspapers and magazines cutting back drastically or eliminating book reviews entirely, there is a void in the book review area that bloggers can fill very effectively. The blog based reviews are grassroots, and bloggers have a natural and personal connection with their readerships. A blogger's recommendation is very likely to be shared or followed, due to the trust factor.

Smart publishers, large and small, are catching onto the power of the blogosphere, as well as the power of social media like Twitter and Facebook, and here at Book Blogs. With many of the print media in serious decline, and facing cutbacks and financial difficulties, the power of the internet and the blogging community as reviewers are on the rise. Not all publishers are moving toward the internet at the same speed, or with the same level of involvement. The industry leaders in adding the strength of internet communities to their marketing and reviews will be the leaders in the new media economy.

[Kristen M.]

I think a great subject would be how to make the most interesting book posts. You read so many that aren't much more than a big summary of the book with a one or two sentence opinion blurb at the end. Those aren't reviews, so much as book reports. I think that personal blogs get a lot more traffic because they have more emotion and relatability than book blogs. So how do we bring that in and bring in a new audience?

Now you have me thinking about going to BlogHer ... let me know if this makes it as a session!

[Maw Books]

How funny. Just last Friday I was in a room with a bunch of book bloggers!

I think author/blogger relations is a huge one!

How to make your blog stand out amongst the hundreds of book bloggers. Branding yourself as an authoritative reviewer.

Balance between personal info/book reviews posts.

How to review a book fairly and what do you owe the publisher/author when you agree to receive their book.