The rating system is an important part in book blogging. Whether it's based on words, number, or letter grades, the rating system is highly beneficial to both bloggers and readers. So many pros...does this mean I should have one?
To me, the rating system is an enemy. I hate it. It's a terrible, terrible idea for the blogger-side of me. I'm indecisive and don't like offending people. If I were to see a review on which I gave a D minus, I would feel worse about it than I would if I had just wrote a lengthy post about the reasons why I didn't like the book. It feels harsh. And seeing that, I would most likely cop out of giving anything lower than a C completely. Which isn't very honest. Especially if I hated the book. There'd be a conflict of what is more important: being honest or feeling bad about giving such a low review. Of course, I'd go with the first but who wants something on their blog that bugs them? No one.
For the blogger-me, rating systems are also bad for GOOD books. I told you I'm indecisive. When a book is good, how do I know if it's a B plus or an A minus? How do I differentiate between the two? Or should I just have number ratings? But what if I need to go into decimals? What if whole numbers just don't cut it? How do I differentiate between a 3.4 and a 3.5? See what I mean? How do I decide? Unless someone has already wrote rules for this, I cannot put a rating system on my blog. Too much work.
BUT, readers. The only reason I'm even considering this at all. Rating systems make life SO MUCH easier for readers. If you don't have the time or the energy to read through a review and the author has a rating system, you're like, "OHMIGOD I LOVE YOU KISS THE EARTH KISS THE EARTH DO A LITTLE DANCE WHEEEEEEEEEEEE".
I know, because this happens to me. All. The. Time.
It's awesome, isn't it? It's the fact that it's so decisive that makes it work. Yes. You decide what it is and everyone else uses that to their benefit. Oh, an F? Not reading this book. But look, this one has an A plus plus! Yes, reading this book. But deciding is so HARD!!! I can't do that. I can't. No matter how much it would benefit my readers. Or...maybe I should? Hmmm, should I?
Update: After being on blogs and talking to some people, I have decided yes, I will use a rating system. But not a number system or a star system, a word system! This is way vaguer and helps me so much more! In this case, vague = clear. Yes? Yesh.
For the blogger-me, rating systems are also bad for GOOD books. I told you I'm indecisive. When a book is good, how do I know if it's a B plus or an A minus? How do I differentiate between the two? Or should I just have number ratings? But what if I need to go into decimals? What if whole numbers just don't cut it? How do I differentiate between a 3.4 and a 3.5? See what I mean? How do I decide? Unless someone has already wrote rules for this, I cannot put a rating system on my blog. Too much work.
BUT, readers. The only reason I'm even considering this at all. Rating systems make life SO MUCH easier for readers. If you don't have the time or the energy to read through a review and the author has a rating system, you're like, "OHMIGOD I LOVE YOU KISS THE EARTH KISS THE EARTH DO A LITTLE DANCE WHEEEEEEEEEEEE".
BTW, am I the only one who misses this show????
I know, because this happens to me. All. The. Time.
It's awesome, isn't it? It's the fact that it's so decisive that makes it work. Yes. You decide what it is and everyone else uses that to their benefit. Oh, an F? Not reading this book. But look, this one has an A plus plus! Yes, reading this book. But deciding is so HARD!!! I can't do that. I can't. No matter how much it would benefit my readers. Or...maybe I should? Hmmm, should I?
Update: After being on blogs and talking to some people, I have decided yes, I will use a rating system. But not a number system or a star system, a word system! This is way vaguer and helps me so much more! In this case, vague = clear. Yes? Yesh.
I personally don't use a rating system. Honestly, it's because I would have no idea how to rate a book. Sometimes I read books and as soon as I finish them I'm like THIS IS THE BEST BOOK IN THE ENTIRE WORLD FIVE MILLION STARTS NOTHING WILL EVER BE AS GOOD AS THIS and then a few months later I look back and realize that I really didn't like the book that much.
ReplyDeleteOn my blog, I usually don't bother with negative reviews. One of the reasons is that I'm really not a harsh critic when it comes to books. Like, I usually don't completely hate the books I read. Sure, I have plenty of problems with them, but I usually don't have a ton of bad things to say about them.
Also, for me, if I don't like a book, I don't really want to waste my time thinking about it for any longer than I absolutely have to. So I often won't bother writing a negative review. I prefer to just focus on writing reviews about books that I think are so amazing that everyone has to read them right now. :)
Overall, I don't think rating systems are necessary. When reading reviews, it's usually pretty easy to find out whether or not the blogger liked the book just from the first few sentences. So, yeah, if you think a rating system would be hard for YOU, but easy for your readers, I wouldn't bother with a rating system. I think people who read reviews are fine reading the entire thing to determine whether or not they should consider reading it.
Wow, that was a long comment. Sorry about that. :P Anyway, it's your blog, so basically, you can do whatever you want. :D
-Rachel
Wow, thank you so much for your insight! I think you're right. Rating systems are kind of a bother for me and like you said, readers can read the entire thing to determine if they should read the book! Again, thank you for your comment! You were a big help!
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