My email: st.donoghue [at] gmail My Instagram: stevesbookstagram My little Patreon, should you be feeling generous: / snappp My poor neglected Goodreads: stevedonoghue My encouragement to write for: openlettersreview
I envy the people who regularly make brilliant discussions, who have better lifelong literary educations and/or better awareness of new publications, who are faster readers, etc. The pro is that I get to enjoy and learn from them! Thank you for being one of those people.
Wow I can really relate to this. I am so poorly read and partly as I’m a cripplingly slow reader. Though I feel that envy I know I need it as a driving force to help motivate me.
@@sarahandersonbookreviews-en9ur Do you mean to be responding to me? I watch him because he is my friend in real life, because he is my editor, and because he is incredibly knowledgeable as well as entertaining. Why are you here?
@@sarahandersonbookreviews-en9ur I am asking quite literally. I gave my reasons for being here in both my comment to Steve and my comment to you. At least from your comment, it seems like you were already disappointed in the booktube community. So I am asking quite literally, why are you here? What brings you to booktube now if it irritates you?
This is one of my favorite Steve Donoghue videos already. And the biggest pro on the list is that it's just plain fun. I don't even distinguish between my "online" friends and my other friends, anymore... When I mention Steve Donoghue to someone, I'm just as likely to refer to you as "my friend Steve" as anything else. And I'm also glad that someone paced the way for me to just turn on the camera and start talking.
As I'm watching your video, Steve, I'm asking myself why I truly wanted to create my own booktube channel ... and your few pros listed nailed it for me. I want to make meaningful connections with like-minded people (and non like-minded), share my love of books and reading with them and be a part of something larger and maybe make some friends along the way. Everyone I watch and follow inspires me to get better and be more confident with this booktube thing that I've decide to do. Thanks for a great post!
This was a really great video Steve! I’ve seen a lot of these pros and cons. I can definitely understand people saying they “got their reading back.” That can be a weird transition, and it doesn’t always work for everyone.
Count me in the gigantic mass of people who had no one with whom to discuss books! Booktube is, by far, the majority of my online viewing. I love it. But there's no way I could ever have a channel. That is not even something that crosses my mind as being anywhere near the realm of possibility. Might as well tell me to flap my arms and fly. I can't fathom anyone wanting to watch me or hear me talk about anything. I can't imagine what it's like to have that type of confidence. Or whatever it is that normal people have that I don't have. Don't get me wrong. I promise I don't sit around crying about it. I've never had the desire. Watching this video is the most I've ever thought about it at all. It's just that having the ability to put yourself on a screen and expect other people to watch you is something so far from my experience as a human being that it's like we're entirely different species of creatures. I'm glad such people exist. More power to you all!
I agree with a lot of your points, and my reading has expanded loads since becoming part of book tube. I have also made many friends that mean a lot to me. I also love hearing how different the discourse is about books, science fiction especially, and I have plans to reread books that are generally thought of fondly that didn’t hit it for me. Great video.
My channel is just a hobby to document my thoughts I've recently read; while also keeping my audio and video editing skills sharp, since I have a bachelor's degree in broadcasting video and audio production with a minor in theatre preformance. I read for the enjoyment of reading. I don't want my hobby to become a job. 🙂❤📚
Interesting list. I think it's lovely when people agree, but also like it when people respectfully disagree or have a different opinion from my own, because that in many cases is what inspires conversations.
This was a really good breakdown. While I don't think I'm particularly good at videos or clear in my opinions this reminds me of why I wanted to do it. Monologuing isn't natural for me but practicing will help me articulate my thoughts better and the people who comment have been a joy. It's also teaching me better time management
Illuminating. I appreciate you sharing your experience. I'm quite introverted, but I want to interact with others in some extra way. Booktube caught my eye. For me, this idea of the publication of myself feels heavy, so I end up not taking it that seriously. And that is actually fun. However, I ultimately want to learn to get over myself (not trying to speak for all introverts in saying this), and partly to do this, I feel I must share something publicly and stop being too scared. This "public speaking" practice will tighten some knots in my fisherman's net, I tend to hope, and I'll be fortified.
I have no desire to have my own Book Tube channel, but I am glad people do. I can listen to what another person, or several other people think about a book. If I disagree with them, it may encourage me to go to the library and look into it again. Or not, but I enjoy listening to other readers.
I don't always like the books read by the booktubers I watch but I watch for the personality of the person. I love the passion and the thoughtfulness of their discussions.
What a delightful video, Steve. I was nodding my head in agreement throughout. There are very few booktube cons for me and they are so heavily outweighed by the pros. I did have someone once say in a comment that I was disgusting 😂
I can't imagine anyone considering you or your content in any way, shape, or form as disgusting, Gina! Your channel and discussions are delightful and enjoyable, and that person was obviously mistaking you for someone else entirely. 🤔
What is WRONG with people?! I watched a couple of your vids and subscribed after he mentioned you. You seem like such a likeable, enjoyable, approachable person. I know saying, "Ignore the creeps", is easier said than done. I'm sorry to hear that anyone said such an ugly thing to you. If I'd seen it, I would have told them off. They are the ones who are disgusting. I can't stand to see people treated like that.
For me, I could never get past "camera shyness" and just be myself. Maybe eventually I would've, but then one of my poor, awkward little videos got over a thousand views and I discovered that that was not a number I particularly liked the idea of, so I retired and foreswore my worldly vanities. - But anyone thinking about making videos should try it!!! - To my surprise I, like you said, made real friendships, friendships I now would never do without. Long live BookTube!
Please come back, Wilsonn! I’m still not over my camera shyness, but booktube has been so helpful in my efforts to be more at ease speaking in public. I’m always pleased (and a little astonished) that people are so patient with us quiet folk around here.
There's a pretty big BookTuber here in Brazil who does these live events where he goes through his viewers' Skoob (a site/app that allows you catelogue the books you've read, want to read, and those that you've abandoned). It plays almost like a roast, but these live shows he does are quite entertaining. Having someone else go through the books you've read and what you thought of them is deliciously fun. Great video, young sir. You're clutches are legendary. My least favorite booktube videos: when person shows themselves calmly reading throughout the day interlaced with their daily routines....these zen-like moments. Perhaps I envy them. My reading day takes place in a mosh pit.
Thanks Steve, a great conversation. I've had this conversation with both myself and my wife and we concluded that the public aspect is just too scary 😮 for the moment I'll stick to the occasional comment. 😊
Fyi, I started watching your videos because several booktubers I liked mentioned you, favorably. I have quite a few online friends via Goodreads and Dewey's readathons, but I like the video format for letting me see the people I interact with. I've been working with the same team of admins for several seasons now for Dewey's readathon, but I only know what a couple of those ladies look like, and then only because I started a facebook chat for admins and to add people to the admin chat easily they have to be my fb friends.
No interest in having my own channel but as others have said I am glad others do. I do not have anyone in my own life that likes to talk about books and those that do talk to me I can tell when they are being polite. I appreciate all perspectives. I do not have to agree with everyone's opinion to appreciate the content presented. The downside of booktube for me has been highlighted in other video's I have watched this week. Over purchasing books beyond what I can read. I do not want to miss out. I want to read what others are reading. I do not have the time to dedicate to reading as I work 40+ hours with a 2 hours drive time each day. I prefer physical books to audio books. I do feel the draw of thrifting a sought after title. Steve, I appreciate your commentary. Watch frequently. Gain knowledge and insight from your content.
I’m one of those commenters who likes having an outlet to talk books wither other people. I have a total of six people in my life to talk books with, outside of Book Tube. Of those six, I’m the only one who reads a little bit of everything. None of them read enough of my favorite authors that I can geek out about small details. Like everything Star Wars stole from Dune, and the DeCamp Conan controversy, for example. I love all the fun disagreements on Book Tube. Even ones I disagree with. Like Conan being “trash” for garbAugust, and I do like Star Wars and the Dune 1984 movie.
New con point.... just when you're sitting down to do your NaNoWriMo writing for the day... a new Steve video jumps up like a puppy, demanding your attention... filling your mind with thoughts of a reply video....
A con of BookTube, is you're going to discover books that you are going to buy that another BookTuber recommended to you and you're not going to like it, but hey, thats the risk you take.
I find the whole thing almost saturated with elitism. Firstly, the vultures who stalk every newbie video looking for who they think 'might' be popular, commenting the same thing on each and every person - simply hoping for a sub. Then the big youtubers who make content to sell - sell clickbait and gain more subs for them..less comments for the audience who actually care enough to watch. Then the little guys who have hardly any views and yet make very genuine and articulate content but will never be part of any 'community' here. It's a terrible subculture of RU-vid, masquerading as one of the best.
30:27 "As one British booktuber put it when he didn't think he was being observed, they're vermin." EEK! I hope I never run into this person! I'm trying to think of Brit Booktubers I watch. I don't think I have anyone like that. Sheesh! Being thought of that way is probably my biggest fear as a viewer. Thankfully, everyone I watch seems like a decent enough person. But, wow, how disgusting.
