It's a blog eat blog world and everyone's taking a bite

There's something sad going on in the book community right now. It has been going on for quite a while, reaching the point where I have to speak up. I can't not say anything any longer. Toes may be broken, and by the end of this post, my soap box may be a big pile of wood chips. You may even want to pick up those wood chips and throw them in my face, but this needs to be said. Changes need to be made. That big fat elephant in the room needs to be taken down! Now!

When did blogging become this huge competition? When did our love for books turn into petty jealousy and harsh words? When did things get so bad that it has literally driven bloggers away? Sites closed, facebooks deleted? When did it stop being about passion, support, and promoting authors? When did we all get so selfish?

The venom I read and hear about on a daily basis, burns. Bloggers bashing other bloggers. Bloggers bashing bloggers to other authors. Yes...to authors!! Bloggers bashing bloggers to anyone who will listen. Sadly sometimes even authors getting in on the bashing.

So what pray tell are the horrid crimes of these bloggers to justify such extremes?

These extremes are fueled by jealousy. This blogger got that book early. That blogger has a closer relationship with this author. She got this. They got that. She talks to her on the phone. That blog got an exclusive. She was mentioned in the acknowledgments. That author posted on her wall. It makes my head hurt!!

I don't care if you hot tub naked with E.L. James while painting each others toenails, sharing a margarita with two straws. It's not about us!

It's not about you!

We need to remember why we blog. We blog to share something we love, something that has inspired passion, evoked emotion. We blog to promote authors, their books. It's about them!! It's not about what's in it for us. Yes, I've gotten amazing opportunities and developed close relationships because I blog. Books, friendships, an amazing network of individuals that share something that is very precious to me, but that is what it's all about, sharing. And trust me, there's plenty of author love to go around. They may not know each blogger individually or comment on your post, but they appreciate everyone equally, everyone. We do this for them. We do this for our readers. We don't do this for ourselves!

We shouldn't be tearing each other down. We should be building each other up, supporting each other. Because don't we all share the same goal? We should. By supporting each other, we're supporting the books we love and the authors that created them.

Trust me, I know it's hard sometimes. Seeing another blogger get something you want. I've been there. I'm not faultless, not even close. It's okay to be envious, that's human nature, but the jealousy and behind the back bashing needs to stop.  We are grown ass men and women acting like we're in high school. The ridiculous drama gets so bad that I've even hovered over the delete button on a few occasions. It's hard to see something I love getting tainted by such ugliness. Sometimes I just want to wash my hands of it all, but then I remember why.

Rise above. Remember what it's all about.

If you want to crawl over me on your way to the top, I'll give you a boost. It's not about me. This post may even send me into blogger exile or cause me to lose a few followers, but that's my point. It's not about being on top. It's about doing your part and every part, no matter how big or small is important.

We are better than this!