Top Ten Tuesday, as always, is hosted at my other blog — The Broke & the Bookish
This week’s topic: Top Ten Blogging Confessions
I originally did this post a couple years ago after we talked about our top ten bookish confessions but I’m going to add to this though some may be the same!
1. Sometimes I feel like I spend too much time blogging and feel quite unbalanced.
I’ve talked about the blurred lines I feel recently but I really struggle with this. It’s hard because I love doing all this but other times I feel like it’s TOO MUCH.
2. I’m never ahead with my blogging schedule.
Ever. The most I’m ever ahead is a week and that’s when I really have my shit together. I’m always like a day or two ahead if that. 4 years and I haven’t managed to find the art of getting ahead? OH WELL. I seem to work well like this.
3. I currently have 89 drafts with half finished posts.
And this doesn’t include my list of post ideas. Some of them are just a couple sentences for an idea I had for a post and I get it down in a draft so I know where I was going with it and some are ALMOST finished posts but it’s RIDICULOUS. I have too many ideas apparently.
4. I’ve fallen behind on commenting on blogs and replying back to my comments and I can’t tell you how much guilt I feel.
I used to be really on top of that and then I wasn’t and it’s hard for me because the community is what has kept me doing this for 4 years. A lot of it had to do with this but also I let my guilt about it kind of get in the way to the point where I just don’t do ANYTHING about it because I feel so bad. I read EVERY SINGLE COMMENT and I’m trying to get better.
5. I often feel overwhelmed with trying to keep up on social media with my blog.
Honestly, there’s days where I just don’t feel like socializing or don’t have anything to say. I know I can choose NOT to and it’s okay but then I feel this nagging in my head like THOU SHALT BE ON SOCIAL MEDIA LEST THOU SHALL BE FORGOTTEN IN AN INSTANT. I don’t know why my brain talks like that but it does. Seriously though, I love talking to people but sometimes I just feel overwhelmed by it all. I can’t keep up on all the conversations.
6. Sometimes I’m tired of being part of somebody’s marketing plan.
I so appreciate all the things I get to be a part of and all the books that I get for review because I LOVE GETTING SHOUTY ABOUT BOOKS I LOVE but sometimes I’m just so over being part of somebody’s marketing plan. I have to refocus a lot and remember I’m reading the book because I want to. And if I’m reading it because I feel like I HAVE to then I put it down. This is why I decided I wasn’t going to call myself a book reviewer anymore — I needed that distinction FOR MYSELF so I could keep doing and loving this. I’m a girl who likes to read a lot and I like to talk/blog about what I read whether I liked it or not. I’ve come a long way with being okay with NOT writing a review of books I don’t want to and give myself permission to feature it in some other way. I’m not going to lie…sometimes it’s gotten to the point where I almost want to get myself taken off every list and never read ARCs ever again. But then I get back the feelings of I LOVE BEING PART OF THIS STUFF and I’m good for a while until I get waves of feeling burnt out. It’s always a refocusing game for me.
7. I deny about 80% (I don’t know where that math came from) of the blog tours pitched to me.
I’m really, really picky about what I accept. It needs to either be for a book our author that I love or am excited about. Sometimes I’ll do it if I think it will REALLY appeal to my readership (namely a giveaway of something popular) but my own feelings are MEH about it. Also, I need the content for the blog tour to be actual CONTENT. I don’t want some filler post. I want something interesting and valuable and something I’d want to read.
8. My blog emails are out of control.
I’m the worst at responding to emails so if you email me and it takes me forever..it’s not you…it’s me! Email is always the last thing on my to-do list for some reason ESPECIALLY when I’m busy.
9. Sometimes I worry about being judged for “liking too many books” on my blog
No, I don’t LOVE every book and not all are my favorites but I have way more books that I’ve at least LIKED compared to the ones I didn’t like, felt MEH about or hated on this blog. I’m not UBER critical and I am REALLY good at knowing what books I will like. Like really good. And I put down books pretty quickly if I don’t think it’s going to work out. I just like to read books and talk about them and I hate that this feeling creeps up because I’m happy enjoying books and I choose not to be an uber critical reader. I’m okay with that because I know I’m being honest in how I feel about books and that’s what matters to me. (You can check out this post for expanded thoughts on this)
10. I’m still forever and always the slowest at getting out giveaway prizes:
When life gets busy, this is the thing I forget about. Plus getting to the post office before it closes? SO HARD. And Saturdays I’m always out the door before I remember OH HEY I NEEDED TO GO TO THE POST OFFICE. They always get there and maybe it’s a no-no for how long it takes me but such is life.
Bonus: I have lots of little blogging insecurities I won’t tell you about. But I have them. Even though I’m pretty chill about all this blogging stuff…I still have them and I can’t help seem to help it.
So tell me…if you are a blogger…what are some of your confessions?
Jen @ Pop! Goes The Reader says
So. I didn’t write a post for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday because I drew a blank when it came to this topic, but if I had, it would be almost 100% identical to yours. I could so closely relate to the things you discussed in this post, it was a little eerie.
I think I can most closely relate re: commenting, both in terms of replying to comments left on Pop! Goes The Reader as well as leaving comments on other blogs. Like you, the being a member of this wonderful, welcoming community is my favourite part of book blogging, and when I first began, I was unemployed and had an immeasurable amount of time to leave comments on a daily basis on all of my favourite blogs, as well as to reply to any that were left for me. Now, however, I work a full time job five days a week, and I’m lucky if I can schedule my own posts, let alone leave comments or do any other blog-related duties I used to enjoy. That isn’t to say I don’t read other blogs, however. There are many, like The Perpetual Page-Turner (*Wink*), Anna Reads, GReads, etc that I read read every single day, and I wish more than anything that I could comment on every post I read but I just can’t. It’s just not feasible, as much as I wish it were otherwise. I keep telling myself I will get better at this (“It’s a new week. Time to comment on all the blogs!”) but normally by Tuesday or Wednesday reality sets in and I’m back at square one. It’s so discouraging because I so badly want to support every blogger whose hard work I respect and enjoy, but there just aren’t enough hours in the day. But knowing this, knowing the reality and thinking about it rationally doesn’t help me deal with the guilt I still struggle with on a daily basis. I feel like I’m a failure when it comes to giving back to a community who has given so much to me.
Like you, I also worry about having my judgment called into question because of all of the books I favourably review on Pop! Goes The Reader. It feels strange and ungrateful to complain about, but I’ve been blessed to encounter a great number of four and five stars reads in 2014 and as a result my reviews have been much more positive this year. I think this is a combination of a number of factors. Unconsciously or otherwise, I’ve found myself less willing to write scathing or negative reviews than I used to be. My level of experience has also been a contributing factor. After reading for as long as I have, I’ve grown intimately aware of what works for me and what doesn’t. As a result, when I choose to read a book, either requesting it from a publisher or picking it up at the bookstore, the likelihood is that it includes something that has worked for me in the past, whether it be a theme that resonates with me or an author whose work I’ve grown to trust. That said, every time I post a four or five star review on the blog, raving about something I’ve read, I do worry. “Do people think I’m not discerning enough?” It’s tough and an impossible situation to be placed in. I don’t want to court a negative experience simply so I can write a review to counterbalance all the positivity. So what if I’m enjoying what I’m reading? Who cares if people call my judgment into question? When I write a favourable review, it’s because I believe in the book, and because it has touched me in some way. I shouldn’t have to feel the need to justify this or to impress others. As long as I’m being honest about my feelings and true to myself, that’s all that should matter. Yes, these negative insidious thoughts eat away at me at times, but I’m trying to be less concerned with how others perceive me. That said, as with anything, this is often easier said than done.
Jamie says
Yes! I used to have more time to comment as well and I used to be so on top of it and now it seems like I can barely find the time to write posts. I feel so guilty always. Aside from really struggling personally which I know has affected me, I think another thing for me happened, and I hope this doesn’t sound bratty, but last year and in 2012 I was getting a LOT of comments. Like a surge. And I was so happy because interaction was the most important thing to me because I WANTED to talk about all the things I was posting. But then I was getting overwhelmed. Like let’s say I got 50 comments…I would feel like okay I need to respond to all these…in addition to commenting on other blogs and I just found myself spending almost 3 hours on just that. And I couldn’t justify doing that with all the other things I had to do. I don’t know if it’s just me or it’s blogosphere-wide but my comments have gone down significantly…maybe it’s BECAUSE I couldn’t keep up with and people think I’m a bitch. Idk. I just know that I genuinely wanted to respond to everyone and I couldn’t and sometimes it made me just not do ANYTHING. I’m trying to get better at it now and setting realistic habits for myself and I just have to be okay with that.
SIGH. Oh well. YAY for us that we like so many books! We are still being true to ourselves! I don’t WANT to dissect everything apart that I read. I just don’t. For me, I find I push away reading when I do that so it’s not fun. For others, they might like dissecting books but I just don’t. I like to think thoughtfully about what I read but I’m not into super critiquing.
Chrissi Reads says
Very relatable confessions Jamie! I definitely have a lot of blogging insecurities. I am quite ahead of myself at the moment as I’ve had a holiday and was able to catch up with some blogging, but I feel a lot of pressure when I’m not ahead. Life just gets busy sometimes and I should try to worry less about my blog!
Jamie says
Ah that must feel so nice to be ahead! I always love when I’m like a week ahead and I always tell myself I’ll keep up that momentum but end up slacking off and finding myself back where I started. haha.. I’m the worst!
SarahClare says
The social media thing hits me hard. I don’t like (actually.. I ‘hate’) facebook so that’s a no. I like twitter, but sometimes I just want to be free of it. Not because I dont like to be interacting with people, but because I get stuck in a cycle of ‘if I dont tweet and surf the tweets no one will bother with my blog’ and really, that’s where I want to interact with people the most.
I think many of us bookish blogger types can and will relate to much of this list. It’s beautifully honest, and I think it gives me confidence to feel ok about having similar thoughts/feelings.
🙂
Jamie says
YES that is the same cycle. I want to genuinely talk to people but not all the time. I feel like I fall away from Twitter for a bit nobody talks to me when I return and I’m all WAH WAH. SIGH.
Yeah, I think in blogging it’s easy for these insecurities to come up and I rather like sharing them even if they make me seem crazy 😛
Kevin @ Tomebound says
Oh my god! Most of what you said is my confessions as well (particularly #1, 2, and 9). I have tons of insecurities regarding my blog but the number one thing is that I get so OVERWHELMED with the books that I want to read!
Great post! 😀
Jamie says
SO MANY BOOKS. And like I feel guilty sometimes because I feel like I shouldn’t complain because I know I am very fortunate — esp when it comes to the ARCs. So I just keep my trap shut and just generally feel smothered by all my books alone haha
Iris says
I really recognize myself in most of the things you said… When I started out blogging I was so much more organized, I did lots of Blog Tours, commenting on other peoples blog was a thing I did almost daily, and giveaway prizes were sent out the same day I announced the winner.
Unfortunately, that has changed quite a bit over the year. I had some weeks that I didn’t post ANYTHING. which I felt horrible about but I just couldn’t make myself write anything. I feel like I like too many books as well, but as you said, liking is not loving a book (there’s a huge difference!), I am late with sending out giveaway prizes… which I feel horrible about as well, but I can’t seem to find the time to drop them off at the post office and then one or two weeks later I would see the package on my desk and realize that I still need to send them (and feel even more horrible and rush to the post office). I haven’t done any blog tours in over 3 months I think. I used to participate in quite some of them, but lately I’ve become really picky (Don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing…).
Overall I think it is safe to say that we all have these insecurities, and whenever I get insecure I just remind myself that I love to read and that’s why I blog. So it doesn’t really matter if I take three steps back and then 1 forward, as long as I still love what I’m doing 😉
Great post Jamie!
Jamie says
I’m glad I’m not alone here! Especially re: giveaway prizes! I never enter giveaways so I never really know the practices of others in sending them out but OMG I CAN NEVER GET MYSELF THERE. It’s embarrassing.
And yes I think that’s key. Refocusing and remembering WHY we do this. All this stuff can be loud, loud noise and get in the way of the root of why we do this. We can complicate things that don’t need to be complicated unfortunately .
Isa @ Words in a Teacup says
Oh god finally somebody else who is never really ahead of their schedule. I feel so bad about it because I’m always just winging it, to be honest, and then I see other people talk about how they’re 4 or 6 or 8 or even 12 weeks ahead and I just want to weep and figure out the secret to their scheduling success.
Jamie says
*high fives* WAY TO GO US. haha. I’m always amazed at people who are ahead. Let’s break into their brains and find their secrets??
Cora @ Tea Party Princess says
Love your list 🙂
I’m terrible at getting prizes out too, seriously so so bad.
Cora @ Tea Party Princess
Jamie says
I always feel SOOOO BAD. I think that’s also part of why I don’t host a lot of giveaways because I know I’m awful at it.
Stormy says
It takes me FOREVER to get to the post office too. Sometimes I forget I have something I’m suppose to send out in the first place and I know Saturday hours vary from place to place but my post office is only open TWO hours on Saturday. Not a large window, and I pretty much work all the times they’re open in the week, unless I manage to squeeze in a run on my lunch break.
I worry about #9 too. I definitely write some pretty critical reviews on my blog and there’s a good mix but I’d say 80% of the books I read I really enjoy, and I’m a pretty critical reader–but at this point in my reading life I know what I like and what will make me put a book down fast. Sometimes I do post on why I put books down but not always–because there are some books I just KNOW within a chapter are not going to be for me.
Jamie says
I feel so much better knowing that I’m not the only one!! And yes Saturday hours are sooo much shorter and I always forget and they are closed!! GAHHH.
YES to everything you said re #9!! And I’m the same way with books I put down within a chapter — I just KNOW it won’t work but don’t have enough to say so i don’t say anything!
Anne @ booksbakingandblogging says
Wow, I TOTALLY relate to confession number 9. Like you, I’m really good at picking out books I think I will enjoy, and since I’m a fairly new blogger, I haven’t got any review copies yet (although I recently received my first request from an author, which was exciting). So, basically, most of the books I read, I like. There are very few negative book reviews on my blog, although I always try to be critical. Because of that I sometimes think people won’t take me and my book reviewing seriously. Still though, I’m not going to change my reviews because of that, obviously. I’ll always be honest and say what I think!
Jamie says
Yes! Even with review copies I know what I will like and what I won’t. Sometimes I’ll give a chance to something that people are really excited about but mostly it’s all books I would have picked up regardless of an ARC. (And yay for you getting your first request!! That’s so exciting!!)
Kristilyn (Reading in Winter) says
I’ve done the book reviewing thing for 5 years now, starting off slow and then getting into way too many things. Now I eased off and just want the blog to reflect me now and I don’t want to post reviews all the time or market books all the time. I will just post what I want when I want. It’s so much more freeing! And I was posting all of my scheduled posts (that I scheduled for the year!) in the past few months so the comments were nuts! Since having a baby I was getting way behind in replying to comments and that’s one of the things I love about blogging. I think it does help to have a certain time during the day where I read some blogs, reply to comments, and do the social media thing. Even if I only get 10 or 15 minutes in, it’s still something!
Jamie says
Yes I kind of followed the same pattern (4 years for me though) started slow and then really really plunged in. I’m definitely finding myself now really refocusing and wanting to back off a little bit. I do what I want always with the blog but I’ve felt too much pressure in MANY ways and I need to stop with that. So we’ll see what that leads to.
Also I am WAY WAY impressed with how far out you were able to schedule! I remember you talking about that! TELL ME YOUR SECRETS!
I think I need to really try to find a “schedule” for replying/visiting other blogs. It’s always been important to me so I don’t know why it’s all of a sudden so hard for me.
Kristilyn (Reading in Winter) says
I find that there are so many book blogs out there now that I just can’t keep up. Better to back off while ahead, I found! And while it was an awesome thing in theory to schedule a whole bunch of posts, I ended up HATING it! I felt like I had screwed myself over on my own blog and I wanted the spontaneity back. I ended up posting about 3x a day just to get all those scheduled posts out so that the blog WOULDN’T have anything scheduled. It feels so much better now that I can go on and post what I want and the blog seems to keep pace with what I’m reading and thinking now, as opposed to a year ago.
I’ve found that setting aside a certain time a day, like the little one’s first nap of the day, to comment and do blog things really helps. Then it’s done and I can spend the rest of whatever free time I get reading. And it doesn’t pile up too much that way!
Violet says
You have a really thoughtful list! I’ve fallen behind on blogging stuff too a lot of the times- like you said it’s about balancing and that’s difficult to maintain. I do go a day or two without Twitter sometimes but then I’m suddenly ‘Yikes blogging and talking with people and social media!’. It’s a lot to juggle. However, I think your blog is wonderful, and I definitely have a lot of the same problems. Sometimes you get ahead, sometimes not so much, but I think like you sometimes I just need to take a step back and remember, whenever I feel like I have no new ideas or no one is going to want to see this review, I’m doing this because I love books, and other people blogging do too, and we can share our thoughts and love for books and discuss.
Jamie says
Thank you for all the kind words! xoxo
It seriously is SO hard to balance it all. like sometimes I WISH this was my full time job so I COULD justify spending the 40 hours a week on it that I easily could do….and I’d LOVE EVERY MINUTE OF IT.
Also, loved what you said here: “Sometimes you get ahead, sometimes not so much, but I think like you sometimes I just need to take a step back and remember, whenever I feel like I have no new ideas or no one is going to want to see this review, I’m doing this because I love books, and other people blogging do too, and we can share our thoughts and love for books and discuss.”
Katherine @ I Wish I Lived in a Library says
Great confessions! I think I relate to almost all of them – especially #9. I’m not super critical about books either. While I don’t LOVE most of the books I read there’s very few that I just don’t like. I do a lot of 2nd guessing on that.
Jamie says
Thank you! Like I’m critical…I think about books…but not overly! I think I’m somewhere middling in the blogging world — between super critical and loves everything. It takes a lot for me to REALLY hate a book! It just doesn’t happen often! Glad I’m not the only one! 🙂
Ashton says
I love your blog, and if you ever need help then let me know. I’m a pro at answering e-mails, and I love books. 🙂
Jamie says
Aw thank you! 🙂
Faye says
Seriously Jamie, everything on this list and the last one is EXACTLY the same as I feel. Like, seriously. ARE YOU STEALING ALL MY THOUGHTS? 😛
I desperately need to proof read my posts more. I am getting so overwhelmed by my TBR and reviewing pile and while I LOVE reviewing books, it does seem a bit more like a chore/job then ever before. I want to help authors, I do, but I need to be comfortable about it. (And as I want to be a PR, it helps that I want to help authors :P)
I have something like 2000+ unread e-mails in my inbox and then like… 3000+ unread in the filtered blog folder. Eeeeek.
I haven’t yet sorted out my bloglovin… but I don’t use it, so it is sort of the same! I end up just typing in the URL of the blogs I want to visit!
Just yeah… I’m going to link to your post and just say; ALL THESE. 😛
Faye xx
Jamie says
COME TO AMERICAAAA SO WE CAN HANG OUT. Or maybe I’ll just come to you. I like that plan better.
I’m so happy I’m not the only one with thousands of emails in my inbox!! I remember one time someone seeing the number and they were like HOLY CRAP HOW DO YOU FUNCTION. It’s just not my blogging email either haha
Kristie says
I’m with you when it comes to what I accept for tours. Not sure if it’s just me being picky or what. I think part of my problem is thinking of other posts other than just writing a review. It’s definitely something I need to work on.
Jamie says
Yes it’s hard to think of posts sometimes for blog tours! Or sometimes I really dislike the ideas for post ideas given from the publisher. I’m like EH NO. haha
Fida says
My confession as a blogger is I enjoy blogging but I also feel forced. Thanks for sharing yours!
Jamie says
I get that! Sometimes I feel the same way. Hope you are well, Fida! xoxo
Lakin says
I can totally relate to your confessions (except I’m sorry to say that I have nowhere near 89 drafts right now)! I am far from ahead of blogging right now, and Saturday I’ll have to start a brief hiatus while I go to Romania for 12 days on a mission trip, hopefully I can get ahead when I get back! Maybe even have a new feature (idea in progress)! I’m usually really bad about commenting in posts, but I’m trying to improve, though it’s really easy for me to reply to every comment on my blog (mainly because I don’t get very many). I’m horrible at keeping up with my blogs social media, though hopefully that will improve after I get back. I am definitely really picky about the books I read, and I must say that I’m pretty good at know what I’ll like (I did accept one book for review that I was not able to finish, I felt awful, but just couldn’t read any more of it). Doesn’t everyone have blogging insecurities that they keep hidden?
My TTT
Jamie says
Haha I’m RIDICULOUS. Some of them are from like 2 years ago though. STILL HAVEN’T FINISHED THEM.
I will say that I think your trip will be a great time to take a breather. I find myself coming back from hiatuses feeling very rejuvenated and FULL of fresh ideas. Take a notebook with you in case you come up with ideas so you can remember them when you come back. Sometimes when I’m not necessarily TRYING to blog..the ideas hit! I’m sure you’ll be busy but I’ll tell you the THOUGHTS WILL COME! (more than likely!). If anything hiatuses just clear my head and that’s a good thing! Hope you have a good trip!
Cecelia says
Great list, Jamie! I feel you on getting tired of being in someone’s marketing plan. And I think I need to up my number of rejections even more, because I always feel like I’m slowly drowning under the weight of unread books. Being realistic about how much I can read, engage and do this… is hard. Super hard. AHH! But like you, I feel the moments of joy and ZOMG I can’t believe I get to do this! too.
Jamie says
Thanks Cecelia! It’s so hard to balance it all and be realistic! In my head I’m like YES I WANT TO READ ALL THOSE BOOKS AND DO ALL THOSE THINGS. But then reality hits me across the face like a big ol’ bitch slap like NO YOU CANNOT.
Tiffany / Bookplates for Brunch says
I’m pretty new to book blogging still, but here’s what I’ve found:
1. I have really inconsistent taste in books. Like, I’m too critical about some books and I’m too generous with others. And I’m pretty blunt when I don’t like something, so I always wonder if it comes across as abrasive (heh…).
2. My book reviews are always way too long. When I start thinking and writing about books I’ve read, I find myself unable to shut up.
3. Unpopular opinion? I actually hate being ahead in blog posts. I feel most excited about a post as I am writing it. I don’t like waiting days or weeks to publish!
Jamie says
I totally understand your #1!! There are some books I’m like WHY am I being so hard on this book when I know I’ve LOVED other books that totally had problems in them haha.
My reviews tend to be on the long side too though this year I’ve tried to make an effort to be more concise. I tend to ramble too!!
NO I TOTALLY GET THIS. I will get a really good idea and I just CANNOT CANNOT wait to post it (or will be too scared that someone else will get the same idea haha..that’s happened to me before when I’ve waited too long). What I find myself doing is, in the rare times I am ahead, I’ll let myself unschedule a post that isn’t time sensitive and reschedule it to another day and then schedule the post I was really excited to write in its place!
Jennifer from YA Book Nerd says
I like how you’ve taken a step back and re-evaluated your blog and your commitment to posts. And I understand about gushing about books. Most of my reviews are gushing. There are a few that aren’t, but I stopped reading books that don’t grab my interest because there are way too many great ones to keep reading one that doesn’t hook me.
Thanks for sharing 🙂
Jamie says
I think if I didn’t constantly take step backs and little “breaks” to reevaluate I’d quit. It’s so easy to complicate it all and to get stressed and feel pressured and get myself all out of whack with it all…and I don’t want to do that. Blogging mental health days are basically what I call them!
Trish says
Blog email UGH. And I hate when people send me emails because I know that for some reason I’ll likely never respond but I’ll keep the email in my inbox and continue to feel ALL THE GUILT over being a lame-o. I finally got my email down to ONE PAGE today and holy cow if I can keep it that way. LOL! Great confessions Jamie.
Jamie says
I’m so glad I’m not the only one!! I love getting emails but then sometimes I’m like OH MAN I ACTUALLY HAVE TO REPLY. Can’t a reply just transmit from my brain as I read it. SIGH. I love when I get it down to a page and I always say I’m going to keep it like that and that lasts..a week? GOOD LUCK TO YOU. Tell me your secret if you manage!!
Lynette @ Escaping Reality - One Book at a TIme says
9 is basically the story of my life. I often feel like I NEED to write a bad review, just because my last 8 reviews were “OHMYGOSH I LOVED THIS BOOK” Or “This book is amazing!” reviews, and then I feel guilty for loving all the books… What’s up with that?
Jamie says
HAHHAHA. I love you. I’m not even kidding. Here’s secret confessions just for YOU (and those who venture to this part of the comment section):
I have
a) totally read a book I was pretty sure I wouldn’t like just so maybe I could throw in negative review. I did that once and admitted it to a friend and it was one of those things where saying it out loud made me realize how ridiculous it was to do.
b) rearranged my reviews so that I could spread out the OMG LOVES with some EHHH books so they aren’t all in a row haha
I’m glad I am not the only one who feels self conscious about this!!
Rachel says
I haven’t even been blogging for that long and I can relate to a lot of your list! I definitely feel like I spend too long blogging/reading blogs and I’m hoping I’ll get better at this as I get used to blogging. I’m getting better at scheduling too, I usually do a fortnight in advance and it’s definitely helping, though I can fall victim to the tours and other types of posts, but similarly I only do them for books either I’d be interested in or it gives my readers the chance to win something great. I definitely don’t do half the tours I’m offered. But I feel lazy because for the past two weeks I’ve been so busy with exams and I don’t want to slack. 89 drafts is crazy! I have about 7 I think. I have tons of ideas in my head but I don’t do them as draft posts. Maybe I should and it would get them all out of my brain at least! I don’t know if it is comforting or scary to know that after four years you still feel the same things as a newbie! Do you ever see yourself not blogging??
R x
My TTT
Emily @ Forever Literary says
I love this TTT topic so much—I don’t know about everyone else, but hearing about other people’s insecurities (especially those of bloggers I admire) reminds me that mine are totally normal. 🙂
I SO agree with you about social media! I really do not want to be one of those people who spend every waking moment on Twitter, but sometimes I feel like I use blogging as an excuse to log on more often than I would otherwise. The need to network, stay up to date on news… I just feel bad if I skip more than a couple days.
I wouldn’t say that your abundance of unfinished posts is a bad thing! It just means you’re creative, which is the most important quality for a blogger to have. I was actually just telling my friend Summer from Blue Sky Bookshelf how fun it would be to work with you on a blogging project (she mentioned that the two of you had been thinking about doing a feature to spotlight teen bloggers) simply because you have so many amazing ideas! All you have to do is sit down and finish them off. 🙂
Tiffany (AboutToRead) says
“Being somebody’s marketing plan” is a fantastic description. I do not understand why book bloggers don’t charge for blog tours, blog posts, guest posts, and even interviews. Unlike reviews, they are purely promotional and should be monetized.
Lindsey says
Hi!
I’m new to the blogging community and as wondering if you (or anyone who reads this comment) could answer a few questions for me. My first question is, are there any book blogging communities you would recommend becoming a part of to gain exposure? I’d love to get my blog out there for people to read and enjoy.
My second question is, how long were you blogging before you started receiving books for review? Did you initially contact publishers? Or did they contact you first?
Thank you so much! I am a huge fan of your blog and you inspired me to get off my butt and start my blog. Any and all feedback is welcome and appreciated.
Lindsey
booksbeautyandbuys.com
Danielle @ Love at First Page says
SO many of these apply to me as well! I found myself nodding my head along. #1 – yes, especially as a newbie blogger I never realized the enormity of what being a blogger entailed. It’s so much work, and more than anything time consuming. But then I get the same way as you #5 – I’m terrified that if I take a break or don’t show my “presence” or whatever, I’ll be completely forgotten. And I feel like I have to keep this up on my blog and twitter and goodreads. It can be so overwhelming! #2, 4, and 9 for me too. I rarely ever write negative reviews, but I think that’s partly because I’m choosing what I read VERY carefully. There are just too many books that I want to read for me to read ones that I’m unsure of. :/
Chachic says
It’s funny how much time we all spend on blogging and yet we never feel that it’s enough – there’s always a task that is waiting to be done. So I think all of us struggle with finding a balance between blogging (which is more than a hobby for most of us, I think) and real life.
I also feel like I’m behind on visiting and commenting on other blogs. I used to spend more time reading other people’s posts but nowadays, I feel like I can barely keep up.
Kimmy @ Pingwing's Bookshelf says
I felt like I had a really tough time coming up with my blogging confessions, then I read yours – I agree with pretty much everything you’ve said! I’m happy to know I’m not alone!
Lina says
I totally have to agree with #9…I mostly like the books I read, and I’m not usually that critical! That’s why I stopped rating books and instead end with a sentence, kind of like a blurb…which is why I love your review on a post it note so much!
Mel@thedailyprophecy says
I know that feeling of being overwhelmed on social media. I have the idea that I’m terribly behind on everything when I’m not on Twitter for a day.. I try to let go of that feeling, but I’ve noticed that I often take a quick look on my mobile phone to catch up. I hope to let go of that feeling this vacation, because it’s starting to get annoying. I must remember myself there is NO NEED to be online 24/7.
Alexa says
I went through a big talk with my cousin who recently got into blogging. I know that tours can be fun at first and help you get more views when you start blogging but I know that it is exhausting and over time, almost 4 years of blogging, that I just don’t like tours that much anymore and I’m very picky with them. I also put on my blog policy that I’m not accepting books for review due to school…I did graduate about two months ago now and still haven’t changed it back to accepting books again. I guess I liked when my inbox emails went down lol
Megan C. Stroup says
I think I’m guilty of liking too many books on Goodreads. :/ Oh well! 🙂
Johannah says
Great Post! I am actually right now taking a break from blogging this month. I need to re group and get some decent posts done and start doing top ten Tuesdays. You’ve voiced a lot of the same things I think about too. Great post.