I have had this post in my drafts for several months now. Admittedly, I’ve been reluctant to post it because I don’t want my thoughts to be misconstrued. I don’t want people to think I’m being negative or overly critical…but, lately I have been reading a lot of posts about blogger burnout – bloggers who have been blogging for more than a couple of years and who are feeling overwhelmed and under-motivated; bloggers who can’t keep up anymore on their feed readers; bloggers who feel pressure to comment on every post; bloggers who are so swamped in commitments that they no longer want to read book reviews or be tempted to add to their overflowing to-be-read shelves; bloggers who believe if they don’t join all the social networks and participate in the big events, that their blogs will fall into that dark hole of obscurity.
I started blogging in February 2005 but did not discover the book blogging community until December 2006. I loved it – the closeness of the community, the reading challenges and events, the fresh perspectives on books. This was before the days of “free” books from publishers, before Twitter, before the focus on “traffic” and the numbers. Those new to blogging this year are in a completely different environment then I was when I started my blog. The number of book blogs out there in 2010 has probably quadrupled (or more) since 2006.
Some of the growth for book bloggers has been wonderful. Bloggers have etched out a place in the publishing industry and established themselves as legitimate reviewers who have a big impact on marketing. Publishers actively seek out bloggers to review the newest releases and most bloggers get more book review offers than they can reasonably accept. Readers have been rewarded with thousands of book giveaways. For book-a-holics, this is like having Christmas 365 days a year.
But there is a down side. Many book bloggers are now faced with toppling stacks of ARCs and review books they feel obligated to read – and find themselves mourning the days they simply selected books on a whim. I will be the first to admit, I have over-committed myself to reviews. I took a step this year to be more selective and lately have been declining about 80% of the book review offers. It helps me breathe a little easier these days!
And then there are the social networking sites – more seem to pop up every day. The chatter and updating goes on 24 hours a day. If I don’t check in on a site at least twice a day, I quickly find myself behind in the conversation. I joined Twitter last year because I felt some pressure to do so. I felt like if I wasn’t part of this new social network then my blog would fail. I quickly became overwhelmed with the rapid-fire tweets and the sheer numbers of people I felt I needed to “follow.” I also started feeling like Twitter was a digitalized version of the water cooler at work – a place where people gathered to gossip and create drama. To be fair, there are some good things happening on Twitter…but the drama stood out for me: the links to controversial posts, the criticism of events, which to me were not constructive. I rarely log into my Twitter account these days…and there are times I feel like the odd man out. I know I am missing some things, but I made a conscious choice to eliminate something which was causing me more stress than pleasure. It doesn’t seem to have damaged my stats, for which I am grateful.
I subscribe to more than 300 blogs in Google Reader. Crazy, right? Up until this year, I felt obligated to at least scan through every post and try to leave comments as often as possible. It became a chore. There were days when I opened my reader to find more than 1000 unread posts and it made me want to cry. Then I decided that I could make my own rules about blog reading and commenting. Nowadays, when the feed reader is out of control I simply click “mark all as read.” Sure, I miss some things, but my heart rate is slower, my blood pressure is lower and I don’t find myself glued to the computer for hours anymore. I have also allowed myself to de-stress about comments. I still comment, but only when I really have something to say. It is simply a reality of time. I do still respond to every comment posted to my blog – and will continue to do so.
So where does all this leave us?
Here is the reality for most people: we have families, pets, jobs, volunteer obligations, face-to-face friends and acquaintances, and a need for our own personal time. Wedged between all of that is the world of blogging and social networking which seems to be taking more and more time these days. We live in an instant gratification, digital world where communication is rapid fire and immediate. Yes, that can be fun…but it can also overwhelm our senses and steal away time we should be spending doing all those other things that make our lives full and rewarding.
No one can structure our lives for us and tell us where to spend our time. Only we can do that for ourselves. We have choices. We can set our own priorities. We don’t have to conform to rules about how to blog, how much to comment, which social network to join. The amount of “traffic” on our blogs is not necessarily the way to measure our success.
I made some very deliberate decisions in 2010 which have helped me regain my footing and allowed me to once again feel in control of my time.
- I decline most offers for book reviews, selecting only those books which I really want to read.
- I no longer feel as though I must join every new social networking site.
- I gave myself permission to step out of the fray, take deeper breaths, and not always feel like I was missing the next big thing.
- I decided to join fewer reading challenges this year.
- I made a conscious decision to use my blog for good this year – to give back to others in some way that was meaningful to me (thus, my Reading for a Cure project).
- I stopped blogging by the “rules” and started blogging the way it felt right for me.
It seems to be working. I feel less stressed, less overwhelmed. I have more energy for writing and reading and reviewing. I take more walks, play with my dog more, sleep a little later in the mornings. Don’t get me wrong – I still love to connect on line. I get excited about the new things happening (I cannot wait for the BEA and Book Blogger Convention in May). I am no where near wanting to give up this thing called book blogging. But I have discovered there is a limit to my time and energy. There CAN be too much of a good thing. Balance in life is as important as breathing.
What do YOU think?
= Excellent
= Good/Very Good
= Okay read
= Not recommended
= Ugh! Don't waste your time.
I love what you’ve said here. I’ve not been around nearly as long as you, but I’m facing the same thing. I like what you’ve said about having too much of a good thing. Here’s to more balance!
yes exactly! We must do what’s right for us.
Wonderful post. I don’t know that I would say anything different. I recently took on a new and very challenging job as library director. My reading time has really suffered. I know that in a year, when I have a better handle on my job I’ll be able to read more. But for now I am choosing to read only what I want to read. I don’t read anything becuase I feel like I should as a librarian, or for my f2f or online book club if I don’t want to read it. My blog is suffering and I’m not reading all my blog feeds, but it’s OK.
I totally agree with you and Amy. Each blogger has to evaluate their own life and give what they can to their blog. It can be all consuming if you let it.
I think you’re very right. It’s definitely something each blogger has to do consciously- making her own decision on what is best. I have also started declining the vast majority of review copies I’m offered, and am really enjoying just reading what I want from my shelves. I am still trying to determine where my blog will go, moving forward, but I am ok with what will happen.
Thank you for addressing this topic in a positive way, Wendy! I’ve also been trying to prioritize my real life over my online one recently and letting go of faux obligations. I just had two days in a row with no blog post and I’m okay with it … I think.
I agree with you! I almost decided to cut out all review copies, but there were a few I really wanted and I have discovered a few fantastic books that way – especially now publishers are learning my book taste. I am now accepting very few review copies and so am happy with the balance I’ve achieved.
I am a big fan of twitter, but I think the key to my enjoyment is logging in during the morning when I can intereact with publishers and others in a professional manner – the gossip all seems to crop up in the evening (and middle of my night for those in the US) so I seem to see only quality tweets, with great book related content.
Everyone must do what makes them happy, but I’m glad there are still a few of us around who still love blogging!
I think this is one of the most well thought out posts I’ve read concerning the issues you’ve brought up, Wendy. I have been reading more and more about bloggers that are having trouble with the very things you’ve mentioned. My blog is almost 3 years old, but I have taken several long breaks from it in order to deal with some serious family issues. My goal for 2010 was self-nurture and stress relief and so I have come back to blogging because I missed it and because I loved connecting with booklovers.
I’ve kind of been reeling from what the blogging world has become. It’s not bad at all. There are a lot more people around, but some of it seems way too frantic for me. I never got into the whole ARC thing too much mostly because I was in and out of blogging I think. Now that I have come back to it, that part of things is beginning to heat up for me and I am definitely trying to be thoughtful and smart about what I agree to read.
I agree with all who have said that each blogger has to decide what is best for them. They have to choose how much time to spend and what kind of outreach to have to other bloggers, be it commenting, tweeting, whatnot (I’m not on Twitter by the way – too much tech stuff for me equals stress!!). No one should be obligated or pressured to be or do anything to “keep up”. That’s my opinion anyway and so I am going to join in when I feel like it, comment when I feel like it, and post however many times a week I feel like it. Bravo to you and everyone who is taking a step back and being more thoughtful about their blogs. And bravo to you for using your blog as an outreach for charitable good. I admire that and you. Take care everyone!
It’s interesting to me that we all sort of go through the same things at the same time. Which is another nice thing about the blogging community!
Literate Housewife: Thanks for the affirmation
Amy: Glad you agree – you are one of those bloggers who I envy…you seem to juggle so many things and do it well
Melanie: *nods* And that is life, right? I think we all go through times when we have to do less somewhere in our life because there is something else that suddenly takes priority (like a new job!). It IS okay…we just have to remember that!
Kathy: Yes – all consuming (wish I’d used the word in my post!).
Aarti: I think it is natural that we hit times when we are at a crossroads, not knowing which direction we’ll go…it is part of our growth. And I think you and I are definitely not alone in starting to put the brakes on the number of books we accept for review.
Kristen: I sometimes go four days without a post! I think maybe my subscribers might thank me for that (one less post to read!!) Glad you read this post as “positive” because that is how I wanted it to come across.
Jackie: That is really interesting about the time of day you Twitter (I never would have thought of that) and perhaps that was my problem. I was logging in in the evenings…Also I am with you re: accepting books. I didn’t want to just stop doing it because I have gotten some amazing books that way…just being more selective has helped.
Kay: Thank you for your comment. I think you have a very healthy approach to this whole thing which I admire. I think it is really hard to set boundaries and priorities, but when we force ourselves to do so, it tends to have a positive impact in our lives.
Haha, I’ve only been blogging a year and I have “blogger burnout”. I only come online when I have time, otherwise I just spend my time leisurely reading other people’s blogs.
Rhapsody: It is funny, isn’t it? There seems to be a pattern to how we feel and when we feel it!
Sharry: I totally understand that! And you know, that is one reason I posted this post – new bloggers like yourself are coming into this hectic arena and quickly feeling overwhelmed. It doesn’t have to be like that…we need to keep things fun. Just remember, there really are no RULES to how we should blog and communicate.
Sounds like you are doing a great job and blogging is meant to be fun! I applaud your efforts. Some days are better for me than others, but that’s ok.
Serena: Thanks for your supportive words – I think it helps to know we all go through these times of burnout, stress, and struggling to find the balance…I keep reminding myself: no rules, no rules….fun, fun, fun
You’re so right! I’ve dealt with these same issues recently. I’ve dramatically cut down on the review copies I accept because I want to get through the backlog. There’s so many great sounding books that sometimes I can be difficult to say no, but I’ve perfected it. LOL I also try not to sweat the social networking stuff. I’m hardly ever on Twitter and I’m sometimes on Facebook. If I tried to do more than I do now, I’d never sleep or spend time with my family. I also have an overflowing feed reader, but I try not to feel guilty when I “mark all as read.” Sometimes you just have to do it to stay sane.
Remembering that blogging is supposed to be fun helps.
Hi Wendy, well said. I’m not in the same sort of league as you, but I have looked with increasing dismay about some of the blogs out there and thought that they seem more like a job than a pleasurable hobby.
Book bloggers and their readers IMO need to be clear about the distinction. I receive regular invitations to ‘professionalise’ from an online bookseller who wants me to write for his blog, but the amount of money being offered is an insult, less than I pay my cleaning lady for unskilled labour. It takes a good long while to read a book, and a good post takes an hour or more to write. More importantly, there’s a level of expertise and education that underlies book blogging which has a value that should be acknowledged. Some celebrity bloggers, I think, have been sucked into becoming an unpaid or underpaid arm of marketing for the publishing industry.
Readers and subscribers have a part to play in this as well. I don’t watch commercial TV with ads, and I don’t accept junk mail in my letter box. I look at advertising only when I’m in the market to buy something. Readers should be just as discriminating with the blogs they read, and be wary of them morphing into book promotion sites. They’re easy to identify: they never criticise a book; they never blog about old books no longer for sale, e.g. classics or an author’s older oeuvre or backlist books; and they swamp the blog with too many posts. The sheer volume of books being blogged about is a dead giveaway: the posts about multiple new books, or the ones that make reference to a theme but have no detail from the book and no mention of how the book touched them personally except in general terms. (‘I loved this book about WW2 because my dad fought in the war’ LOL). Some blogs I used to read all the time have now dropped off the radar for me because it’s obvious that the blogger can’t possibly have time to read all the books they’re blogging about. I only read blogs written by people like me, who’ve actually read the book. I like blogs with a consistent personal style that goes with the blogger’s taste in reading not a marketer’s promotional agenda. I like fearless independents who read and write for the love of the book (and have something interesting to say, of course).
Book blogging is either a job, for which there should be appropriate pay – not payment in kind in the form of free books, or books to give away (which involve more unpaid labour for the blogger) or else it’s a hobby. If it’s a hobby, like mine is, then it should be a pleasure.
And that means *I* choose what to read and write about, and how much of it I do.
Good for you reclaiming this territory, Wendy!
Lisa
Excellent post, Wendy! You’re right…there seems to be a lot of “blogger angst” going around lately, and I’ve had a share of it myself. I think those of us who’ve been doing this for awhile (at three years in, I guess I’m one of those now!) and have seen so many changes and growing pains in book blogging are particularly feeling it, and talking about it. The discussion is good. The fact that we’re trying to find the balance that works for us – accepting review books, participating in social media, posting and commenting on blogs – is good too, because the road to burnout is a lot shorter when you’re not doing this the way you want to.
I, too, started blogging long ago–was it 2003, 2004? Can’t recall, though my first book blog is still online. And I agree there have been enormous changes.
1. Competition!
2. The pressure! to write very traditional book reviews as the main content.
3. The pressure to have the home page loaded with information of all kinds.
I’ve just started book blogging again after a hiatus of several years. And I agree wholeheartedly that one needs to write to please oneself first and most of all. That is the first rule of fiction writing, memoir writing, writing a column of any kind, and, of course, blogging. Make it work for you and it will work for others.
I think pretty much the way you do. I don’t twitter, I facebook for family and friends, stuff like that. I follow the blogs on my blog roll and pop in on others from time to time. I have tried to cut back on the ARCs, I have committed to more TLC tours this year but for the most part that has been enjoyable. I will never ever give up my library books just to read the latest and greatest. I don’t feel like I have to advertise to keep people reading or offer giveaways all the time. I’m just a normal person writing about my reading experiences…don’t expect it to be grammatically correct all the time, nor for me to go on and on about the hidden meanings in a book. That’s just not me. So I feel, like you, that if we just stay true to ourselves then this blogging thing can still be fun!!
Great post, Wendy, and touches on issues we all struggle with. It appears that all of us commenting are women — and it seems to me that in general, women have more difficulty saying no and setting personal limits than our male counterparts. Or, we deal with it differently. Or something. What I’m trying to say is, I see similar issues crop up in other aspects of women’s lives — like balancing work & family and “oh my god I didn’t give my child the best birthday party ever I must be an awful mother” type of thinking. And we set such high standards for ourselves. I haven’t yet figured out the ultimate solution to this problem, but do know it’s important to understand what’s important to your life and periodically take stock to see whether you’re really focusing your efforts on those things, vs. all the things you think you “should” be doing.
I think you make several great points in your post. There simply isn’t enough time to do everything, and one who tries will be easily frustrated. I love blogging and the community that I have gotten to know and feel it is a very rewarding hobby, but I also try not to get to overwhelmed by it all because if I did, I would have to walk away in defeat. I think it’s important to pace yourself and do the things that work for you. No one can fault you for doing it that way, and at the end of the day, it’s about doing what you love. I admire the changes that you’ve made for yourself, and I really hope that you have figured out a fit that works for you. Very interesting post. You’ve given me a lot to think about.
Wow, reading about Twitter, ARC’s, and all these social networking sites is enough to make me feel overwhelmed! I’ve been blogging for about a year and a half now and I generally keep it to a minimum. I accept a small number of review copies from publishers and participate in a few read-alongs and that’s the extent of it. I often find myself comparing the number of comments I get (sometimes it’s 0) to the number of comments other bloggers get and wonder if I should put myself out there more. But ultimately, blogging is an unpaid amateur endeavor so I think it’s best for me to stick to what I’m comfortable with.
Anyway, great post – I think you summed up a lot of people’s feelings here.
Good post Wendy … as a new blogger (10 months in), i’ve been trying to keep a handle on how involved I get. And the first decision I made was NOT to get involved in challenges. I thought that perhaps if I could make a challenged fit my current reading pattern then it might be fun but after a little thought I decided that the only challenge that would meet my reading pattern would be to read my reading pattern!! LOL.
I am determined, nearly a year in, not to get caught up in what can so easily start to drive me and my blogging – the stats, the challenges, the I-must-post-to-keep-my-readers, and so on. I started because I wanted a place that encouraged me to think about and document my responses to my reading – it’s so easy to lose sight of that. I do not receive many review offers – still too small a bickie in the blog world (I haven’t even listed my blog on my Facebook page) – but the ones I’ve received (except for the publisher I approached!) I have rejected. I just can’t let my reading choices be driven by anything other than what I want to read. I am not prepared, for example, to read all the new books to get blog exposure…
So, my plan is to chill out and enjoy the very thing that started me in the first place – reading what I want to read and sharing that with some like minds (and I’ve met some really lovely like minds since I started blogging – those I want to keep, but I am starting to think about how many I “need” and can manage).
Again, thanks for being brave enough to finallly post this post!
Good for you! We can all learn something from your insightful post.
It’s nice to hear so many have the same issues and their own personalized approach. When the pressure builds up, I tell myself blogging is supposed to enhance my life, not burden it, not substitute for it!
Me, I like being an amateur. And I still need a little reminder to lighten up now and again. Thanks for the nudge.
I’ve seen several responses, like yours, to growing blogger burnout without actually seeing the burnout posts, but I guess that’s an offshoot of the changes in my own blogging. I’m not torturing myself over the Google Reader as much, this year, nor joining in as many activities, nor fretting that I’m out of the loop – which I am, but so be it. I came to pretty much the same decision you did. I can’t do it all and I don’t want to. Part of that choice came of loss. We’ve had so many relatives and friends die in the past 3 years that it really jumped out at me how much time I was spending in front of the computer.
Also, this is my last year with a child at home. My 18-year-old will head to college in the fall. I like him and I love spending time with him, so I’m trying to make sure he doesn’t end up looking at my back all the time, when he’s home.
I loved this post. Keep it up. When my son is off to school, I may have to ponder finding a way to blog for positive change, as you have. What a wonderful way to make blogging more than just chatter.
I like this post a lot. I think the biggest thing about not making book blogging stressful is to know when you have to take yourself out of it. There are some controversies that have come up that I feel like joining, and quite a few that I don’t. Not joining challenges is the biggest thing to keep me from being stressed — for whatever reason, book challenges freak me out.
I think you are very smart (I always thought that) and you have said what has been on many book bloggers minds. I do think twitter is important to bloggers but I respect you for doing what feels right for you. You don’t NEED to tweet to blog, I just find it’s good for me.
I signed up for less challenges this year and have been trying to accept less copies but it’s hard. I wish I could read one book a day. I hope to read more in September when my one kid goes to school. But we’ll see. I do feel obligated sometimes but it’s not like I’m reading a book I don’t like, I just overcommit. I’m working on it.
I started my blog in 2003 and back posted my reviews I already had on amazon.com since 2001. I only posted reviews here and there though until June 2007 when I found the book blogging community. Even since 2007 things have changed considerably. I can’t believe how many book blogs there are out there.
Great post!
It can be easy to burn out, and each of us has to decide for ourselves how we will spend our time and attention. I recently read a book The Tyranny Of E-mail by John Freeman who would agree with much of what you said. (Haven’t gotten around to writing the review of it yet.) I blew off a couple of promised reviews and stopped answering the publicists e-mails and they seem to have taken me off of their lists. And some weeks I publish three or more times a week and some weeks, I just don’t get around to it. Read what you enjoy reading and write about it when you feel like it. That’s all anyone can do.
I’m all about setting my own rules for blogging. I was a challenge-aholic until last year when I only joined a handful. This year I’m joining even less and I’m thoroughly enjoying the freedom and spontaneiity that has returned to my reading. I’ve never received many ARCs and still only rarely accept them.
Although I’m on Twitter (and it’s become a great source of book recommendations) I actively avoid the drama whenever and wherever I can manage to avoid it. In a lot of ways I liken it to my refusal to discuss religion or politics with friends or co-workers.
One rule I never felt obligated about and never will is anything to do with number of posts per week. I do participate in Wordless Wednesday because I like to share my favorite photos, but other than that I typically post a couple of book reviews a week and that’s it. I don’t feel any sort of obligation to publish a post every day. There are enough “have to”s in my life, my blog is not one of them. Maybe that’s why I haven’t become a victim of ‘blogger angst’?
I keep reminding myself of the reason I started my blog almost four years ago – it’s my online reading journal. If my friends or other bloggers are interested and reading it and having a conversation in the comments about books then I’m thrilled. My blog is one of the small fry blogs and staying that way is just fine with me.
I have a core greoup of fellow bloggers with whom I interact regularly and you and the rest of them have become friends over the years.
What a great post – I very much appreciate the perspective you have offered in your post. The comments from so many experienced bloggers are also great to read. I am new to blogging (in the past 3 months) and enjoy so much about it but I do sometimes fight to maintain balance and make sure that I still really enjoy reading. Thus far, I have resisted twitter because I think that would totally do me in!
In other areas of my life, I have been working a lot on reframing “I need to”, “I should” and “I am supposed to” into “I want to” – if I lose the “I want to” in reading and blogging, I know it will be time to reconsider the state of my blog and its future!
Excellent post! I’ve had similar thoughts over the past year and have made many of the same adjustments. I used to post more often, but now I’m down to 2-3 posts per week. I used to worry that I’d lose readers because of this, but I decided it was more important for me to have balance in my life and not worry so much about my stats. I haven’t joined any challenges this year (although, I will partake in the Dewy Read-a-thon!) and have chosen to read what I want to read rather than let the challenges take over my reading schedule. Same with ARCs. They are so tempting, but I’ve stopped accepting any unless it’s something I REALLY want to read. As far as reading other blogs, I don’t use a Google Reader. I simply visit my favorite blogs when I can. If that means leaving comments on two-week-old posts, that’s the way it is.
I’ve cut back on who I visit simply because there isn’t enough time in the day to do it all. That said, I love your blog and I will always visit no matter how often or how little you post. After all, I feel we’re more than just blogging buddies, after all these years.
Beautifully said!
While I would love to be the recipient of review books, I soon discovered that my schedule does not allow me to do that, and my mental health does not allow me to feel guilty about it. Some day maybe — not now.
I am self-guilting, so it is easy for me to feel poorly about not posting on a regular basis, or commenting on all the blogs I read, but I am learning to get over that. I still love the creative outlet that blogging allows me, and I find relaxation in reading the posts of others.
As far as the networking goes – I became so overwhelmed of the “rapid fire tweets” and knew early on that I could not devote the time and attention to this method of connection. By reading blogging posts, I know that I am missing out on some great conversation and fun discussions – but for now it is simply not for me.
It is so nice to know that there are other, more experienced bloggers than me – who feel the same way.
Thanks, Wendy, for posting such a timely entry!
Anna: It sounds like you are finding the right balance for you – congratulations!!! It can be so hard to do
Lisa: I couldn’t agree more about your point of selling ourselves short as book bloggers. I’ve also been approached about professionalizing my blog and I have no problem saying no. I never started doing this to make money. For about a month (a year ago) I put a couple of ads on my site and the “income” was pennies (literally). I quickly removed the ads and no one will ever see an ad here again. I blog and review books because I love to read and write. Period. So making money at this has never been a goal (I have my physical therapy career for that *laughs*). I never have followed the “rule” of daily posting. I post when I have something to say…sometimes its twice a week, sometimes four times. Sometimes I post three things on the same day when I’m a little manic. LOL. Thanks for weighing in!!
Florinda: I agree – I think the discussion is great. We are all trying to figure out how to grow with the changes…and some of it is tough.
Reader in the Wilderness: I couldn’t agree more. Wow, you’ve been around a long time…I bet is a little culture shock to come back and see how things have changed…some of the changes are good, some not so good.
Staci: I do a lot of TLC tours too…but only because they get GREAT books and are so easy to work with. I also like the interaction with the authors. Lately I’ve been doing a lot of book giveaways…but only because of Reading for a Cure (okay, I’m bribing people to get involved *laughing*).
Laura: Oh yes – women are great at the “shoulds” and putting pressure on themselves to do it all. I think we are all guilty of that from time to time. It’s recognizing what that does to us emotionally that is important…and then changing things to make them work for us.
Everyone’s probably said everything worth saying already, but I thought I’d put my 2 cents in. I haven’t experienced blogging burnout yet, but that’s because I’m very careful about it. The second I feel like I’m getting tired of blogging or reading, I stop for a few days. Because of my reading pace, I always have at least a couple of weeks of reviews stored up, so I can easily abandon my blog for a week without anyone really noticing! I’ve found that I don’t get tired out by the review copies I have to read, because I’m lucky to be able to read enough such that I get plenty of my own reads in as well.
Zibilee: I think it is so important that we understand WHY we are doing this…and stay true to that ideal. I really try not to get dragged into the latest drama and that helps…especially since the drama is usually about what we should be doing! LOL!
El Fay: Keeping things to a minimum, I think, is a good plan. I will be the first to admit I overextend myself (and not just here but in my personal life as well). I’m working on that! And yes, all the social networking sites boggle the mind. I get overwhelmed with just my cell phone and its multiple uses!!!
Whispering Gums: Has it really only been 10 months? Wow, it feels longer!! You have a GREAT plan…one that will keep you enjoying your blog for a long, long time.
Jennie: Thanks for stopping by and weighing in!!
J.G.: I think we could all use the reminder to “lighten up” from time to time (me included!).
Nancy (Bookfool): HEY…good to hear from you! It was nice to see your name pop up
Having personal losses definitely puts things in perspective, doesn’t it? I have had some challenges this year with health issues in my family, and it really makes one sit up and take note of where we are putting our priorities. My decision to do something for charity grew out of a desire to make my blog count for something positive. Everyone always talks about their numbers…and I thought “Hey, I have quite a few visitors to my blog, why not use that to help someone.” It has added a new dimension to my blogging that has refreshed me.
Kim: LOL. I don’t get freaked by challenges so much because I gave myself permission to fail at them! The first year I did them, I put a lot of pressure on myself to complete every one. Last year I think I only completed half the challenges I signed up for (I didn’t even finish one I was sponsoring!).
Callista: I hadn’t realized you’d been around for as long as you have been!! I don’t want people to think I was just bashing Twitter…I know there are some good things happening there…but it just doesn’t work for me. I remember when it first came out, there was a lot of talk about if one didn’t Twitter than they would be out of the loop. I haven’t seen that really become a reality (at least for me).
Alan: I am making a note of the book you mentioned! I actually think that the digital phenomenon has taken over our lives and is robbing us of peace and contentment! Technology is good…but not when it consumes us. Sounds like you have found a comfortable spot to be in with blogging – I admire that!
Suzi: I love your blog – always have. I agree about staying out of the drama. I have always hated drama and avoid it when I can! I have never understood the “rule” of number of posts per week – to be honest, I hate when blogs post too frequently!! I post when I have something to say or a review. It varies from week to week, and I honestly don’t think I’ve lost readership because of that pattern (but who knows…maybe I’m kidding myself!). The truth is, I am happy where my blog is right now and am not interested in having thousands of visits per day. Glad we share the same view!
Colleen: I love your reframing those “shoulds” into “wants.” I am working on that too!! It is great to hear from some of the newer bloggers…I always wonder what I would have though had I been coming into blogging now. I think I would have been completely overwhelmed!!
Les: One of the reasons I love your blog (besides the fact that it is written by you *smiles*) is the sense of peace and calm that is there. I don’t know how you achieve that…but perhaps it is just your personality coming through on its pages. You have always struck me as a blogger who understands the balance…and I love that we have a friendship which has grown from our common love of books and blogging. That is one of the best parts of blogging…those friendships.
Molly: I can see where you could quickly become overwhelmed if you accepted review books (with your teaching/reading schedule you have enough on your plate!!). Self-guilting – LOL – I love that! I’m right there with you!!
Swapna: I envy your ability to read as rapidly as you do! When I gaze at my stacks of review books, I sometimes wish I could simply sleep with them under my head and absorb the stories LOL! But, I don’t think I could keep up with the reviews
Love your post. I just have a simple observation, which you’ve pretty much made: if it gets to be an obligation, and too much work, then it negates all the reasons you had for starting to blog in the first place! If you’re reviewing books you don’t want to read, you don’t have time to share the excitement of the books YOU like!
Do what you want, that’s what I say! And I love all the book blogs out there. I get such good prospects.
If blogging ever started to feel like a chore, I would probably give it up. Early on I saw how accepting review books could be that way, and now I hardly ever take any. I just want to read what I want to read! I’m even being pretty lax on all the challenges I signed up for.
I am a bit unmotivated to blog so far this year, too, but that is normal for me. I get overwhelmed with life and then a few things have to give until life rearranges itself.
Wendy, you make some great points here and I am so glad that you aren’t throwing in the towel. I agree that we have choices and can control what we do with our time. I have also cut down on the number of books that I accept for review and feel good about it. I also cut way back on entering giveaways. One rule I have both for review books and giveaways is if I can get it at my library, don’t enter, unless I will use it as a reference book that I will re-use.
I think next year I will be cutting back on some challenges as well. I don’t even have a Twitter account because I could tell from peoples comments that it is a time zapper and a good place to gossip, not my thing. I got rid of my Facebook account some time ago as well. I think moderation is the key.
Very well said!! I’ve been blogging about 1.5 years now and I found out pretty quickly that you can burnout if you’re not careful and remember why you are doing it. For me, it has to be fun and be a part of my life … not the main focus. And after learning the hard way, I’ve cut way back on the “free books” that I found I didn’t really want to read. I too joined Twitter only to quit it later because it was just too much to keep up with. I like the writing and I like to visit blogs but I keep it manageable and try not to go crazy reading too many blogs … there are just too many out there. I think if a blogger can find a balance, this is a hobby that can be so rewarding and last a long time. I’m glad you found a balance that works for you! : )
Hey, Wendy – It sounds like you know exactly what you’re doing, with a system/schedule that fits you and your life well. That is the key, isn’t it?!
I’m so glad you took this post out of your draft folder and shared it with us – I haven’t seen one dissenting comment; we’ve all felt some measure of the same stresses, and it seems many are making similar changes in order to keep their blogging fun.
Hear hear! This book blogging things should be a source of fun and camaraderie, not stress and heartburn. I, too, have slimmed down on things.
Very insightful and timely post, Wendy Like several others I learned soon after starting to blog that it could be over-whelming and made the choice to blog at my own speed, in my own time. I have returned to visiting my favorite blogs, instead of using Google Reader, and feel much more like I am staying in contact with the bloggers I enjoy.
I never expected review copies when I started and quickly decided not to accept them. I have enough trouble keeping up with my library books! Thanks again for this post!
Every so often you post something on your blog which is almost as if you have taken my thoughts and put them into words. You know from earlier this year that I have gone cold turkey on challenges – I no longer accept review books – or enter book competitions. I still blog – but I am blogging for me – if no-one comments I am not concerned, because comments (even thought they are lovely) are not what my blog is for – it was always just for me to remember books I’ve read. In the 2 -3 months since I have stepped back I am in a different place with my reading – reading for love instead of force. I know where you are coming from – and have admired that you are using your blog and love of reading to to contribute to find a cure for cancer. Hat off to you – you done good
What a wonderful, insightful post Wendy! I knew when I started blogging that I would have to place limits on myself or I would end up spending way too much time online. I knew I couldn’t follow the rules prescribed by other bloggers and I’d have to make my own rules for my blog. Since then I have not jumped to join all the social network opportunities – no tweets for me. When I have time I go through my list of favorite bookmarked book blogs and read the blogs I enjoy rather than subscribing to any one or using a reader. It’s always good to remind people that there is a life outside of blogging.
Thanks for your very nice reply, Wendy. Here’s to many, many more years of peaceful blogging.
Liz: Yup – I agree. Feeling overwhelmed by obligation takes all the fun out of it.
Jeane: I like getting review books, I just had to temper it a little. Re: Challenges…lately I have been COMPLETELY lax and it feels pretty good!
Kailana: I think we all go through those times when life seems just too much and adding one more thing is the straw that breaks the camel’s back.
Teddy: It will take a lot more than a little angst to get me to walk away from my blog! I agree about the giveaways…I rarely enter them unless it is a book I really want badly. I feel good about the choices I’ve made re: reading challenges lately…no stress!
Jenners: Glad to hear you have figured out the balance thing as well. It is really, really important I think.
Dawn: It’s funny how many bloggers are feeling exactly as I do…I think it is growing pains. Things have changed so quickly and we have all had to figure out how to make those changes work within our own personal lives.
Jessica: *nods* Couldn’t agree more. More fun, less stress!
Gavin: I like Google Reader, but I have had to be willing sometimes to clear out the posts and start over when it gets to be too much.
Sally: well, you know, I am just a tad psychic *laughs* I like your attitude about blogging. I think we DO need to do this for ourselves first. Trying to please everyone or do it all, is just not humanly possible. I’m glad you’ve found new energy for your reading, Sally.
Lori: I think it is easy to forget that we all have lives that lie outside the world of blogging.
Les: It came directly from my heart. Cheers to peaceful blogging