But onto different things. This blog, to be exact. I have been thinking about this over the past few days and, maybe this is the best way to write the blog from now on. Some of you guys will be like this for the rest of the post so, sorry in advance...
If you following my blog for a while, you know I have a weird system in my head on how I use the blog. I try my hardest to write one book review a week as I am quite a fast reader when I want to be. I also try and do a SMILE post every Monday and I do a music-themed post once every two months.
And this because I could very easy keep up to speed with it. I use to read fast and I like having something on the blog. But, in the past few months (ok, maybe longer than that), I finding myself under some kind of pressure to get something - ANYTHING, really - on the blog. And it isn't from the book publishers who are pressuring me (and, in some case, most other book bloggers). It's myself. I am pressuring myself to get the blogs up. I am the one thinking I need to read a book quickly so I can write the review and post it.
Since March (when I moved out of the family home), my normal reading time has been in a state of flux and it hasn't settled. And because I have plans to read long books - VERY LONG books (the book I am currently reading - The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith is 455 pages long, Clariel by Garth Nix is 469 pages, Shadows of the Moon by Zoe Marriott is 461, Cress by Marissa Meyer is 550 , Shadow of Night and The Book of Life by Deborah Harkness is 636 and 580 respectively and one of the eBooks I have on my kindle, The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt is 881 pages long. BEASTS! ALL OF THEM!!!)
If I kept the pressure of reading books and writing a review once a week, I will either close the blog down within a few months or I would never leave the flat and have a social life. Something has to give.
So, I have come up with this idea. I am going to keep reviewing books, but I am going to be more leisurely about my reviews and reading. If a book takes me two weeks to read, it'll take me two weeks. If that means I don't post a review on the book for two weeks, so be it. If I read two books in a week, then I write two reviews and post them within a few days of reading the books.
I am taking the pressure away. I AM BREAKING A BLOGGER'S SECRET IN TELLING YOU! I can imagine bloggers all over the world reacting in horror like this...
Also, I was thinking of writing a few posts that isn't book-related. I've been thinking of a few posts that I want to write but it's going to take some time to write. A mix of information digging and being just lazy! So, I am...
But yes, my blog is changing. It's still going to be the same blog. Still have Smile posts (for the time being - I have been wondering about the future of my Smile posts. Maybe I shall talk to you about this in the future), still have the music posts and still have book reviews. But it's going to be more relaxed. I hope you guys like the change and if there is any problems or ideas for what I can do in the near future, please leave a comment here, on the Facebook fan page or send me a tweet! I would love to hear your ideas!
Now, before I leave you, I shall leave you with this...
I think it's a great idea - generally, the more relaxed the blogger is the better the blog is, no? Less stress and pressure. I'm saying this, but of course I currently fall under blogger-pressure, so you probably shouldn't listen to me. My reading pattern has been messed up lately, I'm hardly getting any reviews up at all, so I'm posting about other things in the meantime. I need to regularly remind myself that I don't get paid for this lol R x
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like the right way to go - it's your blog and you have to enjoy writing it or there's no point.
ReplyDeleteAnd those books are beasts, how could you enjoy them if you had to rush them to fit a schedule - take your time and enjoy the ride :)
I ended up so pressured at the start of the year that I gave up reviewing. The first few months were great, I read what I wanted to read, when I wanted to read it. However, I can't keep away, and the reviewing is creeping back in. I've been sent some great books, and have requested a few, and I'm mixing my reading up a bit.
ReplyDeleteIf you're already pressurising yourself, you could end up 'burnt out', so take it easy for a while. You should have a very good relationship with the publishers etc, so I'm sure they understand. :)
@bookclubforum
I completely understand where you are coming from. Like you I've found that life has just got busier and busier and I have been able to dedicate less time to my blog. Then because i feel rushed I feel demotivated to the extent that I have hardly read anything over the lat few months.
ReplyDeleteI think that the important thing is that your blog reflects who you are and what you are interested in at this time in your life. Life the old adage write what you want to read, your loyal followers will still follow and you never know your more relaxed and varied approach may attack new readers.
Ps. I love your Monday smile posts so if there is any chance of swaying you to keep them, even if its only on a semi regular basis...
Caroline