Two years ago today I hit publish on my very first blog on My Novel Opinion. I had no idea what I was setting myself up for. I’d only just discovered that book blogs existed and I jumped right in without researching and without a plan!
I naively thought that blogging would come easy, especially blogging about books, since I love to read. Oh, how wrong I was! After some bragging in December that blogging was going really well, I’ve really sucked at it since. I’m sure you guys have noticed, that is if you are still even reading My Novel Opinion! If you are still here, thanks for sticking around. No promises, but I’m hoping to return to some type of consistency soon.
In all my ups and downs over the past two years, I have come to a few realizations about blogging and about myself.
1. Blogging is not easy
I figured this out pretty early on, and wrote a blog about it back in August 2013. I even had some tricks up my sleeve to keep me organized and on track but those soon went out of the window (most of them anyway).
2. I have a hard time saying no
The review books just keep piling up and I only have myself to blame. I just can’t say no, especially to books I really want to read but then it’s impossible to keep up which leads me to…
3. I have so many books, I sometimes don’t know what to read so I don’t read
I sometimes end up in this vicious circle where I can’t decide what I want to read next, so I just don’t read. Then I get behind on reading ARC’s and feel super guilty that I won’t get to them all before publication.
4. I don’t particularly like writing reviews
Writing does not come easy to me. Not anymore anyway. I struggle with finding the right words to use (a symptom to a disorder I opened up about here), especially longer more difficult words so I feel that my reviews could be written by my 10-year-old! A thesaurus could be my best friend if only I knew the word I should be looking up.
So with that comes me delaying writing a review, and then by the time I decide to write it I have actually forgotten most of what I wanted to say. I was given a book journal last year, so I’m trying to make notes as I am reading, or at least as soon as I have finished reading a book. Thus far, I’m still letting those reviews pile up!
5. My blog is one of many little fish in a big ocean
I think that this point is going to evolve in to a blog of its own. Basically, after two years I often feel that I am working towards nothing. Not only does it feel as though my reviews aren’t up to par when I read those by others, I just can’t seem to keep up with everyone else. And I know that it isn’t a contest and that I should blog my way for me, however I think everyone can relate to wanting some level of recognition. What that recognition is or where it should come from, I don’t know. Do I want more page views, more comments, or just more publishing contacts…I don’t know. I just know that I get myself in to a similar cycle of “too many books so don’t read”, but this is “too few page views/comments so don’t blog”.
With all that being said, I have made a bunch of friends through book blogging, and hope that I finally get to meet some next month at BEA. Will you be there? So it’s not all bad.
I agree with all of these! Sometimes I look at a review I’ve written and be like “well a 3rd grader could have written a better review then that but Oh well!”
Wesley at Library Educated recently posted…Book Review: “The Undertaker’s Daughter” by Kate Mayfield
Congratulations on two years! I think many of these are things we’ve all struggled with or come to realize while blogging, so you shouldn’t feel like you’re alone!
Shannon @ River City Reading recently posted…The Animals by Christian Kiefer
3 – I have done that a few times before. Sometimes I get a little overwhelmed and then don’t read. It is sad. I try not to let the pressure get to me anymore. Usually I am pretty good about it.
5 – I have my three years coming up on the blog and sometimes I feel like it is growing at such a slow rate compared to a lot of other book blogs. But I have made some wonderful friends and I wouldn’t change that for the world. 🙂 I wish I was going to BEA so I could meet you, but I can’t afford it. Have a blast!!!!
Kay @ It’s a Book Life recently posted…Random Mini Review Pile-Up: Invaded, Out to Lunch, & American Gods
I’m a newbie to the book blogging world (since Sept. 2014), but I can already relate to many of these issues. I started out with finding out about NetGalley, and you can imagine what ensued! I’m trying to not request any titles until I’ve read and reviewed all the ones I have. So far that is working for me. I do feel that my reviews are substandard compared to others, but I’ve decided that my blog is a way for me to keep track of the books I’m reading, so if people don’t like my review style I’m not going to take it personally. I think my biggest problem is reading the blog posts and wanting to read ALL the books! Tackling this issue is still a work in progress 🙂 I am going to BEA this year (YAY!) and I’m excited to meet some fellow bloggers! It’s my first time so I may have some pre-travel questions for the veterans.
Donna @OnDBookshelf recently posted…Review: Your Perfect Life
It’s hard not to play the comparison game, even when we know we shouldn’t. There are just SO MANY book blogs out there that there’s always someone doing it bigger and better than you are. I hope that you can find happiness in what you do have, though – you’ve done great things. Celebrate them!
Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction recently posted…None of the Above by I.W. Gregorio – 5 Star Review!
I think you’ve summed it up well, blogging is full of ups and downs. I think relaxing and enjoying it and accepting it’s just a hobby and doesn’t have to go anywhere works for me. Congrats on two years!
Trish @ Between My Lines recently posted…Audio Book Review : Breathe, Annie, Breathe by Miranda Kenneally
Congratulations on your 2nd Blogiversary!!! Woohoo!!!! That is so awesome and shows how quickly time flies by!
The best part about being your own blogger is that you can decide how often to post. I love that you take care of yourself and know when to step back, rather than just post about random things that you truly aren’t interested in. I laughed when you wrote about having too many books but not knowing which to read. I love to buy books, so when I get the urge, I feel guilty knowing I have lots of ARC’s and books waiting on my shelf to be read. It’s hard saying no, because in the moment we say “yes”, we have every intention of reading the book. However, being a wife and mom, life happens and blogging isn’t our primary focus. I resonate with all your thoughts and am glad you shared it with us. It is nice to know that there are others who understand! Thanks for sharing!! xx
Lisa @Books in the Burbs recently posted…I’m Guest Blogging Over at Mom’s Small Victories!
[…] not even attempting to plan out what I may or may not blog about this coming month. I just posted 5 Things I’ve Realized After Two Years of Blogging and I have a list as long as my arm of books to […]
Happy Blogoversary! Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I am coming up on two years of blogging. Blogging can be overwhelming in many ways, but it is fun. I hope you enjoy BEA. I hope to go sometime, but not this year.
Pat@Posting For Now recently posted…Review: The Other Life by Ellen Meister
Good luck. I take a different approach to books because I couldn’t cope with the review pressure – I just read books I’ve heard about and if I like them I blog about it. If people get to like my taste in books that would be fantastic! See you soon. Cheers from Carole’s Chatter
Congrats on the blogoversary! All the points you make are so true – It is really hard to keep blogging sometimes, and getting recognition and comments make it all feel much more worthwhile. But it is more important that you enjoy doing it, so I think that helps when it feel overwhelming when you think of how many blogs there are out there! And I think writing reviews might be my least favorite part of blogging! Sometimes it comes easy, but when it doesn’t it can be such a chore!
Charlene @ Bookish Whimsy recently posted…Suspense Sundays (144) A Coffin for Mr. Cash
Congrats on the two year mark!!
I’ve been blogging for 6 years and still struggle with every one of these. I took a little over a year off (not formally, I still posted very sporadically) a few years ago, and when I got back into blogging, I decided that I would be for me. I enjoy it, and that’s all that matters. That helps with number 5 quite a bit – but I still have moments where I wish I got more comments or traffic.
I will be at BEA – we should definitely meet up! I’ve been waiting to hear about any formal book blogger meet ups, but haven’t heard of any so far. Have you heard about anything yet?
Emily recently posted…Words to live by: W. Somerset Maugham
wow – you’ve only been at this 2 years? Ok, uncalled for. It *has* gone through many many somethings of whatever to mean so many different things and that is what I cling to, finally. I have had the luxury of being maybe on that first wave of what book-blogging was or wanted to be or something. AND I am so happy with my blog right now and am totally relaxed with whatever it might be in in the scheme of things. BEA is a blast. I think you are doing great. 😀
Care recently posted…Announcing Flowers for Algernon Read
[…] Helen lists five things she’s realized after two years of blogging. […]