This week's topic is: "Have you ever had reading/blogging slumps? How do you work through them or work around them?"Book Blogger Confessions is a brand-spanking-new meme created by Karen at For What It's Worth Reviews and Tiger at Tiger's All-Consuming Books.
On the first and third Monday of each month, there will be a new blogging topic up for discussion. The idea to give bloggers a place to vent, share opinions and maybe solutions to the problems we all face.
Unlike a lot of the bloggers I chat with, I haven't had a true reading slump, yet. I do find that, at times, I get so sick of certain genres, namely young adult paranormal. I enjoy them, (the well-written, original ones at least) but there's only so much I can take before I need to switch it up. There was a time I felt so indebted to those who asked for reviews that I would dredge through book after book, regardless of my wants. But that doesn't bode well for me or the author, because an unhappy reader will most likely write a cranky review.
I have found that if I force myself to take a step back and read the book I want to read, I'm a much happier reader. And I have found that since I've changed my review policy, stating that even if I've accepted a book for review, I can opt out if I find it's not to my liking. That change took a lot of weight off my shoulders.
As for the blogging slump? That one was getting to be a problem recently. I felt I must comment on dozens of posts every day. I would see people with, and I'm not exaggerating, 40-50 comments on their posts. Seeing that made me feel like a complete blogging loser. And that made me think "What's the point if I can't keep up?".
But finally, I took a closer look and saw that so many of those comments weren't meaningful, just fluff. That made me rethink things. I would rather leave/receive ten meaningful comments than dozens that aren't even relevant to the post. Plus, I just do not have the time, honestly. I'm making more of an effort to worry about my own blog and focus on reading and commenting on those I really do enjoy. This new approach has helped me tremendously and I've so far avoided a serious blogging slump.
I know that I will have hardcore slumps at some point, it's inevitable. But I'm doing what I can to avoid them. I don't know the perfect solution. What do you think, fellow readers/bloggers?
I'm kind of going through my own blogging slump right now. I'm finding myself with not much else to blog about other than book reviews, and I can only hope that's not a bad thing. I get bored with most memes pretty quickly, so I'm starting to lose interest in them.
ReplyDeleteI feel better changing my review policy, too. I'm not a reading machine, so I can't read everyone's newest book. I'm just going to concentrate on getting the back ARCs read and the books I've already purchased. Sometimes, you have to remember that your blog is not only meant as a tool for authors to get a review out of you. It's for the discussion/promotion of the books YOU read, whatever they might be. It's easy to lose sight of that.
This meme is a good one, though, but I don't know if I'll join in or not this time...
I really love what you said about blogs not only being a tool for the author. That's a very important thought to keep in mind.
DeleteThanks for sharing!
I have to say I usually don't have reading slumps. I have the same review policy as you do, that I can opt out of writing a review for a book I am not liking, or opt out of finishing it at all!
ReplyDeleteI am going through a blogging slump to an extent, more of a review-writing slump. I have had so much going on with my blog, and I have been reading so many books for readathons lately, that I am so overwhelmed with reviews to write...and I just do everything else possible to avoid sitting down to write them.
I think the review policy we both use is the only way to go. I'm so much happier now. As for review-writing slumps,I haven't let mine pile up yet, but I'm sure its inevitable. Good luck!
DeleteThanks for stopping by!
I love reading stuff like this. Even though I'm a writer, not a book blogger, we face a lot of the same problems. Time is the biggest one. No one has time to go through every blog and leave comments every day. If I have a few minutes to spare, i'll do it. Or if someone is having a big announcement, I make a point to stop by. I try to retweet people as much as possible, even if I don't have time to leave a comment.
ReplyDeleteAnd regarding people leaving fluff comments - ugh! I totally agree. Why say something that's meaningless? Frustrating. I'd rather they didn't say anything at all. I think sometimes people just want us to know they've stopped by, and that's why they say, "Great post!" and leave it at that. :-)
Sounds like you've figured out ways around some of the "slump" problems. More power to you! Keep reading and writing about books, my friend. People like me worship you! :-)
Time is a real beast, right?! I love when people leave comments, even just to say "Great post" and leave it at that. I just get frustrated if someone leaves a link and nothing else.
DeletePeople like me worship insanely talented people like you!
As someone who has been though both I can relate a little. I agree meaningful comments are better than those of a sentence of two. But sometimes with comments..some are better than none.
ReplyDeleteYeah for having a reading slump :)
I agree that a quick comment is great. I think.I meant when people just leave a link or comment in a way that you know they haven't even read the post.
DeleteHere's to slump-free reading!
Great post. I am still new to blogging, so I haven't had a blogging slump yet. I am not a very fast reader though, and I found that when I first started getting review requests, I took them all even if I didn't really want to read the book just because I was excited that someone wanted me to read their book. I also got a little over excited on NetGalley. I wasn't able to get to the books I bought that I wanted to read, and I was having a hard time wanting to read any of the books I felt I had to, whether they were good or not. Now I have learned a balance. The only problem is, I still want to read too many books I can't get to, but that's my own fault haha!
ReplyDeleteI went nuts on NetGalley, too! Its way too tempting. It is so easy to get overwhelmed, try to avoid that if you can!
DeleteThanks for stopping by, Amy!
What you wrote about comments? YES. Yes! I was so relieved to read that --- sometimes, I feel like something must be wrong with my posts because I just don't get comments... but then I take a minute to think about it --- I'd rather get one thoughtful comment than a whole bunch of "fluff" comments. :)
ReplyDeleteIts such a great feeling to have a comment that says (in a sense) "I was here, and I've read what you took the time to write".
DeleteThanks for stopping by!
Honestly - sometimes just taking a break or wading slowly through everything helps me get through these slumps. I sometimes just completely spend a day or two away from my blog, or sometimes even from reading, and then I come back excited again - or looking forward to what's coming up.
ReplyDeleteI have a hard time taking a step back. I need to work on that since it seems to work for you. Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteI love this post. I am so glad you brought up the subject of having a reading slump due to you feeling like you need to trudge through a book to review it but you never really wanted to after you found out it wasn't for you. I hate reading a book that doesn't do it for me just to review it. I need to break it up sometimes, I get sick of just paranormal so I go back to chick-lit or contemporary and then I feel fresh again. Also the commenting thing is so true!! I feel like I need to comment on everything but there just isn't time and it leaves my head spinning. I like it so much more when someone comments on my post or I comment on theirs and are truly interested in the post, not just some fluff to say you commented.
ReplyDelete-ShawnaLeAnn @ Dreaming In The Pages
My policy change saved my sanity, seriously. Trying to keep up w/comments is tough. It takes hours of my time, b/c I read the posts. And I love comments, even if it's just a "Hey, nice post".I just font like when there's a comment that's only a link or so off base, you know they didn't read the post.
DeleteThanks for stopping by!
I've changed my review policy too. It can take 2-3 months for a review and I can opt out of reviewing the book. I'm accepting very few right now but I would hate to close myself off fro requests all together. I'm hoping this will make it more manageable.
ReplyDeleteThe comment issue is a good one. I used to comment on 20 or blogs per day but I just can't keep up that pace and I know it's hard for others too. I'm happy that I have a core group that always leaves something meaningful on my blog.
I agree completely. You're a blogging hero for me.
DeleteAwesome post! This seems like a post that every blogger would like to get their feelings out about.
ReplyDeleteFortunately, I don't have the issue of getting sick of the genre that I absolutely love to read; Urban Fantasy/ Paranormal Romance. I've thought about reading another genres but I'm always scared that reading another book that I normally don't read would put me in a reading slump.
As for the "leaving comments on other bloggers posts", I try to stalk blogs that I like to read their content and then comment as frequently as I can. I agree that I would prefer that people leave meaningful comments other than just a generic comment, that way I know that they actually read my post. My problem is, if I'm actually stalking a blog, then I really do read their posts at least a couple times a week. But when I do leave comments, I don't always have anything in particular to say about their post so I end leaving just a generic comment to let them know that I read and liked their post. I stop stalking blogs if I end up not really liking their content. Your blog is one of my faves and your blog is one of the VERY FEW that I've "Subscribed by email" because I like to read each and every post...even if I don't always leave a comment.
Im so afraid people think I'm a jerk about commenting. I love any comment, just not the ones where people only leave a link or write something so off base, you know they didn't read the post.
DeleteI adore your blog and your one of the few I subscribe to, as well. You always give your honest opinion; good, bad or indifferent!
Thanks for stopping by, sweetie!
You go, girl! I had to start opting out of reviewing books I really disliked, also. All it ended up being was several hours of unpleasant reading followed by a review that was trying desperately to be polite and balanced. It's so much better to just go with a book you're enjoying! In other words, this: "an unhappy reader will most likely write a cranky review." And nobody wants that. :-)
ReplyDeleteBalance and choice make all the difference! Yay for no crankiness!
DeleteThanks for stopping by!
Great post!
ReplyDeleteCheck out mine
@^*%$$$#^&^# . com
Comments like this is why I love you!
Delete:oP
ReplyDeletebut really.....
I go through reading slumps all the time... it usually has a lot to do with genre. I get tired of a genre, and bleh.. but since starting some contemps, I have been back on the horse! And putting other things aside. I'm in a trailer slump right now. lol
I agree with the comments. My time is pretty precious. I don't have time to comment on 50 blogs. I think it's pointless to make comments if they are meaningless. I would rather have zero comments on a post than shit ones.
Genre hopping is the key to evading the slump, I think.
ReplyDeletedefinately! :)
DeleteGreat advice! I have also made some changes to my review policy lately stating that I do not gurantee a review, and also that I do not provide a timeline as to when the review will be written. When I started out I was giving rediculous timelines and feeling like I *had* to stick to them which = reading stress and cranky reviewer. Now I still feel a bit of pressure (because I am unfortunately still behind on reviews) but not to the same degree.
ReplyDeleteAs far as commenting goes, I used to try to visit every blog that I followed every day and that was just unrealistic. Now I hope to pop in once a week. I try to at least visit and comment on 5 blogs a day but I try not to stress if I can't.
Bonnie @ HandsAndHome