For What It's Worth


Tuesday, May 23, 2017

tell me something tuesday...

download (10)

Tell Me Something Tuesday is hosted by Rainy Day Ramblings and discusses a wide range of topics from books to blogging.

I’ve been meaning to join this feature for awhile but I’m just now getting out of a long term blogging slump and putting together a {somewhat} regular posting schedule.

I’m going to kick off my participation by answering both this and last weeks questions since I had drafted but didn’t post last Tuesday and they do seem to tie in together.


Question from 5/16
How do you keep up your blog?

Question for 5/23
What do you do when you hit a blogging wall?

The short answer is…I don’t. Or just barely. lol

December will mark my 8th year of blogging and I’ve gone from posting 7 days a week, hosting charity auctions and challenges to barely one post a month to my current level of 3 days per week.

I think most bloggers like schedules and planners and can offer brilliant insight on how to be a better blogger. I’ve learned that doesn’t work for me - I’m a pantser and I don’t fight it anymore. I’ve also learned variety is the spice of life and I blog about whatever I feel like now – instead of forcing myself to talk books when I’m in a TV, movie, food blogging kind of mood.

To break it down a bit…here’s how I read/blog

Reading:

I read really fast so I can read up 5-7 books per week. Double that if they're novellas. I have started making sure I squeeze in fun reads. I’ve cut WAY down on ARC’s and I don’t review everything I read anymore. That’s what helped me get out of my epic 2 year reading slump. I accept no more than 2-3 books for review per month and those are usually from authors I’m pretty sure I’ll love and one take a chance on new to me author.

I’ve been posting a picture of my monthly TBR pile at the beginning of each month (usually about 6 books) . I don’t knock myself if I don’t stick to it but it’s helped keep me on target since my goal for 2017 is to knock down my older books TBR pile.

Including fun/non review books - I typically read up to 20 books per month.

Blogging:

Like I said I’m a pantser. Currently I do 3 posts per week.

Monday: Either Monday Minis – mini reviews or Monday Musings where I discuss my reading struggles or bookish news (cover reveals, netgalley finds, book mail etc).

Tuesday: - I might try to do this feature weekly or at least monthly - we'll see how it goes.

Wednesday: a full book review from my scheduled TBR pile

Friday: Friday Fast Five: A collection of things that I’ve either done for the week or things that I’m hoping to do for the weekend – like TV/movies, food, my pets…really anything that brings a smile to my face and reminds me of my One Word New Years resolution – Joy

Drafting/scheduling posts:

20170522_114815Again. Pantser!

I write everything the day before or if I’m really ambitious TWO days before lol I’ve gotten really wild and had posts ready for up to two weeks but that’s rare and honestly I’d rather be spontaneous. I know…I know…but it works for me.

I don’t keep detailed lists or charts. I keep track of my reading on Goodreads and have a post-it on my computer screen to remind me of scheduled reviews and items for Friday Fast Five.

Miscellaneous:

I visit blogs to comment in the morning every or every other day – time permitting. I don’t use any of the readers. Instead I have my regulars bookmarked and run through the list and click on interesting posts links via Twitter. I try to find new blogs through comments and fold in a few new people each week. 

I answer emails and review requests 1-2 times a week. You can read my post from last year here about how I handle requests along with the form letter I use.



I’ve almost given up and closed down the blog several times during the past few years. I seem to be catching a second wind though. I think the days of posting daily are over and stats/numbers etc aren’t important in the same way as they were to me back in my heyday but I’m having fun with it now. It’s a hobby for me and I’ve learned to let go of anything that makes it more job like. Ironically – whenever I get in the IDGAF mindset – the blog does better lol I think because I’m being truer to myself and having fun and it shows.

So that’s pretty much how I blog and how I knocked down my blogger wall.

I'd love to hear what works for you!

41 comments:

  1. Wohoo for the second wind, do not leave us

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm kind of happy blogging right now. I feel zero pressure and I'm having fun with it for the first time in years!

      Delete
  2. Of course I already knew about your blogging strategies (LOL, what a word. Is being spontaneous a strategy?), but I'm sure this post can be helpful for less seasoned bloggers. Going to share it on Twitter later!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Plantser! lol Love it.

    I got out of my reading slump and I'm reading A LOT. The problem is that I don't really feel like writing reviews. I'm kind of tired of the same old styles and formatting is such a PITA. But I'm getting over that too but by mixing up my posts with other topics. It helps.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love that you mix your blog with other topics than reading/books. That's something I've begun doing too. And don't leave us! I'm glad that you're enjoying blogging at the moment.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know a lot of people were told that you must "only" post about books. And honestly, that may still be true as far as getting page views, but it wasn't working for me. I started HATING both reading and blogging. So what good is it if I can't even last doing it that way?

      I guess I'll just do it my way and let the chips fall :-)

      Delete
  5. Say what you will, but this seems like a pretty planned out schedule :p

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is right now as I *try* to ease back in. But I already went off course. I started Monday Minis and it's changed to Monday Musings because after two week of minis I rebelled lol

      I feel like the three days have order to keep me going but I could really talk about anything so it's still loose enough to not make me freak out.

      Delete
  6. It is awesome that you have found a groove and do what works for you. I couldn't be a pantser, I am too uptight. I like not having to stress and having the posts prepped a couple of weeks in advance if possible. Totally agree with you about cutting back ARCS and mixing in the fun books. I am cranking through the audiobooks right now because I listen while I cross stitch and it helps me get through more reads. Thanks so much for participating. If it helps and if you would like, I have the TMST questions written up through the end of the year, if you don't want to be a pantser and you want to prep in advance, I can send them to you!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Wow 8 years! That's awesome. I'm sort of a pantser, I mean I do plan ahead a little and have some posts scheduled out, but a lot of times I get a post idea and just write it out and post it, or I do things last minute. :) It works, more or less!

    I think squeezing in fun reads is key too. I have to like what I'm reading and not feel obligated lol. You seem to have a good system down. I don't keep detailed lists or spreadsheets or any of that either. And yay for second wind!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Right now I have a lose schedule in my head. The Monday/Wednesday/Friday thing but I don't worry about it. If I don't have anything to say I'll skip them and if I want to post about something else that's fine too.

      Delete
  8. 8 is a long time wow! Depending on the post, I draft ahead or the day before. I'm so not a planner unless I know a week/month is going to be busy but I do keep a planner with details and dates otherwise I'd be lost!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I can't believe it's been that long!

      It's nice to hear there are a few other pantser's out there like myself lol

      I have to keep that post-it note list for review requests or else I get caught up in other books and forget.

      Delete
  9. 8 years is so impressive! :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks. It's changed so much since then but I'm happy to be still hanging in there.

      Delete
  10. Eight years is phenomenal Karen, I had no idea you'd been blogging that long. I think pretty much most bloggers after the first few years start to feel the same, blogging takes a backseat and I think that's a wonderful thing actually. I've tried getting ahead but it typically doesn't work for me. I blog on the fly. I have reviews half written, noted, ones with just keyboard mashing and I flit between a few reviews at once if I'm struggling. It's chaos but seems to work for me. The one aspect I really try to keep on top of is catching up with my favourite blogs like yours. Each time I post a new review, I visit my list of blogs and also blogs that have left comments on my last post. For me, interaction with other readers and finding new reads is such a massive part of blogging, so it's one aspect I like to try to get right.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have! I think I just found you last year??

      Since I've been posting every other day, I visit blogs on the off days. I do try to visit my faves daily though.

      My favorite part of blogging is interaction with others and it got me down when so many of my friends left so I'm really happy to have found a lot of new bloggers this past month or so. It's given me the boost I needed.

      Delete
  11. I think the cutting down on ARCs has helped me a ton the past year plus!

    ReplyDelete
  12. 8 years is an amazing accomplishment. I do have a loose outline but I always seem to be writing reviews at the last minute. I do sit down on Sundays and get all of the formatting of my posts done for the week but the actual reviews are always a last minute thing. It's what works for me. I think the key is to have fun with it and back off a bit when it stops being fun.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't like to write reviews too far in advance. It feels weird to read a review for a book I read months ago lol I've moved on and it's hard for me to promote or talk about it.

      Delete
  13. Wow, you've been blogging for 8 years!!! What an amazing accomplishment. I'm a newbie. Let's pray I hit one year. Hehe.. yep, blogging is not easy. I want it to be fun and keep it a hobby. Like you, I choose to read the books I know I'd enjoy, and refuse the pressure to read the ones I don't like. So far I enjoy most of them. It's been fun. Blogging/writing what we want is a great strategy, Karen. Thanks for sharing this. This is SO helpful for us newbies.

    PS: I love your blog. You're so fun!! Don't leave us, please. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you :-)))) Not leaving anytime soon.

      I didn't realize you've only been blogging less a year. You do such a great job! Glad I found you.

      Delete
  14. Eight years is awesome! I'm happy you've found what works for you and you continue to blog. I don't believe there's a right or wrong way to do it -- just have fun and celebrate your love of books. Great post!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Great topics. I love your honest answers to hitting the blogger wall.

    ReplyDelete
  16. My blogging habits have changed dramatically too! Much like everything that's new you devote all your energy to it then after a while it wanes for mulitiude of reasons so you experiment til you find a balance.

    I very rarely accept review requests anymore, I still do ARCs but I've slowed down on that. Like my May calendar is so bare I managed to squeeze in a few pleasure reads

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm catching up on ALA reads but after this month I only 1-2 arc's for the rest of the year. *sigh* it feels nice!

      Delete
  17. Yeah that would kill me. lol I'm a planner and even plan for my panster moments. Ha! I'm glad to hear you're getting your second wind!

    ReplyDelete
  18. I don't do schedules, never works for me. I write my reviews as soon as I am finished reading the book which works for me. Congrats on your accomplishment as a blogger. I have been doing it for 3 years and it has been quite a ride for me.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Damn Karen, 8 years? That's impressive! The idea of posting seven days a week is so completely mind boggling to me, haha. I'm just not that good at planning ahead. Pantsers, unite! I remember reading an ARC in January for a book that isn't coming out until the end of this month and writing the review right after I finished it; that's literally the only time I've planned reviews ahead of time. LOL!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I can't believe I ever managed 7 days a week but I did for years without problems then I hit a reading slump and I've never been the same lol

      I
      m kind of surprised how many pantsers there are lol Everyone I know is so orderly. I always feel like something is wrong with me. haha

      Delete
  20. I'm like the opposite of you. The things you pants, I plan, and the things you plan, I pants lol. I NEED my planning and schedules for blogging. Most of my posts are written and ready to go WAY before I actually post them. But with reading, I try to go with my mood. And with commenting/visiting other blogs/responding to emails I just do those whenever, no set time or day or anything.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm a mood reader too. I have the arc's for the month that I post and try to get to on time but that's like 3-5 but I read about 20 books total for the month and those are all go with the flow reading lol

      Delete
  21. Are you a pantser or a panther? (ha ha ha) nvm I'm a pantser too.
    Jen @ YA Romantics

    ReplyDelete