Blogger exhaustion happens to the best of us. No really, we’re exhausted. Hahahaha! Get it? Cause we’re the best? No? Oh well… okay.
But, no seriously. If you’re looking at your life choices right now and feeling that same old exhaustion of blogging setting in, then we’re right there with you. I wanted to talk today about aspects of blogging that can be tiresome and lead to blogger exhaustion. And I’m going to get real with you guys here.
And it’s going to be easy for some people to not like what I’m saying because I’m not going to be diplomatic. I’m not being nice in this post. No pandering, no softening up the truth, just straight out facts about my blogging life that I can’t stand.
So I’m coming out and saying it like it is. Haters to the left.
1. Blog Tours
We know, we know. There are so many blog tours going around and we do a lot of them. The problem is, blog tours these days can get a little basic. And a lack of organisation can make some tours very painful to be on. The stories we could tell! And I’m sure many bloggers also have horror stories of trying to get tours up on time.
For example when you’re emailed and asked to be on a tour only to later be dropped by the publisher because they over booked it. Or when they don’t send you all the necessary promotional material and links and you don’t even know who else is on the tour. Then there’s last minute blog tours that need to be done at the drop of the hat and tour invites that make you sign up with the google doc. I mean, when you’re juggling organising five tours at once, it can be pretty exhausting on the blogger end. Especially something that is, in effect, a labour of love.
We keep telling ourselves over and over again that we’ll stop doing blog tours, but it never works because there’s a lot of authors out there that we do want to support and help promote, even if the blog tour sucks. We have yet to find a happy medium in this. And most of the publicists we work with are so wonderful that we don’t want to turn them down.
2. Reading Schedules
ARCs check in. Sometimes they don’t check out. There’s a lot of reasons to have a reading schedule. All of them suck. Okay, maybe we’re exaggerating. But one of the easiest ways to burn out as a blogger is to get bogged down in a reading schedule that isn’t working for you, slogging through books that you feel obligated to read even though you probably wouldn’t have picked them up to begin with. Then there’s the books you have to read for tours and interviews that weigh you down. Human beings are blessed with such an infinitesimally small lifespan. Such a limited number of minutes and book bloggers will spend some of those sacred moments of their life, the one and only life they get, reading books of which they have no interest in. Why? Because we feel like we should?
3. Promo Posts that lack Content
This one is pretty self explanatory. But when we’re given promo posts by publishers to do, and there’s literally no content? That gives me brain hurts. Brain hurts real bad. Thing is, I know sometimes a book has to be promoted even though the author can’t provide much content and blogs are the best way to do it. But, and forgive me for this, but when does that become my problem?
When I agree to do them, I guess. Which hurts my soul a little bit more each time. Why am I letting this make me miserable? Why am I letting this ruin my experience with my blog? Why am I allowing myself to feel like such a fraud for promoting stuff I barely even know on my own blog? I don’t know. I just don’t know.
But it seriously ends here.
4. Drama
Sometimes the most exhausting part of being a book blogger is all the drama that comes with it. I mean, this is Cuddlebuggery, so we know a little something about drama. Amirite? Hahahahaha, yes. Yes, I am.
But you may have noticed that we try more and more not to get dragged into drama on the blog. Our personal twitter accounts not withstanding, we try to leave the drama llamas with their mamas. We’re not saying anyone else should, because I think sometimes there absolutely needs to be drama. Is that a weird thing to say? I don’t care. Some things are worth making a big deal about. Kicking up a stink for. Never fear that Meg, Steph and I will kick up a stink for something we think is worthwhile and necessary. For a fight worth having.
I felt in the beginning, back when Cuddlebuggery first started, that there wasn’t a lot of protection for bloggers who got targeted by authors for attack. That they were often isolated and felt defenceless and little alone, even though I was by no means the only person campaigning for reader’s rights. I always wanted to be there to support them, to make people aware of the situation they were going through etc. But I don’t feel that need anymore. Not when there are hundreds of other bloggers around doing a brilliant job of protecting each other, looking out for each other, acting like a community. This makes me so incredibly happy to be part of this group of people. And I just want to take this opportunity to say thank you to all those bloggers who stand up for each other and show each other support during difficult times. You’re amazing.
Seeing the disrespect shown to bloggers like it was the other day? That’s not so awesome, and that stuff makes me TIRED. And I’m sick of the constant implication that bloggers are a ravaging pack of high school girls ready to take down some poor innocent author like a pride of lionesses to a gazelle. I hate it. Because my peeps are awesome. But my peeps also don’t really need me sticking up for them. They’re badass enough to stick up for themselves. So I think I’m gonna bow out a little bit more.
5. A Deluge of Annoying Emails
I was tweeting the other day about some of the ridiculous books we get pitched and I was not so happy to see that Cuddlebuggery isn’t alone in the absurd books we get asked to read. When I started blogging, I thought the constant posting would be the thing to get me down, but actually, its the thousands of administrative duties that come with it. Receiving dozens of emails every day, most of which are spam and shouldn’t be coming to us at all, is incredibly frustrating. The constant fight to stay organised – it’s not something that comes easily to me. And it’s not helped by all the emails I get every day for the likes of Christian books or non fiction books or memoirs for people I’ve never even heard of. And the Press Releases. For stuff that has nothing to do with YA. All this comes streaming into our inbox before we even start our blogging day. It’s exhausting to sort through and I’m sick of it. As I’m writing this, I just received an email about a book regarding spiritual journeys of golfers. SPIRITUAL JOURNEYS OF GOLFERS. What the ever-loving fuck?!
So. Over. It.
So what to do about it?
I’m not in the business of telling other people what to do with their blogs. But I’m kind of over caring about what people think of mine. So, I’m getting rid of all the things that make me hate blogging. Steph, Meg and I are freeballing our way through it, trying to get back to our beloved roots. We’re not perfect. We’re never going to be. And here’s a fact, nobody is.
I’m personally sick of poorly organised blog tours and reading schedules that make me scream and feeling slightly abused by the system. I want to be clear, it’s not anyone’s fault I feel this way. No publicist or author or person has done me wrong. But I really want to go back to how blogging used to be for me, and what it used to be like. Where things were more personal and we were more passionate about our content and there were more discussion posts and just talking to people and feeling part of something.
So If some aspect of blogging is getting you down, remember, your blog is YOUR space. You don’t have to do nothing for nobody. Just put on that black, spangly corset and garter belt and dance your way through the problems into fabulousness.
Because, my friends, that’s exactly what I’ll be doing.
Brittany @ The Book Addict's Guide
The spiritual journey of golfers…. I cannot.
But seriously though, AMEN.
I used to be uhhh….. an overachiever. Okay I still am. But that’s not a bad thing really. I do so much because I LOVE my blog. I LOVE reading. I LOVE this community. But I’ve also felt the need reel myself in a bit because one person just cannot do everything and I especially cannot do the things that aren’t beneficial — really for both me and the author/publisher pitching some of these things.
I think it’s silly when I get pitches for non-fiction or children’s books or erotica. Like, did you do any research when pitching this book to me? It does these authors no justice to send these emails to me. It’s a waste of their time and mine. Do you REALLY want me to read your book? Because chance are, I won’t like it. So how does that help?? It’s also way too much work to get a post together with so little content. That helps no one either. People don’t want to read that post and it takes up my time too.
I’ve stepped back from blog tours lately and yet I haven’t. I feel like I’m being approached for a lot more from the publishers I work with but I’m only saying yes to the books I’m already planning to read or the ones I’ve already read. I can’t justify reading a book FOR a tour anymore.
I’ve also let go of my reading “plans”. There are too many books I want to read to make official plans. I had to figure out why I was stressing myself out and the answer was, there was no good reason. I’m just reading my ARCs now whenever I like (as in, not waiting until closer to the pub month) and we all have to have a mix of backlist and personal selections too. It’s been SO MUCH BETTER not to worry about my reading schedule. I do try to get a good mix of publishers in there to make sure I’m reading some for each one but that’s about it.
I’m not really even going to touch on the drama because I almost always try to avoid it. If it’s worth speaking up, I will but I feel like most of the drama is spun way out of control and it just escalates on social media. I usually try not to get tangled in there.
It’s great to rethink what’s stressing you out! Like you said and like we all say, this is a HOBBY. It should always be fun and there’s no right or wrong way to blog but if you’re seriously stressed or wiped out… that may be the only wrong way to do it!
Kat Kennedy
I keep having to remind myself that this is a hobby. I wish I were more successful at it. *sadface* It’s the posts with no content that really get me. I feel like a fraud fabricating content in order to promote a book I don’t even care about.
Lucia @Reading Is My Breathing
*clap my hands* I love this post and I feel the same about most of stuff you wrote about. #BloggersBackToTheirRoots
Kat Kennedy
Awww! Thank you! Love the hashtag.
Mishma @ Chasing Faerytales
Haha,I love this post! I myself am a bit new to the blog scene-with only four months under my belt-but I am really familiar with all these because I’ve been an avid blog reader for two years.
Blog tours. *sigh* I think most bloggers only use them as filler posts nowadays.Unless the tour is for some “big shot” title,they just go on unnoticed.And the promo posts are even worse.To tell the truth,I don’t even care about cover reveals and trailer reveals and book blitzes nowadays.
Sometimes review request emails annoy me a lot when it’s clear that they obviously haven’t read my review policy.Furthermore,I got an email few days ago,where they’ve gotten both my name and my blog name wrong.Really?
Kat Kennedy
People get our blog name wrong ALL THE DAMN TIME. And yeah. Nobody cares about blog tours anymore unless there’s a really good giveaway. I feel like our readers just don’t respond to promo posts or more cover reveals. So I figure, why do them?
Rachel H.
It is easy to get burned out with a blog. I frequently have that issue. But I keep doing it because I love reading, writing reviews and sharing my opinions with others. I don’t have a reading schedule per se, as I’m not doing book tours, just reading for myself (which happens to include some ARCs that I enjoy). Enjoyed the use of Frank N Furter in your post by the way.
Kat Kennedy
Frank N Furter all the way, baby.
Kelly
Amen to that you sweet, sweet transvestite.
I know that feeling all too well, blogger burn out. And it’s not something you can shake off without deciding to make some major changes. Less than confident bloggers probably really struggle with not being able to say stuff it, I blog for me and cut down on the excess bullshit and get back to why you started blogging in the first place.
I did the same thing and the freedom of having no restrictions or expectations is liberating. I rarely participate in tours, no memes, no promotions unless it’s something that floats my boat, and not even bothering to reply to random religious, erotic, self help, porn Indies are trying to pedal my way.
Strip it back and you’ll find how much you actually enjoy it again. I have a feeling that you kiddos will be alriiiiight ♥
Kat Kennedy
Ah, I look up to you. That is what I want to be like. Just us doing our own thing and enjoying blogging again. I have a feeling well be alright too!
James
I still feel overwhelmed even though I’m like barely doing anything nowadays, lol. What ends up happening is that I set up posts and then attempt to write the reviews before the post goes up, and that doesn’t work- the post goes up without a review. It’s getting bad. But that’s more of a motivation issue for me; I don’t like doing reviews unless it’s for a book that I absolutely, unequivocally LOVED (my Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda review recently was like the easiest thing to write).
But I do agree with you on the reading schedule. All the books I read are review books, but I pick what I want to read when I want to read it, except for the occasional exception for a blog tour. But usually if I sign up for one of those, I was already planning on reading the book anyway. I’ll try to stay within the pub month though but I’ll also read older and upcoming books if I feel the need to.
I think what also happens in terms of blogger exhaustion is trying to keep up with posts every week, especially if you’re extremely popular (like you guys are) and have tons of people visit your site. No one goes to my blog anymore, so I guess mine is really more of a blogger malaise than anything else. So yeah. No one’s really clamoring for new posts from me.
Kat Kennedy
It’s easy to feel, no matter the size of your blog, like you’re not doing enough and your blog isn’t good enough. I constantly feel that way.
+ Simon Vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda is just the best!
Ashley P.
/GIANT standing ovation for the massive amount of Dr. Frank N Furter gifs.
Asti
Agreed. 99% of the recent I opened this post and read it in Feedly was for the RHPS love. <3
Kat Kennedy
*Takes a bow*
Beth W
Preach it! As a book blogger, you’re having to deal with bureaucratic and marketing BS and *not getting paid for it*. Oh sure, reading good books is a perk, but that’s not compensation. So I can absolutely see being 100% over it (which is why I’m not a book blogger, and don’t accept books for review and don’t join in promo tours anymore). I also avoid Twitter, by and large, like the drama-plague it usually is.
Honestly, my blogger exhaustion comes in with the whole “miss two days of checking emails and it takes a month to catch up”, with bloggers I follow, supporting those that support me, etc. That’s some huge guilt for me, and it wears me down. That and feeling constant pressure to have a blog that’s more polished, branded and witty.
I’ve honestly thought several times about flipping the table over and just walking away. So it’s nice to see I’m not alone in that. Thanks!
Kat Kennedy
Yes, I wrote this post because we honestly often feel like flipping the table and walking away. It’s exhausting. Though I love twitter and love being on there, I agree, there is a lot of drama. That doesn’t always bother me, but it does get to me more now than it used to.
Morgyn Star (@MorgynStar)
As a member of the ‘ravening’ horde, a little lovin’ from the pack is in the order.
Kat, one of the Best of the Best. Cuddlebugery, the same.
Hugs, Morgyn
Kat Kennedy
*Hugs* *kisses* *Smooches* Alright we’ll need to find a room soon.
Briana @ Pages Unbound
I avoid a lot of the stress by simply not doing a lot of the things “successful” or “big” bloggers are supposed to do. I barely request ARCs and I rarely do any type of author promotion. I did a blog tour for the first time recently, for an author I love with a fairly large publishing house, and even that was frustrating. The intern told me all the dates she had said were free were not actually free and put me at the end of the tour. She turned down the ideas I pitched for the author and then assigned me a topic that bombed. So considering how stressful and disappointing that was, what should have been a straightforward blog tour with a house that has organized tons of them, I don’t think I’ll be participating in one again soon.
I’d rather focus on reading and reviewing the things I want, on a whim. I don’t ever want my blog to be too much of a promotional or marketing space that takes a lot of administrative effort to keep organized. I just want to talk about books.
Kat Kennedy
I’m so sorry you struggled so much with your blog tour. All I can say is one big, massive, been there, done that. I know exactly how it feels. It is so damn frustrating. I think we’ll go back to doing small blog things in small blog ways. Thanks so much for the comment.
Kara
Yeah, I am pretty much over blog tours. If my co-bloggers want to do them, that’s fine, but I don’t want to. Not even for a book I loved. Unless there’s a giveaway, readers don’t give a shit about them anyway.
I’ve been working on mood reading a lot this year but I am so behind on ARCs, it’s not really working out that well. So I started mood reading my ARCs. I’ll read them out of order, late, early, etc. I know that’s not what the publisher wants, but I have needs too.
I kind of have this plan. Whatever ARCs or galleys I am not caught up on by the end of the year, those are getting purged. Because next year is all about what I want to read. I’ve also stopped requesting physical ARCs completely unless I am asked to read something and I want to. This has helped.
But basically, fuck it all. Publishers and authors expect us to do so much and we get zero respect. We do this for free! And for the love of books. Seeing the lack of respect we got last week? Why am I putting up with it? I have one life and I am spending it reading books I don’t want to and writing posts that have no heart. It’s bullshit. So over it.
Lisa (Fic Talk)
What Kara said.
And what Kat said.
ALL. OF. IT.
I’ve been burnt out for over a year now and I’ve been doing this for almost 5 years. I keep asking myself where did the time go? How did the dynamics of book blogging change so much, so fast?
I’m with you, Kat, ARC/E-Galleys check in, but they don’t always check out. I can’t do a schedule thing, I’ve tried. It stresses me out.
This post was much needed.
Kat Kennedy
*Schnuggle blossoms*
Kat Kennedy
I think that’s a good plan! I like it! I might do something similar. I need a big book binge and to get rid of some of these ARCs that keep piling up at my place with no end. But yeah, fuck it all. I’m sick of trying do things in a certain way. It’s not working.
I’m happy to be basic once again.
Rachel Tsoumbakos
Kara that is a brilliant idea!
I started the by cutting back on book tours. I only use one tour company now and am more selective with the books I choose from them. The theory was I would have more time to read any old book I felt like and concentrate more on my TV recaps (which is what people mainly come to my blog for now). It has taken 6 months and I am on my last organised review book. 6 months and finally no longer feel guilt at not picking new blog tour books… :-/
Kat Kennedy
Awesome. I want to get to that stage where I don’t feel guilty. It will probably take awhile but, meh. We’ll see how we go.
Anonymous
Yeah, I think the fact I have just picked up another job that has helped alleviate that guilt 😉
Kristen@My Friends Are Fiction
so much yes to this post. First- the Rocky GIFs are superb. It’s been far too long since I time warped. And, why do I say yes to the tours? I say- I’m not gonna do them unless I LOVE the book. Then the next month roles around and Bam! I’m doing tours again. They are so time consuming especially when you aren’t sent any promo info- no links, etc. I have felt so bogged down and you’ve helped inspired me to take back my space damn it!
Kat Kennedy
Wow. What an amazing compliment. You go, girl! But yeah, we were the same. We have three tours we have to finish up and then that’s it. We’re done. No more tours.
Amber
Yes, more power to you Kat! This post is great and I bet a lot of other bloggers feel the same way about the tours and the promo posts and the spam emails. You three should definitely feel free to do what you want on your blog and if that means giving up blog tours? Then that’s perfectly fine. Ditching the reading schedule? Great. Doing away with promo posts? I don’t blame you one bit.
I’ll admit I definitely get tired of the tours and promo posts, unless it’s for a book I’m interested in (of course…), but I want the material to be original, I don’t want to read just a basic standard promo that gets sent to every. single. person. who’s asked to post it. I know I did a promo giveaway a few weeks ago, but that was for a book I’m interested in and have an ARC of, plus I’ve heard good things about it.
Anyway, I think it’s great that you’re going to do your own thing. 🙂
Kat Kennedy
Thank you. Yes, so many blog tours are just basic promos these days and they’ve definitely lost their shine.
I’m ditching it all. I’m going to be FREE!!!!
Thanks for your comment.
Credoroza
Sing it sista!! I was shaking my head up and down reading your words!!
I went on hiatus a year ago from the constant pressure. When I came back I decided, my blog, my choice. I only post what requests I want, read what I want, no more crazy reading schedule. If I am not liking the story after a fair shake, I advise the tour host, meh not for me, but will post a promo instead.
I no longer acknowledge requests or badgering from people/hosts I don’t know and if an author keeps sending emails after I have already responded, I ignore.
I love blogging but not the shenanigans.
Rachel
Credoroza, I rejected my first ever review and opted for a promo post. Not sure if it was to do with the fact I am over blogging a bit at the moment or if it was just a book I didn’t like :-/
Credoroza
I know the feeling of over blogging! But I now do more promos and am more selective on reviews. Most of my reviews are stories I have sought out as opposed to those being offered. It has been working so much better for me and makes blogging enjoyable as it should be.
Kat Kennedy
My agreement cannot be contained.
Iola
Do you ever feel just a little guilty for posting a promo for a DNF book? I do. I just hope people read between the lines and think about why I didn’t review (because I’m not afraid to post critical reviews, but not on the basis if reading the first two chapters. I figure anyone can download the Kindle sample, so buyer beware).
Credoroza
I actually don’t. reason being first and foremost when I participate in a blog tour, I am agreeing to promote the author. it would not be in good taste to post a DNF or dislike of an author’s story on their own tour.
I say those for Goodreads and they are usually well after the tour completed.
It is another reason why most tours I participate in are promo only and my reviews are usually not part of a tour and stories i have sought out. It keeps things simple and makes blogging enjoyable.
Dena
I stopped accepting new tour/promo requests a few months ago. I also stopped accepting books for review. I realized that I was doing a lot of work for free for a book I didn’t care about. I felt like I was being taken advantage of. I’ve been so much happier since I quit accepting new books! My email has reduced dramatically and I’ve been able to read books I actually want to read. I thought it would be a temporary break, but I think I’ll make it permanent.
Kat Kennedy
Make it a permanent one! Whatever makes you happier blogging is what you should do!
Erin Burns
I started blogging to decrease the number of books, and consequently the amount of money I spent on books. I figured any time spent blogging or interacting with the community would help balance things out. So mostly the bothersome stuff doesn’t bother me so much. Only a few real peeves and they’re mostly on me. One, I’ve reviewed BDSM books, so why do so many christian books get pitched at me? Two, Amazon down votes for negative reviews (it’s stupid, why should I care?). And three, when I start guilting myself for reading something I’ve no intention of blogging about. That is probably the the thing I’ve got to watch myself most on, because I read for myself like I blog for myself, for fun, and making it another job is the last thing I need to do.
Orchid @ The Haunting of Orchid Forsythia
I kind of feel like y’all got in my head with this post! So many things, from blog tours, too many emails, book pitches not fitting what I read/review, that reverberated with my experiences with blogging.
All things aside, it is the emails that is perhaps the most difficult thing about blogging for me and tires me the most. I love all the opportunities that have been presented through emails and my time of blogging, yet, I get so inundated with them that I just want to hide because they take so much time to weed through and respond to.
I love how all of you ladies here, and some more in the blogsphere, are getting back to basics. Reading and blogging for me, on my own terms, is something I strive to continue every time I sit down to blog. It’s definitely hard but rewarding; as well as how I still enjoy it after all these years.
I fear I may have rambled somewhat. Especially since I’ve been working on this comment, off and on, for the past three hours. =)
Kat Kennedy
I’m sorry you find emails the worst to deal with. I definitely struggle with them as well. I really think, with how blogging has changed so much over the last couple of years, that getting back to basics will be the only way we’ll survive it. Thank you for your comment!
Sara Strauss
Amen, girl!! I’m not a book blogger (though I do write about here and there), but I can still relate to a lot of this! Good for you for going back to your roots! 🙂
~Sara
Kat Kennedy
Really?! Oh my gawd, that is horrible. Please explain!
Jenny Vee
Yes, yes, yes! I couldn’t agree more! Thank you for writing what so many of us feel. Great post!
Kat Kennedy
;P
Von P.
*standing ovation* This post just made my day! I’ve been deciding to start anew on my blog and I had no one to consult about it, so thanks for this post. I think this is very much helpful! I will start on getting rid of blog tours and promo posts then. It will definitely lessen pressure on me and I’d be able to post more reviews and other book-related posts that I intent to write!
Kat Kennedy
That’s what we’re hoping we’ll be able to do. We’ve got three blog tours left and then we’re done. DONE! Mwhahahahahaha!
Holly J
More real talk from Kat Kennedy, please. 🙂 but seriously, LOVE this post!! Love how honest you were about everything, and I know there are a lot of people who maybe wouldn’t say all of this out loud but who are nodding along to all that you said because they agree.
I used to do a lot of blog tours and a few promos (like blitzes, but only if I really loved the author), but I grew out of that. I liked helping authors spread the word, but I never liked having to mess around with the formats of the posts which was annoying. I’ve pretty much stopped blog tours, but I’ll still do one now and then if I REALLY want to read the book. But what I didn’t (and don’t still) like was that it put me on a schedule! Uuuugh reading schedules are the WORST. Add in ARCs and already published novels, and you’re struggling to find the time for all of them. I think, for me, that is the most energy-draining thing about blogging. And I’ve put myself in serious reading and blogging slumps before because of it. I’ve found a GREAT balance now, which has helped immensely. And I don’t have a blog schedule; I just post what I want when I want (which is AWESOME even though I sometimes go almost a whole week without a new one).
I’m not even going to get started on the drama. That is draining for every single blogger, whether they’re involved or not. Other than putting out a few heated tweets, my involvement in any of the “big” drama was scarce. But I followed it pretty obsessively and let the negativity affect my blogging, so much so that I had to take a step back and reexamine everything at the beginning of the year. So now, I’m pretty chill about everything and just keep myself informed of what’s going on but don’t go further than that. I want to keep this a positive, safe space for myself and everyone else. 🙂
I have to constantly remind myself that this is a hobby and that it’s supposed to be fun, even if I don’t feel that way at times. That blogger exhaustion, man, it’s draining. On my creativity and on the joy I get out of doing this. And it helps to know that I’m not alone in this! That we all struggle, that we all have moments of seriously calling it quits, that we all get bogged down in the negativity, the jealousy, the drama, the stress. Basically, we put a lot of pressure on ourselves to do everything and go above and beyond. I mean, no one is forcing me to do all of this so it’s MY problem and nobody else’s. But I don’t have to let all of this affect a hobby that has become so much more than what I thought it would. I just need to remind myself of that sometimes. 🙂
Ah, totally didn’t mean to ramble on and on. Haha. Anyway! Wonderful post!
Kat Kennedy
Wow. What an epic comment, Holly. Thank you so much for your kind words. But you’re right. This is a hobby and it’s time we remembered that.
Faye le Potato
This post is heavensent. You guys are great and I love, love, LOVE your honesty.
I’ve struggled with blogging exhaustion a lot in my 2 and a half years of blogging. Sounds very short compared to others, but lately, the pressure on us has been unreasonable. We do so much work, undergo a lot of stress, for something that is supposed to be fun and a hobby. We’re basically the publishers’ #1 marketing tool and we get nothing from it, if you think about it – we all do it for love of books and to see our favorite authors succeed, but if we’re all going to be burnt out and disrespected at the end of the day, then is it all worth it? Don’t even get me started on ARCs and reading schedules and the demands that “IT HAS TO BE POSTED ON THIS DAY OR THAT”. I’m not taking anymore of that crap, tbh. I’ve discarded blog tours (except when it’s really something interesting and I’m only going to do a review, because at least that’s something that I can control) and reading schedules. I really, really just can’t follow them (I only do it for Xpresso Reads, which I am a co-blogger… but I’m still so sucky at it because I read the book on the day it’s supposed to go live haha). I feel so much more comfortable now after letting go of the things that stressed me. Glad to see that you guys are going to do the same! Let’s hope that this will make us embrace blogging even more.
Kat Kennedy
I feel your frustration. I really, really do. The free books are a nice perk but I feel caged in by all the responsibility they bring. And the disrespect we get shown just really gets to me. Thanks for your comment!
Lyn Kaye
Do you know how happy I am to see this come into the light? I had to flat out ask about what happened last week, and when I read the post that started the whole thing, I found that it was just like a mosquito bite – annoying, small, yet lingering. I cancelled my plans to visit RT15 because, basically, I pretty much get the point that no matter how many times other readers tell me that my posts/reviews/coverage of a book has helped promote it to their reading shelves, we’re never going to get that credit, at all. No, most authors (#notallauthors) are going to cherry pick events and situations that make up their mind about how they feel towards bloggers. Well, I am done with them, then. There are a handful of authors that I adore, and I will support, and that I will help, but I’m bowing out of volunteering for new tours and such, because I’m not going to spend hours on hours setting up a post, reading a book and then tweeting about the post/giveaway/etc etc, only to turn around and read how bloggers are only out for free shit.
No, thank you.
This has taught me a lesson, that some people are out to feel like victims, and will take the one bad instance over a hundred good ones and turn it into a pity party.
Like you said, Kat, it is time to take back our blogs. I’m reading what I want, when I want and if that includes reading an ARC a few months down the line, well, oh well. If there isn’t going to be some mutual respect around here, then I’m going full out Loki and I WILL DO WHAT I WANT.
Thank you for bravely putting this out there. You have certainly taken your fair share of anger and abuse by those who are trying to game the system, and I think you really do deserve a break from the constant drama. We are never short supporters, and it is time to pass on the torch to someone else.
You and Steph and Meg – I love you guys, and I am really excited to see where you go from here. I miss your voices and your energy, and I really hope this helps bring it back.
Kat Kennedy
You have no idea how happy your comment made me. Not that you’re frustrated or sad made me happy, just that I’m not alone. Gah. I so agree. So much work only for many authors to look down on our efforts.
I really hope I can bring back my energy too, Lyn. The last year and a bit has been quite tough on me so I don’t know how I’ll go. But I’m trying really hard.
Jade @ Bedtime Bookworm
Yessss…. Love this post! Go with your hearts and I hope you guys get back to your roots 🙂 Blogging should make us happy, not stressed.
Kat Kennedy
Agreed!
Shannelle C.
Well, go you! It’s posts like these that really make me appreciate the situation I’m in right now, no offense to you or anything, though. Basically, I’m popular enough to get in blog tours and get approved for some ARCs, but I’m not in demand. And that is the best part of it all, because I’m my own boss right now, and I don’t have so many people to please.
Because oh yes, who wouldn’t want to grow their audience? But I love communicating with the audience I have right now, I love that I don’t have the burden of being such a social butterfly, especially because I’m a terrible socializer. I can opt in for blog tours for books I’m interested in, and that alone. It sucks sometimes, because wouldn’t it be cool to get contacted by a publicist to do something? But too much of a good thing is always a bad thing.
But then I remember that there’s a tradeoff for that benefit. I sincerely hope that you end up being happier with the choices you make, and I wish you the best of luck in implementing them!
Kat Kennedy
LOL. Alright alright alright. Glad to hear that you’re in such a cool position. *weeps bitterly* Growing an audience is tough work, and it’s so easy to lose that audience again too.
Thanks for the comment.
Shelumiel
“The spiritual journey of a golfer.” Seriously. But WOW. This is an important conversation. I haven’t been officially book blogging for too long to feel the exhaustion but, I mean, I can totally see where you’re coming from. Fantastic, thought-provoking article! And you got the truth of it: this community is wonderful and rad and just full of amazing people of different background.
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Kristilyn (A Little Time To Read)
I definitely hear you. At the beginning of the year I realized I was burnt out, but not only that – I needed a change. My life was changing, my family was changing, so I felt the blog should change with me, but it wouldn’t work with my current blog. I shut it down and started totally fresh. I think that helped with some of my own blogging stress, since I didn’t have those constant reminders on the blog of who I was and what I did before all these changes. Now I can make my new blog exactly what I want it to be and that’s not a bad thing. Anyway, I totally get the reading schedules, lack of content blog tours (or duplicate posts being handed out!), as well as the emails. lol. I mean, nothing more annoying than someone doing NO research and sending you a review request for something way off base from what you usually review. I just ignore them. The ones that matter to me are emails from people who read my blog or comment on it … those are what make blogging so much fun for me!
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