Tell Me Something Tuesday: Goals for 2018

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post on Rainy Day Ramblings, where the blog's owner Heidi discusses a wide range of topics from books to blogging. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog.

Here is what is on deck this week:

GOALS FOR 2018

I suppose the title for this week's discussion post has been left vague for a reason...one can choose to talk about life goals, or blog goals, or both. I'll stick to blog goals, because it's the only thing I have a little control over right now, and besides, you don't want to hear me complaining about my sad little life, do you? There are reasons why I can't do much to make it better, and I'm not the type of person who starts the new year with a list of resolutions anyway. But please go ahead and talk about anything you feel like in the comment section. I'd love to hear about your life goals if you want to share!

Post-wise, 2017 was my slowest year since I started blogging (2012 doesn't count, since I only was at it for two months and a half, but from 2013 on, my best streak was in 2014, with 52 posts). Last year I got sidetracked by...life, basically, with an increasing number of problems that sucked away my free time and my will to sit and bang my keyboard with a purpose. It's not that I was in a blogging slump - I wanted to write, but most of the time, I lacked the time and energy. During the first half of the year, I produced a grand total of 13 posts. Then I decided that maybe - just maybe - a schedule might help me focus and be more productive. I know there are many people who hate schedules (hello Karen 😉) because they can't handle the pressure and/or end up feeling like rebelling against their own goal list. I'm lucky in that respect, because not only I can follow a schedule, but I even ENJOY making lists of things to do, and basically, trying to organise my week around my husband's shifts (he does all three, while I always work in the afternoon). So I decided to apply this skill (?) of mine to blogging, and go figure, it worked. I closed 2017 with a total of 36 posts, that are still few, but let's not forget I had 13 posts written at the end of June, so I wrote 23 in the second half of the year...Also, I know my limits. Even a post a week is difficult to sustain in my situation - plus, I don't want to turn blogging into a chore. All this long premise to say that, in 2018, I hope to (HERE COMES THE LIST!!! 😁):

• STICK TO BLOGGING. Heck, consider it done. I'd never for a moment entertain the idea of calling it quits.
• POST AT LEAST THREE TIMES A MONTH. It worked last year, after all. If I can do better, good for me. Either way, if I can't reach that number, I won't smash my head into a wall. But I think that 36 posts are a reasonable goal for me. That's what counts, right? 😃
• GO BACK TO REVIEWING BACKLIST. Last year, for the very first time since this blog was born, I only reviewed new/newish books. But I have a few older ones that I want to give a spotlight to, so I plan on going back to that!
• DO SOMETHING SPECIAL FOR HALLOWEEN. Every year I swear to myself I will, because while I don't really celebrate Halloween, I like to see other bloggers doing that and showcasing creepy/thrilling books, so I'm inspired to do the same - except I never can seem to get around to it. That needs some planning ahead...so I'm putting it on my by-now-infamous schedule! 😂

Well, that's it for now. And if you're interested in participating, here is the TMST prompt list for the rest of January and February:

• January 16th: What books or series that are languishing in your TBR are you finally going to try this year?
• January 23rd: How do you beat the winter blues?
• January 30th: What were some of the big best seller books that disappointed you?
• February 6th: What are some light, fluffy, feel good books you have read lately?
• February 13th: Romance recommendations
• February 20th: How do you find time to read?
• February 27th: When is your favorite time to read?

Since I wouldn't know what to say about some of those topics, my next TMST will be on February 20th. But from April on, I plan on being more consistent...there are a few things that I'm DYING to write about LOL - and to hear your take on!

Now tell me something...what are your goals for the new year? whether they are blog or life goals...