September 06, 2021

Growing Pains: It's Been Nine Years, And I Need a New Blogging Plan

Hello sweeties!

As some of you already heard via Twitter, I finally decided to make some small adjustments to my blog. You will probably have noticed by now that I'm a creature of order, a perfectionist, and my real superpower is to resist change. Which is fine until it makes you feel good and empowered and whatnot - but when you start to resent your own routine, it's time for you to try a different approach. Even if you have to fight yourself because darn, are you stubborn.


Back when this blog was born (it will be 9 years on October 14th!), I planned to only review my own (usually backlist) books. My typical procedure was to reread each and every one of those books (no matter how familiar I was with them) for review purposes. Reading with a review in mind is a different approach for me than reading for pleasure only (though with time I may have gotten better at doing the two things together). This method had worked well for me for years, until I joined NetGalley in 2019 (and Edelweiss in 2020) and started to get a small, but still significant (for me) number of ARCs from there. I slowly realised that I wouldn't always be able to read all those books TWICE prior to reviewing them - not if I wanted to deliver those reviews in time (even when the publisher doesn't request it, I make it my mission to post my ARC reviews before or around pub date) AND not to fall behind with my backlist books in the process. (Not to mention NG/EW ARCs have an expiration date, except for a few downloadable copies now and then). So I found myself reading some of those ARCs only once, being careful to keep a review mindset - and even so? I felt GUILTY, because to me, each and every book would have deserved the same treatment, not to mention, sometimes I like my books more the second time around. (Since then, I've gotten better at leaving that guilt feeling behind, but it was a bit rough at first, and I kept telling myself that my reading ARCs only once would be temporary. Ha!). Anyhow, for a year and a half, that was the only crack in my reviewer's armour.


Fast forward to these latest weeks, and me endlessly scrolling through my post schedule and making adjustments, postponing my backlist reviews to a later and later date to make room for my ARCs, struggling to make a dent into such backlist and feeling overwhelmed by all the oldies that never couldn't seem to get a full review, and at the same time resenting having to keep my new books on hold while rereading the old ones for review purposes. (Also, I read fast, but it usually takes me three days to complete a review - and that's when I don't procrastinate for any given reason). Until a bold idea started to take shape in my mind - WHAT IF I DIDN'T WRITE A FULL REVIEW FOR ALL MY BOOKS? 😱 WOULD THE WORLD STOP TURNING?

Go figure - the answer was, no, it wouldn't. So I took a look at my books past, present and future, and formulated the following plan:

  • from now on I'll only write full reviews for books I rated 3 stars and up (unless they're part of a series). This pains me to no end, but as I said, it isn't realistic for me to think I can go on reviewing all my books in full anymore (not to mention, I harbour no desire to reread my under-3-star books for review purposes);
  • even for my 3-star books, a mini review will suffice if I don't have enough to say to justify writing a full-length one. I've come to realise that sometimes I do manage to encapsulate my thoughts in a mini, and again, I don't have the time and energy to "properly" review every single book anymore...
  • I'll write mini reviews for anthologies/novellas/short stories as well (unless they're part of a series). My anthology and novella reviews will probably be longer than my usual minis, but not a full-blown review. Again...time and energy.


I still haven't decided what to do with Christopher Pike's books under 3 stars though (oh, I have a few). They might end up being the only exception to my new rule about only reviewing books from 3 stars up, because even at their worst, those matter more to me than their non-Pike counterparts (yeah, I'm weird 😂). Also, he's one of my favourite authors, so 🤷‍♀️. We'll see. Anyhow, for what concerns all the other books, my mind is set.

But wait! there's more!

One of the things I was struggling with lately were my Tooting Your Trumpet posts. Back when I started doing them, I was excited, because I thought it was a neat way to give more visibility to other people's posts, sites or endeavours. Alas, I soon realised that, on a good month, writing them was a chore, because putting together the post itself was more time-consuming that one might think. On a bad month...all the stuff I wanted to highlight had already been linked to in someone else's weekly or monthly recap, and I thought, what's the point in working so hard on my own post? That's why I've barely done one of them lately. Then I thought, why not do the simplest thing and list my favourite posts, etc. in a monthly recap of my own like everybody else? Better than not mentioning them at all, right? But wait, can I sustain a monthly recap? I used to think my life was too uneventful, but after what happened to me this year, I'm not so sure anymore. However, in case I run short of disasters (and I don't manage to have what you would call a life), I can always talk about the little things 😉. So...

...starting in October, I'll have this monthly recap post series called Offbeat Offline (I can't tell you how many hours I spent trying to come up with a pun), where I'll also showcase my favourite posts of the month by you folks! Now, since I know myself too well, I'll have to keep the whole thing simple or it won't stick (I used to do a MONTHLY Sunday Post years ago, and it only lasted 3 months). Offbeat Offline won't be a blog recap (or it hardly will) - just a real life/behind the scenes one (hence the title), with a section devoted to your lovely shenanigans 😉. I'm confident it will work, and I'm actually excited to start a different thing.

It's been nine years, and my blog is turning over a new leaf.

24 comments:

  1. It's hard full-on reviewing every book you read. I was exhausted, which is why I switched my 5-book-a-week TBR to 3 ARCs, 2 whatever books. If I wanted to review the other two books, so be it, but they usually only get a mini treatment. It's awesome to give a shout-out to a post you liked and even if someone else shared it, the more sharing, the better. I hope your new plan works out for you.

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    1. I don't know how you can read and review (mini or not) so many books. You're a queen! Writing full reviews IS exhausting, especially if (like me) you have a complex format. I plan on making my life easier and enjoying more books without strings attached. And I do want to share more posts and other interesting links in a consistent manner.

      Thank you - I hope so!

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  2. I'm weird as I take notes as I'm reading. I read at my computer desk and listen to music as I read. I jot down notes and then write my review directly after I'm done reading. I usually read 5-6 books a week.

    I've changed up posts on my blog until I've found what works for me. Nothing wrong with that. You have to keep doing posts that you like doing so it doesn't start to feel like a chore.

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    1. LOL, I wouldn't call that "weird". Plenty of people do that. I'm the oddball, more-complicated-than-average individual 😂.

      Delete
  3. I think there comes a point in every bloggers career (if they take arc's and are around long enough) that they either have to readjust or throw in the towel.

    It makes me sad that so many decide it has to be a certain way and they can't do that and quit instead of adjusting to what works for them.

    ALL of us have been through this at some stage and readers of our blogs completely understand and roll with the changes even when it's agonizing for us lol

    Karen @For What It's Worth

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    1. "readers of our blogs completely understand and roll with the changes even when it's agonizing for us lol"
      LOL, yeah, it's always an "us" thing, isn't it? Some may even like the new stuff/methods more. But once one has developed a "work ethic", it's hard to let go. One thing that makes me feel better about my own change is that you like my minis 😉 🥰.

      Delete
  4. Change is good! I'm excited about Offbeat Online. Always remember though, Roberta, that we see your support no matter how much you post. You are always a great champion of other bloggers. Take some time to remember how awesome you are, too!

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    1. 😭 🥰

      I need to do better in the support department though!

      Delete
  5. Your review plans sounds like a lot of work. I honestly never read a book twice unless I really like it. But then again, I don't really write reviews for most of my books. I just rant about them.

    I don't know how you have to patience to read books you don't like and sometimes twice. I think it's hard enough to articulate your own thoughts so writing reviews should not be such a pain. What I think you should do is, write full reviews for the books you love but short reviews for those you don't.

    If you like Christopher Pike's books enough to read them, even the bad ones, then I see no reason why you can't talk about his books full on - I think it's okay to gush about your favorite author and anything else you like.

    I like monthly recaps which I had thought about doing but then I decided no, I can't do it. I lead a very dull life and honestly, I would end up with lots of complaints instead of talking about actual things.

    Offbeat Offline - sounds good. I don't think much about names for posts - it's much easier to title them in a general way but I like it when people come up with fun titles.

    Have a lovely day.

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    1. "What I think you should do is, write full reviews for the books you love but short reviews for those you don't."
      That would work if I actually read many books that I don't like, but what with how picky I am, there wouldn't be enough of those for me to take some reviewing pressure off my shoulders LOL. Novellas and short stories are...well...short, so I figured I could as well write short reviews for them though. And anthologies are easy to review in short, unless you want to focus on every single story.

      "If you like Christopher Pike's books enough to read them, even the bad ones, then I see no reason why you can't talk about his books full on".
      Very well said!

      "I lead a very dull life and honestly, I would end up with lots of complaints instead of talking about actual things."
      You know, same for me - but I'm sure our fellow bloggers understand, plus everyone has things to vent out about, so we can support/confort each other at least.

      Thank you! Have a lovely day as well.

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  6. Good for you for evaluating your routine and working on making your life better. I keep saying it's okay for me to write short reviews, but my mind just doesn't work that way. I don't know how to do it. *sigh* I look forward to seeing your changes in action!

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    1. "I keep saying it's okay for me to write short reviews, but my mind just doesn't work that way."
      I know! Mine are usually SO long. But for me, it's more of a format problem - the way my long reviews are structured, they take a lot of work, but I like them that way (though I would like for them to be more concise LOL). By reviewing shorter/fragmented books (those being anthologies) in short, I can still be consistent (since my reviews for the longer, cohesive books stay the same) while sweating at it less. Maybe one day you'll be able to take that step too! If I made it, you can make it 😉.

      Delete
  7. That sounds like a great plan!

    I'm having a heck of a time commenting or replying lately - so sorry! But I'm trying to read these types of posts!

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    1. No worries - everyone understands being busy and/or overwhelmed sometimes. And I'm one of those people who mostly touch base with everyone with this type of posts! They're easier to comment on, for one.

      Delete
  8. I feel you on the perfectionism. I tried to make my blogging simpler by just using book covers and not making a featured image for each post, but I've already lost that battle lol.

    Perhaps you can think of your rules more like guidelines? That way if you do ever want to write a full review for a lower rated book, for example, you can. I had a sort of similar dilemma, so that's how I view it.

    I love the name Offbeat Offline! And don't worry, if I can think of stuff to talk about each month, so can you lol.

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    1. "I tried to make my blogging simpler by just using book covers and not making a featured image for each post, but I've already lost that battle lol."
      Our blogs are reflections of our personality, so of course it wouldn't be easy!

      "Perhaps you can think of your rules more like guidelines? That way if you do ever want to write a full review for a lower rated book, for example, you can".
      I plan to...if I find myself wanting to talk about a book in a way that doesn't fit a mini, I will. But I'm trying not to, if I can avoid it. Like, with my new method, I've read three novellas in three days and mini-reviewed them already, and that was a big relief (I can read more without string attached and not make the to-be-reviewed pile longer by the minute 😂. That's not to say I won't revisit them later, but at least I can read for pleasure only).

      "I love the name Offbeat Offline! And don't worry, if I can think of stuff to talk about each month, so can you lol."
      Thank you! And yeah, I guess so LOL.

      Delete
  9. I drop my review ratings all together. Sometimes I will give a rating. Sometime I won't. A lot of people relied too much on star rating and don't bother reading the review.

    Offbeat offline sounds like a cool idea.

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    1. That's true about ratings and reviews. But for instance, the rating for me is a starting point prior to my reading the review itself.

      "Offbeat offline sounds like a cool idea."
      Thanks!

      Delete
  10. Good for you, this sounds like a wonderful plan! I have been feeling quite burned out myself lately, and your post is motivating me to try to make some changes myself! I have been trying to consolidate as much as possible the past few years, mostly by shoving a bunch of reviews in one post. Doesn't make the review writing any shorter, but I feel like there's often more "something for everyone" and I never feel like I am writing them for nothing, if that makes sense? I am also super impressed by how seriously you take your reviews! I am kind of the worst at that these days, ugh. Also I agree with commenters above me, you'll definitely be able to come up with *something* that has happened in the month! Sometimes I just talk about how nothing DID happen and how I have no life 😂

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    1. "your post is motivating me to try to make some changes myself!"
      Yay! I'm an influencer! 😂 Seriously, I hope you'll find something that works for you!

      "I have been trying to consolidate as much as possible the past few years, mostly by shoving a bunch of reviews in one post. Doesn't make the review writing any shorter, but I feel like there's often more "something for everyone" and I never feel like I am writing them for nothing, if that makes sense?"
      Oh, it does. And yeah, they aren't short at all LOL. But I see that as a good thing! I have no problems when it comes to writing mini reviews, but then I want to expand on them and say EVERYTHING. Writing short reviews for short books sounds like a good compromise.

      "Sometimes I just talk about how nothing DID happen and how I have no life 😂"
      LOL, me and you both! Unless there's drama of course...which always happens to me lately. I hope you can keep talking about stuff that DIDN'T happen, it that's the price one pays...

      Delete
  11. I'm all for positive change. Wow, it was really amazing that you were able to read books twice when I can barely get mine read once. Hoping this new policy gives you more time to enjoy other things!

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    1. "Wow, it was really amazing that you were able to read books twice when I can barely get mine read once."
      Well, I used to have a limited number of books to read, so it wasn't a huge feat. I still plan on reread my books - only, I'll stick with those I truly loved and I'll do it when I can/want!

      And thank you!

      Delete
  12. I'm sorry you're feeling burned out but glad to hear you're making some changes to make yourself happier with your blogging process. We do this for fun, and when it stops being fun, it's definitely time to reevaluate. Monthly recap posts work nicely for me, especially when I'm looking back on the year for lists and things.

    I haven't been feeling very inspired by reading/blogging the past couple months either, and I'm trying to make some changes in the way I choose books. Too many things are on my list because I like the author, I feel like I *should* read them, I want to finish a series, etc. I miss just choosing whatever book I'm most excited about next, so I'm trying to find a way to get back to that!

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    1. That's the problem with liking most genres/reading widely: it ends up being overwhelming, and books become a chore. If I, the pickiest reader who ever lived, am feeling burned out (mostly because my review pile increases and I can't keep up), I can only imagine how YOU must feel. I hope you can find a new routine that works for you too!

      Delete

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