Thursday, August 22, 2013

Book Girls Don’t Cry: Least Favorite Part of Blogging

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Book Girls Don’t Cry is a weekly feature where we each discuss/vent/advise on the chosen weekly bookish topic. Don’t miss Jenni on Mondays, and Amy on Saturdays:

 Topic suggestion by the lovely Christina over at A Reader of Fictions


All the Things I Do Not Love!



I actually cringed at titling this post as such – Least Favorite Part of Blogging – because we should all love everything about our hobby, right? Well if you’ve been around for a little bit, you’ll start noticing that it’s not always unicorns and rainbows up in this hood. Let’s see what I don’t particularly love about blogging. I was initially going to list in bullet points my least favorite aspects, but then they sort of all blended together under the same element. Safe to say it all comes back to expectations, pressures, and competitiveness of being an avid reader (who knew?)!

Expectations!
Expectations as a blogger come in many forms. From publishers, authors, and other bloggers alike. It’s also hard to list off since many expect different things from us. Like, publishers send us books we’re expected to read and review on time for their release. We’re not expected to review only positively, however we’re sometimes treated as bullies or debbie-downers if we have a streak of negative reviews – especially if, like me, you don’t hold back in pointing out the books’ flaws, sometimes sarcastically (hey I can only hold back so much of my true nature ;)). Still, sometimes I wish I could read nothing other than me-books, and I always wish I did not have to press send to that 1-star review going out to the publisher (I usually do it with eyes closed – for real!).

Furthermore, my blog readers have come to expect a certain amount of post quality and content – while most of the time I love having the ability and time to offer such content, sometimes I’d love to just go on a blogging vacation for 2 months without it affecting my readership. Same goes with social networks, we’re expected to show our faces on there regularly – though I spend a lot of time on Twitter regardless, I feel like if I’m absent for a few days I’m being a bad “anti-social” blogger… or something. Being active on 283874723 social networks – which is a means to get your blog face out there – can sometimes be overwhelming. Likewise, writing reviews for every book I read can feel like work. I generally don’t like have having things I need to do. Though once I get into the groove of a review I do like it – who doesn’t enjoy spewing their opinions once in a while? Still, hats off to those who read twice as fast as me and in turn review double the books. You’re rockstars!

Then all those should-never-have-been-posted blogger do’s and don’ts  lists are, in actuality, expectations, albeit from solitary – or shared by a measly few – standpoints, these all add up to expectations from certain people in every single element of blogging from how we run our giveaways to how often we post certain types of content. In turn, this can easily make a blogger feel inadequate. You don’t quite have the general (from what you heard from such and such) expected amount of reviews per month, or views, or followers, or your design is not as nice as that design, or your STS is not as ARC-filled as that STS, or you dared post a promo post too many. With that said, the competitiveness in this community is definitely something I include in my least favorite part of blogging. Often, I have to remind myself that I started blogging for me, and no one else should expect me to do things any other way than the way I want. Our blog is our turf, and I’ll be queen bitch of my own internet hill! >.< I do have days I want a break, but I could not see myself not blogging. It was so unexpected, how it became such a big part of my life. It's more than just a hobby for me, it's part of who I am! A reviewer. A book blogger. A part of this wonderful community. Despite any "least favorite parts", they're a grain of salt compared to what I love about it! 🙂 [br]

Now that you’ve seen into my soul, share what part of blogging you like the least!

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You know you love me!
XOXO, Book Girl

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Canadian blogger, wife, mother, coffee lover, and sarcastic at heart! She has had a love for all things bookish since before Amazon and eReaders existed *le gasp*. You can also find her organizing tours and other fun things at Xpresso Book Tours.

Latest posts by Giselle (see all)

67 Responses to “Book Girls Don’t Cry: Least Favorite Part of Blogging”

  1. Ashley

    Lol what you said about sending those e-mails with closed eyes.. THAT’S SO ME! I usually have a tendency to hold my breath, close my eyes, press “Send”, then go run and hide under the covers. No joke.

    THE PUBLISHERS CAN’T SEE ME THERE!!!

    • Giselle

      Bahahaha. I close my eyes and hit send before I can change my mind and hide under the covers as well. I always do a cringy face, too, like I just ate something rotten. Lolz! And most times the publisher probably doesn’t even read them anyways.

  2. Tanya Patrice

    I actually try to cut out the least fave parts of blogging to make it less stressful. I’m not on social media anymore (except for a group on G+); and I don’t accept ARCs, so no pressure there.

  3. Kristin@Blood,Sweat and Books

    I think you pretty much hit the nail on the head in terms of my least favorite parts of blogging. Only other thing I’d say is changing my blog design. I hate doing it because I’m always afraid I’ll royally mess up and then have to spend a day or two correcting errors.

  4. Nick @ Nick's Book Blog

    I personally don’t feel the expectations of others on me like you do, but I think I understand what you’re trying to say. You are like the blogging goddess, so I’m sure you feel pressured to produce quality content.
    Despite all the negative things that come with blogging, it has really changed me as a person as well. I finally feel like I fit in somewhere.
    Anyways, great post, Giselle!

    • Giselle

      Haha I’m in no way a blogging goddess, but I do think the longer you blog and the more readers you have, the higher the expectations for sure – though you get tons of readers and comments too, so don’t be so modest 😉 I think I put a lot more pressure on myself than others have on me, though. Like I WANT to have great content and post on a regular basis so I make it my goal. Even though there are some negative aspects, the positives from blogging are more than worth it and make the negatives kind of inconsequential. For instance, I would never have met YOU! My Nickipoo! 😉

      • Nick @ Nick's Book Blog

        Yes, you are, Giselle! At least to me you are! 😉 You might not know it but your blog and A Cupcake and a Latte were the blogs that got me into blogging.
        And I understand what you mean about putting pressure on yourself. Having a blog is such a big thing to me and I put so much time into it that it feels like I have to do my best, so I completely get what you’re saying! I’ve never been good at sports (yeah I was a lazy kid. Still am), music or anything apart from school work, so I’m kind of proud of myself for the blog. I finally have a hobby that I can stick to and boast about.
        🙂
        And you’re sweet! 🙂

          • Giselle

            Ugh I am, and it is not going well!! I’m only at 12% or so, too *sobs*

            I was the same growing up I sucked at sports and music… so not my thing. Art either. I loved math, but I so was not joining any math clubs with the other 2 creepy kids that were in it (yeah uber small school lol). So yeah we finally found our place! 😀

            Also, what is up with the effed up margins on my reply boxes – I have to fix that *goes to email Ashley* ha!

  5. Megan

    I agree with all your points. I don’t like when you feel like you HAVE to do something and it makes blogging less fun. And I did take a 1.5 month break a few months ago and I’m still struggling to recover, so that sucks.

    Also, I just wanted to mention that I live this feature!

    • Giselle

      Oh I would love to take a long vacation sometimes! Props to you! I think you’ll survive your blog is awesome and I’m sure you’re feeling so refreshed! 🙂

      And thanks, doll! It’s usually my favorite post of the week to write!

  6. Tammy

    I agree, expectations are hard to get past. I always have in the back of my mind, am I posting enough? Is it interesting enough? But I’m trying hard to just concentrate on making the blog MINE and not worrying too much about what other people think. I’ve seen a lot of posts lately about “What I like and Don’t Like to See in Blog Design” and these always make me feel bad. I wish bloggers would quit writing posts like that! Everyone has their own design that works for them, and not every blogger wants to keep their blog looking “clean” (I’ve seen that word so many times!!) Clean up your sidebar!!! Drives me crazy. Ok rant over! Great post by the way:)

    • Giselle

      Haha yeah you have to take a lot of posts with a grain of salt. We all have different opinions on what we like to see in a blog so don’t let those change how you do things. If done right they can be helpful for new bloggers who would like advice on how to arrange their blogs so I see why some may post things like that, but if you’re happy with how your blog is set and designed then don’t change it because someone else doesn’t agree!

  7. Molli

    Re: competitiveness. YES. That’s a major pet peeve of mine, and I try to stay far away from it, so that I don’t fall back into blogger jealousy. I finally am to the point where my blog is mine, and I’m not trying to be like anyone else. Sometimes, every once in awhile, I just want to remind people that the sandbox is big enough for EVERYONE to have their own beautiful sand castle. LOL.

    And I always cringe sending negative reviews to publishers, so you aren’t the only one.

    • Giselle

      Haha yep there is definitely enough space for all these sandcastles, though during drama lama days the sandbox can feel very small! Competitiveness can be fun and even healthy but it’s often taken overboard usually because of jealousy, too, so it’s not always pretty in this blogging universe, eh? I try to stay away from Twitter on drama days and that has helped! 😉

  8. Savannah

    I remember when I first started blogging I was trying to live up to every post out there. I put a lot of pressure of myself to read more, to get on every single blog tour, to present new ideas, etc. After a while I got burnt out and just decided to thing slowly. That I didn’t have to rush to be known. You know? Anywho, I take my time reading what I want when I want. I don’t sign up for every single blog tour (though I want to), and I don’t request every single book either. Bascially, I don’t let blogging over take me. It’s a hobby and it’s fun. It should remain that way.

    • Giselle

      I was the same! It’s even more stressful for new bloggers who think they must live up to all of these expectations and pressures. I also used to request every single book I could and, well, that was kind of dumb haha. I think we all kind of realized after a while to slow the eff down 😉

  9. Alexia @ Adventures in Reading

    Loved this post SO much. You said a lot of the same things that I said in my “What I Hate about Blogging” post that will go up tomorrow. The only thing I would add, would be a subpoint of expectations. Commenting, that is a time consuming task that some days I just don’t want to do. But of course I hear people saying “you must comment,comment comment! on other people’s blogs if you want to have more blog followers on your blog.” Which increases the pressure because as a newbie book blogger, of course I want more followers, but I don’t have the time to comment all day.

    But I digress

    • Giselle

      Yes! Commenting is one that Jenni brought up in her post and I completely agree. While I love reading others’ posts and reviews, I don’t often feel motivated to leave my thoughts even if I could go on and on for ages. I often just want to be a silent lurker if you know what I mean. And yes the pressure to comment is there. When my time is limited I open my last post and comment back on everyone who commented on it and it works out. I try to do it every other day and it makes a good routine.

  10. Jackie

    Commenting is a must for me. I’m not all that well known and I read wayyy more post than I comment on (hey I’m working on it) Loved this post 😀
    Happy reading
    Jackie

    • Giselle

      I think everyone reads way more than they comment on – which is something you have to realize about your own posts too if you see comments dwindling, but yes commenting is the best way to get dedicated readers who come back and often become friends, too! 🙂

  11. Ning @ DABR

    You hit the nail on the head. I just started requesting things off Edelweiss and the first book I’m giving it 2 stars. I’m scared to put that review in there! I’m never going to get another book from that publisher again!

    • Giselle

      Haha no I wouldn’t worry about that I’ve given tons of bad reviews since started blogging and I’ve always gotten more books from any of those publishers. They realize that negative reviews will happen and they’re ok with it. It’s not like the few indie author who lashes out at negative reviews >.< (which is part of why I rarely accept review requests!)

  12. Maggie K. @ ReadingDiva's Blog

    I agree with every aspect of your post. It is quite difficult to keep up with everything that entails to be a book blogger. Not just reviews but making sure you keep your audience entertained & engaged. It is even harder to maintain a constant interaction and at times worse to get their feedback. Daily reviews & posts is a big issue for me, I have a full time job which I love, and I am quite thankful that it allows me to spend a good time on the web (I work in the tech field) but I also have a needy family (my husband and pup).

    Though I am able to sneak a read here and there while at lunch or when my work load isn’t so bad, I don’t have the luxury of reading 3 books a week. It is my dream to be able to do that, but reality keeps getting in the way and my dreams to be a full time blogger dies LOL.

    • Giselle

      Not everyone can post daily and I follow tons of blogs who post every other day, and I don’t see them as a lesser blogger or their content a lesser quality. I also notice those posts get more comments bc more people have time to see them before they’re bumped down. I love that my job allows the same time, though, if it wasn’t for that I woudln’t be able to post daily, either. But also once you have a routine going it’s easy to schedule in advance and then you can take some breaks 🙂

  13. Jessica R

    I totally agree with you, the expectations and the competition can definitely be hard to deal with in the book world. There are days when I know I don’t have a post scheduled for the next day or I only got one review out for the week and I feel really stressed and disappointed about it all day. That part can really be hard, especially when I feel like a bad blogger because I didn’t post every day. Every so often I need a little shake to remind me that it’s MY blog and I can do what I want with it (it’s my party, I can cry if I want to). Great post, Giselle!

    • Giselle

      Isn’t it weird how reading/blogging can stress us out? I feel the same when my blog schedule is not how I want it to be for a certain week – though I think it’s the organized nazi in me lol. Posting every day is actually not as common as it seems. I do, but only because I schedule a lot of posts in advance so I don’t actually blog every day. Most of my blogging friends post 4-5 times a week or less and their blog is not a lesser quality or less entertaining than any daily poster 🙂

  14. Sheena-kay Graham

    My least favourite had actually become doing book reviews. I stopped for a long time before I started again over the summer. But I do it in small doses. When I review a book I’m honest, I won’t tell readers a bad book is good to spare an authors feelings. Glad you shared a piece of yourself with us Giselle.

  15. Leslie

    The expectations I put on myself to post every week day and wanting to get all the books read and all the reviews written… it’s starts weighing down on me at times. I have a hard time writing things ahead of time, so I normally write and post each day, but after a particularly stressful 10+ hours at work, it’s a burden that I wish I didn’t put on myself. There is also this niggling guilt when I spend my time watching TV or playing videogames when I have a stack of ARCs that I need to review. And I can’t even bring myself to think about social media expectations!

    Based on this comment, you’d think I hated blogging, which isn’t the case. I’ve met great people and read great books I may have otherwise not have heard about. It just is an added stress on some days and I do it all to myself.

    • Giselle

      It does weigh down on you especially if you have a schedule you’re trying to follow too rigidly. I think it’s perfectly okay to skip a day or 2 of blogging and it’s probably for the better, anyways. When a blogger is unhappy or only posts because they feel they have to, you can tell in the post, I find. It lacks that passion or whatever >.< I totally get you, though, sometimes when I know I have something I have to post or a review I have to write I feel guilty if I put it off. The life of a book blogger, eh? 🙂

  16. Nereyda @Mostly YA Book Obsessed

    I sometimes feel like the worst blogger because I don’t have a reading schedule, I don’t have a facebook, I barely got a twitter a few months ago and I suck at it, and I am the worst commenter! Commenting is the hardest thing for me. I’m at work from 7am-6pm and it’s hard to pretend to work while commenting on blogs even though I read tons of blog posts. And yeah my reviews are mostly 4 and 5 stars but that’s because I read for me and I follow my ‘50 pages to hook me or DNF’ rule. I sometimes write only one or 2 reviews a week and I hardly ever post on Saturdays. BUT, I am a happy blogger. It never feels like work or something I have to do and it feels like an escape and a fun hobby. Once it feels like a ‘have to’ versus a ‘want to’ it will no longer be fun for me. So yeah, the expectations and pressure are definitely my least favorite things about blogging. Fun post 🙂

    • Giselle

      Haha no reading schedule is actually common I was surprised by how many didn’t have one when I posted about them a while ago. I don’t read on a particular set schedule but I have a lit of upcoming ARCs by release date and I try to read those coming out sooner, first, but I usually have 5-6 to chose from so it works out. I think following a rigid schedule would definitely take the fun out of reading and then it kind of defeats the purpose. I think you’re a pretty regular commenter, actually! And hey if you’re happy you,re doing it right! The second I start to not enjoy blogging and ave it feel like work I’ll be quitting!

  17. Trish @ Between the Lines

    I agree with so much of what you said. What I dislike is focusing too much on numbers and worrying if they are down. I have to remind myself this is a hobby and not to get obsessed about stats. Easier said then done!

    • Giselle

      Yeah numbers and follower counts brings a whole new lever of competitiveness to the game, too. But I visit a LOT of blogs due to tours and my own commenting and I can tell you that a lot of blogs who seem to ave the most comments and views don’t always have the most follower #s at all it’s very surprising. So that shows that follower count is often only a number and nothing more. I wouldn’t focus on those, much.

  18. ShootingStarsMag

    Nice post! With everything you love, there are bound to be parts of it you hate or just wish you didn’t have to deal with. It’s nice to commiserate over things with others. I do find it stressful sometimes to read fast enough and to give books a suitable “rating” even though I don’t do stars for the most part. It’s difficult for me to be harsh with things, so I try and mix up the good and the bad.

    • Giselle

      Oh stars is another point I could have added here! It’s so hard sometimes to give a star rating to a book where it has me so undecided. It’s not always easy to be harsh – I always try to mention ANY good that was in the book as well to sort of balance it out.

      And god I often feel like I’m such a slow reader when I have all these blogging friends who read a book in like 2 hours. I wish that was me! >.<

  19. Candace

    Social Media is my hardest part. I don’t have time to hang out on twitter and when I do post something that’s not a promotional thing, no one really ever responds and I feel like no one likes me. I know, it’s stupid but it does kind of keep me away from just randomly chatting. The same thing with facebook. I post all my posts and once in awhile a discussion thing but it’s never taken off for me, I guess.

    • Giselle

      Twitter can be weird sometimes. I can tweet something and get NO response and them tweet something completely lame and get a ton of replies so it could just be the time of day you’re on. I’m sure by your stats and comments that you are in no way disliked! 🙂

      • Candace

        Aw, thanks Giselle! I know, it’s probably the time of day and the people who happen to be on. I just get too sensitive about that junk. I do tweet pictures sometimes, and that works cause I don’t have to say much and I’m not really expecting a response.

  20. Mary @ Mary Had a Little Book Blog

    YES to all these! I am quite happy with my stats and the methods I use to promote my blog, but I was upset recently when a fellow street team member knocked one of my methods and said it was lazy. It’s okay to be competitive TO AN EXTENT, but it’s not okay to push people down when they do things differently. Sometimes, I get burned out and just go twitter quiet for a while or don’t post quite as much in a week. It’s okay to take a small step back when things aren’t being as good as they should be. Really great post.

    • Giselle

      Oof yeah it’s ok to be competitive but it’s not ok to be rude about it or to think your way is the only way. I know some very established bloggers who don’t even use any social media at all! Taking blogging breaks and vacations should be mandatory! 😉

  21. Mary @ BookSwarm

    I’m having to take a mini-break at the moment as school starts up and I feel like I’m neglecting my poor little blog by not posting book stuff today or tomorrow. I’ve gotten to the point where I don’t usually post on the weekends, though I do read blogs and sometimes comment (depending on time). That gives me a bit of breathing room to catch up with reading and writing posts/reviews. And I’m NOT a big fan of the competitiveness so I do my best to remove myself from it and hang out with awesome bloggers like you! Mwah!

    • Giselle

      I think not posting the weekend is a great idea. I’ve been considering it too but my weekend posts are so easy that I haven’t taken the plunge yet – I post new release and STS and I do them while listening to audiobooks so it’s fun for me. But I do think getting some breather room can make all the difference! I wouldn’t worry about it affecting your stats or readership, much – if at all!

  22. Heather Coulter

    This is an amazing post.

    I made too many newbie mistakes (i.e. requested too many books from NetGalley, signed up with too many blog tour companies, and spread myself to thin). It led quickly to burnout; I found myself overwhelmed and considered quitting a couple of times.

    Heather

    • Giselle

      I think we all did that at the beginning. I used to request EVERY book from Netgalley that sounded marginally interesting and ended up not reviewing most of them bc there were way too many. Now I only request select few. I think the eagerness of free books and having a full book haul post is to blame for this. I’m glad you didn’t quit, though, you will find your routine! 🙂

      • Heather Coulter

        I called it the eager-beaver syndrome. Now I just try to do the things I enjoy most. Read the books I want and interact with authors, followers, and my fellow bloggers. ~~Relax & Read~~ Heather

  23. Christina @ Christina Reads YA

    Yes, to everything you said in this post. Admittedly, the expectations you face sound a lot more intense than I do (you’re a way bigger blogger so you’ve got a lot more publishers and authors watching and a lot more comments to deal with), but I’m with you–in spirit at least–on everything. Yeah, I don’t send one-star reviews to publishers – I actually haven’t sent many reviews to publishers just yet o.O – but the expectation for ARCs or being involved in the publishing industry is so, so high.

    One thing I’d say is also the expectations you have for yourself. You already mentioned how your blog readers have come to expect X and X from you; what about your own expectations for how you handle your blog or comments? I’m also not a huge fan of posts that talk about how you should blog. There’s something in there that always makes me question whether or not I’m blogging correctly, where there is no one correct way to blog.

    • Giselle

      I’ve sent a lot of negative reviews to publishers and authors and it’s the worst!! But I’ve never been removed from any blogger list fro publishers so don’t be afraid to do it. I think they prefer getting notice that you reviewed negatively than them thinking they’re sending you these books that you never read. I’m terrible at putting my reviews on Netgalley and EW though I just forget >.< I do have high expectations for myself and for the most part I'm satisfied with my content and how I run my blog. As far as comment, I don't often reply to comments unless it's a discussion post or a question was asked - like on review posts I rarely reply, BUT I try to visit back everyone who commented. I can only spend so much time doing blogging stuff with work and a toddler keeping me busy so I think a lot of bloggers appreciate comments back over a reply which would often end up generic anyways 🙂 Those lists are so useless 99% of the time. They do offer guidelines when they're done right but mostly they just irritate me. Ignoring them works all the same 🙂

  24. Kristilyn (Reading in Winter)

    I don’t like the competitiveness … I feel like there are SO MANY book blogs out there that we are all trying to be unique and different. It can be tough! I think we sometimes get so wrapped up in that that we forget that we started the blogs to share our love of reading and that should be all that matters.

    Great post!

    • Giselle

      That is true! And if you do find something unique, it’s usually only unique until everyone else decides they do it, too, so it’s a never ending battle >.<

  25. Charlotte

    Oh Giselle, I am not a big blogger like you but I can feel what you’re going through right now. That negative review, it always makes me feel awkward and bad especially if I’m sending the review directly to the author. There were times that I prayed for the ground to swallow me whole.

    And yes, competitiveness. But I am suffering more from blog envy. For example, I wish I had your talent, I wish I had all your wonderful ARCs and I wish I had your awesome blog look. But instead of being consumed by envy, I turned it into an inspiration to continuously improve my blog and what I have to offer. You are one of my inspiration, Giselle! Weeeee!

    And those book blogging rules. The first time I read those, I was pretty much intimidated and I’ve been tempted to stop blogging (even if I’m just starting) for thinking that I couldn’t abide by all those rules. Luckily enough, I’ve found so many craziness on the book blogging world that rules can actually be flexible.

    Very enlightening post, Giselle!

    • Giselle

      Aww thanks, doll! i think your blog is super cute and professional looking! I also see you just moved to WordPress (yay!) and that allows for more freedom in things you can do, too. Like if you want a certain widget you’ve seen on a blog (say to display things a certain way etc) you can likely find a plugin that can easily do it for you! It’s awesome! And yeah those rules are usually only agreed upon by the one who wrote it and no one else so don’t let lists like that intimidate you. There are no actual rules to blogging at all – you gotta find your own style and you decide how you run your own blog!

  26. Eileen @ Singing and Reading in the Rain

    I totally agree with you, expectations can be so hard to keep up with, especially since everybody has this main set of expectations that most people usually fulfill. I really hate how much time blogging seriously takes, because you have to manage everything on social media, networking yourself and getting your blog out there, and then you have to worry about the content and how many comments you get and everything can always get SO busy. I kind of stopped caring about numbers recently, which has been a huge relief, thank goodness, but there’s still the time issue and finding time to post everyday >.<

    Fantastic post, Giselle! <33

  27. Amy @ Book Loving Mom

    Great post love!! I hate having to sent the negative reviews to the publishers too. More than anything though, it time. Or lack of it. That’s one of the hardest things for me with blogging. Everyone will see my post tomorrow so I won’t post too much here about it. Lol!!

    I also agree about blogging being part of me and not just a hobby. I don’t try to post daily just for the readers, I do it because I want to. I do love all my readers though and definitely want them to be happy too.

  28. Jeann @ Happy Indulgence

    This is such a fantastic post Giselle, you’ve hit the nail on the head about expectations. Most of us book bloggers do it as a hobby too, and we expect to review books on time, review books favourably, but also be honest to our readers and provide good quality content. But I agree, there’s so many upsides to blogging that makes all the hard work feel amazing 🙂

  29. Christina (A Reader of Fictions)

    Bahahaha, “it’s not always unicorns and rainbows up in this hood.” Book bloggers are so gangsta. Straight up, yo!

    Oh man, the streak of negative reviews is the worst. I always end up reading a bunch of awful things in a row and then a bunch of amazing things and then a bunch of meh things, which is weird. I feel like I would look more honest if it didn’t fall out that way, but I am honest and it happens and whyyyy?

    Lol, I like how you said it would be bullet points, but then it’s paragraphs. You amuse me.

  30. Micheline @ Lunar Rainbows

    Hmm, I like how you sorted everything here under expectations, cause really all of it does boil down to expectations: the ones we put on ourselves, the ones we feel publishers, authors and other bloggers put on ourselves or each other…but yeah sometimes we just need a reminder as to why we all started reviewing books in the first place 🙂 Well said!

  31. Alexa Y.

    I can completely relate to your least favorite parts of blogging. While I enjoy my blog and can’t imagine my life without it (at the moment, anyway), I do think it’s hard when expectations from other people get into my head. I can’t shake the feeling on some days that I’m letting others down… though my moods like that don’t last too long. Still, I’m glad you pointed it out in this post! Just know that you’re certainly not alone, and take comfort in it like I do 😉