After happily reading 5 books or more a week, for almost two years all of a sudden I was burned out! I've had a few shorter slumps before but this was a REALLY bad one. (Which really sucks for a book blogger. No reading = no reviewing = boring dead blog.)
I became openly hostile to my books. Glaring at them….. Ok book - you have exactly 10 minutes to WOW me. Can't do it?? Then I'm going to torture myself and read you anyway until you redeem yourself in some way.
Prove your worth book!
So what the heck happened to this book loving blogger?
I used to read a wide variety of genres but once I started blogging I got caught in this weird hype bubble. Instead of expanding your book choices blogging can actually narrow them somewhat. The same few books are recommended by the majority of blogs and EVERYONE loves this one book that you know you won't like but EVERYONE does so you have to read it anyway!!
*I have to add this little disclaimer right about now. Book bloggers have expanded my reading horizons exponentially (thank you!) but I think those of you who blog or even follow book review blogs understand (I hope) what I mean by your choices narrowing. Also - this is mostly self inflicted. I kind of know my tastes yet I was lured by the buzz. I should have just passed on the books but I kept thinking - Everyone loves it!!! So I might….& what if it IS brilliant and I don't read it!!! I will be the only one that missed this amazing book!
There is also the repetition when you read well over 100 books a year. If I read one more f*cking love triangle/were-squirrel (sure laugh - but you know there probably is a story about a were-squirrel - or there will be soon) /insta-lovin/dystopian - faction picking/ the next Hunger Games - the next Twilight - the next whatever the heck that is NEVER the next whatever….. book I will scream.
See. Hostile.
But the real #1 reason that I was in a 1 year long reading slump is that reading became a job.
I reviewed everything I read. I cut out normal daily activities & real life fun so that I wouldn't fall behind on my blog postings & reviews. Every single book I read had pages of notes accompanying it. I no longer read for for the sheer joy of it.
I accepted more books than I will ever be able to read for review because I felt too guilty to say no, especially to new debut authors. Then totally bummed myself out when I had to write negative review after negative review.
So how did I get over this slump? I know a lot of bloggers go through this at one time or another and I'm just going to tell you what worked for me. It might not be the same for you. You might need a different approach. I got a lot of great advice during my slump - read different genres, go re-read a favorite book - didn't work. So here's what did work in my case.
~ I stopped reading. Anytime you are forcing yourself to read is a bad thing. Reading should bring you joy & take you away from life and stress. Reading is an escape - not a chore.
I didn't read even one book for almost two months. It almost felt like going through detox at first. I also didn't read reviews or buy any new books or even step foot in a bookstore. *gasp* I needed to wipe the slate clean I guess. I needed to crave reading a book again.
Then when I felt ready to dip my toes in to the reading waters I picked up Mind Games by Carolyn Crane off my bookshelf. I was blown away and read the entire Disillusionist trilogy in less than three days. This is not to say that THIS is the series that will end all reading slumps for everyone but what it did for me is remind me of all the things I loved about reading. It gave me that reader high. It made me realize that there are still books out there that will blow me away and shock me and make me love all the things that I think I hate….like love triangles, cliffhangers, were- squirrels….wait no - Mind Games does not have any were- squirrels! But it has Gumby!!! Even better. But I digress…The series just completely restored my faith in reading and slapped me right out of all my unfair, preconceived notions of how every book was going to suck forever and ever. Or that every book had to be perfect and blow me away (although this series did!). I needed to get a grip and approach reading like I did before blogging.
The point is that there was nothing wrong with me. Or any of the books I disliked. Now that I look back I can see that I was being horribly unfair to a lot of those books. I wasn't in the right frame of mind to read them and I forced myself anyway and that's not good for anyone. I bet I would have even disliked Mind Games if I had forced myself to read it a few months earlier.
~ I stopped reading reviews (for just a little while….) I needed to just find books that appealed to me on my own without the "OMG this is the best book ever" label attached. I need to lower my expectations.
~ I instituted the 50 page rule. This is so hard for me!! I don't care if I hate a book, I need to know what happens. However, I was spending so much time on books I wasn't enjoying that I had to learn to let it go if I'm not enjoying a book. I do skim to the end and get my resolution but I don't force myself to read the whole thing or review it anymore.
~ I don't review everything. If I want to read 5 books in a row just for fun I do. No notes. No dissecting what worked and what didn't. Sometimes that's difficult when it's a book I really love. I want to talk about it and tell everyone but I think I need to just love a book every now and again just for what it means to ME. I need to keep it just for myself without over analyzing it. You will inevitably start finding flaws in what you previously thought of as perfection. I'll still tweet the heck about it though or maybe write a few sentences on Goodreads.
~ I don't read if I don't feel like it. Really, it's ok. You can go off and do other things. Don't feel guilty about it.
~ I ignore the hype. I still find new books almost daily because of bloggers but now I'm better at weeding out what I think I would like. I've come to realize I don't always like what everyone else does and I'm ok with that now. I don't need to "get" it or feel guilty for not loving a book or make myself continue a series I don't enjoy just to feel included. (& believe me you will feel SO left when you can't join in those fun Twitter book discussions! lol)
~ I'm kinder to the characters and their imperfections. I was off the charts critical there for a while. I never used to be that way before my slump. I still don't love everything in every book but now I can still enjoy a book even if I don't like a few things about it. It's not a deal breaker for me anymore.
~ The most important reason I'm over my slump? I’ve learned that:
READING IS NOT A JOB.
BLOGGING IS NOT A JOB.
READING IS NOT A JOB.
BLOGGING IS NOT A JOB.
READING IS NOT A JOB.
BLOGGING IS NOT A JOB.
I'm at peace 
with my books now - we are no longer at war.How about you?
Have you ever been in a reading slump? What have you down to get out of it?
*All images from stock.xching
I know exactly how you feel having just been the through the same thing. I don't blog but i read a lot of books, last year seemed to be an all time record of books read. This year i can count on one hand how many i have read so far!
ReplyDeleteOne thing that has helped get me out of my reading funk has been a visit to my local library in which i found my automatic buy books there on the library shelf and not on my own book shelf. I hadn't even known they had been released and felt like a lousy fan.
Now i have read a couple of old favourites this week to try and get back into reading.
Thanks for commenting. It's good to know slumps don't just happen to bloggers.
DeleteI have the bookshelf problem. Sometimes just looking at my overflowing shelves can put me in a deep depression lol I feel like I will never ever get tot hem all and I shut down.
Good Luck!!
I could totally relate to everything! I don't know if what I'm experiencing is a reading slump or what but my reading habits had greatly changed when I started blogging in November last year. Before that, I was on Goodreads and my reading went off the charts, I was reading like an amazon, I can't get enough of books. When I finish one, I start reading another one without a pause. I realized those were the days that I still don't review books. Just like you and I believe everybody else, I just read for fun. But now, everything's changed. There are notes everywhere and then I started to keep delaying reading because I'm about to finish it and then I'm going to have to write a review again. Then after that, I start a new book and the cycle goes on. It's really tiresome and the thought of quitting flashed through my mind, but I just couldn't do it. As of now, I'm still having the same problems but my reading is better than before. The reading slump is far from over so I'm really taking it slow. I post one review every 2 weeks or so and I have review drafts just waiting to be edited and posted. It sucks but I don't really want to have a burn-out. And maybe I'll try to do what you did and see if it works out. :)
ReplyDeleteI almost quit blogging at the beginning of this year. I took a few months off instead and it helped but I'm still not back to consistent blogging yet.
DeleteMy reading slump is over but I'm just not into reviewing every single thing I read anymore. I'm hoping I can reach some sort of balance.
I had to let go of a lot of blogger guilt.
Let me know what ends up working for you. I think it's different for everyone.
Ok, I've been in a reading slump more then once, but shorter ones, and every time something else helps. Sometimes was a re-reading a fav book; sometimes until I find the perfect one or the perfect genre, so I read lots of books from that genre; sometimes a book from an author I love; sometimes taking a complete break from reading for a while or going through a complete season(s) of tv series or lots of movies - it depends.
ReplyDeleteWhen I read that you had a year-long slump, I have to admit that scared me a little, thinking how can that happen & can it happen to me?
But after reading how that happened, I can understand it.
I also read different genres (almost all of them) and I've been known to be caught in up in the hype, but I've been "burned" by some YA too-hyped books a few times, that I really disliked, even hated, and a few I haven't even reviewed it because I was on the verge of saying some awful things both for the book, and even for those that said it was amazing book, and I didn't liked that that had happened to me, I just felt so guilty for wanting to do that, and angry on myself for wasting my time &/or money on that book :( Now I'm really picky when it comes to the hyped books, if I have a feeling that I might not like it, even if everyone says it's amazing, I won't read it.
I've actually been feeling guilty for being so behind on my reviews & not being able to read everything I was sent or approved from NetGalley, but I won't be anymore. Also, some of the most amazing books I've read, I haven't reviewed them, but I keep recommending them, and postponing writing a review, but now I'll stop feeling guilty for that, too :)
I actually go around 100 pages in a book, and I might give up if I don't like it, although I rarely give up on a book, but as I said I'm really picky about what I read now. And I also read whatever I like, not only books & series that everyone is reading - so there are lots of popular ones I haven't read, so what? I'm thinking I'll read them when I can.
So, thank you so much for this amazing post, unexpectedly it helped me with my guilt :) and it made me realise I was doing the right think, 'cause yeah, blogging should be fun :)
And I'm really glad & happy for you that your reading slump is over, and I loved Mind Games (still haven't finished the series - and one of the books I read, but haven't reviewed) and I'm glad it helped you :)
Also, great recommendations for all book readers & bloggers!!!
The guilt thing can really get to you. Not liking a few books all of a sudden becomes this huge burden.
DeleteLetting go of series I wasn't enjoying and not jumping on the must read bandwagon has been one of the best things I've done. Not that I don't give something different a chance - it's just that I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything anymore if I'm not reading what everyone else is. Like you mentioned - I can always get to it later.
I'm starting to just talk on Twitter about books I love or write a more informal post rather than a standard review which seems to be helping me. Dissecting a book can really ruin the experience after a while.
NO GUILT! lol
This is totally what I'm going through right now - of have been going through for, well, the past year or so. Blogging was making reading feel like work, total and complete work. I was reading books I wasn't loving because "I had to" review them. I was stuck in this crazy "my readers expect me to review x,y,z books and only that type of book" - totally lame. I love (and am so happy for you) that you've busted yourself out of this rut. I'm thinking about taking some of your advice and totally wipping my slate clean - giving myself a few weeks or months to reset my love of reading and not worry about what I have that "I should" read or what everyone else is talking about. I love this idea!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing - sometimes it feels like we're all alone out there in the burn out.
I'm always surprised to see just how many people are going through the same thing!
DeleteThis slump almost did me in. It was either make some changes or quit blogging.
That's a good point about your readers expectations. I found I was reading for them too. People would ask me about a new book and say they were waiting to see what I thought and then I felt pressured to hurry up and read it. Of course I ended up hating it because it wasn't really what I felt like reading at the time.
I hope some of these ideas work for you. THere really isn't just one right way to get through it but I'm proof that you can! Good luck :-)
I know this feeling! I'm fighting it off now. I actually LOVE your the 50 page rule! I so need to do this! I feel like it's my responsibility to finish a book, even when I don't like it. I should be able to put it down if I want and move on to something elsse without feeling guilty! That's hard for me. I actually feel guilty when not finishing. Anywways, great post and you have lots of good ideas. :-)
ReplyDeleteTamara @ Shelf Addiction
I still need to read the end because it KILLS me not to know what happened but I let myself give up if I'm not enjoying the book and just move on. I've wasted so many hours forcing myself to read something I hated it.
DeleteLife's way too short for that!
I hope you get past your reading slump soon!
Although I've not experienced a reading slump I did change my approach to blogging this year to avoid burn out. I don't review every book I read and I make sure I read books that I want to read. I'm much fussier about accepting review copies and pretty much stick to what I've requested from Net Galley. I'm soooo over blogger guilt!
ReplyDeleteGood for you!! I wish I learned those lessons earlier on.
DeleteI think this is the year we all let go of blogger guilt!
I think we really have to or we're going to lose a lot of good bloggers.
Good for you! I went through the exact same thing, only my slump ended up being closer to 6 months. I had completely overextended myself - not only had I signed up for more year-end awards programs than was smart, I hated turning down a request for a review. Reading stopped being fun, and reviewing really did start to feel like a job - except, of course, it didn't pay the mortgage or the bills.
ReplyDeleteI just stepped back and stopped accepting anything new. I took the time to get reacquainted with the neglected books on my shelves that I wanted to enjoy, purely for myself, with no strings attached. I did do some reviews, but only of books that I volunteered to review.
Even after all that, I'm not sure I would have gotten back into regular blogging, were it not for 2 good friends who (politely) slapped some sense into me and volunteered to help. It's hard giving up sole creative control to a team of reviewers, but also extremely liberating when it comes to managing the review pile. :)
I've thought of quitting, joining someone else's blog or adding reviewer's to mine. I'll probably end up adding at some point. It is hard to give up that control but most of the reviewer's I love are already blogging :-(
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you found 2 good friends to share the work with. I'm sure that helps a lot.
Yes!! Why the heck doesn't blogging pay the mortgage?? With all the time we put in to it I feel like it should! lol
I think the reason why I have made it so far, with a few bumps, is cos I never take notes, I never dissect. I read a book, and then I review it. I talk about what I liked, I do not think.
ReplyDeleteYou have a great healthy attitude about the whole thing!
DeleteI've been in reading slumps before but never really big ones, usually just taking a break from reading and doing other things have helped or just reading a genre I haven't read in a while like contemporary since I mostly read paranormal books. Last month I just came back from a 5-6 month blogging break because I was in a blogging slump though. I still did the occasional post on my friend's media blog but that was about movies, tv shows, and music and book covers not book reviews or anything like that. I didn't do any posts on my book blog but actually took the break as an opportunity to redesign my blog to the way I have always wanted it, and I like graphic and web design so that was a fun distraction from reading books just to review them. While I was on my break I also thought of what would need to be different when I came back because I did not want to go back into a slump. My blog would be less structured - I'd post when I wanted to post, I would only write reviews for books I wanted to write reviews for so not every book I read would be reviewed. If a book isn't holding my interest I quickly put it down and move onto another book and come back to that book later, that could be between a day or months before coming back to that book to see if I am in the mood. It is still kind of hard trying not to feel guilty about not reviewing a book that I have read especially if I love it but I am getting better at it.
ReplyDeleteThat's great that you got to talk about other things that interest you like the tv shows. That was the original intention for this blog. I don't even know how I ended up just reviewing books! lol
DeleteI agree, I went through something similar a month ago and it was no fun. Mine was stress related so I am more than happy to get back on the saddle and wallow in creativity. I agree that blogging is not a job and in my case it's a hobby I really enjoy.
ReplyDeleteLooking foreward to your posts!
I think we've all been through this at one time or another.
DeleteI think for me I felt like I was forcing myself to plow through it and fix it somehow when what I really needed was to step away for a while and come back refreshed.
AMEN, Karen. I'm glad you found your mojo again. I agree that once reading becomes a chore, we have to take a step back. I've not reviewed everything I've read in the past 6 months because in all honesty, reviewing has become boring. I still enjoy it, but not as much as I used to. Of course, it's different when I love a book and want to sing its praises. I'm also not disciplined with writing them, which I wish I was. Before I write a review, I very well could read 5 books in between. I keep notes but it still messes with your thoughts.
ReplyDeleteAnywho, welcome home chic. ♥
I'm probably only reviewing one out every 10 books I read right now. I just don't feel like saying much besides "It sucked" or "I loved it" lol
DeleteI guess that's my next hurdle to overcome but honestly I'm not worried about it anymore.
Awesome post! And I totally understand what you've been through. But I think it's inevitable not to have at least a small reading/blogging slump every once in a while - I guess it happens because we're very dedicated to what we do and we don't want to disappoint the readers, the followers, the authors, the publishers etc and we end up being under pressure and stressed about living up to their expectations (I'm talking serious bloggers who've been at this for a while now). The best thing we can do is to loosen up and just like you said, always to remember that reading and blogging is not a job. To let go of that blogger guilt. We need to remember that our love for books came first.
ReplyDelete(I took a break from blogging myself this year. Of course, I had some problems in my personal life too, but instead of bringing me solace and a great distraction, blogging only added more stress to that. So I took some time off, I listened to lots of audiobooks and avoided reading any hyped books or reviews. I needed a clean slate as well, I guess. Now I'm working on not feeling guilty if I don't review every book I read and if I don't have a blog post ready every morning).
Happy reading and happy blogging!:)
I had a few smaller ones a few years ago but this was something more. I mean I HATED my books lol
DeleteI'm getting better at taking time off when I need it (or if I just don't have anything to say) The same thing happened to me. Instead of an escape reading became a chore.
Thanks for the comment :-)
I completely understand! Where has all the fun gone? I don't know why I feel so guilty about saying no to a book. When I was strictly a library book gal I would easily move from one book to another until I found the right one. But somehow guilt comes into play when you start reviewing. WHY? I vote more fun and less expectation. Just because I blog about books doesn't mean I am any different than any other reader. I want to enjoy a good story.
ReplyDeleteI have come to a small dislike of my eReader. All because the only books I read on it are books I feel somewhat compelled to review. I don't even like eBooks. Paper all the way. So the whole things feels stressful to me.
I am glad you have found your way back into enjoying books again.
That's so funny (sorry) You associate your e-reader with reviewing. I started hating the email or even the regular mail. I didn't want nay more books or review requests.
DeleteHonestly we put all this pressure on ourselves though. I mean really....what's going to happen if we don't review a book? Nothing. lol
I have been in a bit of a slump lately. It seems like the only reading I am doing is what I can listen to on audiobooks. I didn't even touch a book this weekend except to pack it and then unpack it. My slump started back in January, and I thought I was over it for a while, but then it seemed to come back.
ReplyDeletePart of it is the pressure to review--I know that. The other part of that is that I have books I have to read for committee work, and honestly I don't want to read those right now. There are books I want to read, but can't because I have obligations.
I have to agree with you about how blogging has caused pressure. I have read those hyped books and yes I admit I have gotten nasty with a couple because they are so cliche, but I think what has been so hard on me has been how blogging has narrowed my reading opportunities. Before I blogged I read both adult and teen books, whenever I wanted. Once I started blogging, I found so many tips that said you should choose your market and stick to it so people know what to expect from your blog. Since most of what I read was YA, that is what I focused on when blogging. After a while I began to tire of YA and the same old same old. I wanted something adult, so I widened my focus. It may be detrimental to my blog, but it was necessary for my sanity, and for me to enjoy reading. I fixed this, but I think my major problem lies elsewhere.
I am still working on my slump--I have a good idea what is causing it, and nothing but time will cure it. Reading and work are inseparable for me, because I am a librarian. I don't get time at work to read, yet am still expected to be able to do good readers advisory, so I read (work) in my off time. Sometimes it is frustrating because I feel like I don't have time off and begin to resent the books.
My other problem are work deadlines. Deadlines become both my friend and enemy. They push me to read more in a shorter period of time, but they also force me to read titles I don't want to read and slow me down. It is a double edged sword, and one I tread voluntarily because sometimes reading books I don't want to read helps me with my job. It unfortunately doesn't help me with the slump or the thought that reading is work.
I know I have a long way to go, but I am so glad that you seemed to find your way. Thank you for sharing--it will help those of us who still have these issues to work out! :)
That outs you in a really tough position. You have to read all the time.
DeleteI've decided to let the "rules" go. It's true that my YA reviews get way more hits than something older or from a less popular genre but I started the blog to talk about what I was reading not to have my next reads chosen for me. It's really hard to let some of that go though.
Good luck. I don't' envy your situation.
Oh, I think it's such an interesting post! Gah, it's so hard to get it through my mind that READING IS NOT A JOB. Neither is blogging. I don't really feel like I read for "fun" anymore but in terms of what I can review and it's just not the way to go. I really need to change that before I become disillusioned with blogging.
ReplyDeleteThat's really difficult to do.
DeleteI'm getting really good at not feeling obligated to review every single thing that I read now but I still get twitchy if I'm not posting regularly on the blog lol
You go girl! I am so proud.
ReplyDeleteFind the fun. Relax. Feel no pressure from anybody. *hugs* You've found a better place to be. :-D
Glad to hear you're coming out of your slump. It can be hard to not think of reading as a job sometimes and when that happens sometimes you need a break. Sometimes, a very long break ;) Hope you get to read some books you find AMAZING now! Happy Reading!
ReplyDeleteIt's great that you're out of the slump :)
ReplyDeleteAnd the Disillusionists trilogy is one of my favorites, too :) I've listened to it on audiobook, and oh my....
I loved Packard, Justine and Simon! And of course Gumby :D
Excellent, excellent advice...and i totally get it. Ironically, I've been thinking about making a few small changes to my reading habits too. I love how you said that if you over analyze, what you once thought of as perfection will start to have flaws. So true. I started reading reviews on Amazon and Goodreads of books I read a long time ago and loved and I was so disappointed. But the experience at the time made me happy.
ReplyDeleteAnd I read in one of your replies how you almost quit blogging. I am SO glad you didn't!!! Don't know what I would have done!!!
I know if I read some of my favorite books ever now that I would hate them just because of how jaded I've gotten.
DeleteAfter taking my break though I find myself being way more forgiving of something that I probably would have given a 1 or a 2 during my slump so I guess it works both ways.
I don't think I could quit. I would miss everyone too much.
This is such a great post! As a relatively new blogger, I thank you for being so open about this.
ReplyDeleteI've been blogging about 10 months and at times I have definitely seen the warning signs of blogger fatigue creeping in....
I'm really glad you didn't stop blogging. I would miss you!!!
It's the obligation/guilt thing that we put on ourselves.
DeleteI'm learning to take a step back if I need to. The world will not end!
Reading slumps stink! They make you question your worth as a person and ruin perfectly good books. I'm glad you found a way to beet them.
ReplyDeletelmao!! Yes, you feel like something is wrong with you and why you are just not "getting it".
DeleteI'm just not worrying about it anymore.
I enjoyed your post. I have been blogging for 3 years and I think I learned in the first year all the Do's and Don't for ME. I read approx 50 books a year, I have no intention on trying to read faster to get more read. I say yes to reviews I truly think I will enjoy and never more than 2 in one month, as I am a mood reader and I think having to read a book definitely puts me in a slump. Never like yours though, scary.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I get the whole hyped books, so glad YA is not my genre of choice or I will probably never read what "I Want". You may want to always have a week out of the month that is just the books you want to read, old, new, favourites, for review, just whatever.
Mind Games is on my Wishlist, a new genre for me but I am so intrigued. Maybe I will get to it this year.
I think you hit the nail on the head right there...... "I think I learned in the first year all the Do's and Don't for ME"
DeleteWe need to blog in a way that's right for us. It doesn't do anyone any good if we're all so burned out that we quit blogging. There is a balance.
I read very little YA when I first started but then my blog became almost exclusively YA. I think it does hurt your stats or whatever to not blog in one genre but who cares if you're not enjoying what you read anymore. It's just not worth it.
I forgot everything I wanted to say this morning :( I didn't even know you were in a reading slump, for a year!! What's up with thaaat ah? We are twins, I need to know those things....just because lol
ReplyDeleteBut anyway, I'm not a blogger but I can totally relate with everything you said. I can see why you were burned out. Reading, reviewing, pressure and more pressure, no thank you...just thinking of that stress me out. BUT I have had that hostile attitude toward books lately. I don't know when I became so critical with the books I read, I found flaws in everything and little things annoy the hell out of me or I just found the book boring, no excitement. I thought it was just one book but everything I have read lately I feel that way and it can't be because I'm burned out because I barely read! I'm affraid of the next book I decide to pick up if I'm still in this dark place toward them. (Is not like I know if its over or not so I just decide to read it and still critical b**ch in me) Is not on purpose I just don't feel what I'm reading...nothing WOW me. I know is not such a big deal but I used to be lover of all things, "5 stars to all the books" always with flaws or little things. Now I over analize and critic everything and everyone!!
Now that I complained, I have to say that I agree with you about the next THG or next Twilight, I'm so over that. And all the book bloggers have expanded my reading horizons too, I didn't know about the existence of all these books but it can narrow my choices too that is sooo true. It's like a cicle with all the same books going over and over (I'm not complaining btw, just sayin'). I want to find a series that do to me what Mind Games did to you. Something that takes me back to where I used to love everything and enjoy instead of critic everything, and makes me smile, laugh, cry, squeal all at once. I'm not so difficult to pleased, pretty much every book did that to me, I don't know what's going on right now with me. So I guess I'll just stop reading (instead of 1 book a month hahaha, but this is only because I'm busy with other things) I'm not going to read AT ALL until who knows when. But the problem is, I want to read!! so you can see my dilemma?? LOL
Okay, enough of my ramblings and complaints haha, I needed to vent about what I'm feeling. And oddly enough I'm feeling the same about blogs!!I spent like two weeks without visiting or leaving comments on my favorite blogs, -and same with twitter- still I barely comment and read stuff. (I know is not an obligation but it was an hostile feeling and this is my favorite hobby!! *sigh* ) Okay I'll shut now. :P Soooorry!!
I love the images you used haha, so perfect. I'm glad that you are at peace and in a better blogging place and loving your books and reading again :)
I've been struggling with blogging lately. My posts have been...rare haha I just do it when I can now. I'll read a book, get a post ready for it, and then I'll get to it when I can. I've decided that I enjoy reading without the pressures of reading. I don't just choose books that haven't been released yet, or books that I accepted for review. When I finish a book, I think about what kind of mood I'm in, and I choose a book based on what I feel like reading. I think this has become a healthier relationship for me, my books, and blogging. I'm glad you've sorted things out for yourself! Your true followers will stick with you no matter what. :)
ReplyDeleteThis! This this this! Lol. I sometimes feel like there should be a book blogging disclaimer for anyone who wants to start up, because it seems like ALL of us have been there at one point or another.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you were able to get out of your reading slump. Your strategy seemed to work very well. I think it is easy to become overwhelmed. I think we all need to take a step back every now and then. It would be a shame to stop enjoying what we love. Great advice!
ReplyDelete~Jess
Yea I definitely think that if you force yourself to read stuff which you don't like then you'll get into reading slumps. I sometimes just walk into my local book shop and just walk around. That way, I can find new authors and pick up a book that I'm genuinely intrigued by without knowing the hype. Anyway, I wrote an article recently about avoiding reading slumps, you should check it out to avoid falling into another one.
ReplyDeleteJess
http://readbyjess.blogspot.co.uk/2016/05/how-to-get-out-of-reading-slump.html