Friday Fast Five: Five things I did to get my blogger groove back

First it was the Great Reading Slump of 2014 – then it was The Great Blogging Slump of 2014/15. Thankfully, I got over the reading slump which was terrifying! Who the hell am I if I don’t read???? I used to love it! The blogging slump took longer to get over but I think I’m there – here are a few things that worked for me…

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Five things I did to get my blogger groove back

#1

ARC Gut-check

This is just my own opinion - but I think so much blogger burnout is due to ARC’s. The quest to get them. The pressure to read/review all of them. The jealousy of being left out. It all stems from ARC’s. Which takes all the joy out of blogging and strains the connection that the community used to have.

I took a long, hard look at my desire for ARC’s. Did I actually get to them all? Did I even like most of them? Did I die if I didn’t get them? The answer was a big resounding NO to all of those questions.

Do I still accept ARC’s? Yes. But I try to stick with what I think I will like – not request a book just because all the cool kids are reading it first and if I don’t I WILL BE LEFT OUT.

I request two at a time on Netgalley and no more until I read/review.

This isn’t a judgment on anyone – if you can read and love all the ARC’s go for it! I’m just talking about when it turns you into something ugly or you feel so overwhelmed that you don’t know if you can blog anymore. So much of that is self inflicted pressure that has an easy solution.

#2

I stepped away

I pretty much gave up all of my old hobbies for blogging. Ignored my husband and dogs! (I can never ignore Figment (my cat) because he won’t let me lol) There’s no time! I have posts to schedule damn it! People need to know what I think! Um…no they don’t. The world keeps spinning, people keep reading without your opnion.

Now I take breaks when I need to. I started watching more TV, got out in the yard to play with Indy & Beau. After a few days I miss the blog and reading and I come back refreshed with even more to talk about. But on my own terms - not because I think I need to.

I’m not sure why blogging comes with so much guilt. I think all of us understand when *other* bloggers take time off. We’re still there when they come back – so we should go easy on ourselves too.

#3

Mini Reviews

I love writing and reading mini reviews! They feel spontaneous - which is a relief when I’m totally burned out on reviewing. Writing and formatting reviews can kill my blogger soul.

#4

PicMonkey/Variety

I’m about as un-creative as it gets but I can spend hours on PicMonkey making new headers, SN icons, buttons…I know I don’t get professional looking results but I’M HAVING FUN and that’s all that matters.

Sometimes For What It’s Worth will be a book blog – then it might be all music and dogs for a month. I don’t know and I’m not worried about it anymore. I started this for fun and it’s finally feeling that way again – once I stopped trying to fit it neatly into a blogging rule box.

#5

ZIP IT

This should probably be #1 or #2 in level of importance because next to ARC's the constant negativity is so exhausting. I use Tweetcaster and they have a zip function that includes zipping #'s. Saved. My. Sanity. Fights, book hype, spoilers, scandals, haters, assholes - ZIP THAT SHIT UP.

I unfollowed everyone that feels the need to jump into every online drama. I may even agree with them but it's so damn draining after awhile and skews how we view the community - as if it's all negative - and it's not.

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I do know that while so many others have quit – I’m not ready to. I haven’t found another platform that allows me to meet so many cool people like blogging has and I love talking to all of you. I just need the obligation part to go away. lol

Have you ever been in a blogging slump? How have you gotten out of it?