Yes, it’s Okay to Take a Break!

And yes, I’m writing this for myself as much as for everybody else 😉 Because this is something I struggle with all the time! No matter how long I’ve been doing this, no matter how many of my fellow bloggers point it out, I still can’t seem to get it in my head. Which is why- *deep breaths*- I’m going to be reiterating what so many have said before me: IT’S OKAY TO TAKE A BREAK!

*Phew*- that’s hard to write! Far easier to just pack in all the excuses and beg for forgiveness! I know that when I’ve got to take time off, I end up grovelling and apologising and feeling tremendously guilty. And for what? For having other things going on, for having various stresses, for experiencing exhaustion… none of which are crimes punishable by death- I’ve checked 😉 Point is, we all have legitimate reasons for taking breaks- and that’s OKAY!

Recently, I saw Drew talking about just not feeling like reading, and it was such a relief to hear someone else say it! Because *of course* there are days when I don’t feel like reading- everyone has those! Not only when you’re feeling slumpy- sometimes my brain feels fried and I can’t keep my eyes open. And you know what? That’s OKAY!

Even more importantly, Eustea reminded me that this is a hobby and how there’s no need to be so hard on ourselves. We should be giving ourselves a pat on the back- not beating ourselves up for not “staying on top of things” (which, ha, if you’ve been doing this long enough, you know how impossible that is to do, since there’s always more to be done!) If we’re tired out or burnt out or just out-out, then we made need a little time off. And that’s OKAY!

Instead of feeling bad, let’s give ourselves a *round of applause* and *take a bow* (in that order 😉). We’re all great apes and we’re all in this together like a bunch of bananas… which sounded better in my head, but you get the idea 😉 I won’t tell people not to make excuses- goodness knows I wouldn’t be able to promise that myself! And I won’t be sorry for being sorry- I’m British, I’ve apologised to chairs for bumping into them 😉 YET I will say for the umpteenth time that we can give ourselves the night off whenever we need to and for whatever reason. The world won’t end. It’s OKAY.

 Cheers to that and to all of you!

Bloggers are Underrated

Obviously, I’m biased, but here’s the thing: I’m not wrong 😉 Nowadays, it feels like bloggers are low hanging fruit, and everyone wants a piece. I barely go a week without seeing some disparaging comment about “what even is the point of bloggers” or “who even cares about bloggers” annnd I’m here to correct those assumptions- cos as a point of fact, bloggers are underrated. Here’s why:

Endless enthusiasm for books! Whether it’s in reviews/lists/discussions, bloggers have a way of creating continuous exposure and forming intense fandoms. Blogs are the perfect place to create superfans- which is why I believe some books with strong connections to the blogosphere have the power to do so well.

Cos, frankly, blogs are a brilliant place to cultivate organic interest. It’s not just that blogs have the ability to spread a book far and wide (and oh boy they do- a few book bloggers raving can get a book to spread like wildfire), blogs also manage to make that spread feel less like hype sometimes and more like fans sharing art. Which brings me onto…

The blogosphere is a wonderful place for readers! You can get some genuine advice on what to read and rave directly with someone else has loved a book. Feedback is super easy to get and real conversation is up for grabs. This is largely thanks to how interactive the blogosphere is, but also because…

The community side is so strong. I personally believe it’s one of the more intimate platforms, with a greater connection to other readers and more meaningful engagement. This isn’t to disparage any other platform, cos everywhere has it’s “casual viewers”, but the format of a blog does lend itself really well to communication. And, even better, as we all like to point out regularly, this is one of the friendliest places on the internet. What’s so wonderful about blogging is how friendly everyone is- and this makes a huge difference. In fact, I’d go as far as to say it makes the reading experience so much more pleasurable (and, c’mon, it’s reading, it was already pretty darn awesome!!)

Blogging also helps us writerly types to develop our craft further. Since we’re all lovers of the written word here, it stands to reason we’d enjoy reading other people’s posts and learning that way- PLUS we also get to improve our own skills every time we post. Really, it’s a win all round!!

 

And lastly, blogging is addictive! You’d probably have to prise our blogs from our cold dead hands 😉 Which doesn’t necessarily sound like a good thing, buuut having a blog quickly becomes a way of life. We put so much love and effort into our internet space- and that real commitment is why the blogosphere such a wonderful place to be!

 

 

 

In short, don’t knock it till you’ve tried it 😉 So do you agree? Are bloggers underrated? Let me know in the comments!

Book Blogger Insider Tag!

Hello all! I’ve got no preamble today- I just fancied doing a tag, cos I’m a blogger… which coincidentally is what this tag is all about!

Thank you so much to the awesome Angelica @Book Cover Girls, super Sam @Rivermoose Reads and the perfect Panic at the Bookstore for tagging me to do this!

1) Where do you typically write your blog posts?

At my desk. I know, exciting 😉 although my desk is something of a paper jungle right now, so it somewhat resembles my natural habitat 😉

2) How long does it generally take you to write a book review?

That really depends on the book! Also I’ve never kept track lol- I reckon some take under an hour, but I only remember the ones that I slaved over for wayyy too long (it took *hours* to write my post on the Gulag Archipelago for instance).

3) When did you start your book blog?

May 2015! Just before I finished my degree… which was not the best timing in the world.

4) What is the worst thing about having a book blog in your opinion?

Not keeping up with everything and consequent blogging guilt! It’s a killer combination!

5) What is the best thing about having a book blog in your opinion?

ALL OF YOU GUYS!!!

6) What blog post have you had the most fun writing so far?

Probably one of my satirical pieces like Worst Fantasy Novel Plan or Why Satire is Evil. But I also loved doing my 3 year bloggiversary post on blogging and promoting some other bloggers, cos it was something different that I hadn’t done before.

7) What is your favourite type of blog post to write?

Hmm, while I have the most fun doing funny sorts of posts, I probably get the most out of discussion pieces. I get to think through my ideas, hear your ideas, and come up with new ideas after- which is like an idea-xplosion!

8) When do you typically write?

Usually in the early evening. Or the night. Or sometimes in the afternoon… I really didn’t have a good answer for this except to say *NOT IN THE MORNING*.

9) Do you review every book you read?

Nope- not even close lol- that’s why I try to talk about some of the other books in mini reviews (and I still don’t get to everything). I’m getting better though!

10) How do you write your book reviews? With a cup of coffee or tea? With Netflix? Cuddled with your fur baby?

TEA IS A MUST. I swear if I could open a vein and have a constant supply of tea, I’d do it (okay, that’s probably a bit far, but what can I say, I’m British and CRAZY ABOUT TEA 😉 )

Other than that, it really depends on the book (and how long I’ve been procrastinating over the review)

11) When do you write your book reviews? Right after finishing the book? Two weeks after finishing the book?

*Coughs awkwardly*. Honestly? It’s usually at least a month… Shocking- I know!! But that helps me plan my posts better and order my thoughts. I also can get a clear view about what I can talk about in mini reviews that way. But yeah, it’s rare that you’ll see my thoughts straightaway.

12) How often do you post?

That realllly depends on the week. Gonna make “it depends” my mantra after this post… except that’s not catchy, so not really 😉

Anyhoo, hope you enjoyed that chill post for a change! I tag:

Kat, Meggy, Book Beach Bunny, Katie, Jenna and Lashaan & Trang

Do you have any weird blogging habits you’d like to share? Are you a tea addict like me? Let me know in the comments!

3 Year Bloggiversary! Things I’ve Learnt as a Blogger

Hello all! Well, according to the powers that be over at WordPress, this just so happens to be my third bloggiversary! (well the anniversary of when I got the domain name- we’ll get to what a lousy blogger I was when I started out in a mo 😉 ). To mark the occasion, I took inspiration from Laura @LFBook‘s fantastic “Things I’ve Learnt as a Blogger” series (really recommend checking it out) and decided to share what I’ve discovered about blogging in the last three years!

Don’t be afraid to speak your mind. Before I even started, I made a promise to myself that I wouldn’t hold back. Aside from being a pretty frank person, I will admit that a lot of this came from being told what I could and couldn’t say IRL. Because I’m a contrarian I decided to stick two fingers up to the busybodies who wanted to tell me what to do 😉 And you know what, even though I’ve touched on some controversial topics over the years, some of which have made me nail-bitingly nervous, I’m glad that I did it. Granted, sometimes I have had to deal with people less than pleased about what I have to say- and you know what? That’s okay. I can deal with it, I’m a big monkey 😉 (also, I have bananas and I’m not afraid to use them 😉 )

On the flipside, I don’t regret the things I didn’t say. Yes, that’s right, I can actually bite my tongue sometimes 😉 As I mentioned in my Drafts, Drafts and More Drafts post, there are posts I’ve decided to shelve for various reasons. It can be good to weigh things up- for instance “will this gripey whiny post about some schmuck annoying me make me feel better?” If the answer’s no, I might just leave it.

Another thing I’ve learnt is to expect the unexpected. Not a lot of people know this, but the first three months of blogging this site was like a virtual graveyard. I’m pretty sure we all go through that at some point tbh. And it’s not like I was expecting anything to grow out of it- frankly the whole project started as a way for me to *shout into the void*. But man, I have to admit that when I started interact more, it became *so much more awesome*. Massive thank you to Zezee for being the first ever person to tag me in something and consequently share one of my posts (yes, I remember that sort of thing 😉 )  I was staggered after that when people started reading, commenting and actually enjoying the content. Which leads me onto…

Blogging is only as fun as you make it! Like I said, I was a lousy blogger when I started and while I had fun writing the posts, it got SO MUCH BETTER once I started to relax and try out new things. I really love making people laugh and if I can make just one person crack a smile, then that’s a good day 😀 I realised how much better blogging is when other people can get something out of it.

Speaking of my early days as a blogger, people are not lying when they say consistency is key. I mean, of course I started out doing that wrong as well 😉 And I may sound really thick for stating the obvious, but I took a while to figure out that when you post more, more people are likely to read *mindblown* 😉

Now I have to say to take that last one with a pinch of salt- because obviously IT IS OKAY TO TAKE BREAKS. (And yes, I’m writing that in capitals, cos I still sorta need to learn that one!) The thing is, blogging can be stressful, we all have lives beyond our blogs and heaven knows we can’t be online as much as we’d like to. In fact, I know that I’m going to have to take a break soon. And that’s *okay*. I still have to keep reminding myself not to apologise at the start of every blog for some misplaced guilt, cos contrary to what my British-brain thinks, constantly saying “sorry!” can be a bit of a pain.

Also, ARCs are not the be all and end all. I can’t be the only person that didn’t have the faintest idea what an ARC was when I started. But when I found out, it would have been easy to get swept up in the allure of *advanced review copies*. That said, I’m really glad I didn’t immediately jump on the ARC train. And, when I found out, I didn’t immediately jump on the ARC train. I let myself think about it for a whole year, before deciding that, yeah, I could fit about one a month into my schedule. Everyone does ARCs differently, which is cool, but I’m very selective cos of that. Even with this small number of requests (combined with how often I get rejected lol) I *still* manage to fall behind in the reviewing side of things, so I’m glad I have this strict rule in place. Especially cos it means that I do a happy dance every time I get an ARC 😉 Which brings me to…

Celebrate every milestone. Sure, I may not shout about everything all the time on here, but I guarantee that I’m SCREAMING WITH JOY INSIDE. Watching this teeny corner of the internet grow has been amazing and I so appreciate each and every one of you that’s makes the blogosphere the most wonderful place to be! And I wanted to say a personal thank you to everyone who nominated and voted for me in the Annual Book Blogger Awards. I’ve been too busy to get involved but it made me feel very honoured. And with that, all that’s left to say is…

What have you learnt from blogging? Let me know in the comments!

Why I’m Happy to be Negative Sometimes

Hello all!! I’m feeling awfully chipper today cos I’m gonna be talking about negativity! Lately, I’ve been dropping a fair few negative posts, and that, together with your comments and an *amazing* post by Uptown Oracle, got me thinking… Why am I happy to be negative on my blog? Especially when so many people aren’t…

Well brace yourself, because I’m gonna deep dive into my monkey brain and tell you all why I put on my grouchy pants from time to time and why I’m willing to sling the odd banana peel at things I don’t like.

1. I had to suffer through the book dammit! Consider this my very cheap form of therapy. If I suffered through 300+ pages of bilge and was made utterly miserable by a book, then you can be jolly well sure I’m gonna need to vent!!

2. Also, let’s be honest, it’s fun!! Nothing is more cathartic than a good rant- so of course I’m having fun writing these posts and I hope you’re enjoying reading them. Plus, you all get to laugh at my pain. And who doesn’t secretly take pleasure from that? 😉

3. Honesty is key! I started my blog to share honest opinions about books and that (in my humble opinion) is the best way to have a positive experience and the key to any sort of success. I’m not gonna lie to you, it’s not always easily- some people will say the opposite, but anecdotally I can say my follower count takes a hit when I say something mean about some movie or book I don’t like- and as tempted as I am to follow after the person yelling “come back!” like Rose at the end of Titanic, I know that it’s for the best that I parted ways with someone who can’t take hearing a differing opinion. So I take it as a win anyway 😉 And while we’re on the subject of trust…

4. I’m gonna be blunt– I don’t trust purely positive reviewers- I just don’t. If I go on someone’s page and find nothing but a sea of stars, I’m gonna get suspicious. And if I read a negative review and then the person gives the book upwards of 4 stars, there’s no end to my suspicion! The only way you can trust that I’m giving all my bananas out fairly is if some books don’t get too many. Plus- I love my bananas and only give them away for a good reason- so if I’m giving a book 4-5 bananas it has to be well earned.

5. Besides, rating systems are on a scale for a reason. Books make me feel all sorts of emotions, ranging between AHHH THIS IS AMAZING to UGHHH THIS IS TERRIBLE- so naturally I need a system that reflects that. Talking numerically, if I refuse to go below 3*, I’ve suddenly skewed everything upwards and made 4* books average and now I can’t give 5* sparingly and… arghhh- do you see how confusing this is!? That’s why I have a clear system:

6. Even worse- without clear rating systems, the reader might be misled over whether it’s worth investing time and money in a book. Book reviewing serves a purpose and as much as we may hate to admit it, we *need* to discriminate against books sometimes, because (unfortunately) we don’t have money trees and as much as we would like to personally finance every author/publishing house/book shop on the planet, that is simply not possible. As it is I’m shopping on AbeBooks, scanning every amazon bargain and hopping over to the library once a week (highly recommended practices 😉 ) Contrary to popular belief, our tbr’s don’t just want to be fed all the time- they want to be starved a little as well (okay they’ll never go hungry- but maybe we should put them on a diet). The fact is, we’re not just reading reviews to have our own opinions confirmed or to hear how every single book is just excellent and we need to read it- we need to know whether we should read something or not. If there’s a reason I really shouldn’t be wasted my hard earned cash on something- I want to know about it. And if that means my tbr will get shorter, so much the better!

7. It’s a challenge! Call me crazy, but seeing a negative review for a book I love is like throwing down a gauntlet (and vice versa). It’s great to have perspectives challenged and see things from another point of view- and nothing makes you think more critically than seeing an opposing opinion. Naturally this doesn’t mean you have to agree with the reviewer- sometimes hearing someone’s arguments can actually help you bolster up your own views as you think of counter arguments and you can go away with your opinions intact- but this just shows it doesn’t hurt to hear another point of view, it can only help.

 

So there you go- those are my reasons I’m happy to be a negative nancy from time to time. What do you think of sharing negative opinions? Let me know in the comments!