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The So-Called Rules of Book Blogging: You Must Do Everything!

Book Blogging Rules

Last time in this series we discussed Similar Posts.

Do you remember when you first started blogging? Or perhaps you’re a new blogger? Do you remember (or maybe you’re in) that current stage of thought where all the other blogs seem light-years ahead of you and there’s just so much that you feel like you have to do.

I’ve been blogging for over a year now, but it’s still easy to fall in the mindset of this unspoken rule that seems to float around:

You must do everything!

First things first, of course, you must sign up for every social media website there ever was in existence. While a few of the main ones are definitely great ways to bring in traffic, there’s really only so much one person can do if they aren’t a full-time blogger. Besides, posting nothing but links EVER on your accounts (which is probably what you’ll be doing if you use everything) can be rather meh. I’ll be getting to the pros and cons of the different main social media websites later in this series.

After you’ve signed up for everything, no doubt you’ve followed some fancy book blogs with two thousand followers and you’re feeling down in the dumps. You need followers. You need them fast. The answer to that?

You must do everything!

All the posts, all the memes, all the giveaways, all the discussions, all-day-every-day-everything. When I first started blogging? I practically had no free time. I had this intense blogging schedule where I did two book reviews a week (and so did my cobloggers) and then on the weekend one of us would post a list of what books we were looking forward to that month, post an author interview, run a giveaway, or post our own made-up meme.

When I started posting mostly on my own again last September, I went a bit crazy for a few months. I was prepared to do alllllll the memes. I think I only actually did Top Ten Tuesday, but it was the thought that counted, I guess?

But there’s one little thing you probably ought to know: You can’t do everything every single day. Posting every day? It might work for awhile, but that’s a first class ticket to blogger burnout, usually. Read any “How To Start a Blog” tutorial you’d like. They just tell you to post consistently. If that’s just two or three times a week like me? Great. If it’s just once a week? Great. The key to consistency is to not leave your readers hanging. You don’t have to post 5-7 times a week to keep your readers happy.

But this feeling doesn’t stop with posts. It extends to books, conferences, and other bookish things.

You must do everything!

You must read all the books. You must get all the ARCs. You must get all the bookish swag. You must attend every conference book bloggers are allowed to set foot in.

……

How’s that working out for you?

You Can't Do Everything!

Basically, all I’m saying is, even though you feel like you have to do everything, you don’t. Find what works for you and stick to that. You’ll be happy in the end and a happy blogger (usually) means a happy reader. If you’re trying to figure out which of these things works for you? Worry not. I’ll be discussing all of the above as this series continues.

What “everything” works for you? Tell me in the comments below!

You can read the first post in this series on Similar Posts here.

23 Comments


  1. // Reply

    This is so true!! I’m feeling pretty stressed at the moment (all my own doing) because I’ve taken on too much and keep falling behind. I’ve learnt the hard way that it’s OK to say no, especially to review requests. And to keep myself in check when requesting ARCs…I want to read ALL THE BOOKS but there is not enough time in this world. It’s a sad fact to come to terms with.

    ‘No’ is my friend. As is sleep and sanity.


    1. // Reply

      Sometimes I think learning the hard way is the only way you can learn. I heard people tell me I could say no, but pshaw, why would I say something silly like no?

      It gets easier with practice, though. I hope you can catch up and lessen the stress too!

      And sleep is totally my best friend these days.


      1. // Reply

        Thanks, I’ll get through them slowly…I’m trying a new outlook: if they’re late, they’re late! 🙂


  2. // Reply

    I definitely agree. Some things are going to work for some people and others aren’t. I like that you said it’s about consistency. I don’t mind when bloggers I follow only post a couple times a week or even just once, but I do like when they’re consistent and I can know what to expect. There is a lot of pressure though all the time about doing all the things. Like BEA for instance. There’s so much pressure to go. I mean, I want to go, but I also feel like if I don’t go I will be judged. You know what I mean?


    1. // Reply

      I really do. Personally, I can’t afford to go to BEA. I don’t live in New York and already have too many responsibilities to worry about here. BEA has it’s perks, but it’s hardly a necessity.

      The pressure really messes some bloggers up, I think. I mean, just in the past few months I’ve seen so many people talking about going through blogger burnout and having to take hiatus. I mean, sure, those are going to happen every now and then, but I see a *lot* of book bloggers have them. It’s a really competitive field, though. So many posts on similar topics, so many people posting things that are more popular than yours, etc. I mean, it makes you feel like you have to get in there and do do do to get anywhere. But, really, being yourself and being consistent are two of the most important things.


  3. // Reply

    Such an important thing to talk about Kelsey! When I first started blogging, I was doing all the memes, stalking every blog out there and just posting anything to get myself out there, but with time, I starting posting the, what I hope is now, quality material from myself, created my own discussions and memes, lessened the amount of other memes I do, and now I just read and post whatever I want.
    I used to worry if I wasn’t reading enough ARC’s, or whether I was slacking on being up to date, but in the end, I know that Book Badger wouldn’t be realistic if I wasn’t reading books released from 2012 and back, so my blog reflects me.
    At the moment I have a post a day, but that’s because I’m so far ahead in the planning, but if I wasn’t that far ahead, I definitely wouldn’t post everyday, that’d be too much for personally. This is a great topic hun, as always! 😀


    1. // Reply

      I think that it’s so great that you have it all planned out! I’d like to do that at some point. I just feel like I have no time to work on that. I do have spring break coming up, though. I forgot I was going to cover having things pretty much already done this morning. I guess I’ll cover that in one of the next ones.

      But, yeah, I worried the same really. Now it’s just all, “Who cares? *reads book from the Seventies*” You have to blog for you. I mean, also for your audience, but the content has to be for both of you, really. If you’re just concerned about your audience? You’ve lost something. I think you definitely do great at being yourself and giving quality material, though! You’re one of my favorite bloggers, at least. Even if I don’t have time to comment on all of the posts.


  4. // Reply

    My rule always has been: do what feels good to you. I’ve tried different things, but what works for me now is: no schedule, post whenever I feel like it (although it’s every other day at the moment) and have a lot of concept posts, so I can switch up what I want to publish. Another thing is that I’m more active on Twitter and I like how that is working out. I’m also on a requesting ban (and sort of book buying) because that’s something I still haven’t learned after 2 years, haha.


    1. // Reply

      Requesting and buying books is so easy to get caught up in. . . I’m in a bit of a ban too. Sort of. I kind of just bought The Book Thief. But I needed that. Right?

      I do the same thing. I rather hate scheduling. I like feeling like I’m in control of the blog. Right here, right now. I understand scheduling if I have to post something and I’m going to be out of town or something, but that happens so rarely for me.


  5. // Reply

    I LOVE this post. You’ve definitely gotten a new follower from me. I have been blogging for about a year and a half now and I just realized that I don’t have to post something everyday. It’s ok if I don’t post three reviews a day or that I don’t have to have a book haul every week. It sort of takes the fun out of blogging which is why I started in the first place. I have taken a step back and I’ve decided if I don’t want to post something then that’s ok.


    1. // Reply

      It really does! I’m honestly just happy to post twice a week now. If I can do more? That’s great! But it’s not a necessity. Blogging is something that I enjoy, and I don’t want it to become anything less.

      And I’m happy to meet you!


  6. // Reply

    Brilliant post! Thanks for making me feel so much better about my blog. There is SO much pressure out there when you see other people that seem to be doing things so much better than you are. I’ve recently celebrated my one year blogoversary and am trying to stop putting so much pressure on myself. Blogging is meant to be fun, right?


    1. // Reply

      It definitely is! The pressure is almost sad. But when there are this many bloggers out there, it’s inevitable. There is always going to be someone who appears to be doing better than you out there. But if you’re you and are consistent? You’re probably on the right track!


  7. // Reply

    Yup, I totally agree. NO ONE can do everything! It’s totally impossible and if you try you’re going to feel like a lame and dodgy blogger. I post everyday…mostly. *hides guiltily* It doesn’t burn me out because the more I blog, the more ideas I have. But “consistently” is the key-word there. Not “always”. And the social media? Arrrgh. I signed up them all…but I’ve since ditched everything but twitter. Facebook + blogging just sucks atm. Something they did with showing people what you post. I was getting like 10 views on my posts so I just quit. I only tweet my links. I don’t even pinterest them.
    Well said, Kelsey!


    1. // Reply

      I think you’re one of the only bloggers I know that seems to blog the most consistently without having a burnout. I see so many people complaining about having no ideas or being burned out on Twitter and it’s almost depressing. I mean, I feel idealess a lot, but then I remember my list of ideas (I forget just about everything I come up with). I don’t blame you with Facebook. . . I still post my links there, but it doesn’t really do much. I also use Pinterest, but I was getting a good bit of traffic from their for awhile. Not so much anymore, but I figure it’s worth posting there anyways. Twitter is the one I use the most, though. I technically signed up for more originally though. . . Not my greatest idea.


  8. // Reply

    Great post!! I felt like this when I first started as well. After a few weeks I was like “wait, I’m supposed to post EVERY SINGLE DAY??” Yeah that was never going to happen. I don’t read fast enough and I only do Top Ten Tuesday and that’s the only meme I want to do. I signed up for a lot of blog tours and stuff, but that was boring to me and now I rarely do them. Not that they aren’t great for some people, I just don’t do good on a rigid reading schedule. Starting out can defintiely be overwhelming, which I think is why a lot of blogs fizzle out after 3-6 months. I think everyone should just have fun blogging and post when they want and what they want. NO PRESSURE!


  9. // Reply

    Really interesting post! I completely understand what you mean, when I first starting blogging (not that long ago!) I felt pressured into joining pretty much every social networking site and posting every other day. Whenever I failed to do that I’d get stressed out, I’m only just starting to learn only to post when I can, consistency is important to me so I try to get one post a week done but if school work or other personal things get involved I don’t go completely psycho about posting like I used to.
    I love this series your doing by the way! I look forward to reading the next blogging rules post if there is one 🙂


  10. // Reply

    This is a brilliant post. I’ve literally just started blogging and I have no idea what I’m doing! I figure I’ll just keep trying to have fun with it and see what happens.


    1. // Reply

      That’s really all you can do when you start blogging. It’s really just a matter of finding what works for you and what you hope to accomplish! Can’t wait to come visit your blog when I get a little time. Welcome to the blogosphere!

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