Top Ten Tuesday is a fun weekly feature hosted by the fantastic blog, The Broke and The Bookish. This week’s topic is “Top Ten Blogging Confessions,” a change from the usually more book-centric themes! Although my confessions will probably be more book oriented since it’s the inspiration for the blog…so read on and let me know if any of these apply to you!
- I set realistic reading goals for myself. Before I started blogging, I used to be proud that I read 30-40 books a year. Now I’ve seen that this is hardly a third of what many book bloggers read a year. But you know what? I’m not too concerned about it, because I like to take my time with my books if I need to and sometimes I need to just let a book sit with me and digest what I’ve read. Also, with work, school, social life, etc. I like to try and balance my reading. So in 2014 I’ve upped the goal by ten from last year and am aiming to read 50 books. I’m already at 28!
- I tend to write really long reviews. I’m always scared I’m going to forget to mention something really important, and I always have a lot to say when I have an opinion about something. But then I realize that is the wonderful freedom of the internet, to be able to create your own space and post reviews of any length you want!
- I do my best blogging in the mini-library room in my house. Being around the shelves inspires me.
- Blogging has led to me reading and being exposed to so many books that I normally wouldn’t have been made aware of. There are so many great books I’ve heard about through bloggers that don’t necessarily get the huge marketing campaigns others do (*coughTFIOScough*). For example, I had never heard of Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe before entering the world of blogging, and it’s a book that has such an impact on so many readers.
- Blogging can definitely inspire ARC-envy. One of the biggest things blogging opened my eyes too was the ability to read and request advanced reader copies of books via sites like NetGalley. Though I’ve worked to learn how to utilize such sites, as a growing blog it can often be hard to get approved despite your best intentions, while others seemed to get approved for so many.
- Blogging about books is almost as fun as reading books! I love that my hobby engages me in such a passionate and intellectual community, and sometimes I enjoy blogging about books so much it cuts into my time to actually read them.
- Blogging has made me a lot smarter about buying books. Reviews by other readers I trust has helped me really filter what I’m spending my money on, what I check out from the library, and what I skip altogether.
- I get book-guilt over not finishing a novel. Book blogging makes me feel accountable for what I say I’m going to read, so I feel a nagging sense of guilt when I’m not motivated to finish a text (such as Hungry which I really can’t bring myself to pick up again). Yet this guilt also wars with the fact that I’m busy and reading is what I do to relax and have fun, and making it a chore really cuts into my down time, leading me to waste my time on lackluster books that I finished out of a sense of duty (The Chapel Wars, Matched). This is especially a struggle when it’s a book I’ve purchased myself.
- I get a huge thrill every time I get get a like or a comment on a post! Maybe it’s very newbie-blogger of me, but I love knowing people are engaging with my writing, and I promise I read every comment and appreciate every like and view!
- I’m a serious rater. I don’t give out five stars lightly, so many of my book reviews tend to fall in the 3-3.5 star range. Even four star reads have to really resonate with me. Maybe I take it to seriously, but I always have to think “Well, I really liked it, but was it really as good as Harry Potter? Will I really be unable to stop talking and dreaming about this world? Will I remember the plot of this when I’m 90 years old?” I sometimes wish I could gush and give a blanket five stars to books I really enjoy, but blogging seems to really keep up my rating integrity.
Do any of these confessions apply to you? Let me know in the comments, and link back to your TTT post!
I agree with so many of your confessions. I definitely get a bit of envy when it comes to ARC s that I want and have been denied. I also love getting a like or a comment. I love replying to comments too, however time consuming it can be!
Getting approved for ARCs can be tricky! But then I realize how many unread books I already have that I’ve bought or borrowed and I feel less bad about it haha
Love your list 🙂
I totally agree with ARC-envy. I feel it so bad, so often :O
Cora @ Tea Party Princess
Hopefully the more we blog, the more our chances for being approved for ARCs will go up!
Pretty much all of your confessions are so true for me as well! Basically 4-9 I can really relate with. I always love getting comments on my blog and I know how it feels. I also love returning the favor 🙂
Comments are the best! Although sometimes I get so wrapped up in commenting back and checking out other blogs it cuts into my reading time, but at least it’s fun!
I’m really bad at keeping to a reading schedule. You’re doing so well! I tend to read a lot, and then need a break from books for a while…
My confessions.
I definitely understand reading-burnout, which is one of the reasons I try to keep my goals realistic. I also find switching up genres helps! I’ve read a lot of contemporary lately and I kind of feel as though I’ve been reading the same thing, so I’m switching it up with some paranormal YA!
Your #1 makes me laugh because it’s the exact opposite of one of my confessions! I relate to #10 a lot — I use grades and when I give a book an A I really, really mean it.
Happy TTT! Glad to have found your blog.
Forgot to leave my real URL: http://www.blogginboutbooks.com 🙂
Thanks for stopping by! I hope you can conquer your TBR goals! 🙂
I agree with you – seeing comments is one of the biggest ‘pluses’ to blogging! I love knowing I’m connecting with fellow readers and that they care (?!) about the things I’m writing/reading.
Great list!
Thanks for stopping by!
Sometimes my reviews can be too long as well, so I’ve been trying to limit myself. It isn’t the easiest thing because when I have a lot to say, I want to say it but I don’t want the reader to be thinking, “Will this girl ever shut up?”
I prefer reading longer reviews! I feel like I get so much more out of a review if the blogger is so passionate about it, and longer reviews tend to hit on more aspects of the book. I am trying to be a bit more concise though!
I’m a newer blogger and I also get that thrill when someone comments on my blog 🙂 I don’t know if that feeling will ever go away-I hope not!
I just found your blog and I’m now a new follower through bloglovin 🙂
Congrats on starting your blog! Welcome to the book blogging world, it’s a wonderful place to be! 🙂
I’m kind of strict with my star reviews as well. I’ll give out more 4 star reviews, but a book has to really resonate with me to get a 5 star rating. #6 really speaks to me. Blogging cuts into reading time, but at least they are both fun activities.
Hear, hear to extremely long-winded reviews and many galley rejections! I think I’d be a really sad individual (not even calling myself a blogger) if there were limitations put on how much we would be allowed to think and write about.
Cheers,
joey via. thoughts and afterthoughts
Exactly! So I figure my blog is my personal corner of the internet to be as long winded as I want and indulge in as many run-on sentences as I’d like to!
I’m really stingy with perfect scores too, the book has to be special to get one. I so have ARC envy! I didn’t even know such a thing existed before last year. Since I’m a little blogger I’m trying to request from little publishers, worth a shot. Good luck with your blog. 🙂
I just found out about the ARC world this past year too, it’s definitely exciting and intimidating! And thank you!
Great choices, I agree with quite a few of these especially 6, 9 and 10. I take my ratings SO seriously, as you can probably tell from following my blog, I don’t give out 5 stars easily, I probably only dedicate them to about five books a year. As for number 2, that really made me lol because I don’t think of your reviews as being long at all! But then again, that’s probably because mine are even more ridiculously long. 😛 I constantly worry that I’m sending the people of the internet to sleep.
I love your long reviews! I think since I have a lot to say about the books I read I enjoy it when other people do too, or else how can they really be passionate about their opinions?
I completely agree! I actually don’t like short reviews very much, unless the person writing them is super witty or hilarious. I like enthusiastic people who sink their teeth into it and get to the important things you want to know and consider before reading a book. 🙂
#8 for sure. I HATE when I can’t finish a book, mostly because the story drags on or it’s just plain boring! My motto is “life is too short to read bad books”. So don’t feel bad if you want to move on to another book that you will enjoy.
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