I've felt some inner conflict for a while about my blog. I love my blog, I'm proud of my blog, and I love my blog friends. The conflict comes from me not feeling like a success as a blogger. I've been at this now since September 2009, and yet I see SO many bloggers who've been blogging WAY less time than I have, with WAY more readers than I have. This gets me down sometimes and I have to remind myself: I started this blog without any expectations, never anticipating I would ever have anyone reading or commenting, and I started it for ME. I constantly have to remind myself. When I began this journey, it was to track my reading and I started it for no one else.
What I've realized is that I'm not like a lot of other bloggers, and I'm okay with that. While I'm dedicated to my blog, I certainly don't blog every day like many people do, and I don't participate in a single meme. Why? Because I'm just being me. And that's okay. For me, my blog is mostly about book reviews and not much else. So what if these things mean I don't have a thousand followers? Do I have dreams of someday reaching that? Of course I do! And I still feel down sometimes and discouraged, but I'm trying not to. I read kind of slowly (usually 3-6 books a month) so I can't do as many reviews as other people, but that's okay, isn't it? Some people can speed read, but not me. I prefer to be able to slowly read a book and I often flip back pages just to double check on details. I'm accepting this now, too. I'm just trying to be genuine and true to me. I can't compete and that's okay. It's not a competition. Maybe I'm on the outskirts of the blogging world, but this is my blog and my world and I'm proud of what I have accomplished. I need to focus on the things I have rather than the things I have not.
I d0n't know exactly what the purpose of this post is. Much of it isn't coherent. Ah, well. Maybe I'm just trying to get my feelings out and say that just because I'm not posting every single day doesn't mean I'm not around - I am. I'm here and I plan on staying awhile.
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Here, here! Glad you're stickin' around. :)
ReplyDeleteYay! This was a wonderful post!:) You're meant to enjoy blogging, not feel pressured to churn out reviews, so just enjoy it! I don't like doing memes too.
ReplyDeleteYou go girl! And since when is 330 followers not something to be proud of?! The best thing about book blogs is that every one is unique and a reflection of the individual behind it. Keep on keeping on and as long as you're enjoying your blog, other people will too. :D
ReplyDeleteHey Steph, I feel this way sometimes too . I read about 3-6 books a month plus I work full time and have a family. I think a lot of the bloggers who have a lot of followers quickly bribe readers with lots of contests with list of things to do to win. I refuse to enter those contests now as I would rather read a quality blog with good reviews, like yours than be tricked into following them. Chin up, you are doing great! What is more important? Quality or Quanity?
ReplyDeleteI think it's great to take a step back every once in awhile and remind ourselves that (well, at least for most of us) the reason we started our blogs was for US. It can be really easy to lose sight of that sometimes. Thanks for the reminder! :)
ReplyDeleteI feel a lot like you at times..I enjoy it so much though that even if I had no followers I would still keep truckin'. I have a handful of blogs that I read religiously and yours is one of them, so i'm glad you'll be sticking around.
ReplyDeleteI feel that way sometime too. [:
ReplyDeleteI like you just being you on your blog. I love it, and thats the reason I started following you. [: You're not trying to be something your not. and that I believe, makes an excellent blogger. =D
I swear readibng this post was like reading my journal! Did you read my journal? ;) I have felt pretty down too and am grateful that you wrote this post. I have felt inadequate about my blogging latley. I don't write professional reviews and I have only 100 followers. I don't know that people read what I write but I do know I would mutch rather read a little blog that the author is true to her opinions and self than the desire to be blogpopular. Thank you for your hard work and know that I will always be here reading and appreciating your opinions.
ReplyDeleteOh and BTW I H-A-T-E meme's.
I know exactly what you mean! I don't do any challenges or giveaways and I'm also a slow reader. At first I also thought, that this meant my blog wasn't very good. However, I really like blogging and also getting to know people through their blogs. So, I keep on going.
ReplyDeleteI love reading your blog and I don't think that you should compare yourself to other bloggers out there or, beat yourself up about not blogging every day. You're doing really well,YOUR way!
I know what you mean! I've been blogging since August 2009 and sometimes I see people who have been blogging for like 3 months and have 500 followers and I wonder HOW?! But you're right, I started my blog for me too, never even knowing there was a book blogging community, or follower counts or publishers to give away review copies. I started it to share my love of reading. The followers are just a perk :) Keep being you doll!
ReplyDeleteHey Steph, we love you and your blog because you ARE you :). 330 followers is a pretty hefty figure. I hope I have that many followers after just 18 months. Anyway, it's quality over quantity for both your posts and your followers. Remember, a lot of blogs with HUGE followings have been going years or running giveaways where you have to be a follower to enter, which I think is a little off personally. How many of those 1000s actually comment on posts regularly and how many have never visited again since the competition ended that they had to follow to enter???
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post, Stephanie! I constantly have to remind myself that this isn't a competition, because it's easy to feel insecure, isn't it? Especially when it seems like new blogs are popping up all over the place and yadda yadda. Thank you for sharing your thoughts! I definitely admire your strength and resolve :D
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad! I've been reading your blog for a while, although I don't comment as often as I should (working on that...!) but I wanted you to know that I really enjoy your blog and I actually appreciate that you don't participate in memes. I rarely, if ever read them and usually unfollow blogs if they post more memes than reviews, ALL the time...
ReplyDeleteYeah, Steph, we have to remember that we all started this journey ultimately for ourselves. And hey...330 followers...not bad! I've been blogging since August 2009 and I only have 308, but I'm pretty proud of that number. I generally only do two memes, Mailbox Monday and my Cat Thursday. So keep that chin up, girl! We love you just the way you are. =O)
ReplyDeleteSomewhere there is a lovely quote about not judging our success by the success of others. Do it because you love it and never worry what any one else thinks. You rock :)
ReplyDeleteI love your blog and you are doing a great job. I often wonder how others gain so many followers so quickly? I also wonder how many of their posts are actually being read by those people? If I had to guess I'd have to say not very many. Longevity is wonderful. There are so many blogs that pop up and fade out. Keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteSteph, glad your not going anywhere, your one of my favourites babe.
ReplyDeleteI find memes to be a good way to find other bloggers but I won't follow a blogger if all I see is memes. I also don't follow to enter contest, not interested.
My main goal other than for myself is to find blogs with similar reading taste as myself. And I read 3 - 6 books a month also.
You are genuine and take the time to comment also, keep it up.
BTW - I finally sent the email I meant to do.
Hear hear! Blog for yourself...to make friends and to discover who you are and what you want to become. I've loved finding new books and interesting people but if I have one (read that 1) comment I am happy. Enjoy the ride and the journey....ps. were you reading all of our minds?
ReplyDeleteSteph, I'm a long-time follower of yours and I'm glad to hear you're not going anywhere. To be honest, I'd rather read good quality posts than follow someone who only gets readers because all they do is host contests. I also think it is so easy to forget why we blog in the first place, and your post is just a reminder why we do what we do. Reading is our passion and we love to share that passion with others. It's definitely not a competition as to how many book reviews we post as everyone has a life outside of blogging; I have a very demanding job, two kids, and a spouse in the military who can be away sporadically so posting can be sporadic. I like to participate in memes just for fun, like WOW, as I love to browse upcoming releases and share that with my readers. Keep doing what you're doing as it's wonderful just the way it is!!!
ReplyDeleteI think your blog is great! I know how you feel though - I'm struggling to just get to 50 followers! I keep reminding myself that I want my followers to actually genuinely like my blog, not just follow it because I follow theirs or something, you know? I guess I keep trying to remember that I want READERS for my blog, not just followers.
ReplyDeleteAll that matters is that YOU'RE happy with your blog, and that you still find it fun and enjoyable :o)
Just remember to put those numbers into perspective on the newer bloggers. Is the number of followers a blog has attributed to content or because they have a billion and one contests for books that have being a follower as an extra entry?
ReplyDeleteI'm like you. I don't follow the trend. I do my own thing and I'll readily admit that I'm only over 1,000 followers because I had a contest for Clockwork Angel after I got back from BEA last year and I gave extra points for being a follower. The number hasn't dropped but the increase rate has normaled itself out and I can tell from my stats just how many visitors I get a day. Since my boyfriend came back from deployment and I haven't been around to update daily, my numbers have dropped off. Oh well. I just can't keep a daily posting schedule. My blog is what you get, like it or not. Don't like it and that's fine. But my blog is for fun and I'm not taking away from other areas of my life so I can keep my stats up.
And I'm content with that. So don't feel bad. People out there know who has a blog for content and who has one for everything else.
I'm going to echo everyone that has felt the same way at some point during blogging. This was a great post...thank you for being honest and sharing!
ReplyDelete331 followers is not shabby! I love the fact that you don't have a lot of memes and "fluff." I come here to read great book reviews. :-)
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with yea it can get you down at times but when we started blogging it was for our benefit and that's what matters I know I am extremely grateful for the followers I do have but reading is what it's all about! And by the way I love your blog just the way it is and I read maybe even slower then 3 books a month and I love being able to take my time I think my reviews are better that way.
ReplyDeleteI love the content on your blog! I have no idea how I stumbled across it, but when I saw the picture with BITTER IS THE NEW BLACK I was so excited! We have the same taste in books and I absolutely LOVE everything you write. So I'd say 300 happy followers is better than 1000 followers that only stop by when you're giving away stuff!
ReplyDeleteI think you're awesome! HUGS!
Tara @ TamingTheBookshelf.com
Hey Stephanie..you won my Book of Tomorrow giveaway. CONGRATS. Please email me shipping info; thanks so much.
ReplyDeleteSteph..I know exactly how you feel. In fact I could have written this post. I only have a little over 100 followers and have been at it for awhile too but I have decided that is okay. I don't even look at my stats anymore. I want to share my love of books. I love to read others book reviews to find new titles to read and I love posts that help me get to know my fellow bloggers. Your blog is successful! Don't ever doubt that! I find your blog very interesting. Don't change a thing!
ReplyDeleteHoney -- you are a gorgeous blogger and I always look forward to your posts and to your humor! I think it's great to take your time with books; why rush simply to review? Anyway, you are just wonderful and I love coming here! XOXO
ReplyDeleteI think we all have our moments of self doubt with our blogs, but it's our love of books and the blogging community that keeps us going. As I constantly remind my husband, blogging is not a competition!
ReplyDeleteI'm coming up on 3 years (next month) and have felt the same way you describe. I remind myself that this is a hobby. It fuels my passion for reading and discovering new authors and books. I really enjoy your blog so keep doin' what you've been doin' :-)
ReplyDeletePS I used to participate in a few memes but am down to one: Mailbox Monday - it's a way for me to keep track.
Steph - I love you and your blog. I think we all have doubts about if we're reaching as many people as we hope to.
ReplyDeleteI started blogging about a month after you. I have a large number of followers, but I'm always concerned about posts with low comments. Wondering why that post wasn't as popular as other ones. We always second guess ourselves because we're putting ourselves out there worry about not being heard.
And the huge # of followers - they usually come because of giveaways. At least you know your 300 followers are here because they really care about what you're saying. When you see someone else's (like me, for instance) huge number, they can't always say the same thing.
Steph--Yay! I'm going to tell you right now that your blog is one of my favorites to visit, whether you do memes/blog about 3234 books a week or not. In fact, I think your blog is more genuine for the way that you do things. I personally prefer blogs that are about BOOKS and not about follower contests, etc. I get stressed out sometimes, too, but just remember all of us are here rooting for you! :)
ReplyDeleteSteph...love your blog and this post! So well timed.
ReplyDeleteI am just starting out on the blogging journey and it is driven by a passion for sharing and celebrating authors and reading. Kind of an extension of what I do at work in the bookstore and the library. BUT--I keep finding myself thinking, oh, should I do this? Maybe I should be doing this? Is this enough, am I reading fast enough, don't have book reviews up yet (although they will be more like book talks)--
Soooo, from a newbie blogger thanks for the reminder to stick to your path!! Cheers and looking forward to your posts...as you post them!
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ReplyDeleteI've been there. It's hard to not compare yourself to other bloggers out there. I wrote a similar post and it helped me to get everything off my chest.
ReplyDeleteYour blog is great. Just keep doing what you're doing!
Keep doing YOU!!
Hey, Steph...
ReplyDeleteI think your blog is just great. I follow by e-mail so I visit your blog whenever you post something new, and I really enjoy reading your reviews. I don't always comment... But, I do always read. We have about the same amount of followers and I've been blogging since late 2009, end of Dec. or so. I'm happy with what I have... I don't push a lot for new followers. If they want to follow that's great, if not that's okay too... I just blog for fun, I read all the time and I like read other peoples blogs. Reviews are also my main focus. I do some giveaways and a few meme's and it works for me...
I think accepting yourself as a blogger is a great thing... You don't have to be like everybody else. You don't have to have a 1000 followers to know what you enjoy reading, the speed you are comfortable with and all that...
I love your blog!
I'm in same boat as you and I just don't mind about followers(I love them of course!),or how many post I have in a week.I just want to be myself and having is really something that I'm proud of too. So stick around and we'll rock this girl!
ReplyDeletep/s: I love your blog!
I'm glad you'll be sticking around for a while - I love your blog!
ReplyDeleteAmazing post, as I've felt the same way at times! I've felt the temptation to offer a giveaway and make being a follower a requirement to enter, but decided that I didn't want to artificially inflate my follower numbers like that. While it may work for others, it's just not for me. Keep doing what you're doing, as it works for you! I may not comment as often as I should, but I always read your posts in my Google Reader!
ReplyDeleteYou know Steph, I would take a blog like yours that has heart, personality, sincerity and passion over a blog that has a 1000 followers and does a ton of giveaways any day!!
ReplyDeleteI'm like you. I've been doing it since July 2009 and I have 280 some followers. Sure it would be nice to have a 1000 readers but I appreciate the readers that really comment and enjoy what I read vs. stopping by to win something. ya know? You do it from your heart and that shows. Keep it up. Us little guys need to stick together!!!
Hi Stephanie,
ReplyDeleteI regularly read and comment on your blog because I think it is terrific :)
I have had similar thoughts, and have to remind myself that its supposed to be fun, period :)
I'll keep reading as long as you keep blogging!