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Changes Are Afoot

sunflower

I hope everyone’s summer is full of fun, relaxation, and great books. (my sunflower, which I am happy to say, I grew from a wee seed)

I just wanted to check in and mention briefly that there are some assessments going on in my head about the blog and my own writing.  I have been posting M-Th and Saturdays, but I want to cut back some as I’m working full time still, potty training my young daughter, and just generally tired in the evenings from all the hustle and bustle.

Are there particular days that you read blogs more regularly?

I’m considering posting reviews on the days that get the most traffic/comments and leaving the others as breaks in between, though the Virtual Poetry Circle will stay on Saturdays for now as I often prepare those 1-2 weeks in advance.

On my off days for the blog, I plan to spend that 1-2 hours I would be writing a review working on my own fiction or poetry.  It’s time for me to carve out the time and get disciplined.  The toddler cannot be an excuse for laziness on my part.

So you see, this is part check in, and part pep talk for myself.

Also, I’m also in the midst of revising my review policy to cut back on the number of review copies I accept on a yearly basis.  I’m considering a specific target number and once I hit that number, I will have to close to review copy submissions/requests.

In that vein, I wonder how many review copies you each accept per year or what your hard and fast rules are?

Any feedback is appreciated.

Comments

  1. I have a feeling that I need to address some issues about my blog too. I’d hate for you to give up blogging, so I respect your decision to cut back. Plus, you have so much talent and it would be a shame not to explore your writing! And it’s tough to be a mom too!

  2. Oh finding that balance is hard! I try to post Sunday through Thursday but that doesn’t always happen of course. I wish I could read blogs everyday but there are just not enough hours so I do a bit of catching up on the weekend. I hope you find a schedule that you find works better for you.

    And, love the sunflower! Such happy flowers 🙂

  3. I think you have to find a schedule that works for you because you’re the one writing the posts and trying to find time to do so. I’m not sure that particular days matter, given the use of feed readers. I’ve gone from M-F to M,W,F and it’s been so freeing. I don’t stress if I miss one of those days because I need to keep it low-key and fun. I basically just read blogs whenever I have the time, as carving out a particular time hasn’t worked yet. I can’t really talk about review copies; I’m accepting so few lately but I’m having trouble finding the time to read all the ones I already have.

  4. I don’t have a fixed number of review requests that I accept in a year. I tend to be more picky nowadays, so the number of books I receive for reviews have decreased quite a bit. I used to accept review requests based on “I think I might like this book”. Now, I accept them based on “This book sounds fantastic. It’s exactly the type of book I want to read now and I’m quite sure I’ll enjoy it.” If I have the ever-reliant gut feeling that I wouldn’t accept the book, I’d decline the request. I rather get my books from NetGalley than suffer through the pressure of having to review so many books.

    Your sunflower is pretty. I like the purple hues in it. 🙂

    All the best in potty training your daughter!

    • I’ll have to post another sunflower I have growing that’s a bit different in color.

      I wish potty training were going better right now, but she’s only 2 so she has time.

      As for books, I find myself saying no a lot more than I have been. I stopped accepting books at the end of 2012 for a few months. I just need to be better about which ones I do accept…but I think my eclectic tastes are the problem…because I love many kinds of different books.

  5. Post on the days when it works best for you! I used to try to post regularly and 5 times a week but it is so time consuming. It started to feel a little selfish to spend so much time on my blog leaving so much else undone. And that’s no way to feel about something that’s supposed to be fun!

    • I agree, Lisa, about not feeling guilty or selfish for something that’s supposed to be fun. I don’t feel that way now, but I think I want to shift some of the time I’ve spent on the blog posts to actual fiction/poetry writing.

  6. I typically will not read blogs on the weekend. I am too busy hanging out with the fam and barely have time to even post a Sunday Salon post. I tend to catch-up on Mondays and Friday’s are good for the stuff I missed in between but I will typically read every day during the work week.

    I accept review copies but only the ones that I want to read. Usually, I ask for them. I very rarely except one from an email offer. How many? Maybe 30 a year.

    • I have a slight problem with review copies because there are so many I want to read. Unfortunately, I have a wide range of interests in my reading.

      I guess if everyone is using a reader, it really doesn’t matter when I post.

  7. I don’t have particular days to read blogs and think you should do what works for you! I don’t have any hard and fast rules for review copies but am trying to take less of them. Good luck with your writing!

  8. I honestly don’t know how you’ve found the time to post so regularly. You have my greatest admiration!

    I usually have more time on weekends to read blog posts – especially Sundays, it seems, when hardly anyone blogs 🙁 I also spend time Tuesdays & Thursdays catching up on what’s going on. I’m sorry I haven’t been a more active commenter.

    I wish you well as you seek the needed balance for your life/work/blog juggle.

    P.S. I’m so impressed with your sunflower!!

    • I stay up many nights late, find snatches of time when she naps or plays on the swings, etc. I haven’t read or commented on many blogs though as I’ve spent more time on my own posts.

      Thanks for the compliment about the sunflower. I’ve thought for years I had a black thumb, but I guess it is turning green.