Bookish Chat About: Blogging Doubts

Whenever I’ve written and posted a review of a book, there’s always a small lull immediately afterwards where I worry about the quality of writing I’ve set free out there in the bloggersphere. Have I been too gushy? Too harsh? Have I tried too hard to be funny, quirky or relatable?

Once I’ve received a simple ‘like’ or a retweet or a lovely comment on the blog post itself, I can breathe a sigh of relief. Phew! I’m not a pathetic, clueless blogger berk after all. I am always genuinely grateful for the interactions that result from a blog post or a tweet and I try to say thank you and reply to all comments on my blog.

I do feel that a little appreciation goes a long way, don’t you?

I’m not for one minute expecting every single publisher/publicist or author to always ‘like’ or retweet my review but when it happens it makes the hard work involved in the whole reviewing process seem all the more worthwhile.

I choose to do this as a hobby. I’ve mentioned before that I have 2 children (13 and 10) and whilst they aren’t toddlers they do still need some parenting (when they’re not attached to gaming devices!) I work full time and I have a husband who likes my company every now and again….I think……I hope. So whilst this book blogging caper is an immensely enjoyable hobby it is also very time consuming and sometimes (for me anyway) draining. But I adore it and the world it has opened up for me.

Not only that but the people it has allowed me to meet, be that virtually or in real life. I know there are quite a few of you out there who really have my back and I know I can rely on you to sound off at or moan to.

Because I do occasionally moan, I think we all do sometimes. We need to let off steam and vent frustrations due to the fact that it’s not all hearts and flowers this blogging life.

I always try to rise above any dramas. In fact I see very few of them on my social media feeds as I’ve become more adept at creating the content I want to see. I know there are dramas for sure, people who want to bash others over the head with their opinions. This ain’t my vibe kids.

This doesn’t mean that I am an angel. Every now and again I get the dark passenger on my shoulder…..

‘How come they got that book and I didn’t?’

‘Why do I not have eleventy billion daily visitors to my blog?’

‘Why did that publisher/publicist not ‘like’ or retweet my review? Was it shit?’

‘Do I put enough effort into my reviews?’

‘Why did I not think of putting that in my review but they did?’

Blah blah blah and the list goes on…..and this is where doubts can creep in.

I do occasionally let these doubts overwhelm me.  They drag me under and I give in to them which is not healthy.  There are times when I want to have a break from the twice weekly posting (which isn’t masses compared to some, I know, but also takes up a lot of my time).

Times where I JUST WANT TO READ WHAT I WANT WITHOUT REVIEWING IT.

Times where I don’t want to feel weighed down with guilt that I’ve accepted a proof copy of a book so therefore must ABSOLUTELY WITHOUT FAIL get it read and reviewed before it’s publication date or the world will surely IMPLODE.

No Amanda, it won’t.

I will of course try my best to review the books I have accepted copies of.  But who will really care if it doesn’t get reviewed by me at least one week in advance of publication?……Probably nobody in truth.

But doubts creep in don’t they…..

I read and appreciate everyone’s different styles of reviewing books, but sometimes I have to check myself when the old green eyed monster rears it’s ugly head.  I wonder why I don’t seem to be as eloquent as that person, as insightful or erudite.  I worry I have enjoyed a book at a surface level and I’m not intelligent enough to find hidden themes or meanings.

I worry that perhaps my reviews are not as long as other peoples, and why that is? Why did I not find as much to say? Does this mean my review is rubbish?  Did I not enjoy the book as much as them? Did I not ‘get it’?

The rational part of me knows I write reviews to the length I would be happy to read myself.  If I have to scroll more than a few times then the chances are I’m not going to read to the end of a review or i’ll just skim read it.  I write as much as I feel I’ve got to say, no more, no less, so whats the issue Mand? The length of a review does not (in most cases!) correlate to the quality of a review.  I know this (aside perhaps from the old copy and paste of a blurb and a few lines of vague ‘this is a real page turner’ Amazon reconstituted bullshit).

Oh yeah, I worry I swear too much too!

I suppose the point of this impromptu ramble is this…

I ADORE blogging, I have no intentions of jacking it in, but just every now and again I need to check myself and cut myself some bloody slack.

We all do.

See you soon.

 

Amanda – Bookish Chat xx

 

 

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