One of the unfortunate side effects of reading and blogging like rockstars seems to be a tendency toward burnout. How do you keep things fresh on your blog and in your reading?
Blogging about books and reading is how I saved my blog. When I started blogging I did so as a way to share my experiences as a new mom. It was almost a diary that I shared with friends and family. Eventually I got bored and I started sharing recipes and food photos. Once I started doing that I still felt like I hadn’t found my blogging niche. I wanted to write and share on my blog and so I kept switching things up until I started Book Fridays. That really changed my blogging inspiration. I already loved to read and did a lot of it. Sharing seemed like the next logical step.
Sometimes life gets hectic and I take a break. Or sometimes I just don’t feel like fulfilling this self imposed commitment. When the muse strikes again I schedule as many posts as I can and go from there. For me blogging is about fun. I do it mostly for myself and honestly the biggest motivator has to be internal in order to blog long term. If your sole reason for blogging is to make money or receive external validation you will quickly learn that those are not enough to keep you going. Cultivating an audience takes time. For most bloggers it doesn’t happen overnight and once you do have an audience consistency is key.
I’ve mentioned several times how I often feel that I am blogging into the void. That has a tendency to come across as a sad thing but it really is not. Sure, some days I wish my posts encouraged lively discussion in the comments but like I said above I blog for me. I blog because I love to write and to challenge myself to keep up with something I started for myself. Many times I have been tempted to throw in the towel but then I take stock of all the things I’ve done and learned through blogging and I stay.
Keeping things fresh includes writing about more than just the books I’ve read. I like to throw in some posts about books I’ve picked up for my son as well as posts about bookish topics. When it comes to my blog I have only one rule: there are no rules. I will write about whatever strikes my fancy. Whatever inspires me, enrages me or simply causes me to feel inclined to write. I think it’s important that your blog be a space for YOU. I consider my blog a sort of living room where friends can sit awhile and get to know me.
Writing Through It 
That last sentence is such a nice sentiment! I should cultivate that more on my blog — historically I’ve kept a very bright line between it and my real life, but maybe that’s not quite as vital as I’ve imagined it to be.
I definitely don’t put it all out there but I think it’s inevitable that our blogs reveal part of who we are 🙂 thanks for stopping by!
Best of luck with your writing 👍
Thank you 😀
I thought maybe I could write more about motherhood, but it just doesn’t come as easily for me as writing about books. I think some of it comes through though in my posts.
I like your statement about your blogging being your space–a place for you. That is so true for all of us.
I agree that our blog has to be for us, blog for us and the goal is receiving comments that become discussions. I remember receiving a request for tea and I only said yes since my blog is called Tea Time with Marce, it was a fun, non bookish thing, it worked. That totally is a making it fresh moment. Enjoy the weekend.
I love that thought! When I’m feeling bummed about not getting as much interaction as I might hope for, I tell myself that it’s really for me. It means ten years from now, I can go back and see what I thought of a book or how my kiddos looked. Thanks for the great reminder. 🙂
This really resonated with me: “When the muse strikes again I schedule as many posts as I can and go from there.” I’m soooo prone to doing this. The blogging mojo waxes and wanes like so many other moody things in my life so I try to take advantage when the muse strikes.