I don’t know about you, but I feel guilty when I don’t have a post scheduled for the day.
I usually post everyday; in fact, I have a whole plan: Saturdays are Stacking the Shelves days while Tuesdays is Top Ten Tuesday days. Monday is my personal feature Judge A Book By Its Cover day while Sundays, Wednedays, and Fridays are dedicated to book reviews. Wednesdays can also be Waiting On Wednesdays days if I don’t have a book review written/planned for that week.
But when life gets busy and I have absolutely no time to plan or write up a post or book review, I don’t have anything up on my blog for the day. The guilt that follows is horrible.
Why? Well, I feel like it’s my duty as a book blogger to post something new everyday. Plus, I want there to be new content on my blog everyday instead of the same old, same old. It’s really a lot of pressure for me.
I hope I can snap out of my personally guilt trip soon…if ever.
How about you guys? Do you feel this guilt when you don’t post for a day or even awhile? How do you handle it? I’ll love your input!
I usually feel EXTREMELY guilty when I don’t at least post once a week. I’ve always wished I could post everyday but I started my blog in quite an inconvenient year, as I’m sitting for a huge national exam this year. So much time that could’ve been used for blogging and reading have been put into mountains (literally) of homework and hours of revision. :(
However, to console myself, I just remember that the endpoint is coming! In about a month’s time, I can finally start concentrating more on blogging, reading, writing and everything else I’ve put aside for studying in the past 10 months! :D
Adelena @ A Page of Heaven recently posted…Review: Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo
Good luck on your national exam Adelena! I’m sure all your hard work WILL pay off. :D
I totally get that feeling – I can’t wait until December, when I am finally free for a month from school so I can concentrate more on blogging.
Kelly recently posted…Book Review: Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer – Katie Alender
Great topic here, Kelly! It takes a maximum of three days before I feel guilty for not posting anything on the blog. And even then my guilt isn’t overbearing. I’m not as intent on posting evryday, really. While that would be ideal, it’s a far away dream cos I’m not that good with coming up with posts or planning ahead. (I really suck at planning ahead. I’m a huge procrastinator.) Nonetheless, I try to make frequent posts! :)
Hazel recently posted…Little Talks: Giving Discussions A Go
Thanks Hazel! (:
Ha ha, I rarely plan ahead. If I do, I only plan ahead for like two days. :P
And I wish I can be guilt-free for like three days. -fans self-
Kelly recently posted…Book Review: Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer – Katie Alender
I have the same problem! Especially lately! I usually post 2 book reviews a week (Mondays and Fridays), and this week I didn’t even have one! I’ve been pulling things out of my arse to post at the last minute just to have something. I’m making a lot of changes this month, and between working on the new stuff and design and work, I haven’t had much time to read. It is very stressful sometimes, and I do feel a lot of pressure to post regularly. I feel like I’m letting my readers down if I don’t. Which is silly, because when blogs I follow don’t post every day, I don’t really notice. I’ll get their posts in my inbox either way. I don’t expect anyone else to post every single day, so why do I have such high expectations of my own blog??
Jessi @ Auntie Spinelli Reads recently posted…Announcement: New Design + Giveaway
I know! Midterms are coming up this week and I can’t read a single book then. I’ll probably post absolutely no reviews next week and probably no discussion post too – I have to focus on my exams. And then there’s work, which hogs time too.
Good point, I never notice when blogs I follow don’t post everyday either. I guess it’s because we have such high expectations for ourselves. :l
Kelly recently posted…Book Review: Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer – Katie Alender
I don’t feel that much pressure … maybe if it was a paying gig – but I always take 1 day off during the week and Saturdays off.
Tanya Patrice recently posted…4 Dangerous Occupations in Books {Dangerous Reads Month}
Honestly? No. To me, blogging is a really fun, really awesome hobby. I’ve been scheduling posts for a while (& already have some queued up for 2014!), so I know I’ll have post throughout the week. & while I do prefer having new content on a regular basis – I’ve found three/four times a week works best for me/my schedule – I don’t stress if I can’t get something posted.
The day blogging becomes a chore or begins to feel like a job is the day I need to walk away.
Leah @ The Pretty Good Gatsby recently posted…Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer by Katie Alender
Oh yes, I feel that guilt a lot. I try to post everyday as well (even if I end up posting later in the day like right now) but if I skip a day completely, I feel pretty badly about it. I feel like we shouldn’t be guilty, and I’m not sure why I am. Or how to change that. It’s like a book blogger syndrome lol :D
Becca @ Nawanda Files recently posted…Underappreciated Hidden Gems Giveaway
Yup, I have a whole post on blogger guilt, and how I manage. I don’t post every day, so I’m not feeling this as much as you are, but I still feel it. For me, the most important part is remembering that this blog is for me and my life comes first. My entire life is not blogging.
I would suggest writing up a blogger manifesto or a few goals to help you figure out what you want out of your blog. And definitely include one about not feeling guilty about life getting in the way. It has really helped me to focus my energy on better posts, even if there are less of them. Hope that helps!
Tiff @ Mostly YA Lit recently posted…Waiting on Wednesday: Tales From My Closet by Jennifer Anne Moses
Don’t worry, you’re definitely not alone. Since I started book blogging in March I posted every single day. It was easy for a while there because I had quite a bit of free time and constantly worked ahead on a similar schedule. But, these days? Ha. I already know I won’t have a post going up tomorrow and as of right now, I have nothing for next week. I’m sure I’ll write a couple posts, but definitely not enough for the full week.
I think I’m slowly getting over the guilt though. I have to just remember that the only person I am letting down is myself, and that’s unnecessary. No one else is going to be mad at me if I don’t post. The world isn’t going to end. I’m just being unreasonable with myself. Now that I’ve eliminated my schedule and have sort of given myself a more laid back approach to blogging, I’m hoping things will get better. We’ll see how I feel once tomorrow happens with no post ;)
Asti (A Bookish Heart) recently posted…Bookish Parade: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s (or Philosopher’s) Stone
I do, and I do A LOT. I feel as if I’m obligated to a new post each day, because I don’t like leaving viewers empty handed. But then again, its my schedule anyway, and I’m free to work with it, so I feel as if I shouldn’t be guilt-tripping myself so much XD It’s hard though, when you’ve set yourself a goal like a post a day! Great topic Kelly :)
Jasmine @ Flip That Page recently posted…Blogger Bites: School VS Blogging
I don’t feel guilty at all, haha. I don’t know why. I’m always pressuring myself when it comes to school, but I’m very easy when it comes to my blog. School is important and for my future, blogging is mostly for the fun. If I’m going to put myself into a position where I stress out, it spoils that fun for me.. I already have enough stress, so I don’t want to add this to it :) I post whenever I can. The “schedule” I have now works, but if I don’t have the time I will cut back on posting. It’s just the way it is!
Mel@thedailyprophecy recently posted…Would you rather?
I was never the one who posted daily so it takes me about 4 days of no posts to start making me feel guilty. Like this week, I’ve been swamped with my thesis that I haven’t posted in more than a week. A guilty person here. But then life happens. It’s not always under my control so I try to let go of the guilt and get better at posting eventually. I think it’s some sort of a phase and if I had to post stuff everyday I’d quickly feel overwhelmed, panic and end up not posting anything. This is what my brain tells me anyway.
I’d say you should try and not feel all guilty so quickly because people will understand. We cannot always be organized so it’s good to not always follow a schedule and just be go random.
I hope I helped you some.
Sana @ artsy musings of a bibliophile recently posted…Say Hello to Horror October
I definitely feel the guilt. Especially because I think I post very few reviews compared to most people. I read very fast, 2-3 books a week at least, and I review at most a third of what I read. Reviews are hard for me to write, though once I actually get started I enjoy the process. It’s just a hurdle to sit down and write the damn review, especially with so many other things going on in my life.
I have no recipe against the guilt, unfortunately. Apart from telling yourself that you have a life and other obligations and two days or half a week without posts won’t kill anyone. But because so many bloggers are really prolific, it heightens the pressure to post in my opinion.
Carmen B. recently posted…Waiting on Wednesday: Minders, by Michele Jaffe
I SUFFER FROM THIS TOO. I always feel like I need to post something every day (more so on Monday, Thursday, and Friday) because my blog feels neglected. You already know I don’t prep my posts in advance so my posts are usually late night cramming, trying to get everything written out and published.
I get extremely guilty about reviews because I don’t post them as often as I want to. Ideally, I’d post reviews twice a week, but unfortunately, that doesn’t work well, especially considering I take forever to type my reviews. I want to post them, but usually, I haven’t finished typing it out because I’m stuck trying to figure out what I want to say.
Cee recently posted…THE THREE C’S: CANDID CONVERSATIONS WITH CEE | Bad Note-Taking 101
I think this is something many of us face. I started out posting twice a week, but quickly amped that up to three or four posts. I don’t know that I could keep up with an everyday posting schedule for the very reason that I know I’ll feel guilty if I miss days, but I’ll never say never.
Samantha recently posted…Book Review: The Knife of Never Letting Go
I try not to feel guilty about not posting, especially if it’s only for a couple of days. I would feel guilty if I took a long break without notice, so I always try to let me readers know beforehand so that they know what’s going on. But I think it’s really important not to let the pressure get to you. I have had a big problem with that in the past, on another blog I have, and it ended up affecting my love for blogging in a big way. So I really don’t want to let that happen again.
Miranda @ Tempest Books recently posted…Book Review: Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
Posting every day is something I’d love the time to be able to do. But right now it’s not something that’s possible unless I give up sleep and I’ve accepted that. Maybe once uni is over I could, but until then I only post 2-3 times a week and I still do feel bad about it sometimes. I wonder if my stats would be any higher if they were, if getting a another coblogger is a way to help it (something I’m seriously considering), etc. On the few occasions I miss posts (normally they’re scheduled but those are running out and there’s nothing to replace them yet) I feel really guilty. Terribly guilty.
Bec @ Ransom Reads recently posted…[Anime] King’s Ransom: Shingeki no Kyojin (season 1)
I feel intensely guilty, which is why I started scheduling posts ahead of time. Usually I write three or four, then I’m free to just comment on a few blogs and only take about 30 minutes of blogging time per day. That way I can read more books and catch up on my other work!
Kayla @ The Thousand Lives recently posted…Standing on my Soapbox: The Statistical Probability of DNFing a Book
I definitely have guilt, but I tend to overcome that guilt by looking at the amount of work I have to get done for school and other things. I tend to catch up on blogging on weekends and scheduling posts beforehand has definitely helped, though.
alice-jane recently posted…MIA
YES! I feel SO guilty and it feels really overwhelming sometimes, especially when I hit my reading slumps (like this last one, what a monster) and I don’t feel like reading anything at all! I feel like such a bad blogger for not having stuff planned, ugh. I totally get you!
Nancy @ Tumbling Books recently posted…Review: Of Beast and Beauty
I have it right now! I don’t have anything planned for tomorrow, and I just don’t feel like writing a review I feel horribly guilty about it since I know I have reviews I could put up.
Sarah recently posted…Giveaway: Stained by Cheryl Rainfield
Back in the summer, I got really into blogging — commenting on blogs, writing posts every day and such. But that was because I had a desk job where I hardly did anything and had access to the internet. But now with school, I’m busier than I was a few months ago and I’m finding it hard to balance everything I’ve got going: work, friends, boyfriend, family, school, hobbies and my blog. It’s so tough! At the start of the semester, I felt SUPER guilty if I didn’t have 3-4 new posts each week, but now I just take it with a grain of salt. Sure, I love blogging with all my heart. But it’s not everything, you know? I have a lot on my plate and sometimes my blog is a little lower on the priority list — and that’s okay! As I tell others, I’m not getting paid for this and it’s not a life or death matter, so why stress? My blog is for FUN and if I’m guilty every week for not having something up or not commenting enough, then what’s the point? I’m doing the best I can. A good example: for two weeks in a row now I haven’t had a discussion post. I had every intention of writing one last night for today, but my homework took longer than I thought and then I got really tired. I did feel guilty, but I have to remind myself that my followers and friends aren’t going to kill me if I don’t update frequently. The material is still there, it’s just not always on time. If they loved me before, they can stick with me now and love me still.
Lauren @ Books, Tea & Me recently posted…Top 10 Best/Worst Series Endings
Girl, I FEEL YOU. But that was me a long time ago. By now, I’ve basically accepted the fact that I simply CANNOT post every day or every other day. Life is getting in the way like everyday so I’ll just have to go with the flow and let life happen the way it’s supposed to be. Life is a lot less stressful if you just relax. aahhhh. Great post, thanks for sharing, Kelly! Hopefully you’ll loosen up a bit.
Jen recently posted…Switcheroo!
This has been me the past couple of weeks! I hate the feeling of guilt. It’s not that I want to post everyday so much as I have books that have been read but no review written so I feel guilty that if I haven’t written it yet. I seem to alternate between a reading slump or reviewing slump so finding it hard to balance.
Danielle recently posted…Review: Never Too Far by Abbi Glines
Woah that’s way too much pressure to post every day! It’s tough, especially with all your other commitments! And it’s pretty admirable that you’ve been able to keep that up :)
I just post whenever I want haha. No pressure at all :P
Nara recently posted…Review: The House of Hades by Rick Riordan
I totally understand your guilt. Guilt is the result of failing to meet expectations/rules you set up for yourself. I admire your commitment, and the memes such as Waiting on Wednesday are wonderful ways of creating a consistent blog posting schedule. I give myself days off during the week when I’m not scheduled to post, but I still feel bad. Maybe if I decide to commit to a meme for Thursdays and Saturdays. Thank you for the insightful and honest post, Kelly!
Ellen @ Glamorous Book Lounge recently posted…Book Review: Endless by Amanda Gray
This is why, from the beginning, I purposely DIDN’T post every day. In the beginning, I’m sure I could have. But I knew that enthusiasm would eventually fade, real life things would get in the way, and it just wouldn’t happen. So, from the beginning I had the plan to post just a few times a week. This allowed my pre-planned posts to last longer, and when I inevitably run out of posts, it makes it so I can get ahead again instead of constantly feeling like I’m barely keeping up.
Occasionally I’ll post every day (if I’m participating in an event, usually), but those weeks are the exception, not the rule.
Charleen recently posted…ITW Must-Reads: Eye of the Needle
I try to post at least every day, but sometimes every other day is the best I can do. I don’t feel guilty about the every other day posting when it happens, but whenever there is a two day stretch of not posting? Eek! Bring on the guilt.
-Maria
Maria @ Reading the Alphabet recently posted…Review: Treason by S.M. Boyce