Friday 8 June 2012

MY YA CONFESSIONS #2 - I'm a YA Blogging Dabbler

You may have noticed my posting frequency has not be very, well, frequent as of late. That old mistress, time, has been eating away at my schedule (HA! like I have a 'schedule') and all that stuff they call life has been getting in the way of blogging business. And sometimes, well, I don't think I class myself as a YA blogger proper and I'm not sure how I feel about that. Let me explain...

I've been having a bit of a dilemma of late - should I be continuing with this blogging lark? I'm not as committed to it as most and my plan was to always put more effort and time into it eventually to make it a proper 'YA book blog' with all the memes and wotnot, but now it's come to a point where, at the moment I just cannot spare the time - children, work, WIP, more work, a bit of study thrown in. And I really, really hate making excuses that start with 'but I don't have the time', because, if you really want to do something, you make the time, right? Which brings me back to my dilemma - maybe I don't want to do the blogging thing enough, and that is why I am letting it slide.

So I thought about the reasons why I started it in the first place - I really didn't have any clue about the world of YA blogging at about this time last year. I just enjoyed writing reviews and wanted to discuss the books I love with other bookish folk. I'd started writing a few YA-themed short stories and wanted to give myself a project to get reading more YA. And by this, I mean a solid diet of YA. And by this I mean mainly contemporary YA, because that is what I enjoy reading and writing the most. And I guess, in the last 12 months, I've ticked all these boxes. So why do I want to stop this - just because it's not something that I think it should be?

A few weeks back, I was determined to start a new all-singing, all-dancing blog. I would post at least one review a week, I would do memes, and would make a proper effort to get more followers. And then I thought, well, what's wrong with what I've got now. It brings a smile to my face, it gets me reading and writing, and I get to read all these fantastic blogs by you lot, and remain in awe that you all manage to make them so blinkin' brilliant.

So yes, I'm not sure if I would call myself a YA 'blogger'. But I'm a blogging dabbler and proud. And that is what I will continue to be. For the time being, anyway..


12 comments:

  1. I think your blog can be anything you want it to be Anna. I know how busy it gets with work, two kids, a very occasional life (ahem), and you know...that guy you married. :) Don't stress. As long as it makes you happy, it's perfect! I haven't been a YA book blogger for very long either but I've found it to be a very welcoming, friendly community. One that will for certain chat with you until the cows come home about YA books, no matter how many posts you publish per week. Hope you stick around!

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    1. Thanks Catie! I think I think too much about stuff! I'll just carry on with what I'm doing for now, as long as it makes me happy :)

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  2. Yeah, I agree. It's your blog so you should do (or not do) anything you want. If you want to take a break for a few weeks, do it. Or if you want to just post once a month, go for it:) Blogging by yourself is definitely hard--I remember what it was like and we put this pressure on ourselves to keep up. The ONLY reason we can post as much on our blog as we do is because there are three of us. If it was still just me, PSHT, it'd be like once a week at the most. Anyway, I love hearing what you think about things so I selfishly hope you'll keep with it.

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    1. Thank Flann! I think I'm just having a few sucky weeks and getting myself into a tizzle about nothing. This happens a lot. Long may my intermittent blogging continue!

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  3. Continue with this blogging lark! I think the pressure to be or do certain things in blogging is always there but don't let it get to you! Blog as often (or not!) as you'd like giving us any kind of content you'd prefer! This is something we all do for fun and it should be fun :)

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    1. You're right Clover, it should be fun. And it is still fun! So here I shall remain :)

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  4. You're right about there being pressure to post more, have more followers etc but sometimes I think it's better to try and ignore all that and just keep doing what makes you happy! I really enjoy your reviews, Anna and your blog should be about what suits you :)

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    1. I'll just keep doing what I'm doing, I think. And hopefully not drive myself crazy!

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  5. Hey gorgeous, only just saw this post.
    Of course you should stick around... maybe I'm being biased because I adore you.
    I second everything that has been said here. I used to always worry about my blog not being the typical 'YA blog' with memes and I don't have a million followers who comment on my reviews but I've made some brilliant friends and I love chatting with them about the same things.
    Love you lady! :D

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    1. And I just second everything YOU said about not being a typical 'YA blog' but loving it anyway, or maybe even more because it isn't typical. I ain't going anywhere just yet. And love you too lady! xx

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  6. oh, i am SO the same. this year, i have done 18 posts (that's averaging 3 a month! actually higher than i would have thought.

    in all honesty, it's not so much writing the blog posts that makes blogging time consuming. it's all the visiting and keeping up with other blogs. i am shamefully bad at that. i only comment about once a fortnight. i star things in my reader and after a couple of weeks, sit down and open up posts and go there and comment.

    cant seem to comment every day like other people do...

    anyway, i much prefer blogs that are unique and just do their own thing. so, don't go anywhere :)

    x Nomes

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    1. I with you with the comments thing - I feel so guilty that I don't have the time to do more. But I like the sound of your system. I'm much more haphazard in my commenting routine!

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