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Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post on Rainy Day Ramblings where Rainy discuss a wide range of topics from books to blogging. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog.
This week's conversation starter:
June 20th: Are you on the offense or defense when it comes to your blog?
Let me think....I started the blog 8,5 years ago. At first I just drifted along not making a lot of effort. I found other bloggers and that made me more on the offense. I started doing things. Taking part in tours, being part of those mega giveaways, emailing authors, publishers. Visiting so many other blogs to learn and make friends (I think I have one blog I still follow after 8 years, all others seem to be gone :(.
I used to answer every email I got. Hey I even read all those crappy books I received cos yes I said yes to everything. I spent a lot of time on my blog.
Now, well I still do, but I would say I am more on the defense now. I certainly do not answer every email I get. I mean honestly who has time for that! Yes I get those "this is the 3rd time I am writing you" emails but if you do not hear back then I have deleted your email cos the book was not for me. I do not email around. I do not try to make it big. I have learned that it is fine as it is.
I answer comments, I visit blogs, I take part in what I can, but I am not all must do this and that.
I would not say I am entirely on the defense though, I think I am somewhere in the middle. Blogging makes me happy so I still do a lot.
I feel I have rambled on and not answered anything, lol
I used to answer every email I got. Hey I even read all those crappy books I received cos yes I said yes to everything. I spent a lot of time on my blog.
Now, well I still do, but I would say I am more on the defense now. I certainly do not answer every email I get. I mean honestly who has time for that! Yes I get those "this is the 3rd time I am writing you" emails but if you do not hear back then I have deleted your email cos the book was not for me. I do not email around. I do not try to make it big. I have learned that it is fine as it is.
I answer comments, I visit blogs, I take part in what I can, but I am not all must do this and that.
I would not say I am entirely on the defense though, I think I am somewhere in the middle. Blogging makes me happy so I still do a lot.
I feel I have rambled on and not answered anything, lol
So here are some old Luci pics instead
Sniffing the house, must have been Bad Kitty that has been around
Enjoying the March Sun
I used to answer all the emails as well and say yes to books that I would never otherwise read. I also used to do tons of blog tours which just burnt me out. I have changed a lot as far as my blog is concerned and now I hardly ever do a tour.
ReplyDeleteI do do some tours still so I will have other things than reviews here but it is sure not the same as before :)
DeleteYou have been blogging a long time, cool. I am hoping to eventually get my blog more on the defense side.
ReplyDeleteI have been around for ages, lol
DeleteI'm not sure I really understand the question but our approaches have been similar over the years.
ReplyDeleteI actually did not understand it s I waited for rainy to post hers first
DeleteSaaammee! I have been blogging for like 2.5 years! I don't respond to every Email and I don't read every book requested! Such a great post! ♡
ReplyDeleteHaniya
booknauthors.blogspot.com
Thank you :)
DeleteI'm kind of the same now too. I went through all the phases and found my comfortable middle ground.
ReplyDeleteFor What It's Worth
It's nice here in the middle
DeleteFirst let me say congrats wow 8.5yrs is a testament to your blogging tenacity!! Woot!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great post and here here it's almost exactly the way mine started in March of 2010, see mine's pretty old too. I actually started mine to mirror my Barnes and Noble book club community page, then after B&N got into $$ trouble and canned all their moderators ;-) I put the pedal to the medal and started blogging with gusto. I ALWAYS reply to comments, I don't always and never did answer all emails because my blog doesn't have many reviews because I'm an editorial reviewer and my reviews don't belong to me but to the publications I work for so I don't advertise asking for reviews on my blog. I LOVE interviewing authors it's what I do mostly because I'm a curious book addict. Thanks for the opportunity to blab here :)
Thanks!
DeleteI have known others that used to be on BN, but I never was so I missed all of that.
I fear I suck at interviewing, I never come up with anything clever. But it is fun anyway
I've always just written about what I want to. If I come across a book I want to write a review for, I will post it. If I find something else I like and think a few others might find it interesting, I'll post that too. I try to answer all comments and visit blogs that visit me.
ReplyDeleteThat is great :) I wish I would have done that when I first started
DeleteLove the Lucy pics!
ReplyDeleteI would say I go back and forth depending on how busy I am with life. If I love an author, I do try like heck to get a guest post or interview with them so I can pick their brain, and I always answer comments (even though it's not for weeks sometimes.) I love blogging, but I have to fit it in when I can!
Great post.
Thanks :D
DeleteWe all have those ups and downs :D Sometimes I am more busy too, sometimes more laid back
I like your answer because even though I haven't been blogging as long, I totally agree. I do what I like because it works for me, and that includes not answering every email or taking every book offered. In fact I take very few, and while sometimes I feel ba d I also know I can't push myself through a book I'm not interested in. So I just do my own thing.
ReplyDeleteI think I'd burn out if I did it any other ay. It's so amazing in the beginning cause you're like wow, look at this community- so many book bloggers. And you just wanna do all the stuff lol.
Some authors get so cranky when you do not answer their emails, but hello, I get plenty and most do not even read my policy about what I read
Deleteyeah I used to be like that too and quickly burned out so I am just doing it my way.
ReplyDeleteThankfully I never got the "I am writing to you for the 3rd time" letters
I so do not wanna burn out, I have seen too many do it
DeleteThe first few years of bloggings, I was very much out there, and doing so much to promote my blog, of course back then I had so much free time too. Now I just try to do what i can, comment on other blogs, and maintain my blog with the ocassional project to make it better. But I stopped doing tours and promotional spotlights a while back, mostly because I just didn't have the time. And most tours now a days I don't really want to be a part of, they just don't fit me or my blog at all. Great discussion here.
ReplyDeleteOh yes spotlights and cover reveals and what nots, I used to do those way back in the day. Now, nope, reviews and authors interviews :) And of course this discussion that I had time to write when I was on sick leave
DeleteI don't respond to over half the emails I get. Mainly because they're sending a mass amount of people the same email and the book doesn't sounds like a good fit.
ReplyDeleteTotally. All Hi Editor, I have seen you like X, you are to love my book then
DeleteSunny warm orange kitty! :)
ReplyDelete:)
DeleteI think you've answered it very well and to be still around after that many years is very impressive and still enjoying it. Emails... yes some just don't get the message!!
ReplyDeleteThanks :=)
DeleteYou and I have been blogging for approximately the same amount of time. I used to answer every email and accept every book, too, but not anymore. I don't have time to answer all the emails and I don't accept books that I have no interest in. I do still accept too many books, but it's because I really want to read those books. Things have certainly changed over the years, but I still enjoy it. Love the Luci pics! She's so cute :)
ReplyDeleteCool :D We are oldies then, lol.
DeleteAye he is a cutie.
And haha, I accept too many too
When I first started, I was definitely a lot better at answering emails, reading everything I received, etc. Now with the large volume of requests and unsolicited copies though, I've come to accept the fact that it would be impossible to respond to them all. I still feel bad about it, but it just can't be helped!
ReplyDelete~Mogsy @ BiblioSanctum
I do feel bad at times too but then comes the generic emails and I am all this has gone out to 100 bloggers anyway
DeleteI'm glad you figured out how to answer the question. I didn't understand what it was asking at first, but activity level of maintaining the blog works. LOL
ReplyDeleteLooks like a bit of both is what works best for me, too. I'm not the blog hostess and I still get all those emails. :)
I followed Rainy and waited for her answer ;)
DeleteAYe those emails are everywhere
I quite agree with you, it is the same for me
ReplyDeleteI know some just send a short email but honestly even that takes times for other things
ReplyDeleteWow, the title says it all. Sorry you didn't like this one. I usually like myself some smart ass characters, I wonder if this one would do it for me...
ReplyDeleteLOL, that has happened to me too, I left a totally cryptic comment and it was on this interview
DeleteSorry my comment was for your earlier post. about the Duke book.
ReplyDeleteI don't know that I would say I'm "on the defense" but I guess that means one who is reactive rather than proactive? I am similar to you. I have some events where I go out and seek participants, but I pick the things I want to do. I answer emails, except those that are bulk or generic "To whom it concerns" - I put right in my contact info that I will not respond to those. I look for books I want to review, but don't take all I'm offered. I would say I'm in the middle and just right!
ReplyDeleteI think we are both well in the middle ground then :D It's good in here
DeleteThe past year or so I've been on the defense. Just trying to keep up with my reviews instead of actively trying to grow my blog. I've stopped answering all my emails too, as I keep getting pitches for genres I've never read!
ReplyDeleteThose are always weird. The ones that says they they have read my blog and can see I enjoy X when that is a genre I never read
DeleteI'm mostly on the defense too. When you realize that you're not going to be the next "Maryse" you tend to just chill and do your own thing.
ReplyDeleteSo never gonna be huge so whatevs
DeleteI wish I had more time to dedicate with my blog. Maybe someday I'll have a job where I don't have to slave away.
ReplyDeleteBut I think you have a nice balance for sure.
I wish reading was my job :D
DeleteI'm the same way. I've been blogging for a few years, but I don't worry about a lot. It is just for fun. I post my reviews and visit people I want to visit. I do wish I had more time, because I love reading, sharing my thoughts and visiting other blogs, but there is only so much time in the day. Love the Luci pics. :-)
ReplyDeleteMelanie @ Hot Listens & Rabid Reads
I wish I had more time too :/
DeleteKitteh!!! So cute! I'm in the middle, too. I'm happy doing my thing. But I plan ahead and do events :)
ReplyDeletePlanning ahead is a must :D
Delete