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As the first month went by I was so excited to see my follower list explode that I wanted to return the favor to each and every followers blog. In three months the list of blogs I follow has EXPLODED and I don't know what to do.
I believe each book blog has something wonderful to offer their readers but not every book blogger blogs about the type of books I enjoy reading. Additionally I simply don't have enough time to read all the posts on the well over 120 blogs I am following. I want to get to know some of my fellow book bloggers better but I feel completely overwhelmed with the amount of blogs I am currently following! For those of you new and old book bloggers out their how do you manage the blogs you follow?
I would like to have a little more time to comment more frequently on the blogs I really enjoy, to post more about the great posts I find on other bloggers sites, and get a few more blog posts done on a weekly basis on my own blog!
I am trying to create the best blog I can as well as be a good follower of someones blog. Any suggestions would be welcome!
Additionally if you have a moment to comment on the above question if you have any suggestions on how to make my blog better or you would like to see more of something I am already doing please feel free to let me know. On that note maybe that would be an entire post hehe.
Hope you all had a wonderful weekend and congratulations to those of you who participated in the read-a-thon! I worked my first Sat in years and had a baptism to go to this morning (I am now a proud Godmother!) so this weekend has seen absolutely no reading!
Guru Out!
14 comments:
I feel the same way as you. I have so many wonderful blogs I follow but then my google reader is so filled. On top of doing my own posts, I have to do schoolwork and study. But then I also want to comment on everyone elses posts. I feel overwhelmed a lot of the time.
So my advice to you is: Don't feel so bad about not commenting on other blogs if you're too overwhelmed because then you just stress yourself out. I bet every blogger understands. Sorry if this isn't the best advice, but I also just wanted to tell you that I love reading your blog and at the moment, I have nothing to recommend to make it better. Just keep up the hard work!
Hiya! I'm afraid I've been more of a lurker than a follower but I do have some advice. My Book, film and TV blog doesn;t have the hugest following but my blog Emm in London does. I learned that many, many people follow simply to get more followers themselves. They never read your blog and never comment. More imprtantly, I was following them back and commenting on their blogs and realsied after a time that they never even acknowledged my comments!
Like you, I used to follow everyone who followed me but with 670 followers, it just gets out of hand!! So now I divide my time between two types of people - those who read and comment on my blog. I always acknowledge them and visit their blog if I can. And those whose blogs I like and who have the good manners to acknowledge my visits.
(I don't expect you to come over to my blog by the way as I know I've been a lurker in the past). But focus on the good people!
I feel the same way as I'm sure a lot of people do. I read a lot of blogs, and a lot of comments, but because of the nature of my demanding day job and the fact that it involves a lot of night work too, I just don't have the time to comment on everyone's blog. I wish I could, but when I retire I promise to comment everywhere (lol) in about 15 years.
Therefore, I also tend to be a lurker, and just post when I have the time. I used to feel guilty about it but I can't ignore my livelihood either. I didn't realize how much work it takes to blog consistently, and I've only been doing it for several months.
I just appreciate every comment I get on my blog and still get excited when people visit. I am also still learning how to reply properly, but I mess it up sometimes.
I only have half the number of followers you do but it isn't always easy! As it is, I only follow the blogs that I find interesting. It may be lovely and polite to follow everyone but what's the point if you can't pay attention to what's going on?
Blogging shouldn't be stressful - it should be about having fun and enjoying yourself! So keep to what you know and love!
Morgan - Thanks so much for your comment. I am very much the type of person that wants to "do it all" when I am committed to something. I enjoy writing my blog so much I don't want to be stressing about it lol.
Emm - Lurkers are welcome to! Good advice to focus on those who comment on my blogs. It just so happens that those who comment on my blog usually have blogs I truly enjoy as well. Happy lurking :)
Stephanie - I didn't realize how much work it was to develop a good blog either! I to never stop getting excited when someone comments on a post (and disappointed when they don't lol).
I wish I knew the answer but I don't. It's difficult for me to read all the blogs that I follow, and who follow me and I don't have near as many as you do. Really, for me, I do the best I can to acknowledge comments as often as I can, I scan posts for items that really prick my interest and when time allows I go visit each commenter. But I can't always do even that and I don't think most people can either.
You can only do what you can do. The most important aspect of book blogging for me is to occasionally discuss what I read and I can't read if I'm always on the computer! :)
I just found your website and I love it.
I know exactly how you feel!
Between work and recent family things some days I'm too tiered to read let alone sit and read through a stream of postings. Which I feel really awful about because I get so excited when people leave me comments I want to reciprocate.
So if a post grabs my attention or if someone has reviewed a book I've read, then I always try to leave a comment.
As much as I hate it, I can only do what I can, even if it feels like I don't do a lot. But I think it's part of the learning process in having a blog and being involved in the book blogging community.
Congrats on becoming a Godmother too by the way! :)
I combine book blogging with coffee time in the morning. I have until the end of a cup to blog, read blogs and comment. Then I go to work, where it appears I'm all but living these days. In the evenings I can either book blog or read. Reading usually wins.
If we could be full time book bloggers we'd comment on every post, on every blog we follow and probably be much happier people.
You're doing a wonderful job. Read and comment when and where you WANT to- this is for enjoyment, not work. I'd much rather read your blog than go to work :)
This is still something I'm working on myself. I feel like I follow way too many blogs, however, every time I try to cut back I can't bring myself to unsubscribe to any of them!
I have 3 different book blog folders on my GoogleReader. For me it helps to tackle them a little at a time.
While I'm feeling like I'm getting commenting and reading under control, I cannot keep up on Twitter! My book blog twitter account basically only tweets my blog posts... which is terrible!
I'm excited to see what advice you get! Great post!
Lindsey, I guess all of us Bloggers are dealing with the same problem, especially when your blog grows and so does your own Goggle Reader.
Actually I really liked what Emm just wrote in her comment and cannot agree with her more!
Follow the blogs where you like the content or even the person behind. Nobody can comment on every post they read, I do the same. When I have something to say, I comment but sometimes I just read and go on to the next blog. Which is truly a pity for the blog owner because I know that a blog lives with the owner as well as with the comments!!
Everytime I write a post I'm excited about the comments and since I know that I try to comment back on other blogs as well.
But like Emm said I also focus on the people where I know they take their time and leave a note on my blog. Honestly those are also the people who know what it means to run a blog and know what it means to the owner to get feedback and some love.
In the end those are the people you'll also very like get to know better and might also become sort of friends. At least this happened to me.
So I step by and wave a "hi" to you and hope we see each other around the the highly complicated blogger world.
(gosh this was such a rambling comment, but I think you get the essence*giggles*)
Well, it is hard to visit and comment for everyone. I want everyone to know I was there and their posts are read. I know I love getting comments and think others feel the same way. The shame of the matter is I can't do it either.
I try to visit everyone as many times as I can. I at least try to read as many posts as I can. I comment as much as possible for me, especially if no one has commented yet.
I have a few memes that others do that I skip over in the week. With all the great reviews and such about books there are a few memes I can skip over. With doing this is helps cut out some of the posts to read. I feel bad doing so, but I have to work and take care of my family too. And I still want to get my reading in.
I hope this helps just a little. I know it makes me feel better hearing others feel the same way too. Thank you!
Thanks to everyone who responded to this post I feel A LOT better now lol. Its always good to know that your not the only one feeling the same way. I have chosen not to delete any of the blogs I follow because I know that I sometimes find new blogs by going through someone blog roll so I want that list to stay complete. What I have done is hide any blogs I don't normally read and have narrowed my "every day" reading list down to 25 blogs. I still scan the reading feed so if anything gets posted from other blogs that catches my eye I can still read that to! Hopefully this works lol.
It really is overwhelming! I finally cut down my RSS feeds (I'm still technically *following* on Google Follower, but not getting them in my Reader) and I feel a bit better, but I really need to go through it again.
I try to comment on my favorite blogs once a week and then anything that catches my attention - but I'm pretty bad - maybe 10 comments a week (if I'm lucky!). So don't feel bad, we all go a little "ooo cool blog" happy and add add add...
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