With the start of a new season, I thought it was a good time to make a personal announcement. I’ve been struggling with this for a while now… And it has come to the point that I have to do something about it. The thing is… I’ve been dealing with a blogging and social media slump for months now. With my blog stats plummeting, my attempt to grow my Instagram account a total failure and a general lack of motivation working against me, I’ve been seriously considering an unlimited hiatus. Blogging has been feeling like a chore instead of a hobby, the sheer pressure of deadlines and posting every day driving me away instead of making me love blogging again… I feel like I’m standing at a bifurcation in the road, and the future of It’s All About Books depends on what decision I will make.
I don’t want to do anything drastic yet and I know I would miss the book blogging community too much so I’m not going on a full hiatus… Instead I’m meeting myself in the middle and I’ve decided to go ‘light’ for the duration of this new season. What do I mean with that? Well, I’ve been working hard to get through my ARCs in the last few months, and I managed to mostly clear my schedule. I still have a few left (and a couple will appear soon; I’m looking at you Bookouture!), and also two blog tours in the next months, but mostly the rest of June, July, August and part of September will be all about reading my own books again. I’m hoping that the absense of pressure of deadlines and writing longer reviews will help me relax and get my blogging mojo back.
I’m also looking forward to participating in the Magical Readathon N.E.W.T.s edition again in August, and I hope a month of all fun and almost no blogging obligations will help do the trick. Likewise, I’m going to make myself stop trying to post every day and only post when I feel like it. The same goes for social media… I’ve been doing this basically already, but for the next couple of months I’m only going to post on Instagram whenever I feel inspired to take photos and I’ll probably not be as active on Twitter either. I need some time to focus on myself and make myself love blogging again… And I hope I’ll be ready to make a fresh start by the time the next season is around the corner.
So that’s why you will probably see less of me and It’s All About Books this season, but I will still be here and I will still be reading. Thanks for taking the time to read my rambles and I hope you will all have a wonderful Summer (or Winter like me)!! ❤ ❤ ❤
You can also find me at Goodreads. Twitter. Instagram. Facebook. Bloglovin’.
I totally understand Yvo! I’m sure reading your own books is the medicine you need ;-). Enjoy the next stress free months! I think I’m going to do the same 😉
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I still feel bad about not posting every day (today is the first time in over a year I’m not posting anything, and it’s really hard to resist the urge), but I’m hoping that a partial break will have me refreshed by September. 😉
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Oh wow, I hadn’t realised you were posting every day! You must be exhausted! Enjoy your will-deserved break.
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I have been posting every day ever since I came back from our Europe trip over a year ago… Today is the first day I’m not posting anything and I feel weirdly guilty about it haha. But it’s nice to have less pressure for a while and only post when I feel like it. 😉
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We all put way too much pressure on ourselves. Good for you for trying to do something about it and find the fun in reading again. Just don’t be a stranger ❤️
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No worries, I will still be around! I’m just not posting every day for a while, staying away from ARCs and not bloghopping as often as usual. I’ll still be stalking you haha. 😉 ❤
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I had to do this at the beginning of the year, Yvo. I had 3 months where I didn’t blog and just read books I wanted to rather than had to!
I hope you manage to find the pleasure in reading again 💛
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Sometimes distance is the best way… I can’t stay away completely, but I’m definitely posting less and reading my own books again has been feeling great. Hopefully my blogging mojo will come back soon!
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I totally understand what you mean, and I’m sure everyone here does. This is also why I’ve pretty much stopped requesting NG ARCs and I’ve signing up for fewer blog tours. I’ve not been blogging for very long but I was already feeling the pressure, and I wanted to avoid a total burn-out. Come say hi every once in a while, OK, and in the meantime, enjoy your hiatus and take good care of yourself 😘
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No worries, I won’t be on a full hiatus! 😉 I’m only going to be posting/bloghopping less than usual, but I’ll still be here haha. Thankfully it’s only a blogging and not a reading slump, so I’ll still have lots of books to talk about in the next few months. ❤ xx
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PLEASE take the break! This shouldn’t be a chore. Come back fresh and invigorated. I’ll miss you but will anticipate your return.
Good luck💜
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No worries, I won’t be on a full hiatus! I just will be posting and bloghopping less than usual… Giving myself some me-time and less pressure to worry about. 😉 xx
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It’s easy to lose sight of why you started a blog in the first place when you get caught up in stats. Just do you, and the rest will come.
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I don’t really care that much about the stats in the first place… As I know I’m not the only one who has seen their stats go down in recent months. I’m just hoping a partial break will give me my blogging mojo back so I can have fun creating posts again. 🙂
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I appreciate you posting this! Blogging is not supposed to feel like a chore and we don’t want to feel burnt out! I initially had my blog mid-year retreat scheduled for this month and I keep pushing it back — probably a sign to take it easy for a bit 🙂
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Ah yes I totally feel you! I’ve been struggling for months and didn’t want to give in… So I decided to just put it out here to get it off my chest, and it does feel good. 🙂
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Blogging is supposed to be fun, not work! I took a step back and started only blogging a few days a week, and it was the best decision I made. Enjoy your break from it!!
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That definitely sounds great! It’s going to feel strange for a while not posting every day, but it’s great having more time for other things as well.
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I’ve taken a couple month-long hiatuses here and there and they are pretty refreshing. My stats this whole year have been pretty disappointing, but I only blog when I feel like it now (which usually means 2-3 times a week, but sometimes just 1 and sometimes none) and it makes me happy, even if the stats aren’t as high as I wish they would be.
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I personally figured that if my stats were going down anyway, I might as well take advantage and go on a break while I’m at it haha. I prefer blogging being less stressful and hopefully actually enjoy my time blogging again instead of dreading it.
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Totally understand feeling the pressure to blog everyday is not good. Also the pressure os social media isn’t helpful either. Enjoy your free time and hopefully you’ll enjoy blogging again. Xx
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I’m hoping blogging less will make me enjoy it again! It will be strange not posting every day, but I’m ready for some time off. 😉 xx
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I totally understand where you’re coming from. I went on a complete hiatus for a few years and had to regroup. I got myself too bogged down with deadlines and commitments. I knew this time around to make it all about fun and what I enjoyed without getting into many commitments. Hope you find your stride and can get back to the FUN of blogging!!
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I can totally relate to that! I’m hoping that clearing my schedule and creating more me-time before I go back to normal schedule will help me fall in love with blogging again. 🙂
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Darling, you’ve been going on such a busy schedule, you totally deserve a break! I can’t imagine posting every day. Blogging is supposed to be fun, I hope you can get back to it 🙂 Enjoy, relax, read, and just pop up when you feel like it. I love you very much, I’m gonna miss you very very much, and I am sending you a giant terry bear hug! xxx
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I can’t believe I have been posting every day for over a year now! Too much pressure for too long, and I’m definitely going to enjoy having more me-time even though I do feel guilty about not posting every day (today is the first day I don’t have anything ready and it’s hard to resist the urge to write something and don’t break that streak haha). I’ll probably be posting 4 times a week minimum so I’ll still be around mostly. 😉 LOVE YOUUUUU and a big big hug for you!! ❤ ❤ ❤
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Have a healthy hiatus . Hope to read more of your blogs soon
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Thanks! I’ll still be around mostly, just posting/bloghopping less than usual. 🙂
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Oh okay . Still it’s understandable , enjoying book is more important , reading shouldn’t feel like work
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I hope your break helps and that you find your way back to enjoying blogging. I’ve had a few breaks in the time I’ve been blogging and it’s always good to step back and take the pressure off for a while. I hope you read lots of amazing books! 🙂 x
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It definitely feels good to have less pressure and ARC deadlines! Posting whenever I want and reading my own books again definitely feels good. 😉 xx
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Whenever blogging starts to feel like a chore, it’s always good to take a break — it should be fun after all! I hope you can take the time to de-stress and relax and read more for pleasure than deadlines. 🙂 I feel like I’ve been going “lighter” for years now, and although my stats are nowhere close to where they were before, I’m enjoying blogging and reading much more now.
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I figured that if my stats were going down posting every day, I should just take a break while I’m at it and let the stats do whatever they want… Having more me-time is definitely an advantage and I hope reading my own books will help me fall in love with blogging again. xx
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You take all the time you need! Sometimes taking it easy is what is best! ❤
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Thanks! I’m hoping slowing down will give me my blogging mojo back. 🙂
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I took a break and it did me wonders, just let the self-pressure go and enjoy yourself.
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I’m definitely hoping it will help! 🙂
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I think it is a great idea to take a step back and go a little lighter this season if you are feeling this way about blogging. Going from posting daily to only a few times a week should definitely help… It sounds like you are burnt out. I’d hate to see you totally give up blogging, but understand you got to do what is best for you 😦
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I don’t think I have it in me to stop blogging completely, as I would miss the community too much… I’m hoping that a few weeks of less pressure will give me my blogging mojo back in time for the next season. I already feel that taking away the stress of having to post and bloghop/be on social media every day is helping me relax again. 🙂
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Snap! I’ve been feeling the same for months!! Enjoy the break 🙂
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I’m sorry to hear that! The partial break isn’t working all that well so far, so I’m planning a full two-week blogging break in August. 😉
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