Book Blogger Confessions is a meme that allows book bloggers to discuss issues unique to what we encounter in the blogging world. Every 1st and 3rd Monday of the month we will post a question and invite you to answer, comment and discuss opinions and different views.
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Question - Blogger Envy: Do you have a bad case of blogger envy? Do you covet thy neighbor bloggers book hauls/follower numbers/blog design? How do you tamp down the green eyed monster?
Answer - Oh my God, yes. I envy so many bloggers on their organization and their awesome ideas and their clever feature names and their prolific writing skills! Numbers? Sure, I envy those too. However, I know those numbers are because of their organization, awesome ideas, clever feature names and prolific writing skills. And because they have a lot of people looking at their blogs due to the aforementioned skills, they get lots of feedback and comments.
I do love my blog name, but there are a few that I think are just divine and I wish I had thought of them. Maybe I wouldn't have used them in the long run, but Pretty Deadly Reviews (who sadly is no longer blogging) and Death, Books and Tea are just two names that I just think fit my own personal aesthetic perfectly and I wish I had thought of them. They are genius! Genius! I feel I know exactly what I'm getting when I visit.
I do have to say I love my blog design thanks to my awesome designer from Blogging Bella Designs (who knows what I want even when I don't). It's my alternate reading reality. There are some widgets and other fun stuff that I see on other blogs that I would like to utilize, but don't want to be a copycat (well too much anyway). I also do like the way some other blogs look all sleek and uber professional, but I'm not sure if that's me.
I don't really envy people's book hauls. Sure there are some books that people get early that I would love to get my hands on, but realistically, I have enough books. More than enough books. And I get most of my books from the library or I buy them myself.
What I really envy other bloggers for is their ability to read faster than I do! I not only read slow, but I get distracted by Twitter, my pets, The Sims, real life, etc. So, I feel very undisciplined and guilty that I should be getting more book reviews up. This is my biggest envy. That other blogs seem to have several reviews up per week.
What do I do to tamp down the green-eyed monster? I sometimes sit down with a notebook and try to brainstorm ideas and I also make myself carve out time to read. The brainstorming doesn't always work. Usually ideas will come to me out of the blue. I try to schedule reading time too, but that doesn't always work either. When I start to get really down on myself I remind myself that that I'm doing this for fun and not reading fast is who I am and that's what my blog should reflect.
So, what about you guys? Does anything in the blogging world make you envious?
12 comments:
I get envious sometimes, like with anything in life, but generally I like what I'm doing and I know how hard the other person worked, so I can keep it in control. :)
Yes real life does get in the way , and lately I haven't been reading as fast . I am trying to enjoy the books.
Yes I am envy of all those blog designers :)
I think you do always come up with great ideas!
I have to say that I've been envious of you at times because you always stay true to your own style. (which I love)
Sometimes we can get caught up in numbers/book hauls etc but I think it's always best to do what works for yourself - the rest will follow.
@Steph-That is a great point. We all like blogging, otherwise we wouldn't be doing it. So maybe we should cut down on the envy.
@Julie-Yes, I don't want to plow through books, I want to enjoy them.
@Karen-Thank you so much, but I kind of don't know what you're talking about! And I agree, there is no one way to blog and everyone has to do what is right for them. I love "...the rest will follow" remark.
Oh my! I don't read fast either!! :D
Pam
My kids love your blog design. My oct baby especially liked it :)
I wish I could read fast, too! I hate picking up long books because I just know that it will take me forever to get to the next book. I usually read a few books at a time, which slows me down even more. *le sigh*
I love the Halloween design of your blog! It's freakishly cute!
I do get blogger envy, but I don't covet. It that makes sense. Like, I'm happy for other bloggers that have things I would like too, but I don't want to take away from them. I personally don't spend enough time on my blog, and I'm very reluctant to ask for books or interview authors, so I don't have anyone to blame but myself. I'm always striving to do better though!
I'm not a very fast reader, but I have more time to read than the average blogger. I can read at work- not all the time, but I usually get at least a good hour or two, and I only work part time. Plus I have a half hour commute to work, so that's an hour I get to listen to audio books. Kim is a super fast reader, and I do envy her ability.
I personally love your blog, and it's been a part of my book blogger life for a long time now. I've never noticed that you were a slow reader! :)
I wish I could give you (and Kate and whoever) some of my speed when it comes to reading. Cause I would totally share!
I will admit that when I first start blogging I was envious of all the books people got and wanted to be one of those bloggers someday, but now, not so much. That comes with responsiblity and having to read a book by a certain date and that's just not me. So I'm happy to just continue buying my own books so I can read what I want, when I want. (I feel guilty everytime I look at my book shelf and see all the BEA books that I have yet to read.)
Like you I totally envy other people's creativity. It pretty much takes me forever to come up with anything, and it's never as good as all these other things. Sigh.
Also, I love your design, it's totally you. And I love these pumpkins. :)
@Arianne-Glad I'm not alone.
@Julie-Tell your kids Thank you!
@Smash-I think you read fast. At least I never notice a huge lag in time between book reviews. I read a few books at a time too.
@Kate - I know exactly what you mean. I would never want to take something away from someone, I just wish I could do more. That is so cool you get to read at work. I can only read at lunch...when I'm not working through it!
@Kim-Thanks for sharing your super power! I don't like doing the whole reading for review either. I'm a commitment phobe and yes, I like to read what *I* want!
Yay! I was mentioned :) I actually got my name from someone I used to play Call of Duty with on Xbox haha. He made some comment about how girls are often really, really good at the game, and thus Pretty Deadly the Xbox username was born. So I then adapted it to my book site :)
I totally agree with you about the envy! I wish I was more disciplined and organized. And some bloggers read SO FAST. Like Christine from A Reader of Fictions has read like 250 books so far this year - maybe more!
And I freely admit that I turn a little green watching some book haul videos that mention some ARCs I really, desperately want. But I always remind myself that A) They work hard for those perks, and B) ARCs do become real books one day so I can always wait. I have plenty to read in the meantime.
Great response, I especially like how you tame the green eyed monster since it's sorta what I do. Sometimes you just have to sit back and do your own thing and stop worrying about what others do. Were each our own blog and what works for one might not be for us.
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