Let’s Talk Bookish is a weekly meme created by Rukky @Eternity Books and hosted by Aria @Book Nook Bits, and it’s where we get to discuss certain topics, share our opinions, and spread the love by visiting each other’s posts! If you want to join in the bookish discussion fun, check out the June 2022 prompts!
Now without further ado… The topic asks us about:
Have you ever considered quitting blogging?
(SUGGESTED BY KRISTIN @ LUKTEN AV TRYKKSVERTE)
Prompts: Have your reasons for blogging changed since you started? If so, what changes have you noticed? Have you ever taken a break from blogging, or thought about it? Have you ever thought about quitting blogging entirely? What stops you? What gives you motivation to keep blogging?
MY REASONS FOR BLOGGING HAVE CHANGED
Actually, yes, my reasons have changed since I first started. I’m sure I’ve mentioned it a time or twenty by now but I started my book community journey on Instagram and started a blog after seeing people comment on how important it is to have this platform to get ARCs. So, yes, although the reasoning is very simplified, I essentially started blogging to get ARCs, specifically from NetGalley. Did it work? It has in a way because I learned about blog tours and connected with indie authors but it didn’t work out in the way I expected—and the joke was on me as an international blogger! 😂 Since realising the limitations of being an international blogger in a non-western location, my reasons for blogging have definitely changed.
If I’m being honest, I think my reasons for blogging would’ve changed regardless because what I get most out of it is really the connections I make with other bloggers—doesn’t that sound cheesy AF? 😂 But seriously, it is mostly about connecting with others who share the same passion and interest, though I also blog to keep track of what I’m reading, to share my thoughts through reviews and other bookish posts (like these Let’s Talk Bookish posts!), and of course, to find out what everyone’s reading and to grow my never-ending TBR!😂
IT’S GOOD TO TAKE A BREAK… OR TWO!
That said, it’s always good to take a break… or two or more, even! I’ve taken one unexpectedly long 3-4 month break last year and another shorter break earlier this year. I didn’t take those breaks because I didn’t enjoy blogging anymore but I was feeling overwhelmed and unmotivated and my mental health was Not Great™️. I missed engaging and writing but taking that breather to do other things (like gaming) or even simply focusing on reading without worrying about writing reviews was exactly what I needed. If you do feel this way, or even if you don’t, know it’s 100% okay to take a break—the community will still be here whenever you decide to return! 😉
I WILL NEVER STOP… 🎶
(Does anyone else start singing that *NSYNC song whenever you think the words “I will never stop” or is it just me?)
Back to the question: have I ever thought about quitting blogging entirely? Nope, I haven’t and I mean, it’d be premature of me to say I’ll never stop (heh) since I don’t know what’s gonna happen in the future, but right now I still really enjoy blogging. I think it is easy to feel demotivated sometimes when you see others posting so much and so often, also, I don’t know about you but the imposter syndrome I feel a lot of the time is no fun, especially when other bloggers are posting such smart, interesting and original content. Still, at the end of the day, I’m mostly blogging for me but it’s the connections I make, all the new books I discover, all the amazing posts I read, and all the people who read my posts too, that motivate me to come back and keep doing this!
What about you, friends? Have your reasons for blogging changed? Have you ever taken a break or thought about quitting blogging? If you have thought about it but haven’t yet, what is the thing that’s motivating you to keep doing it?
dinipandareads 
dini, don’t you ever quit bc i’ll miss your posts too much, okay?
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aww, jordyn. thank you, you’re so sweet 🥰
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I stay for the connections as well. I have thought about quitting a few times but am staying for now. I think the longest break I took was a couple of weeks.
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I’m glad to hear you’ll be sticking around because I really enjoy your presence here and I love seeing your posts! 💜 I always plan to only take a couple of weeks or at most a month but sometimes it ends up being longer but I guess it’s needed when that happens!
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Aw, thank you! Same!
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I’ve honestly wanted to take a break a few times, but I can’t seem to stop. Lol. I tried a hiatus late last year, and I couldn’t stay away. I’ve thought about quitting because the imposter syndrome gets overwhelming at times and makes it all feel pointless. I’m still having a lot of fun, though, and I’ll be here as long as that lasts.
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I relate very well to the imposter syndrome thing! It’s hard to not question what I’m doing sometimes but at the end of the day, like you said, I’m still having a lot of fun and I do love how supportive this community is! Glad to hear you’ll be sticking around too 😃
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Great post, it’s so interesting reading about the reasons other people blog and I really hope you don’t quit anytime soon as I love your blog 💜💜
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Thanks so much, Michaela! You’re so sweet and I’m so glad we’ve connected through blogging 🥰
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You’re welcome, and I’m really glad as well 💜💜
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My reasons haven’t changed just have become more fine-tuned. I can’t imagine quitting blogging! Excellent post!
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Thanks, Tessa! 💜 Yeah, I mean, it’s not like I’ve stopped blogging for ARC access entirely cos I am still blogging for ARCs but that’s not my main priority anymore. (right now) I can’t imagine quitting blogging either!
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Well, I am happy you are here to blog. I love your reviews, and it’s always a pleasure interacting with you.
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Sam! 💜 I’m so glad that we’ve managed to connect through blogging as well because it’s always so fun interacting with you and I love your content so much!
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I don’t really think my reasons for blogging have changed – I started because I wanted to talk about books with people who loved them as much as I did and that’s still the case today. I have honestly though about quitting a few times – it can get kind of hard sometimes to get posts out on time, never feeling like you’re writing enough, reading the right books, not having the energy to read when in a slump, and so on and so on. But I’ve embraced the idea of taking breaks instead because I don’t think I could quit completely because I’d miss the connections and blog friends too much. So instead I try to take it easy and focus on the joy of blogging instead of those little stresses sometimes 🙂
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I love this and yes, that’s exactly it! I think this is something that all bloggers learn or accept once they’ve been blogging for a while. It’s so easy to get caught up in everything surrounding the blog and we end up putting such pressure on ourselves to keep churning out content and then being hard on ourselves when that doesn’t happen when or how we want. But we’re all in this because we love books and love talking about books and at the end of the day, blogging is a hobby, right? We should just do what feels good for us and if that’s taking breaks or not posting every day then that’s 100% okay! 😊 I’m so glad I’ve discovered your blog, Lindsey. Your content is always so fun and I love your aesthetic too!
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[…] Let’s Talk Bookish: Quitting Blogging […]
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