Monday 20 July 2015

Do You Spend More Time Reading, or Blogging?

When I first embarked on my blogging journey, I never for one moment consider just how much time, effort, dedication and general energy it would require, and I know for a fact I'm not the only person who learnt this lesson the hard way. Now, 2 years later and a change of direction under my belt, I can see how, as a book blogger, the actual blogging aspect sometimes took up a lot more of my time than the actual reading did. Crazy right? This new look from outside the box really became evident when putting together my June Community Wrap-Up collection; there were plenty of book bloggers featured in the collection, and yet so so many of them had written posts on blogging rather than books. It got me thinking:


Here's a task for you book bloggers: take a look through your own blog, and have a good long scroll. If you took away all your reviews and were left with the rest of your content, what would you have more of: book related posts, or blogging? There's an big chance you actually blog more about blogging than you think.

It's really to be expected when you consider what it is you actually do. Sure, you might read a book or two a day, and that's impressive, don't let anyone tell you otherwise, but while you might spend 2-3 hours reading, how much time do you spend brain-storming ideas, thinking about your blog and the content you want to put out there. How much time do you dedicate to maintaining your blog, how it functions, it's design, replying to comments, staying social and being in the know, even visiting other bloggers; they're all blogging related actions, and you don't even know you're doing it.

Earlier this year, I gave myself the task of not doing anything book or blog related for 24 hours, and as tough as that sounds, I succeeded, and the results where not only eye-opening, but proved that I spent more time thinking about blogging than I did reading, and how much the time of day made a different too.


During the challenge, I noted that I only actually got the urge to read 20 times during the whole 24 hour period, yet, in contrast, I wanted to and thought about blogging a total of 224 times. Sure, I thought about specific books and had other books on my mind around 60 times during the day, but blogging was constantly at the forefront of my mind, whether that was through wanting to write posts, edit posts, check on my blog, find inspiration, or cover general maintenance. The worst part of the experience wasn't that I didn't have my books, or that I hadn't read anything, but that I had abandoned my blog and the duties that came with it.

As a book blogger, it's easy to believe that you think about books, deal with books, read more and do more book related things than you do blogging, but the truth is, you more than likely don't. It's ironic to think that as book bloggers, you pride yourself on being all about books, when really, you're a blogger, just like the rest of us, and no matter your love for them, your time is spent on blogging a lot more.

What do you spend more time on: reading or blogging?

34 comments:

  1. Anonymous20 July, 2015

    Oh, this is a curious discussion. I think for me I talk more about books than blogging. I'm also a writer--so there are a fair amount of writing-related posts there too. Looking through my blog, I don't actually have that many posts on blogging. I think my main reason for that is that I don't consider myself a very "good" blogger--even though I've been blogging for a couple of years now--and I'm rather afraid of talking about it as I'm worried I'll say something...wrong? Not sure if that makes sense, but I think that I'm just more comfortable talking about reading and writing. Now that you mentioned it though--I have had some blogging-related posts floating around my mind. Only now I need the courage to write and post them . . . ;)

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    1. I think for some book bloggers, there's a lot more books involved, especially those that actively write too, which doesn't surprise me, and fans of yours clearly love that you do that, so stick with that! There's always people interested in what you have to say, it doesn't matter how long or what kind of blogger you are, there's always advice you can give, you should do just that! :)

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  2. Ooh this is very interesting! I think I read more than I blog... but I can't be too sure. I mean, I spend a lot of time just replying to blog comments and sometimes it takes me forever to write up posts, but on the other hand I read a lot too.

    Great post, Amanda <33

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    1. It's not a major important thing, it's just something you can definitely think about, you know? :)

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  3. I definitely blog more than I read! I just really love it though, thinking of new ideas, drafting posts, commenting on others blogs. Thankfully us book bloggers seem to read fast enough to keep sustaining our hobby hehe! Really interesting post Amanda!

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    1. I'm the same Jeann. I've been struggling with my reading lately, and while it's improving, blogging has been what I wanted to do, so I've done just that. Thanks lovely! :)

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  4. I think I am at a balance right now. But before it had very much been blog over reading. It consumed so much time. And I am sure it will begin to again now that I am getting back into the swing of things!!! :)

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    1. Striking the balance between the two is sometimes so difficult, but I'm pleased you are! :)

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  5. Anonymous20 July, 2015

    As much as I love to read a book and book about book blogging, I love to blog about lifestyle blogging in general a whole lot more. However book reviews are just easier to write, although to be honest, I don't like reading book reviews which can lead to quite a conundrum...

    Jord @ Jordon's Travels

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    1. I think you should blog what you love to read, but that's a topic for another day.. It's interesting that different bloggers feel differently than others, thanks for your opinion Jordan :)

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  6. Ohh, this is such an interesting topic. LEMME GO ANALYSE MY BLOG.
    *scrolls through blog*
    Omg, I'm sorry Amanda. I'M SORRRRRY. I fail. I always blog about books. xD I blog about big books or disagreeing on books or food in books or if books were pizza. It's all about t hem book over on my blog.
    However. YES. I do think about blogging sooo much. Like I literally don't ever have a conversation where I don't momentarily pause and think "Oh, would that make a good post?" And often I spend hours more answering comments and reading blogs and tweeting about it than I do reading. (Although, tbh, I think USUALLY it's pretty equally split.)
    I totally have no problem with thinking so much about my blog, sometimes more than books. XD My blog is ma baby. Although I'm going to kind of analyse myself over the next few days and see if I gravitate more to blogging than reading. LOVE THIS POST.

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    1. It's funny actually, because if there was ever a blog I knew that talked about books, books and more books and was exactly what I'd call a 'book blogger', it'd be you Cait, and I hoped you'd read this and prove to be one of few that do blog more books than blogging! You've definitely not failed me at all, but I'm so pleased you liked this post! :)

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  7. Hmm...interesting discussion! I think I definitely blog more than I read and most of the time I'm blogging about things other than books. That had a lot to do with my decision to re-invent my blog. I used to be a straight-up book blogger, but now I incorporate other things as well. It's a lot more fun and interesting for me, but I find it does take away from reading. But I love blogging...most of the time. There are times, too, when I just don't feel like blogging and this tends to come in spurts (sometimes lasting a whole week!). Anyway, I think your assessment is accurate and most bloggers would be this way. The blogging and the brainstorming take up a lot of time!

    Sam @ Sharing Inspired Kreations

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    1. I'm quite the same Sam, I was very much a book review blog and shared memes and features - now I just want to share what I know (as long as it's useful mind) and help other bloggers achieve the best they can, you know? I think if you don't fancy blogging, you shouldn't force it - have a few posts in reserve! Thank you! :)

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  8. Lately I haven't spent a lot of time on either LOL.

    I get what you mean about how blogging can be more prominent a thing than reading, but personally, I feel like my blogging and reading life are so entwined that if I'm not doing one then I don't tend to do the other and if I'm really gun-ho about one then the other follows. I haven't been blogging lately because I haven't really been reading lately, but just yesterday for the first time in forever I finished a book in a day and loved it . . . and then I wrote a blog post.

    It's odd, but it's like the more I read the more I want to blog and the less I read the less I can be bothered to blog. Even though not all of my posts are reviews, there's still that thread between them

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    1. It's great to see you back Allie, what a while it's been! I guess for you, it's a scratching back method, you read, you blog, you don't read, you don't blog, and I can understand that completely. I think it's probably a motivation thing, what keeps you going back, or not going to your blog, and if that's books, then that's great! :)

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  9. Ooh this is very interesting! Love this :)

    I took a hiatus but even then, I'm still drafting posts - I'm just not scheduling anything so I agree. For me, it's a lot easier to blog than read. When I blog, I feel like I express my opinions while when I'm reading books, I'm more listening. That's why book blogging is awesome. it's listening to a story and then being able to talk about your thoughts.

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    1. Thanks Nova, I'm so pleased at how well this has gone down, it's amazed me! I'm the same, I enjoy expressing, I enjoy sharing and I enjoy being in the community, no matter what community it is - reading takes me out of it, makes me less social and feels like when I'm reviewing, I'm talking to a brick wall, you know? I think that's a great way to think about it though, I might keep hold of that last part ;)

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  10. Well I am a blogger and not just a book blogger... books are only one of many things I post about, but I probably do spend more time reading blogs and blogging than reading novels...... maybe, but I don't blog every day only about 2-3 times a week, but I do read every day and sit staring at my books on my shelf and walk around listening to audio books... So I don't know....

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    1. Sometimes they feel as though they can blend into one another too, which makes it difficult to know what it is you actually want to do - blog or read. Just always make sure you're happy with the balance :)

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  11. I agree with this completely. While the blogging IS book focused, I am absolutely thinking more about the actual blogging than the book. Because I really only think about books right before, during, and after reading. Otherwise, I may be thinking about the book, but more in a "how shall I phrase this review?" context. So yeah, I think you nailed it. This is really thought provoking!!
    Shannon @ It Starts At Midnight

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    1. I'm the same Shannon, there's a level of 'how to format the review' and 'what to say', 'how to word it', and 'is this something I want to review' and while it's book related, it's still very much blogging, no matter how you see it. I'm so pleased you enjoyed thinking about it all, job well done for me! :)

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  12. LOVE this topic so much. Like you, I never, ever anticipated blogging would take up so much of my time. I spend hours on it doing all the things you listed and I'm still nowhere near doing the amount of stuff I want to be doing with the blog. So I definitely think I spend more time blogging although we do have more reviews than other sorts of posts, but I think that's because we don't get ideas for discussion posts very often haha.

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    1. Inspiration can come from anywhere Alise, it's all about using what comes to you I think - I do that a lot personally, and it seems to work, so just share what you want to share! Blogging is subjective, you probably do a lot more than other bloggers, and you shouldn't compare, remember, if it's a hobby, keep it that way, okay?

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  13. This gives some food for thought. On initial evaluation I would say I spend a higher percentage of my time reading. Less time blogging. I am new to the scene so maybe that will change... I will have to see... Your challenge was very interesting. The results are curious!

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    1. Thanks lovely! It's so interesting to see how many bloggers are split on either side, and it's interesting to see the response people have given too - we're all so different in the community, yet doing a lot of the same things! I'm sure you'll find your right spot blogging soon, best of luck! :)

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  14. Anonymous26 July, 2015

    Interesting discussion! I usually blog solely about books, but then, I am very new at this - it's highly possible I will deviate from just doing review and book discussions as I have more time to relax into the blogging world.

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    1. I think that does tend to happen - once you find your spot in the community, your comfy share with a good view, you explore and see what you can and what you know. Don't be afraid to share what others don't, it might be what makes you stand out! :)

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  15. I have really been thinking about this lately. I definitely spend significantly more time blogging and doing blog-related stuff, like maintaining social media accounts and commenting, than I spend reading. I feel like I can either have a really nice blog with a good following and relevant content, or a decent reading life. Recently, my reading patterns have become more sporadic and unreliable while the time I have spend blogging has dramatically increased. I get through maybe three books a week even though it is the summer and I have all the time I want. Most of my hours are spent writing, commenting, and interacting with my blog.
    By the way, I think of blogging WAY more often than I think about reading.
    Great discussion! Now that I understand more about my blogging habits, I am going to try and cut them down so I can focus more on the original focus of my blog--books.
    Tessa @ Crazy for YA

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    1. I feel quite the same sometimes Tessa. Although I'm not a book blogger any longer, I have noticed my reading taking a hit, and I don't feel bad for it, but sometimes I wish I could read more, you know? Really pleased you enjoyed checking this out Tessa, and that it's making you make changes! :)

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  16. Lately I've been reading more than blogging. But I think I go through phases... there are times I blog more than read and then I feel guilty about that.

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    1. I think it's about what feels right at the time, so if it works for you, do it Chrystal :)

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  17. I run two blogs, so I definitely spend more time blogging than reading. I don't blog about blogging as much as I share other posts about blogging. Great topic!

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    1. Wow, that's a lot to do Julie! Thanks for visiting and checking it out! :)

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