Day 7: Talk about your blogging quirks.
What constitutes a quirk, I wonder? I'm sure I have my own little eccentricities when it comes to blogging, but I don't know of any other way to do it so... I dunno.
- I blog sporadically. Sometimes I go for weeks without posting, and other times I write several posts at once, then schedule them to be published over a few days. I can't remember how many times I've come back from an accidental or planned hiatus with an apology for my absence, wondering vaguely if anyone's actually noticed I've been gone.
- I have a notebook with me at all times, as well as my reading book, so that I can jot down any thoughts as I have them, later to be written up in review form.
- I outline my reviews before writing them, trying to have at least three paragraphs: introduction and/or synopsis, details of the plot, themes, characters, etc. and then a conclusion. Perhaps this is left over from my English degree essay-planning.
- I like to photograph my book piles and shelves, though most of the pictures don't end up on the blog.
- I find it very difficult to give books star (or button) ratings, because sometimes my enjoyment of a book and my admiration of the writing are two very different matters. It's difficult to compare enjoyment of completely different books, anyway.
- I procrastinate a lot. If I'm struggling with a review, I tend to write a sentence, go on twitter, write another, catch up with Facebook, finish the paragraph, lose myself in a TvTropes tabsplosion... you get the gist. Part of my brain keeps ticking over while I'm distracted by mindless internetting. It seems to help...
I tend to be a sporadic blogger too. I really don't see anything wrong with that when you're working full time on the side, and I get a bit antsy when other bloggers imply that you're not 'doing it right' if you don't have a schedule of weekly posts. If your followers like what you write, it doesn't really matter!
ReplyDeleteI tend to have a notebook with me when I'm reading too, or maybe just a piece of paper slotted into the front of my book. Just SOMETHING handy to scribble things down if they occur to me. I also procrastinate JUST LIKE THAT, writing a couple of sentences then playing a game of Spider Solitaire or wandering across to Twitter. Sometimes it's the only way I can persuade myself to get it done!
You should totally put more book porn on here. If you're taking the photos, share 'em woman, give us all something to drool over of a morning! :)
I don't care whether other bloggers think I'm "doing it right" or not - there are no rules to blogging. I do feel guilty if I go for more than a couple of weeks without posting, though.
DeleteI've been considering putting a photo of my to-read pile in the sidebar of the blog, under the "currently" box. Just in case people are interested. (I love peeking at other people's book stashes so it seems only fair to return the favour.)
Exactly! Besides, sometimes it's the blogs with a strict schedule that end up doing loads of memes or cover reveals to fill their quota, which I tend to skip over anyway unless it's something like Top Ten Tuesday or a questionnaire that actually reveals something about the blogger behind it. I like to connect with the posts I'm reading! I do feel a bit guilty if I haven't posted for a while, but even then I'd rather do a 'here's what I've been up to' kind of post instead.
DeleteI SEE YOUR TO-READ PHOTO! *squees a tiny bit and goes up for a better look* You have the Secret Rowling book! And ZOMG I didn't realise Perdido Street Station was that big. Not ony to buy anytime soon, I don't think, not while my own pile's so big! And is that my copy of Necropolis I see near the bottom there? I'm totally stalking your shifting to-read pile now, you know that right? :)
I like some memes, (some Top Ten Tuesdays and this challenge) but they can make blogs a bit samey if overdone.
DeleteI've been planning to read Perdido Street Station for years now - can't even remember who told me to read it - but I've been a bit intimidated by the size of it. I read another Mieville and loved it, but it has to be the right time. That IS your Necropolis, and some of the other books from your shop are on the pile too. (Didn't realise a lot of them were originally yours. Was it your Blood and Chocolate?)