Let’s Talk Bookish is a weekly meme, hosted by Rukky @ Eternity Books & Dani @ Literary Lion, where we discuss certain topics, share our opinions, and spread the love by visiting each others’ posts.
This is something I think about every once in awhile! I started blogging in 2017, which sometimes feels like a lifetime ago. It is interesting to reflect on my reading before Kristin Kraves Books was even an idea and to see how much it has changed in that time, in large part because of this blog.
Has blogging affected your reading in a positive or negative way? If so, how?
I think that blogging has affected my reading in an overwhelmingly positive way, though I can’t ignore that there are negatives as well.
The Good
My reading is much more consistent now than it has ever been. I joined Goodreads in 2010, and I look back and there are some years where I read six books and others where I read 70. I think that committing to this blog has made me better able to fully intergrade reading into my life, which has been amazing!
Audiobooks! I don’t think I would have ever embraced audiobooks if it were not for this blog, and they have been a game changer for me. I love that I can now read while I am doing mindless activities like cooking or folding laundry. There is something special about listening to a really fantastic audiobook.
Over these last few years I have really come to understand my reading taste. It is much rarer these days for me to pick up a book that I hate! I am exposed to so many books and read so many reviews, that I can get a feel for what book will work for me and what one won’t.
I have also been pushed out of my comfort zone. I have always tried to read widely, but there were some genres I never read before blogging that I absolutely love now. Thrillers, horror, and fantasy instantly come to mind!
The Bad
There will always be that pressure to read hyped books, even when I know they won’t be for me. I have gotten better about not giving in to this, but even now with the release of A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J Maas, I do feel like I am missing out on the conversation. I have read one of her books and didn’t love it and just know I wouldn’t like the series, but it can feel like you are on the outside looking in and are missing out on all the excitement. The FOMO is real!
I think there can be a pressure to read and reading can feel like a competition because of blogging. I think it is important for me to acknowledge this and to fight against it. I never want reading to feel like a chore. It is the reason that I am really picky about the ARCs I accept because as soon as I am forced to read something, the experience isn’t enjoyable for me. That is not fair to me as the reader or to the book!
Do you think the pressures to produce content can result in a bad relationship with books?
I think it definitely can and I have seen a lot of friends stop blogging for this reason! I think as soon as this isn’t fun or the pressure to keep up and write posts negatively affects your views on books and readings, it is time to reevaluate whether blogging is the healthiest thing for you at this moment. I always say that I will continue blogging for as long as I love it and as long as it doesn’t affect my relationship with books.
How do you balance blogging and reading?
It can definitely be tricky, especially since I also have a bookstagram and a booktube channel. Another benefit of starting this blog is that it forced me to get more organized. I now plan out my blog posts ahead of time and always have a list of ideas. Writing posts doesn’t take me too long because I don’t think about it too much- it is more like a stream of consciousness for me. I also don’t like to plan my reading too much- again I don’t want it to feel like a chore. I simply read whenever I am in the mood or whenever I can squeeze it in. Also- audiobooks!
Do you think you would have started blogging if it weren’t for books?
I don’t think so! I am not sure what else I would blog about, especially for this many years. When I started this blog, I was worried that I would run out of content ideas, but there are new books coming out every week and there are so many things to talk about. I am always inspired by the books that I read and by this community!
I really love this week’s topic! It was interesting to reflect on my time blogging? Do you feel like being part of the book community has affected your reading in any way?
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I enjoyed getting your perspective, Kristin💜 So much of your experience relates to my own circumstances. It’s a constant struggle not to let the pressures of ARCs and blog tours affect my joy of reading for pleasure.
Great post!
Right!? I always appreciate ARCs but I know my limit with them now, which has been so much better for my reading life.
i love this! i haven’t been blogging long but i’ve been apart of book twitter & bookstagram for a while so i can agree with these. especially the feeling like i need to read the hyped books but i’ve been staying away from that since last year. it also helps that i try to not stress over posting so the enjoyment isn’t taken away <3
Ignoring the hype really has been wonderful for me! Of course there are hyped books that I know I will love and do read!
That is such a great point. I don’t want the fun to be taken out of reading or blogging!
Great post as usual, Kristin. I completely relate to the FOMO of books that “everyone” seems to love. It’s inevitable that not every reader will enjoy the same book, so I think it’s okay to be on that side of the fence! That’s what makes the whole community so awesome and diverse, but yeah, I totally get the pressures of a) having to read certain books, and b) having to like certain books.
Check out my own response here:
https://downtherabbitholeblog.com/2021/02/26/lets-talk-bookish-how-has-blogging-affected-your-reading/
Thank you! I completely agree- the fact that everyone has such different reading tastes is what makes the community so interesting.
The FOMO is real haha!
(www.evelynreads.com)
Love this. I think blogging has enhanced my reading as I’m reading books I probably would never had. But! That does have a negative affect in that my tbr is huge, I spend loads of money on books that are just sat there and I have a panic about how many books I have to read on a monthly basis!!!
I used to LOVE listening to audiobooks. I would listen to them when I would commute to work. Now, my commute is only 10 mintues! I wish I could work and listen at the same time but it’s hard for me to do both. I also couldn’t annotate what I’m reading…which is something I abosultely have to do if I want to remember anything haha!
I think so many people have stopped listening to audiobooks because they don’t commute anymore. That makes complete sense!
Hello. When I started blogging I’d never really read a poem. Now I can’t get enough of them!
Ah I love that!
Thanks!
The FOMO is so real with hyped books!! I end up getting the books sometimes too and then never reading them because if not for the hype, I wouldn’t have actual bought it. It can be so difficult to let it slide though.
I totally feel this!
Totally agree about blogging giving you more consistent reading habits: having a blog reminds me I enjoy reading, actually, so I’m far less likely to forget to do it!
It’s impressive that you have three whole different blogging platforms, however. Even one of them would take a lot of work!
It does take a lot of planning but I really love it!
It is funny how I started blogging because I love reading, but the blog has made me love it even more.
Thank you for sharing this! I used to feel like reading was a chore but after I pushed myself to read more i find it a lot more enjoyable. I never got into audiobooks just because i would get easily distracted, but I’m thinking that I might just give it a try
It took me awhile to get into audiobooks! I think it really is about finding the right genre. Thrillers work great on audio!
i love this post ! it was super insightful!
I’m so glad!!
I struggle with balancing reading and blogging. I want to do both equally but find that I can’t do them both simultaneously. I have ‘blog spurt’ then a ‘reading spurt’.
I totally relate to that! It really depends on my mood and there is only so much time in the day!
I love this reflection! The pressure that comes with blogging really hits home – I think it’s the reason I’ve had so many hiatuses.
On the positive side, reviewing has definitely made me a more critical reader!