In case you didn’t know this, I am kind of an anxious mess. A lot of things related to book blogging makes me feel stressed out and I have a lot of insecurities I’m still trying to overcome, even after 6 years of blogging.
That’s the thing, when you have a brain like mine: no matter how long you’ve been doing something, no matter how you might feel like you’re getting better at it or something… there’s always this little voice telling you to do better and to be better.
I’ve been, as long as I’ve been blogging, trying to make a point of being honest with my blogging experience, so… I don’t want to stop there. Even if it means I need to bare my soul to you all and talk about what makes me feel insecure. Shudders.
It’s weird. I’ve been feeling inadequate with blogging lately. I’m not sure if it’s because my life’s been up and down and I’ve been struggling with managing my time with it all. I’ve been feeling a little remote from the book blogging community lately and this brought up some tiny, annoying sentences turning round and round in my head again.
So, here goes.
My book blogging insecurities
I don’t read enough (quantity-wise)
I know. Everyone has their own reading rhythm and I shouldn’t compare my pace to others. I’m trying not to, but it’s tough, especially around that time of the year where people are looking back, setting goals again for the new year and just imagining how much they can read.
Important note : I also know that not everyone has the same life, schedule and reading capacity, which obviously impacts the amount of books everyone reads. NO JUDGMENT HERE AT ALL.
Staring at my Goodreads Challenge a couple weeks ago, I realized I managed to read over 70 books in the past couple of years. This incredible amount, to me, has lowered in the past year and it makes me feel a little sad.
Sometimes, it also makes me feel inadequate as a book blogger. I mean… to be a proper book blogger, you need to recommend books. To write book reviews (though that one isn’t necessarily true, is it?). To scream about books. How can you scream about books when you don’t read a lot of them? Should I read more? Should I stop sleeping??
I know that the amount of books you read does not determine your worth as a book blogger. I do. Sometimes, my mind refuses to compute that idea.
I’m not on social media enough
Book blogging has changed. A lot of things isn’t happening on good old book blogs, meaning websites where people post long blog posts with book recommendations and long rants like this one.
A lot of things IS still happening on book blogs, but they’re not the only place to be. You have to be on social media, too.
Yes. I’m talking about bookstagram, which seems to be the place to be at the moment for book influencers. I’m talking a little bit about twitter, too, where a lot of authors and bloggers alike are sharing a lot of recommendations, book news and more.
Today, if you’re not on social media as a book blogger (or any blogger, for that matter), you’re clearly going to be missing out.
I feel like I am missing out. I am both on twitter and bookstagram, but my presence on both social media is sporadic at best. I feel like I should tweet more, I should post more pictures on bookstagram, as well, but I’m struggling with it. It feels so much more stressful and draining to spend time on social media than here, writing my thoughts in an endless blog post.
So… should I try social media more or not? Is it detrimental to my book blogger’s identity that I’m not on there more, speaking more, doing more? I can’t help but ask myself that very question.
I don’t interact enough
Ouch. This is a big one for me. I used to be big on blog hopping, I used to spend so much time, so many hours every single day (yes, day!) reading blog posts and posting comments and chatting with other bloggers on their blogs.
I loved it so much. It was draining and, ultimately, made me feel a little burned out, but I loved supporting my fellow book bloggers.
Reasonably, I can’t do things the way I used to 6 years ago when I first started. My life isn’t the same, my motivation isn’t the same, my vision for this blog and my own personal goals aren’t the same, either.
Yet, I can’t help but feel like I’m not doing enough. I want to support book bloggers to the best of my ability, but sometimes, it’s tough.
My content isn’t good enough
I’m a perfectionist, okay. My content has grown so much in the past few years and, with it, my perfectionism too, in a way.
Where I spent a couple hours brainstorming, writing and publishing a blog post, I now spend a couple of extra DAYS on it all. Not a typo.
Despite it all, my eyes wander and play the comparison game a little too much for my taste. My brain plays these tricks on me, wondering if I should have displayed this post differently, if I should have posted on a different topic, if I should talk about my insecurities at all.
The absolute worse thing is book reviews. Book reviews are terrifying. I love writing them, I love talking about books and yet, I can’t help but wonder:
Am I giving this book I adore enough justice with my tiny words? Am I able to pass through my feelings about this story with this review? Should I like, maybe, write reviews with long paragraphs instead of bullet points?
Should I do everything differently or stay the same?
I don’t treat blogging like a job
Book blogging isn’t my job, yet I’m spending a considerable amount of my free time on it.
Because I love it, of course. So obviously, the question of actually treating it like a job and trying to earn something from it has crossed my mind. I mean, you can’t honestly say making a living out of your passion isn’t something that has crossed your mind, one day.
It certainly has in mine. Sometimes, I think that I don’t treat blogging like a job enough and I should. Maybe it would make me feel better about the time I spend on here, maybe it would give it more worth. Since, you know, book bloggers’ worth is valued close to like, nothing.
Sometimes, I also feel like I treat blogging too much like a job and forget to have fun with it and actually enjoy myself. I’m always racing to get that blog post scheduled on time. Racing to answer to these comments because people will hate me if I ignore them. Always wanting, needing to do more and more every single day.
☂️ Related blog post: Why I believe book bloggers should get paid
How the hell do I get over these blogging insecurities?
If I think about it, I could take care of every single one of my insecurities by doing more. Reading more, interacting more, being on social media more.
I personally, can’t do more of these things without quitting my day job or finding a way to, like, not sleep, ever.
Instead of turning into a zombie, I do my best to give myself these 3 advice:
Stop comparing yourself to others
Give yourself some slack
Remember why you’re here
I’ve always been a little too prone to comparison and, if you ask me, I think we all get a little too much like that lately. With social media, with blogging, with everthing, we can’t help but compare our lives and what we do with others. Something shared online isn’t the whole story. And what if some people are reading more or are more on social media? Everyone’s different, everyone’s on their journey, everyone’s doing things are their pace. I’m on my path at the pace I can manage. The one that makes me happy (and is good for my mental health).
If you ask me about self-care and giving myself a little gold medal for something, anything, I’m… just not here. I think, when it comes to finding your content good enough, it’s good to give ourselves some slack. Being a perfectionist is complicated, but we can’t make anything perfect anyway. All we can do is our best.
Most of it all, I’m always, always trying, when I feel insecure, to remember why I’m here. Why I love blogging even when it makes me nervous or mad. or feel burned out. I love the books. I love my little corner of the internet I work so hard for. I love talking to you all even when I don’t have as much time as I’d like to.
I might feel insecure every now and then, but I’m happy to be blogging, too and that’s the feeling I want to hang onto.
☂️ You might also be interested in: 6 years of book blogging: a look back and forward
📌 Pin 5 book blogging insecurities I have and how I get over them on Pinterest!
Do you have some of the same felings I do about blogging sometimes? What do you do when you’re feeling insecure about your book blog and your place in the community? I’d love to know your thoughts and advice in comments!
Twitter ☂️ Bookstagram ☂️Goodreads ☂️ Bloglovin’ ☂️ Support the blog
tasya @ the literary huntress says
Oh wow, all of these points hit me on all the right spots! Last year I read 80 books, the highest I’ve ever read, but I see that others read 100 or even 500 books a year. Does that made me a bad blogger because I didn’t read as much as others? I am also not on social media, didn’t really have a rigid posting or replying to comments because as much as I love blogging, I didn’t treat it as a job. Does that made me a bad blogger because I am not treating it serious enough and does that say something about my characters?? Idk haha these are all so real!
drizzleandhurricanebooks says
Oh good I’m just so happy you feel the same way about it all I feel less alone 😭😭 I am asking myself these very same questions, like does this make me “less” of a book blogger? Obviously, it does not, but some days my brain just refuse to understand that. 😭
Tiffany Giovino says
I feel all of this. I constantly feel like my blog isn’t good enough. I get so excited about blogging and once I don’t get any interactions on my posts, I feel like it’s not good enough :/
Read With Tiffany
drizzleandhurricanebooks says
Oh I’m glad (but also sad😭) that you can relate to this! I’m always having these moments of doubt, but then I remind myself of why I’m here and why I love doing what I do. Interaction is so inconsistent and sometimes some things will work out, others won’t and you can’t even predict it rightly. All you can do is your very best and do what you love, that’s the most important! <3
Aj @ Read All The Things! says
I’m insecure about bookstagram too. I’ve tried so hard to get into it, and I just can’t. I’m not a good photographer, and I’m not interested in looking at photos of books. I do love blog hopping, though. I do it pretty much every morning before work.
drizzleandhurricanebooks says
I understand that. My presence there is so inconsistent because I can’t keep up with everything and am usure of how I feel about it ahah. I admire that you blog hop almost every day, wow! I used to, too, but can’t manage to do that anymore 😭
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts!
thewanderingempath says
I think these are not only good for blogging, but I think I can apply them to my day-to-day life. This may have been your intention from the start, but I really just think I am much to hard on myself all of the time. I enjoyed reading this. It was a nice reminder.
drizzleandhurricanebooks says
Oh thank you! It can indeed be applied to every day life I guess! I’m so happy this could be helpful 😀
Sophie @ Me & Ink says
aww.. Marie I really loved this post (and it just proves that your content is amazing). I think it is really important and healthy to talk about insecurities and I feel like I’ve definitely had all of these ones too. In fact I never intended to be a book blogger purely because I felt like I didn’t read enough, I kind of just fell into it and realised I only talked about books, haha. Obviously reading lots of books can help with blogging as you can talk about more books, but I think there is a lot more to blogging and you can have plenty to say even if you don’t read loads.
Social media is probably one of my weakest points as a blogger because I don’t use it that often, like I deleted twitter. I do enjoy instagram but I really struggle to maintain using it, I just pop in every week or two weeks. Sometimes I think I should try and improve on it but then I know I wouldn’t enjoy it so I’m trying to focus on that.
I can definitely feel like my content isn’t as good as everyone else and it can really spiral how you feel about blogging at times but you need to remind yourselves to stop comparing and remember no one else can do your content, because it’s yours (but it is hard to remember, I agree)
Thank you so much for sharing this post. I know how hard it can be to talk about insecurities but I definitely really appreciated it. And, of course, I think your blog and what you do for the community is ah-mazing . I sending you all best wishes and appreciation because you deserve it and always remember to look after yourself as well!! 💕💕
drizzleandhurricanebooks says
Oh Sophie you’re going to make me cry 😭 thank you 😭 I’m so glad I’m not the only one being insecure about reading books. I mean, we all have our rhythm, obviously, but sometimes I feel like I should read more and more and it can be a bit frustrating.
I’m so glad you’re focusing on what you enjoy! I’m the same way, I feel like I should DO more on social media because it seems like an important thing, for some reason, but… I don’t often find myself actually enjoying it? So I don’t want to force myself and this makes my presence so inconsistent 😂
Thank you so, so, so much for your sweet words and comment. You’re one of my favorite bloggers and I adore your content <3
Sophie @ Me & Ink says
thank youuu so much !! 😭💕🥰😭💕🥰
Fayth Brady says
I have very similar insecurities. I’ve only been book blogging for 2 years but I feel invisible in the community. I try hard with my posts but don’t really get any engagement and I feel like the ‘Mum’ on social media trying to get in with the cool kids which is awful for my mental health.
I enjoy reading your posts but hardly comment as I don’t think of much to say.
drizzleandhurricanebooks says
Oh thank you! I’m glad that you enjoy my post and please know that even if you don’t comment at all, I appreciate you reading anything I write, so thank you so much for that and for your support! 🥺
I’m sorry to hear you’ve been feeling the same way. It’s tough to get engagement and it comes and goes, too. I feel like it’s important to put yourself out there and, most of it all, to find bloggers on the blogosphere with the same interests as you so you can create lovely connections. And if social media doesn’t suit you, stay away from it and take care of your mental health first and always, that’s what matters the most 🙂
confessionsofayareader says
I feel a few of these. A lot. Great post!
drizzleandhurricanebooks says
Thank you so, so much! I’m glad I’m not alone <3
confessionsofayareader says
You’re welcome.
Jennifer says
So much of this rings true, for many people I’m sure. The social media thing hits for me especially. I try to remember that my goal in starting my book blog was to have a place for me to talk, and if people were interested and wanted to join the discussion, that’s the dream! But ultimately, I’m doing this for myself. Whether there are zero people following along or ten thousand, I’m happy. And social media is way too much work for me and just isn’t my thing. Don’t push it, you know? Love hearing about your thoughts. I’m sure we all have shades of them our own.
drizzleandhurricanebooks says
This comment is everything, thank you 💛 this is such a good reminder, yes, that ultimately I am doing this for myself, too. I wanted to talk about books and it’s so wonderful to be able to share this with others, too, but it’s already great to do that for ourselves. And 200% agree! I need to remind myself NOT to push it (because I tend to) and to just do what works best for me.
Thank you so, so much for your sweet comment, Jennifer! 💛
Rukky @ Eternity Books says
Oh Marie ✨❤ I’m glad you shared this and pointed out that blogging isn’t rosy and happy all the time. There’s so many feelings and things going on behind the scenes.
I also have these periods of self-doubt where I even wonder if I should bother with my blog anymore (last night was one of those). There’s so many things I regret with becoming a book blogger, and even with discovering this online bookish community, but so many things I’ve come to love and appreciate as well. I also worry that my content is awful, or very mediocre. I hate the fact that all the kinds of posts I want to do require so much time and effort, and that my motivation comes in short bursts, usually when I’m stuck in a load of schoolwork and can’t actually work on it. I also passed 500 followers a month ago, and I wonder at times if I even deserve to have that many. I wonder why they would bother to follow me. Especially with how awful of a blogger I’ve been since the summer of last year.
It’s really annoying when these thoughts kind of take over and just make me disappointed in my own hard work. I worked hard to be where I am today, and sure, maybe I’m in a blogging rut at the moment, but that doesn’t mean I have to let that be the end of something that brings me joy 99% of the time. Sure, I have regrets, there are things I wish I could change, but I have to let go of those and move on. Otherwise I’ll be stuck feeling ashamed of myself for the rest of my life.
Anyway, the advice you gave is so important, and I hope it helps you feel less anxious and insecure. Try to remember as well that sometimes, being messy and less than perfect can be a lot better than trying to make things perfect all the time. People won’t mind if you don’t spend as much time formatting and editing your posts. It’s your voice and what you’re saying that truly matters.
Wonderful post Marie 💕
drizzleandhurricanebooks says
Oh thank you so, so much for your sweet comment, this means the world. I’m happy you shared a little bit of your feelings with me and I completely get where you’re coming from: it’s so hard not to doubt yourself and just wonder about every little thing. You’ve worked so hard to be where you are and if people are following you, it means they are genuinely enjoying your voice and hearing what you have to say, so it’s a good reminder always! <3
Thank you so, so much for sharing your thoughts and I hope you will be able to deal with these anxious thoughts, as well <3
Maddy says
My biggest blogging insecurity is my grammar. I always quest weather r nt it feels like a 12 year old wrote it.
drizzleandhurricanebooks says
Oh no don’t worry too much about this! Writing blog posts, finding your voice and everything comes with a lot of time and practice. As for the grammar, you can always check with Grammarly or another tool to be certain that you are not making mistakes! 🙂
Maddy says
True!!
Clemence says
I feel very represented by this post… i’m always thinking i’m not readong enough and i’m not interesting enough and all, but you know what i tell myself? I know i want to people to read what i have to say but most importantly i want to be able to say it. So i don’t mind being “less” because that’s who i am and if you like me it’s fine and if you don’t it is also fine.
Great post by the way! Very insightful!!
drizzleandhurricanebooks says
I love what you’re saying here and completely agree, we should be ourselves and happy with what we do most of it all 🙂 Thank you so much! <3
Kayla @ The Book Loving Beaut says
This was such an amazing post! Everything you said I was like “wow I feel like this too” I’m always trying to be active on Twitter and Instagram but usually I get distracted. So all of your insecurities are very valid! It’s hard to know when to draw the line and stop comparing yourself to others. But your blog is absolutely amazing 🤩 ! All of your posts are always fantastic and I love them so much! Keep on blogging and do what is best for u and ur mental health.
drizzleandhurricanebooks says
Oh thank you so much, you’re so sweet 🥺🥺 I’m happy to know I’m not alone, it’s tough to stop comparing ourselves to others, but we can do our best to try! <3
Books Teacup and Reviews says
Great post! I wouldn’t say not taking blog as job is bad thing. I think most of us consider it as hobby as we don’t really get anything I mean as a payment not in books to consider it a job. We all do it out of love for books. My insecurities are not writing discussion posts or any creative posts. I focus more on reading and reviewing and all my time go in that. Slow stats and low number definitely another thing I worry about time to time.
drizzleandhurricanebooks says
We do it all for the love of books, that’s for sure 🙂 and everyone has their preferences when it comes to posts, some like to write reviews and others avoid them. Do what you love the most! 🙂
Pippin Corbet says
Oh I resonate with all of these! I second guess every little thing on my blog and it is so tiring. It’s nice to know I’m not alone in that feeling, although I’m sorry you feel like it too. You’re last three points are so true… we’re all unique, we’re all learning and improving with each post we publish, and we’re all here because we enjoy writing about the things we love – all great reasons to blog! Great post!
drizzleandhurricanebooks says
I’m glad you could relate to this post as well! You’re right, it’s important to remember why we love it always. Thank you! 😀
CJR The Brit says
All relevant worries and something I think every blogger feels. I have doubts all the time, my content is crap, Im not present on social media as much as x person is and it goes on and on doesn’t it!!! My friend (who is so laid back and I’m jealous!!) tells me I am one person. 1 person with a life and to just blog for me when I have wobbles. She is so right (but I take notice of that for a couple of months and then wobbles again!!!!!)
drizzleandhurricanebooks says
Your friend is so right! I get it though, it’s tough to always keep that in mind and doubt comes creeping back in every now and then, ahah. It’s good to have friends surrounding you reminding you of it all every now and then 🙂
CJR The Brit says
❤❤
Carol says
1 thank you for sharing!
2 I also have insecurities in many of the areas you mention…..I’m never going to do cute videos in my IG stories! It makes me feel inadequate and like I can’t compete with other bookstagrammers.
3 I also suffer over my reviews!
4 I could never be the blogger I am now while I worked. Kudos to you for managing a job and your blog! I’m retired so I’m able to read more, blog more, blog hop more, comment more…..
5 I think you’re doing all you can do and you’re doing great! I always enjoy reading your posts! I enjoy your honesty and transparency.
6 life has seasons and your reading life and blogging life will have seasons, too.
7 have a great day!!!!😘🤗
drizzleandhurricanebooks says
Oh thank you so much, I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed this post, I was so nervous about it. Being transparent can be a bit scary ahha. Thank you so, so much <3 <3
The Sassy Library Fox says
I definitely have the same insecurities when it comes to “I’m not on social media enough” and “I don’t interact enough”. I don’t even have a Bookstagram and some days I feel bad about it but quite honestly I wouldn’t even know what to do on Bookstagram. *lol* I try to blog hop as best as I can but my time to read other blogs is limited and sometimes all I can do is to click that like button after reading a review or blog post. Still, I try my best to be active and I can only hope it will be enough. We’re all here because we love to talk about books and I’m pretty sure we all have similar struggles. I’m just happy to have my little corner in the internet and I’ll always write about what brings me joy. I hope that others will find at least a little bit of happiness through my blog as well. =)
drizzleandhurricanebooks says
I’m glad I’m not the only one! It makes sense not to jump into something when you feel like it’s not right for you, but sometimes it’s… almost stressful NOT to do it, because it feels like everyone else is ahah.
You’re so right: all we can do is our best and talk about what makes us happy and brings us joy 😀
Thank you so, so much for your sweet comment <3
Between Pages says
I am only 4 months into blogging and believe me I have felt every single one of those. I especially tend to compare myself with bloggers who have been around for years and have to pull myself together and remind myself why I am here haha 🙂 The best way I deal with this is, just keep doing my best, post only my best content and not get disheartened (this is the hardest bit) when I don’t see a lot of engagement 🙂
P.S. I love your Blog 🙂
drizzleandhurricanebooks says
Oh I can certainly understand that, the comparison never stops, whether you’ve been blogging for years or months or days, ahah, I wish it did. We are all on our own journey though and it’s good to remind ourseleves of that 🙂
Thank you so, so much for your sweet comment! 🥺🥺
Between Pages says
Yes exactly this – we’re all on our own journey! And you’re most welcome! 🙂
Whimsically Meghan says
This was such a great post, Marie! 💞
I have to learn to stop treating blogging like a job. Sometimes I can’t help but go “I NEED to do this” when really I don’t NEED to do anything because no one’s waiting on me. I put a lot of pressure on myself to do everything when I plan out and say I’m going to do it, when it can wait. No one is paying me to kill myself to get a post up and I have to keep reminding myself of that.
drizzleandhurricanebooks says
Oh thank you so much! This is EXACTLY me, to be honest. I feel like I NEED to do some things, but… I really don’t ahah I don’t need to put that much pressure on myself at all, I don’t know why I keep on doing it. It’s good to remind ourselves that we’re doing this for us and we should do whatever makes us happy! <3
Whimsically Meghan says
You’re welcome! And exactly! We need to step back and take a look at what we’ve created and love it because we created it! ❤️ Here’s to putting less pressure on ourselves in 2021!
drizzleandhurricanebooks says
Yes! <3 <3
notesbyj says
I feel the same way for many of these – I can definitely relate. Especially with the not interacting enough. I’ve been really trying to interact a lot more recently.
drizzleandhurricanebooks says
Ah that’s so wonderful. Interacting is one of the best part of blogging, but it’s so time consuming. I wish I had all the time in the world to do it more! 😭
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts!💛
trufflereads says
This is such an amazing post and I can relate to all of those insecurities!! No matter what, your blog always seems to be hitting it out of the park for me and you’re an inspiration to myself and many other bloggers. Keep being amazing and doing what you love <3
drizzleandhurricanebooks says
Oh my god, thank you 🥺🥺 this comment made my day. Thank you so much for your sweet words 🥺
Never Not Reading says
Ugh, the social media one is the worst. I eventually left Twitter because I feel like it’s such a horrible place, but social media is the easiest way to grow your blog or whatever. But social media is often a big drama-fest, so why do I feel so obligated to participate? Especially when my participation *isn’t* growing my blog? I don’t have an answer to this question other than to say that internet fame and/or going viral ruined everything.
drizzleandhurricanebooks says
Wow, I can certainly relate to your comment here. Social media certainly changed a whole lot about book blogging and it’s not always the best place to be, that’s for sure, especially for my mental health ahah. It’s hard not to feel insecure and scared about being left out when you’re not on it too much, but.. at the same time, shouldn’t we do what’s best for us? :/
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts <3
Kayla @ Books and Blends says
Great post! I can relate to all of these. I never feel like I’m reading enough or I’m reading to slow. I’m also SUPER bad at bookstagram.
drizzleandhurricanebooks says
Oh thank you so much Kayla! 💛 Oh god I’m so inconsistent on bookstagram, it’s terrible, and I see so many bookstagrammers doing a stunning work and I am SO impressed. We all have different strengths after all! <3
inareadingworld says
This is a fantastic post, and thank you for sharing how you’re really feeling!! I definitely prefer blogging to bookstagram as well, but I feel like Instagram is where I “should” spend my time. But I get burnt out on there so easily. Anyways, you’re doing amazing and as long as you’re happy doing this, the insecurities can’t stop you!
drizzleandhurricanebooks says
Oh I’m so glad you’re feeling the same way, that’s exactly it! I feel the burn-out coming so quickly on instagram, while it’s different on a blog, for some reason. I think it’s good to focus on what we love the most, but.. sometimes it’s tough when you feel like you “have” to be somewhere like that!
Thank you so, so much for your sweet comment 🥺
Aria says
I totally relate to so many of these, especially with book reviews. I’ll spend a ton of time writing a review, but when I finish it I immediately think of a lot of things that I wish I’d included in the review, and it’s just so hard to feel like your doing the book justice in your review. 😂
And I also struggle with figuring out how much time to spend blog hopping. I used to spend a lot more time, but now I spend way less. The problem is, as much as I wish book blogging could be my job, it isn’t so I have limited time to spend on it. Especially with school, and life in general, I’ll have way more blog posts I want to read and comment on than I realistically can. 😅
With social media, it’s so different from blogging. I don’t have twitter, and although I don’t want to have it, I still worry I’m missing out on lots of stuff. Bookstagram is huge, and is such a different platform than blogging. Since bookstagram is all on the same platform, it is easier to tag someone, or too scroll through lot’s of posts while blogging much different, and it can take more time to go from blog to blog.
This is a really great post Marie 💕✨ I definitely feel you on so many of these!
drizzleandhurricanebooks says
Right? Book reviews are such a struggle, especially for books you adore. You want to communicate ALL your thoughts and love for it properly and you’re like… wait, what are words again 😂
I’m on the same boat as you! I used to spend a lot of time blog hopping, but I’ve been spending less time on it lately. With my time to blog reducing, I had to make choices and I prioritized writing blog posts and my own writing over blog hopping. It makes me feel sad, but I also know I can’t do it all. Still… it’s frustrating!
I completely understand how easy and quick it can be to communicate via social media, for sure. I just.. I don’t know, it feels cozier and I love how we can have lengthy, lovely conversations on book blogs 😀 I hope this continues.
Thank you so, so much for your sweet comment! 🥺
Meeghan reads says
Oh Marie!! I feel like this all the time too!! You are definitely not alone. I get imposter syndrome over the weirdest things. Like, I’ve been doing my job for 4 years and I still worry that I’m not good enough!! 😅
Sending you all of the love and hugs 😘
drizzleandhurricanebooks says
OH MY GOD but me too 😂 I’m like that with so many things in my life it’s… annoying 😂 I’m happy I’m not the only one haha. Thank you so, so much <3 <3 <3
Ruby Rae Reads says
Marie!!!!! First of all, I just want you to know that you’re such a fave of mine and that I admire and adore EVERYTHING YOU DO. I mayhaps visit your blog way too often just so stare and admire your work. But also secondly, I feel the same and have felt the same. When uni got super busy for me, I felt very absent and distant. I’m not trying to dictate your life but it literally may just be that you’re busy. Which is also totally fine and you’re allowed to be busy.
I so relate to not reading enough. I feel like I’m always late to the train and never know what people are talking about when books come out because my backlist is so long. It’s an endless cycle. Social media is tricky tbh. I’m on Instagram A LOT, but I hardly use Twitter anymore. There are just too many platforms to manage so I guess it’s a balance. I just can’t be on Twitter anymore, I find its too easy to death scroll and I get anxious and compare myself to others far too much on there. I only occasionally hop on there to see if anything pops up but,,
But anyways…. sending all the love. I thin you’ve hit the nail on its head with your advice and that’s the only real thing you can do. ADORE YOU xoxoxoxo
drizzleandhurricanebooks says
Oh I’m going to cry 🥺🥺 thank you so, so much for your sweet words, this means so much. 🥺
There are so many different platforms and it’s impossible to juggle with it all, I know I personally have such a tough time doing so. I’m trying to prioritize what I like doing the most, but even then sometimes it’s tough and I can’t help but think “shouldn’t I do this and that”. It’s tiring ahah.
thank you so, so much, love <3 <3 <3
Kat @ Bookish Blades says
Hoohoo!
I feel this post. Especially when it comes to social media and the quantitiy of books I read. As you already said, it’s hard not to compare yourself to others. And while I try not to, I can’t stop it. I can’t stop looking at other bloggers who read a lot more than I do and write reviews for every book and I’m happy when I manage to write a review for an arc. And the constant pressure to be active on social media is… a lot. It makes me anxious and worrying too much and I feel like I’m bringing this onto myself and nobody actually cares if I don’t post for a day (except the algorithm) but there’s still this little voice telling me that it’s not good enough.
I love that you said we’re all doing our best and should give ourselves some slack. I’m trying. And while it doesn’t always work, I’m slowly finding a way that is alright for me. And you know what? Me and many others are here to read what you write and look at your photos on instagram and cheer for you and whenever you feel bad or insecure, remember that there is a community here that loves your content, no matter how often you post or how many books you read <3
drizzleandhurricanebooks says
I’m so glad I’m not the only one feeling this way. I’m trying not to compare myself to others, but like you said, it’s so tough to stop. I’m so glad that you’re trying your best and cutting yourself some slack, I know how tough it is, but when you manage to do it, you feel so much happier about it all, too. <3
Thank you Kat 🥺🥺 this comment really made my day. thank you so much for your sweet words and your support always 🥺🥺
abookowlscorner says
Wow, Marie, this is probably one of the most relatable posts you’ve ever written! I feel you on pretty much all of these!
I also feel a little guilty when there are weeks when I don’t get to reading at all, months when I just don’t feel like writing a single review because they just take sooo long and then still never seem to do the book I’m writing about justice, or days when I feel like my content is totally uncreative and uninspiring…
And don’t get me started on social media. I actually don’t (publicly) use any social media platforms apart from WordPress, and sometimes it does make me feel like I’m missing out. But then again, I know that spending even more time online would only make me unhappy in the long run – I just don’t have the time for it! And I think my comment section does largely make up for it – so many people regularly leave such long and thoughtful messages that I actually don’t mind not using other social media platforms that much anymore. I’ve found that investing time into just your blog can also help you develop friendships if you put in the effort 😉
Though I do also have the problem that I feel as though I’m not getting to other people’s blogs enough, especially since that’s my only form of interaction with most of my followers. I love getting to know my readers, but now that my blog has grown so much, it’s impossible for me to regularly read all of their own posts. And even though I know there’s nothing I can do about it, it makes me feel so guilty! 😅
Anyway, I think that’s probably enough rambling on my end to let you know you’re not alone 😉 Thanks for those encouraging words at the end! I hope we can all learn to take those to heart!
drizzleandhurricanebooks says
Oh thank you so, so much for your sweet comment and words, this means so much. 🥺🥺
I completely agree with you about comments on blogs, I’ve had way more interactions and friendships starting thanks to comments on book blogs than on social media and I love it so much, as well. I don’t feel like it’s necessary to have social media to have interaction, but it does feel like it’s part of being a blogger now to be… well, everywhere a little bit. Just my thoughts on the topic though!
I understand that. To be honest, it’s impossible to read all the blogs and I’ve been slacking clearly at that, too. I love to interact and want to get to know other bloggers, but there’s only so much time in the day. Like you said, there’s nothing we can do about it, but the guilt is there 🥺
Thank you so, so much for taking the time to share your thoughts on this!! 🥺🥺
Sam@WLABB says
I definitely feel like I am not mingling enough out there on social media or promoting my posts enough, but social media just has not been a healthy place for me lately. And there are always bloggers talking about how bad it is to do memes and whatnot, but I honestly love the ones I do. It’s just a matter of not letting them get in my head.
drizzleandhurricanebooks says
I completely get that, social media can be so unhealthy sometimes and it’s good to step away from it if you’re not enjoying it. <3 You do you! <3
Louise @ Monstrumology says
I have the exact same insecurities so you’re not alone! When it comes to social media I often worry that I’m doing social media wrong because I don’t really use Twitter to talk to other people and mainly use it to say whatever short-form thoughts I have on a thing. It makes me worry that maybe I come across as unfriendly to other people, which is absolutely not my intention at all.
drizzleandhurricanebooks says
OH I’m glad to hear that. <3 I understand that, too, honestly I'm so nervous to talk to people on social media, so much more than I am on blogs, I'm not sure why.🙈 I'm certain you don't seem unfriendly at all, though, a lot of people are just sharing their thoughts on twitter, too! <3
christine @ ladygetslit says
Marie, reading this post honestly just gave me a little bubble of relief. Because I feel like I’m the WORST at blogging, because I go on long breaks and nobody notices, because I can’t make myself do the things about blogging that don’t bring me joy, and for a lot of the same reasons you mentioned. But just knowing that even you, someone I admire so much, struggles with these types of insecurities, makes me feel less alone. At the end of the day, I hold myself to insane standards that aren’t motivating me to keep writing posts, keep sharing my thoughts with others, keep reading like a blogger and writer. The constant comparisons aren’t helping me whatsoever. I can’t even find my “blogging voice” because I’m always worrying that I either don’t sound enough like I’m writing for an audience or that I sound too “fake” and not authentic enough. In the end, I have to let all that sh*t go and focus on why I’m still sort of doing this after all these years of stops and starts. But please know that you’re doing amazing, that you’re loved and appreciated for everything you do, that you deserve to give yourself a break!
drizzleandhurricanebooks says
I’m so sorry to hear you’re feeling that way Christine, though I 200% relate to this, too. I mean, I hold myself and things I do to impossible standards and it can be so frustrating sometimes. In the end, we all have to let go of it all and try our best just to have fun, because that’s what we are here for <3
Thank you so, so much, this means a lot 🥺🥺
Pamela @ Reverie Society says
Omg does that happen to you too?! I also used to take only hours to get a blog post ready, and now it takes me days! I think it’s one of the reasons I focused more on bookstagram for so long? My brain started preferring the inmediacy of sharing content on social media instead of the longer time it takes to put a blog post together.
Being a creator is tough! But you give so much to the community, and I love all your content. You’re doing great ♥
drizzleandhurricanebooks says
It happens to me A LOT Pam ahah, a whole damn lot. Blog posts take me days, but I feel more satisfied by my work here than anything I can do on social media, it feels more rewarding to me… but it’s so frustrating, too. because it’s so damn underrated, this blog work.
Thank you so much, you’re too sweet 🥺🥺
Amber Elise @ Du Livre says
My biggest insecurities relate to not reading ALL OF THE BOOKS and that I’m not active on social media enough. I’ve basically given up on instagram but I give it the old college-try quarterly.
drizzleandhurricanebooks says
I’m glad I’m not alone! I get that, I’m so inconsistent on bookstagram, sometimes I’m there and sometimes I’m just randomly disappearing for months 😂
Nicole Evans says
Oh Marie, I connect with this post so much!!! Especially in terms of 1) not reading enough and 2) not being on social media enough. I’ve never been interested in turning my Instagram into a bookstagram and I have no interest in booktube, so twitter is my main avenue to connect with others, aside from my blog. But, I’ve been trying to stay on it less because I take too much time doomscrolling instead of interacting and then I lose time doing what I want to do (reading and writing and yes, even blogging). Yet, I can’t help feeling like I’m going to be missing out on things by not being as active. And in terms of not reading enough…that’s a constant feeling, always, accompanied by guilt of putting my hobby as a gamer over my hobby as a reader.
So, all that rambling is to say that I connect with you and this post very much. I do think both of our brains are being unfair and buying into the comparison game a little too much. You are doing great work and you deserve to not lessen your accomplishments through comparison or risk burnout to do more. You are perfectly okay right where you are.
drizzleandhurricanebooks says
200% understand that, social media and scrolling down twitter can just take away hours of your time and it’s hours you could spend writing or doing other productive things, too. It can be frustrating, but it’s also frustrating NOT to be there, because you feel like you’re missing out? It’s SO CONFUSING ahah.
Thank you 🥺🥺 I so agree with you that our brains tend to compare a little too much what we do to what others do and… what matters is that we do what we love.
Nicole Evans says
It IS so confusing. UGH. If I can find the right balance by the end, then dammit, at least that’s something.
Exactly. And I hope your brain is able to be kinder to you this week! <3
drizzleandhurricanebooks says
Thank you so much, you too <3 <3
Margaret @ Weird Zeal says
Ahhh you’ve put a finger on so many of my own blogging insecurities 😭 Especially in the last few months, I’ve felt a lot of this very strongly, particularly not reading or interacting enough. I love all your advice, though! Even though, yes, I could theoretically “solve” these insecurities by just doing MORE all the time, I don’t think that’s going to be good for me. And giving myself slack has been something I’m working on lately, so thank you for giving me more permission to do so!
Your posts about these kinds of subjects are always so comfortingly written and make me feel a little more settled in the midst of my own anxieties. Thank you for that <3
drizzleandhurricanebooks says
Oh thank you, Margaret, I’m so, so happy this could be the reminder you need. I know I’m always trying to remind myself that I can’t do more than I am and I need to cut myself some slack, it’s something we all need to do. We’re only human after all <3
I'm so happy this could comfort you, too 🥺🥺 thank you for saying that 🥺🥺
Caro @ bookcheshirecat says
I really appreciated reading about your blogging insecurities, thank you for sharing them with us ❤ I definitely feel you about the social media thing, it tends to stress me out a bit and I feel like there’s this pressure to be on all the social media sides 😔 Bookstagram is very popular here, but it’s not something that personally works for me. I’m on Twitter but tbh I mostly retweet things and rarely have the courage to compose my own tweet 😅
drizzleandhurricanebooks says
Thank you so much for reading, Caro! 🥺 I 200% get that, I rarely have the courage to compose my own tweets either, social media stresses me out a little bit ahha. We’re doing our best and focusing on what’s best for us <3
Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight says
Wow so I feel this on a spiritual level! I feel these all SO hard. I used to stress so much about social media, but then I mostly gave up? I scroll through Twitter, but I know I miss more than I catch. I completely gave up on Bookstagram though- I don’t have either the time or the desire, so. I post every so often when a publisher sends a book and specifically asks. Otherwise? Nah. I mostly use it to see what The 100 cast is up to hah. As for blog hopping, I couldn’t agree more. I used to stay up until 4 or 5 *every morning* trying to catch up on comments. I was absolutely a zombie. It was ridiculous. Now, I do my best, but I am sure things slip through the cracks. Such is life. I would never fault someone for taking care of themselves, so if they fault me, then that was a connection that needn’t be kept.
The content thing is my biggie at the moment. I actually have a few ideas for posts, which is shocking hah, but no TIME to actually get them done. The real problem is that I over-requested ARCs for January and February, so I have to do those posts first, but we’ll see when things calm down if I get any better. It does bum me out, but what are you going to do? I can’t focus on blogging and be a zombie, like you said, so it’ll happen when it happens, or you know, not! WONDERFUL post Marie, thank you for making me feel less alone in my insecurities!
drizzleandhurricanebooks says
I’m so glad you could relate to this so much, Shannon <3 I feel the same way about blog hopping, I was a zombie as well catching up on everything and it wasn't good for my mental health AT ALL. I feel guilty not to be doing as much as before, but... I know I reasonably can't do things the way I used to be. We're doing our best after all <3
Oh I get that. I'm in a bit of an overwhelming situation at the moment with my books, too and it's stressful haha. You're doing your best and that's what matters the most <3
Thank you so, so much for sharing your thoughts <3
Lais @ The Bookish Skies says
i struggle a lot with being in social media too. i’m sure that if i was more active there, i could grow my audience faster, but i really dislike interacting with people both through instagram and twitter (plus twitter is just toxic in general lol). it’s definitely one of my biggest insecurities, along with not wanting my posts to sound “generic” and trying to have an authentic blogging voice (which i feel like i’ve gotten more confident over the years). for me, though, it’s more important to prioritize my mental health. and if that means i have to stay away from social media and therefore grow my platform slower, then so be it! i need to be good mentally in order to blog well, that’s how i see it!
drizzleandhurricanebooks says
Oh god I’m glad you said that; I have a love/hate relatiosnhip with it all, honestly. Sometimes I like it, other times I just despise it and can’t deal with it at all ahah.
I’m glad to hear you’re prioritizing your mental health, that’s what matters the most, really. As long as you’re doing things that you’re okay with and happy with, that’s all that matters <3
Thank you, Lais <3
storiesandsidequests says
I’m with you on the numbers game! I love reading, but I have so many other obligations and interests vying for my time that I don’t think I could ever read a hundred books in a year and actually enjoy them. I just started my blog this year and I think part of why I didn’t do sooner is because I felt like I didn’t read “enough” to be taken seriously (which is ridiculous because this is just a hobby for me!)
Thanks for this post! It was a great reminder and nice to know that I’m not alone in these worries!
drizzleandhurricanebooks says
I so get that feeling… somehow, we feel like we have to read tons and tons of books to be taken seriously as book bloggers, but what really matters here is that we’re passionate! <3
Thank you so, so much for reading and for your sweet comment <3
Caitlin @ Caitlin Althea says
i relate to all of these insecurities and i think every blogger has had them to some degree or at some point 🥺 i especially relate to the first point about not reading enough bc in 2021 i’m making the conscious decision to not participate in the gr reading challenge and only read when i want to… and so far i haven’t finished a book yet bc i don’t really miss reading 😅 i cope with these insecurities by trying to remember that we’re all trying our best, & trying to be grateful for what i have. i occasionally find myself comparing myself to others too, but i just remind myself that comparing my journey to others is useless bc we’re all in different situations. it’s definitely not easy to deal with these insecurities, so i’m sending you so much love! here’s your daily reminder that you’re an absolutely amazing blogger who’s doing more than enough 🥺🤍
drizzleandhurricanebooks says
Oh well honestly I’m glad you made that decision, at least you’re reading when you really feel like it and not because you feel like you “have to”. I sometimes get into that mindset and it’s no fun at all ahah.
Thank you so, so, so much Caitlin, I appreciate you so much 🥺🥺🥺
Marta @ of waves and pages says
Thank you for opening up about these on a blog post, I can definitely relate to many of them! It’s really easy to let my mind compare myself, my work and my progress to other people, and especially in the past month, it’s been really bad to be away from blogging, because I’d see everyone else posting and growing and I just wished I could be doing the same, but like you said, I couldn’t, unless I decided to ditch my exams or magically stop time. On ocasions like that, I just have to take some time and remind myself I’m on a different path and stage in my life, which usually helps for a while (until it gets overwhelming again, which sucks). I think your advice is great and I definitely should remind myself of those same three things more often!! Sending lots of love 💖
drizzleandhurricanebooks says
Thank you so, so much for reading Marta <3 It can get overwhelming at times, but it's so important to remember that we're all on our own path and doing our best, and what's best for us, too! <3
Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction says
Social media is definitely an insecurity for me. And so is the fact that I don’t interact as much anymore. I used to be VERY on top of commenting and replying back and blog hopping, but in recent years I haven’t been able to keep it up. I definitely have guilt over that, but I have to remind myself that blogging is a hobby and I can’t do everything!
drizzleandhurricanebooks says
I’m right here with you on that. I used to be on top of everything, but I can’t be like that anymore, I just can’t keep up 😭 while this makes me feel really guilty, too, I’m only one person and blogging is a hobby, so.. we’re doing our best <3 Thank you, Nicole!!
ashley @ socially awkward bookworm says
Great post, Marie. I feel a lot of these too, especially the one about not interacting enough and feeling like my content isn’t good enough. Sometimes it’s hard to blog hop as much as we used to do, especially since our lives have changed from when we first started blogging six years ago. Life happens sometimes and that’s okay though. I still think you’re a wonderful friend and I love your blog content! <3 🙂
drizzleandhurricanebooks says
I’m just so glad that you’re still blogging and that we still are into this little adventure together, Ashley. I think you’re probably the oldest friend I have from blogging and it makes me so happy <3
It's hard to tell ourselves we can't do as much as before, but our lives have changed and, like you said, that's okay! We are doing our very best 🙂
Thank you so, so much! <3
Macey @ Brine and Books says
You love book blogging and we love having you in this space too, and I hope that always remains enough for you to stay <3 I wish you the best in taking your own advice 😉 xxx
drizzleandhurricanebooks says
Macey thank you so much 🥺🥺
Dezzy @ The Thoughtful Voice says
Marie, you are such an amazing person and blogger 🥺 thank you so much for being so open and honest with us in this blog post!! truly appreciate it, and you are definitely not alone 💓 haha for the past few years i’ve been reading around 40-45 books a year and my 2021 reading goal is also 45 books, which is a lot for me personally, but low compared to a lot of other book bloggers. however, i’ve gotten better at not comparing my reading habits/amount of books i read to other people, but i definitely know the struggle, and just want to remind you that it’s not about the quantity of books you read, but the quality. as long as you’re enjoying the books you read, that’s all that matters 😊 and we’ll love whatever books you recommend anyway! we trust your taste in books hehe 💕 thanks again for writing this amazing and vulnerable post, and just wanted to say again how wonderful you are, and one of my favorite book bloggers! 💓
drizzleandhurricanebooks says
Oh thank you so, so much Dezzy, I’m so happy you enjoyed this post. 🥰🥰 I completely get that. it’s hard not to compare yourself to others and, when you see bloggers reading over 100 books a year, you feel like a little bit of a failure for not reading as much. But everyone’s lives are different and reading rhythm, too. As long as we enjoy our reading, that’s all that matters, you’re so right! 🥰
Thank you so, so much 😭😭😭
Clo @ Cuppa Clo says
Ah firstly the whole not reading enough, I feel that in my bones. Like you said though I totally get we all have our own lives and varying circumstances but I do not read anywhere near the same amount of books as most of my friends. I know it’s OK but there’s definitely times where I feel like I’m “less than” other book bloggers simply because I’m not consuming a lot of books.
I am on social media a fair bit although I made a conscious decision to reign in how much content I was putting out on twitter and Instagram. Partly out of a need to conserve my energy and time as well as wanting the content or tweets I put out to have some semblance of meaning. Rather than tweeting for the sake of tweeting or sharing every little thing on my Instagram stories. It’s definitely been a challenge to stop sharing things for the sake of it but I’d like to think people appreciate the things I share more now. Since they’re not being spammed with my random updates 😂
When my insecurities flare up I wallow in them a bit before I just do other things. It’s the self doubt talking for me a lot of the time, I know so many of my blogging friends appreciate me and my blog and that’s enough to keep me going most of the time. Or I may journal about it, depends on my mood 😂
Anyway reminder that I love you, I love your blog, your content and I appreciate your hard work so much Marie 💜 you’ve been a book blogger I’ve looked up to since I started blogging and I still look up to you now 🤗
drizzleandhurricanebooks says
That’s exactly it. Even though we all have our own rhythm and life and obligations… well, being part of a community that reads so much, it’s tough not to compare your reading rhythm with others.
I’m glad to hear you found your rhythm on social media! I’m still struggling with mine because I question every single thing I post 😂 and I always end up prioritizing my blog over other things, so there’s not much time left for bookstagram, for instance. I feel like I should be on there more, but… it’s tough.
Thank you so, so, so much Clo, you’re so kind and I appreciate you so much 🥺😭😭😭 I’m so grateful to know you 🥺😭😭😭
BookerTalk says
Kudos to you for going public with your doubts and feelings of insecurity – and also for sharing how you are re-shaping your own narrative.
Rest assured you are not alone! I’ve been blogging now for nine years come Feb 14 and I still struggle with some things – chiefly the question of finding time to write content, comment on other blogs and use social media. I don’t pretend to have all the answers but I thought I’d pass on some things I’ve learned
– yes you absolutely can be a blogger without having to read 100 books a year. Last year I read 55 but still managed to post 3 and 4 times a week. Your blog can have a mix of content – not just reviews. Use list posts, do meme’s etc – they are much quicker than reviews
– don’t feel you need to be on all social media platforms. If time is scarce then just pick one rather than try and cover all bases. Instagram might be trendy but it will be unlikely to drive traffic back to your blog because you can’t include hyperlinks. Twitter will however give your blog traffic a boost. So I’ve decided thats where I’m putting my effort
– a tip I got from a blogging expert was that you could follow a routine where you post new content on day 1, then day 2 you focus on visiting and commenting on other people’s posts, day 3 you post new content – and so on. if new content every two days is too much then go for every three days and use days 2 and 3 to connect
Hope this helps 🙂
I made an offer to all book bloggers that if they had a challenge about blogging or a question they could ask for my help. So I make the same offer to you…….just DM me on twitter @bookertalk
drizzleandhurricanebooks says
Thank you so much for your sweet words and for taking the time to comment and share your advice, thank you so much! <3 I already have a routine set in place, but sometimes I can't manage to follow it because of life's other commitments or my own mental health, too. But we're all doing our best 🙂
Thank you! 🙂
Nordie says
I hear ya! You’ve pretty much nailed my issues too.
I think the main thing to remember is: this is not my job. It’s not mine either. I dont make money from it. Something that I have noticed over the last 18 months or so it that even though I’m reading and blogging less, my page view numbers have gone up. I put this down to, in part, that I am using Social Media smarter. I theme my tweets (e.g. Romance in Feb, comic books in May etc); make sure everything is on at least 1 pinterest board etc.
With more people having more people to look at things, including doing general Google Searches, I seem to be popping up more frequently.
The one thing I’m not sure you’ve covered: when is the right time to get my own domain, and therefore get better stats and maybe monetise this baby?
drizzleandhurricanebooks says
Yeah that’s a great thing to remember for sure! I’m glad to hear you’re seeing your stats increasing lately, that’s wonderful. This wasn’t a blog post about getting your own domain at all, that’s why I haven’t mentioned it at all. To be honest, the answer to that has to be: when you feel ready. When you feel like you’ve outgrown your current platform and are ready for more, go for it! 🙂
BookerTalk says
I have a routine I would love to stick to but just like you, sometimes other things in life get in the way or I just don’t feel I have the energy needed to write a post. I’ve learned not to feel guilty about it……
drizzleandhurricanebooks says
We can try our best to keep up with our routine, but sometimes there’s nothing we can do, we have to prioritize other things. We’re doing our best and that’s what matters! 🙂