I am sad at some of the bloggers I have seen go. They talk about the blogging community being bad. I really don't get that. For me... who cares about all this drama. Maybe I suppose if I was a huge blog and had a big base of followers it would bother me more? I don't know? Usually I go through the list of blogs I follow around Bloggiesta time .... but now it seems I need to do that more often just because of the number of people who have discontinued blogging.
Really I don't know about you.. but it makes me follow blogs a little more carefully. Is this a blog that will last? I guess now I am just paranoid! I mean... I don't care if someone posts everyday. Everyone wants to follow blogs though that put in work and do interesting things. I suppose maybe that is why some of these bloggers quit. They feel they can't bring that to the community anymore.
I mean...sometimes I have even thought about it. What I am I bringing to the community? Fun? Information? Unique posts? Who knows! What do you think about this? Do you go through the blogs you follow and remove the ones that don't blog anymore?
Now for some NeNe!
Edit 10/31 I discovered where Let's Discuss has moved to.. so I am adding this there.. here is a link:
Hi Angela, and happy Halloween!! I have noticed this a bit. I don't know why other people quit blogging, probably for several different reasons. The number one reason I've found around the blog-o-sphere is just that real life issues have gotten in the way, not enough time to devote to blogging etc. I've been reading a lot of NA and adult books lately, and my blog was always supposed to be primarily a YA review blog, so that's kinda made me hesitant to post adult book reviews. I've done it just not much. Anyway, I'm rambling. Hope you have a great rest of the week!!
ReplyDeleteNinja Girl
I think you should go ahead and post reviews about NA and adult books. I do. I read a lot of YA because of a book club I run but that isn't the only thing I read. I guess since I don't market my blog as YA I just go ahead and review everything. Happy Halloween to you! It's my favorite holiday!!
DeleteI've noticed too. Some bloggers post sporadically, the non posting may just be a little longer intervals between their postings...so they're still around just not as often. I guess it's more weird for those that post almost everyday - Suddenly there are no more updates or their blogs are just gone. Maybe they changed names or they change the blog address... Hard to know when there's no old blog that links to the new one.
ReplyDeleteRead Books and Blog | Addicted to Films
I've noticed that it seems to me that people who really post everyday and put a lot of time in their blogs are the one that quit. Maybe that is the lesson here. Don't make blogging your life. One time I participated in a blog hop as one of the hosts... I realized I was going to be in Yellowstone at the start of the hop and apparently there is no internet there. I wasn't going to be able to update the hop list until two dates after the hop started. The co-host was furious. Funny they didn't try to help when I told them... they must've not taken me serious. Anyways ... I enjoyed Yellowstone and didn't stress. Don't stress about your blog!
DeleteI can't speak for anyone else, but for me the reason for the quiet has been that I'm working on writing a novel. I know I need to get better at juggling that, reading and blogging, but when I try to do all three of these things at once I get very overwhelmed / stressed. For some reason or another I can do two together, but when I add the third it's like I'm trying to juggle too many things at once. And (nothing against blogging) writing is my dream, so I kinda need to give it priority. Yet if I fail to keep up with blogging, reading (since it's a book blog) and social media I'll end up having trouble getting the book read / reviewed once I release it.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely a worthwhile topic, though. People do seem to come and go.
I was surprised at the fact that two of the blogs I follow were deleted? After all that work I would just leave my blog up for people to maybe find and enjoy in the future. I think working on your book is for sure a priority!!
DeleteYeah, I don't know why so many bloggers stop blogging. Guess real life just gets in the way. I've grown to love the blogging community and don't want to stop. The days when I was without internet I was going bonkers! Although with the comment above me, I do agree that I need to find a balance with my reading and writing. I have a WIP that has been sorely neglected, but I was getting so eager with managing my TBR pile that I let things get out of control!
ReplyDeleteBut it is sad to see when bloggers quit. I feel like I'm losing a friend if it's a blog I was following for awhile.
Oh yes... the dreaded TBR pile! I am always working on that damn thing. There was one blog I was following that was taking some sort of graphics class and I was really loving their posts about fonts and what not. Then they quit. I was bummed about it.
DeleteYes, paranoid Angela :-)
ReplyDeleteYou should follow because you like the blog and not worry if it is going to last.
Well, I've been thinking about quitting blogging too because I don't have time. But then I wonder, what would the world do without my opinion? Lol
LOL!... True I love your blog and would be sad to see you go. I enjoy your personality that you add to your posts. Don't go!!
DeleteI've noticed this too. It seems like when bloggers do give an explanation of where they've gone or where they are going, it's usually due to other obligations. Blogging can become a full-time job if you let it so I totally get that!
ReplyDeleteIt can be a full time job... that's true. Constantly trying to come up with new information all the time that is relevant! Funny thing is recently I was trying to think of some discussion topics when last night this came up and I figured... why not talk about it????
DeleteI hear you. I follow a ton of blogs too and noticed some of this. I personally have needed to slow down because real life is getting in the way. I read one inn October. ONE! That is insane for me and I miss it so much but there just don't seem to be enough time in the day. When I am not reading much, I have less to post about. Plus I haven't been around as much so I am not as inspired to write other kinds of posts. It stinks but hopefully it is a natural cycle and things will turn around soon. Even when I am not posting or commenting, I am still lingering so keep blogging so I still have things to read : )
ReplyDeleteI only read one book last month too... I couldn't believe it. So really... I only had one review to write. I am not interested in a co-blogger either. So... like you .. I do the best I can.
DeleteI get a daily e-mail from NetworkBlogs and Bloglovin. I also receive at least 50 e-mails a day from blog sites I'm on an e-mail list for. It keeps me so busy just checking them that I'm about 20 books behind on my review lists. Some of my blog followers asked me why I don't write a book, LOL, I can barely string together enough sentences to get my thoughts down for a review.
ReplyDeleteSome bloggers just run out of juice or find that life doesn't leave them the time or energy to continue. Please keep blogging so that maybe I can draw some inspiration from your thoughts.
I plan on blogging for a little while longer. I think I have been blogging 2 1/2 years now! YEAH! I guess the hard part is... are readers enjoying what you are doing? And if not.... that might make you also feel like you need to quit blogging. Finding a following is hard hard.
Delete2013 seems to have been quite a year really. The majority of the people I follow have taken month or longer hiatuses, some planned, some unplanned, some came back just to say they didn't know when they would be back. I don't know what it has been this year, but it's really taken a toll on people.
ReplyDeleteI agree... this year has been a crazy year for losing the bigger blogs to hiatuses. I see those everywhere now. Do those people come back?? Not normally. 2013 is a big year for people leaving.
DeleteI do occasionally revamp my reading list. A lot of times I'll find a fun one and follow it only THEN to discover it stopped being updated in 2009 or whatever. I suppose (as mentioned in some of the comments above) it's only natural. I know I, for one, go through phases and projects and the blog lies dormant while I do.
ReplyDeleteYou write amazing posts... so I can see why you could get burned out. I wish I was able to write posts like you. I have become a better writer over the years I think. When I first started my reviews were like 1 paragraph. hahah! Now I am much better at paraphrasing and what not. It is a learning process that's for sure.
DeleteHey, thanks for the kind words. Much appreciated! I think your posts are terrific and always entertaining. Keep up the good work!
DeleteSure! I don't always comment.. well because I am not as knowledgeable on the subjects you post about to say anything that will make sense. LOL!
DeleteI guess I fall under the list of bloggers who have quit blogging. I started college this fall and have been really busy. I have been blogging behind the scenes saving all the posts so I can start my blog back up in late November early December. I didn't realize how much time I put into blogging until I didn't have time.
ReplyDeleteIt is true... very very time consuming. I tend to blog when I am just sitting around for a minute... or right after I finish a book.
DeleteYes, quite some bloggers I've followed are gone and that makes me sad. I understand that sometimes life takes over, so I guess that's a reason for some people to stop :)
ReplyDeleteGetting participation is just hard... and getting followers, and networking... and all that jazz is tough. I remember when I started blogging thinking how easy it would be!
DeleteI wonder if it's seasonal? People get busier towards this time of the year? I haven't really been blogging long enough to see a pattern, but I'm kinda thinking some people will come back to blogging soon. I know Nanowrimo is coming up as well so I don't expect a lot of bloggers to be too active. :)
ReplyDeleteI understand what you mean about missing some of those blogs though - it's kinda sad when you get used to checking certain blogs regularly and stop seeing updates. I am glad you are still at it though!
Nanowrimo is coming up. I wish I was a writer sometimes... and could jump on board with that. But hey... I am a reader not a writer after all!
DeleteYes Angela, I found a lot gone or not activity. I know some blogger go almost dormant during the school year and then flutter back into activity in the spring (mostly college peeps) Others have stated personal issues, burn out and the like. Someone told me the average blogger life span is 2 years..which I find hard to believe. I miss some of them, as I enjoy their posts and talking books with them.
ReplyDeleteYou know... I believe you about the life span being about 2 years. It was 2 years for me when I reached a peak. I don't think my blog can get much more successful then it is. Unless I can think of a crazy meme or something that will take off. 2 years is when I did feel a little burn out. Then I'll find someone's blog doing something fun that everyone can participate in and I am sucked back in.
DeleteI've been thinking the same thing lately. I'm at the 3.5 year mark almost and it's harder to keep going. Not that I'm planning on quitting, but I think you get tired. It also feels like the blogging community isn't as vibrant as it used to be. People all have their own little groups of friends whose posts they comment on - and I'm in that category too, although I wish I was more expansive. There isn't someone that you can easily point to as being the YA blogging leader - like it used to be with The Story Siren. Plus, my views are going down. That's partly my fault since I don't comment as much as I should and occasionally take breaks, but I think it's not just my blog that's gone down. What do you think?
ReplyDeleteI agree... there are blogging cliques that I have noticed. I have noticed like you... that if I don't have time to bounce around and comment then I get less visits to my blog. Not that there is anything wrong with that, I think it's nice when someone shows comment love and visits your blog after you leave a comment. I don't think your blog has gone down any. I still visit it and like it... I just wonder if the community itself is shrinking?
DeleteAlso... I have noticed a huge drop in participants for Follow Me Friday even. There used to almost be 300 .. last week there was less then 70 right? Wow!
DeleteYeah, I'm hoping the lower numbers for FF are temporary blip. It's already about 70 today and I'm sure it's a little low because of Halloween. I'm wondering whether people don't like doing the activities as much (like posting a picture) so they don't participate those weeks.
DeleteI'm always so sad when I see that a blogger I love quits. I haven't been posting as much as I wanted to in the past months, but I never thought about not blogging anymore. Sometimes I'm SO excited to share my posts with others and I always love to visit blogs and start talking about my favourite books. I don't comment as often as I would like either, but hope to change that soon:) So let's keep blogging. Good work!
ReplyDeleteSometimes I am really excited about a post too. This week I posted a Halloween post about a short story I used to listen to as a kid. I was so excited to share that with the community!!
DeleteI'm still new at the blogging thing so I don;t follow to many, but I do find that I don't read all the ones I follow. I guess I feel that if someone follows me I should follow them back even though it may not be the subject matter I would be interested in. Maybe I should go through and see if any of the blogs I follow now are still there. You really gave me a lot to think about on this one. I enjoyed this post.
ReplyDeleteHonestly ... I did exactly what you did when I started blogging. Every time someone followed me I followed them back. Then... I thought if I followed them they would automatically follow back too. Big lesson learned there. First off ... not all blogs are what I am interested in. So really following them is .. well really not beneficial to anyone. Good luck with figuring it all out!!
DeleteI've been blogging for seven years and there aren't many bloggers left from then, or even from a year ago, new ones move in to add new content. I stay out of the drama. I don't do a lot of networking with other bloggers, and it's not cuz I'm a snob, I promise. I am happy to help anyone who comes to me for advice and I interact with others, but I don't join huge groups usually. I just have seen so many bloggers get mixed up and drama and I figure if I just keep myself to myself, I won't have any problems. Plus, I schedule myself so tightly that it's enough to read, get my reviews up and my other posts, check in on Facebook, scan Twitter, etc plus take care of 4 kids, I just don't have a lot of time to do the other stuff. I don't stress over stats, I get tickled when I have a really great month, and flow with it the rest of the time. I love that other people visit, but I first started my blog as a diary, as my outlet, and I won't let anything stop me from having that. As for checking in on the ones I follow, I really just follow the email updates that come into my inbox (like yours :) - ). If a favorite blog goes missing, I might email the author, but usually, I figure they are taking a break like I have been known to do in the past.
ReplyDeleteGreat post!
Wow seven years!! Bravo!! That is working out good! I did try to look at your blog buts it's private it says. So I wasn't able to look around. I suppose in 7 years you really see people come and go! I really blog and use goodreads as an outlet to talk about books because no one in my real life reads like I do. I have tried to find local bookclubs but there really aren't any. So I understand what you mean about stats. I don't really are about stats either. so long as someone in the community is enjoying themselves and having fun that's what's important.
DeleteThis is such an interesting post! I really enjoyed reading all the comments. I put no pressure on myself to blog, and honestly don't really care about followers or anything, so long as one person has read my post, that is enough for me :) I get a bit sad when blogs I like stop, but I guess it is just like a good book, nothing lasts forever!
ReplyDeleteThat is true... it is a like a good book!! I try not to put pressure on myself either. Though I will say that sometimes I sit here forever and try to think of discussion posts. I am like... hummm... what would people want to talk about? The best discussion posts I find are the ones that just come to me out of no where, like this one.
DeleteI totally agree that a lot of blogs I used to go to have up and quit recently. It started in the summer and then this fall it just felt like everyone was quitting. I don't know why but it makes me sad. Like now that I am fully getting immersed in the blogging world everyone is just gonna quit?? Also some of the bloggers who have quit are ones I had total blogger-envy of. They were super popular and had tons of people commenting and joining all the read-a-longs, memes, and challenges they come up with. And without warning boom, theyre just done. It makes me feel weird. I know people get busy or just get disinterested in their hobbies, so it makes perfect sense... but I don't like it!! especially when a whole bunch of people do it at once.
ReplyDeleteI AGREE! It does seem like the blogs that quit were the people who are really good at blogging. They had a great following, great graphics, great reviews. Maybe they were really pressured ... and that is why they quit. I try so hard on my blog and yet don't get their lucky following and they quit. I don't get it. I should be like... tell your followers to come my way! :)
DeleteFor me, I follow through Feedly now that Google Reader's gone and it's pretty anonymous who I follow.
ReplyDeleteI've taken multiple breaks over the years that I've been blogging and I've found that it helps with getting myself back into blogging when I feel burned out.
Blogging does take a toll on life and I guess that's why so many people are leaving?
I suppose Feedly does make following anonymous. That is why I really enjoy Bloglovin. I like that you can interact with people on there. I just like the whole interacting side of things. I know people say GFC is a joke and just a number, but I think it is pretty meaningful.
Delete*siiiigh* it seems the blogging slump has affected a LOT of bloggers out there D: Fortunately, I haven't come across that many bloggers who have quit, but I guess I'm just attributing it to the fact that a lot of them have gone back to school, or something. About the 'drama' though... I haven't really been involved in much of it,but I guess I understand what's so deterrent about it. I just HOPE people were more motivated :(
ReplyDeleteBut great post Angela! :)
I've only had drama blogging one time.. it wasn't public or anything. I just wasn't updating a blog hop fast enough. oops. It is hard to stay motivated and keep blogging. I mean.... just right now I went back to this post to see if there were new comments and I could've just moved on and ignored this post since now I suppose it's older. I love to see what people think though. It's why I blog. I am just glad I am not the only one who has noticed that it's going on.
DeleteI’ve wondered this same thing. A lot of people that have been blogging for a few years have been leaving. Some of them have been my favorite blogs and it makes me sad. I wonder if it’s because people put too much pressure on themselves and forget it’s supposed to be fun? I understand that real life is much more important and if you don’t have time anymore that’s totally fine. But when I see people quitting because they don’t post “enough” or don’t read “enough” or don’t have “enough” page views, I just want to give them a hug and tell them that they are enough just the way they are. There are no rules to blogging and whatever you do is completely fine. Thanks for the discussion. I’m glad I wasn’t the only one wondering about this.
ReplyDeleteI agree! I mean really I just do what I can with blogging. Some things are successful and some things aren't. But I am enough for me. I love to come on here and share fun bookish things with people who enjoy the exact same things. I have even meet some local bloggers in real life (even though that didn't turn out as great as I thought it was going to be).
DeleteBoo! Pops back up! Glad you found me again :) I have been reading blogs but not commenting much lately. I don't ever remove a blog from my bloglovin list which is why it is huge! Maybe someday I will as it would just get out of hand but I hate the though of cutting someone off.
ReplyDeleteI started to follow way too many. the problem with that is it would take soooo long to go through my feed that some blogs just don't get seen. I would rather follow a select few and then that way I can see all their posts.
DeleteI absolutely fall in the bloggers that quit group. I was never really big, only 300 followers but I loved writing review. But I felt discouraged after reading old reviews in a review that I they all looked the same.
ReplyDeleteFor example . In review a I wrote I love the romance you can feel it. And this was the same in review f but different wording. I got fantigued and tired so I quit
I do have to say I miss it but I dont have the time because of school . I blogged for 1 1/2 yrs
OK... when I look back at my old reviews I cringe. They are so .. well like two sentences really! LOL! I have really worked and changed to get where I am with reviews. I feel that I keep growing in that department.
DeleteGreat post! You were so right, we've had such similar thoughts about the blogosphere. I know some people who have moved on because their jobs are intense or school is or they're starting a family or they just don't have anything to say anymore.
ReplyDeleteBut I am wary about getting invested in a blog. It always makes me sad to see they've just quit, even if they have every right to. Blogs are transient things, and easy to start and stop. Still makes me sad, especially when it's one of the blogs who started around the time that I did.
If you're bringing your own voice to the community in your posts, whether they're memes or reviews or discussions, you're definitely adding something different. That makes it totally worth sticking around.
I now have seen a couple other people talk about this. Funny that everyone is noticing at the exact same time. I mean... maybe if there were more things out there for the community people would've quit so much. I don't know. Book reviews aren't always the posts that get the most comments. So you have to engage in the community. I think (like me) people think that when you start blogging everyone is going to flock to your blog. Yeah right! You have to be noticed. You have to network. You have to get out there and get things going. I like to blog... I like to try hard to put my voice out there!
DeleteI have to say I've not really noticed this, even though I follow a lot of blogs. I suppose that's because I tend to just follow blogs I like the look of, and I'm not really hanging out in the comments or anything. It makes me sad to think there's drama out there, blogging should be a fun thing to do, with no pressure and no drama!
ReplyDeleteSarah
The drama makes me sad too. But then again.. if you plagiarize someone's blog.. you should expect drama. Sometimes I am afraid of that. Getting my posts copied would be kind of devastating. Or have your ideas stolen. I am totally off subject now! LOLOL!
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