Motivate me!
Or the sordid tale of my dirty blogging woes
After nearly two years of book blogging, I've finally realized that I have two fatal flaws that I need to address. Some of you might be thinking it's my inappropriate humor or the dirty, dirty pictures I sometimes post on Tumblr. Well, my friends, you'd be wrong on both counts. Still others of you might think that it's my ability to quote totally useless trivia about the Nancy Drew books. I have a lot of totally useless trivia, let me tell you. BUT... that's not one of my flaws.
No, my flaws are simple - I have a tendency to let to my reviews pile up until I look at the list of books I've recently read waiting for me to review them and want to cry - and - I am terribly, horribly, awfully neglectful of my Google Reader.
I decided to tackle my first flaw the other day by offering myself incentive as I wrote each review. "Kelly," I told myself, "you have five reviews to write. You're going to write one and as a reward you can read a chapter of your current book."
This seemed like a solid plan. I wrote my review and I was feeling good about myself. I picked up my book for the reward chapter and THREE HOURS LATER I HAD FINISHED THE BOOK WITHOUT WRITING ANOTHER REVIEW!
Wait. What?
Now, my problem might have been that my reward book was Before I Wake by Rachel Vincent and it was really good. Or my problem might have been that I have zero self-control around books. I don't know. I do know that I ended up that night with exactly the same amount of books to review that I started with. *frowny face*
It's clear that the answer to this problem is that I need to read books that suck. Right? If I don't want to get back to reading them, the reviews will be like the reward and I'll actually write the darn things in a timely manner.
Or not.
Anyway. Flaw #2. My Google Reader. I can't be the only one who forgets about the thing. Can I? Ohmahgod. I am the only one, aren't I? And by admitting to this I've now violated Google's TOS and I'm doomed to a Google-less existence from here on out! MY GOOGLE-FU WILL BE WASTED! *weeps*
Yeah. Okay. The other day, I realized that I had forgotten to check my reader in 3 days. 300+ posts were staring at me when I opened the damn thing up. I closed that page down so fast that my fingers were still smoking 5 minutes later.
Unlike my first fatal flaw, I don't have a fix for this one. I could write myself a note but I'd probably ignore it for three days and end up in the same boat I was before. I could... no, that was my only idea. I'm tapped, folks. Done.
I want to know how you guys motivate yourselves. It doesn't have to be about book blogging, review writing, Google Reader-ing. Tell me what silly, fun, yummy, or otherwise motivating thing you use to get things done.
Now I'm off to find a bad book and make myself write some reviews.
Oh, holy cow! I'm horrible about reading and not reviewing. I think I have around 20 reviews that I need to write! and I'm terrible about "rewards"--I usually go ahead and do it anyway (especially when it comes to reading!).
ReplyDeleteAs for the google reader, I try to stay on top of it, zipping through them in the morning with my breakfast so they don't pile up so badly.
Wow. Your to be reviewed pile is WAAAAAY bigger than mine! I had 6 books on mine the other day and I was all "OMG! TOO MANY!" Now I'm down to just one left to write up. Yay, me!
DeleteMy problem is that I forget my Google Reader. I used to be so good about it. Now? Not so much. *le sigh* I'll just have to figure something out.
I can't help you on the reviews. I write my review right after I read the book. Also, rewarding yourself with a book is never a good idea. Not Kelly "I accidentally finished a book" Rubidoux.
ReplyDeleteAs for the Google reader, I always keep a Google reader tab open. It allows me to see how many unread posts I have. Every morning I wake up and have anywhere from 30 to 50, so that's usually what I do while I drink my coffee. Then whenever I see there are more posts, I tackle them right away.
I totally pulled a "Oops! I accidentally finished a book!" didn't I? Lol! IT HAPPENS!
DeleteYou are such a rock star! I even added a Google Reader icon to my toolbar and I STILL forgt to check it. It's right freaking in front of me! GEEZ!
Yes, I think "oops, I accidentally finished a book" is your new middle name.
DeleteI think having something that gives you an unread count is what is most useful. Because for me, as soon as that number hits more than 10, I frantically scramble to get it back down to zero. I'm afraid to think of what would happen if I left it alone all day.
I just checked mine. I have 100. Well, 99 now since I just read one. =/
DeleteI do the same exact thing - I keep a Google Reader tab open and look at it often. I don't read every single post because there just isn't enough time. I skim and stop at something that catches my eye.
DeleteAs far as reviews, I have the same issues, Kelly. I'm trying to improve, but I usually never write a review right after I finish a book. I wish I would, because 5 books later, it's hard to remember the details, though I keep a notebook for that very reason...
Oh, I don't read every single post, either. I skim or skip over posts that don't interest me. It saves a bunch of time.
DeleteSmash: Maybe I'll have to give this Google Reader in a tab thing a try. I don't read everything either and when I have 300 posts to look through, I'm seriously overwhelmed already so even skimming is a joke!
DeleteI'm pretty good with remembering the details, sometimes I just get so involved with starting the next book that I neglect the reviews. Which totally explains how I've read all these books this year. Lol!
I am notoriously guilty of Flaw #1. Until yesterday, I had 10 reviews not written with 3 being from the 1st week of June. Yeppers. I don't think I'll ever get my reading & reviewing problem under control. I'd seek a self-help-intervention program, but I'd miss the meetings too caught up in my book. I never have a reading problem. I have a reviewing problem. Plus I feel guilty to be on the computer in those few moments I'm not reading a book, instead of hanging with my family. My poor much neglected family.
ReplyDeleteGoogle Reader. *hangs head* The only I get around this problem is I don't use it. I know I suck at things like email, so why add another failure to my list. I have all my blog favorites bookmarked & I follow on twitter. I know this creates a bit of a gap or miss on my part in stopping by, but it is one I have to deal with.
Flawed book bloggers UNITE! Lol! I'm perpetually 3 reviews behind. Then I go on a reading spree and that number swells to 6 or 7. Then I write a few reviews and get back down to 3. Then I go on another reading spree and get back up there. It's a vicious circle!
DeleteI like Google Reader, I really do. I'm juts horrible at staying on top of it. *glares at self*
I write my reviews as soon as I finish the book, be that at 2pm or 2am. Yeap. I don't let myself 'leave it for later' because I know I'll just forget after I start another book. :)
ReplyDeleteAs for motivation, I'm very easy to please. So chocolates, movie dates with friends, pizza, a new book...any of those are pretty good incentives to get things done.
Sometimes I just can't write the review right away. It might be that the book got to me to the point where I have to let it sink in for a bit before I start talking about it. Or I'm having a bad writing day and the words aren't lining up the way I want them to. I keep a list on a whiteboard of the books that still need a review and that helps me to keep from forgetting. When the list starts to get really long, I freak out and decide that I MUST REVIEW IMMEDIATELY! Lol!
DeleteI've tied my book wishlist to chores I hate. I will not let myself purchase a new book until a predetermined amount of chores are done. I had to make a list and assign point values so I wouldn't do things like "I threw that gum wrapper in the trash, time for a new book!" It took a few revisions to hit a balance between books and chores but it works for me. And you can tell if an awaited book is coming out by the sparkletude of my home.
ReplyDeleteMel
Oh, that's awesome! Do you let yourself bank your points? Like, there are 2 hardcovers you want coming out so you save up your points so you can buy them? Dude. Seriously, brilliant!
DeleteI keep the points as a running total so I can save them up for a big splurge or spend them as earned. And now I'm off to weed the corner of the garden that the spiders like. Lots of book points for going near spiders.
DeleteMel
Ewww.... lots and lots of points, I hope!
DeleteI check my Google Reader a couple times a day on my cell phone or tablet. I star the posts I want to go back and read. (This post falls into that category.)The next time I am online, usually while having my morning pot of coffee I then read, comment and share.
ReplyDeleteAs for reviews I do an outline/rough review as soon as I've finished the book. Then I revise and edit and add to it over the next couple of days.
I also live alone in the boonies 50% of the time, I do not work, and I live under a rock and seldom leave the house. So I have an abumdance of time that most don't have. So, what I do probably will not work for most peeps.
I think the key here is that I have to remember to check my Google Reader. Lol! I love that most everyone has a routine that gets them through their day. I need a routine. I'm going to make a routine even if it kills me. Well, maybe not it if kills me.
DeleteIt sounds like you have gotten some great suggestions! I actually don't use Google Reader. *Gasp!* The thing of it is there are SO many blogs out there and a lot of them are great. Some I followed because it was mandatory for a giveaway.
ReplyDeleteFor the blogs I love, I follow you all by email. Email is much easier for me to follow on my eye-phone than Google Reader. (I haven't found an app yet and their mobile feels a bit clunky to me.) If there is a post that I feel that I can add to I save it until I can get to a computer. If not it gets deleted. I think there are around 50 or so blogs that I subscribe through email. Thank God not all of them post daily. :)
OMG! Yes! I've had some great suggestions on this post! I am not a big fan of the "mandatory" following for a giveaway and I think that's one of the reasons my Reader got so out of control (and why I avoid it sometimes). Maybe I need to have a Reader cleanup day and take out some of the blogs that I don't go to all that often. Hmm...
DeleteHere are my Blogging Woes:
ReplyDelete1) I am a moody reader who will often come down to the wire with a book and be like "but I don't want to read it" (insert 3 year old tantrum here). Of course, this is why I quit accepting review requests BUT I still occasionally request from NetGalley and Edelweiss (which is all on me). So I am a bad moody reader with no self control :)
2) I HATE writing reviews now. I would much rather them all be discussion things about the books BUT I don't want to post spoilers. So my reviews all the sound the same to me now---very generic. I NEED TO STOP THAT--just haven't figured out how yet. I think I have something that might work but we will see.
3) Work is kicking my ass so I try to be "here" (cyberland) but found I am failing miserably. Yet, I just don't have energy :)
So yep I have some blogging woes too! LOL
I'm a moody reader, too! It can get hard with the review requests. I absolutely hear you on that!
DeleteWe should start a blogging woes support group! I'd be all "Felicia, you can write that review! You can!" Amanda does that to me sometimes. It actually works to have someone you're accountable to. At least it works for me. Lol!
I might take you up on that! Cause really I sucketh big time! :) :) :)
DeleteAnytime. We can come up with a catchy name for ourselves and yell at one another via Twitter. It'll be AWESOME!
DeleteI'm the same way with both flaws. I also agree with Felicia and have come to despise writing reviews. I really would rather do discussion stuff too, but it's hard because of that pesky spoiler issue. So what's a girl to do?
ReplyDeleteI don't have any good suggestions on the review thing. I'm horrible at motivation. Eventually I just chalk it up as a loss and skip the reviews that are so old I forgot I even read the book.
I *like* writing the reviews but sometimes I either can't find the words or I'm so eager to jump into the next book that I put it off. And then I put it off again. I've actually gone back and reread books if too much time has passed just so I can write a decent review. Lol!
DeleteFirst of all, if you didn't have blogging woes, you wouldn't be human. Second, Google Reader sucks. There has to be a better way of keeping track of blog feeds. There just has to.
ReplyDelete