Feature & Follow (32)

Feature & Follow is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read.

For details on how this meme works, please click on the image above.

This week's question:

Question: What New Years Blogging or Writing resolution have you placed on yourself?

Answer:  Sadly, my Bloggy New Years Resolution this year is to take on fewer review requests from authors, maybe a few less promotional posts, and maybe not as many weekly memes.  I am contacted almost daily about reading books for authors, and because I accepted so many in 2012 my list is still insanely long.  I hate making authors wait so many months for a review.  I just feel that if I take on a review request, I should be able to complete it in a month or two.  And I haven't been able to do that.  Fewer promotional posts and weekly memes will leave me more time for reading, thus reviewing, which is what I planned when I originally started my blog.

On top of that, my review pile is sooooo big that I tend to feel pressure at times about reading.  I started my blog for fun, and I really don't want it to ever become "work" or something that I don't enjoy doing as much as I want to.  I NEED to have free time to spend with my family and friends, outside of my full-time job.  I spend more than 40 hours a week working, on top of my lengthy commute during the week, so that leaves very little time left for everything else.  And when I feel pressure to read when I would rather be doing something else, that feeling really upsets me.  I want to enjoy reading, as I always have my whole life.  And I don't ever want to neglect my family.

So after that REALLY long answer (sorry!!) I regret to say that I will be taking on less via review requests, weekly memes and promotional posts.  This will leave me more time to spend with my family, as well as read books that come out that I am so eager to read, without feeling obligated to read others in my ever-growing review pile.  Sorry authors... I will try to be as helpful as possible in promoting your books and help you any way I can, but please don't take it personally if I don't accept your review request.  I need to spend at least the first part of 2013 getting my review pile smaller, which will relieve some of the stress on my shoulders.  Thank you to all of the authors that have been so patiently awaiting my reviews... they are coming, I promise! :)