I'M BACK!
Hey everyone! I had a fairly enjoyable week off and am happy to be back into the swing of things. This week us Book Girls are talking about our scheduling and reading habits. In my video I ramble on about how I schedule the ARC's that I receive and also how I stray from that and read a lot of "me" books. Watch on to see what my process is like and be sure to weigh in in the comments section and let me know how you run things for your blog:
So what is your process like? How do you balance getting all of your review books read and yet still finding time to read what you want? Let me know!
Also, don't forget that we are always looking for topic suggestions from viewers/readers so be sure to stop by the Book Girls Don't Cry page here on the blog and fill out the form. You can also find the form by clicking HERE.
I think the best thing for me is that I don't request arc/review copies that much. BUT when I do, I'm dumb like that since I always request them all at the same time and I have all these arcs/review books to read at the same time and I don't get that muc "me" books to read. I should be wiser now, but obviously I'm not LOL :D Anyhow, I have the same thing: I don't like to do things I HAVE to do. That's probably one of the reasons I don't request for anything since my moods change like.. LOL I don't even have an example, but I'm a moody reader. Yes, there are times when I've read a book like from cover to cover and have not stopped to read anything else. (Yes, I read multiple books at a time. It's a habit I've picked up during my time blogging and it has it's pros and cons, but mostly pros.) For instance, Hopeless, The Sea of Tranquility, Slammed series, Back to You, Unraveling, Mara Dyer series, Jennifer L. Armentrout's books and Wendy Higgings' and Nyrae Dawn's books etc, but MOSTLY I read books like two-three at a time. It varies between audiobooks when I ride to Uni/home/work and e-books and physical ones, but I have my own mood-schedule I think lol. I usually read like this: arc/review if I have one, a book that's been sitting on my TBR list/shelf for a long time and a book that has come out just now/a books that I've been dying to read and I need to read it asap. If I have a review I need to post on a certain date or like two weeks before it's published etc, then I schedule it on that date, but other than that I just try to be about two weeks/one week tops ahead and post my reviews in a random order in which I have written them. I keep a diary of sorts so I write down my immediate thoughts right after I've read a book since I don't always have that review writing mood and I usually write about 5-6 at a time. I try to post at least two reviews per week + a teaser Tuesday and something else on a Wednesday (Wow, book blitz, tour post, interview - you name it) and if I do have some books to showcase then on a Saturday. I don't post on Sundays either and Friday is like a .. how do you call it in English? A reserve day of sorts? Like when I do have to post something and it can't be scheduled on any other day then it goes up on Friday + if I do have three reviews per week then the third one is on Friday. That's it for me. I think how Giselle does it - it's insane and stressful, for me at least, but whatever works for her. I mean.. As long as she's happy and has it under control then that's great! I admire her for still keeping things organized lol. And you're doing a great job yourself, missy;-) Yay for you being back! AND HOPELESS *wink, wink* LOL
ReplyDeleteLOL sry about another monster comment :D
DeleteI have no process and the lack of balance leaves me a little unbalanced ;). I don't know, usually I'm sensible about committing to reviews, but that's not been the case this year...sometimes I get swept up in all the excitement of new book releases and then any semblance of organization goes out the window.
ReplyDeleteI still love doing WOW. Maybe someday that will change but I just adore going through book catalogs. I am really behind on ARCs right now though. And that is me ALL THE TIME. And now that I am getting more physical ARCs? OH DEAR.
ReplyDelete*Loves how you say Edelweiss*
I am like you. I can't review books a week before they are due. Are you kidding me? I would lose my mind. I try to stay a month ahead with ARC but right now I am behind on that. I will catch up again though.
I'm reading a book for a dual review right now with Lyn. So I guess you can call this one of my own books. But after that it is right back to the review books. Why do I even bother to buy? LOL.
You are just so cute. Welcome back!!
ReplyDeleteI accept very few review books, and it is even rarer for me to request one. I'm like you - I don't like feeling like I have to read something. I've been much better this year about reading what I want when I want. I do keep a schedule for those rare review copies and blog tour stops, though. I envy those of you who can stay on top of it all and schedule reviews ahead of time! I'm too much of a procrastinator. :)
Welcome back Jenni!
ReplyDeleteGood to have you back.
I get a little crazy with review books too so I end up having 1000 books to review all at the same time. I control myself a little better now though and request only books that I really want to read.
When I first started, I never scheduled reviews. But later on, I started using Google Calendar to schedule my reviews and other posts. At times, it's very overwhelming and I have this annoying habit of not following my schedule though.
Great post, Jenni!
ROBE! You're like a pink wizard.
ReplyDeleteSO HAPPY! I just asked you, but now I know!
I lost interest in WoW too. You just want to be cool like me. You can't force yourself to post things; it's for fun! Hahaha, I don't know how to stop requesting books either, and then whenever I look at my schedule, I weep from fear. Haha. That happens to my schedule too. I just don't think about those things. Because I'm dumb.
Bahaha, blog tours are SO fancy.
It frightens me too, but I CAN'T get ahead. You know how much I read! BUT I CAN'T CATCH UP with the pub dates. I can't. It's the worst. I don't mind so much that I have to read them, but I wish I had a cushion. There's no way for me to get ahead though. Unless I don't request anything. Which won't happen. So.
I am a OCD person, so I am a scheduler for just about everything. I have a notebook for ARC release dates, so that I can keep up when they are due. I schedule my reviews and other posts out about 2 to 3 weeks. I also use the calender on my iPad to keep up with things as well. So, like I said, I am a scheduler, and my husband has grown accustom to it over the last 14 years. lol Oh, I hope you enjoy Hopeless, it was soooo good.
ReplyDeleteJenea @ Books Live Forever
I have a massive schedule for the blog as well, I live by that thing. Mostly it's just to make sure I post reviews for the books I receive for review, but like you Jenni, I have a tendency to over request (especially now that so many publishers are posting the entirely of their catalogs on Edelweiss), and then I fall behind. I try to stick to 3 reviews a week, and then I try and have guest posts or interviews or the occasional meme on the other 2 days. I've started taking both Saturday and Sundays off on the blog because otherwise I just get overwhelmed and the blog becomes work instead of fun. I need those two days to read "me" books and not have to worry about responding to comments or tweeting or anything else:) Glad you're back!
ReplyDeleteGreat vlog!! Love the house coat by the way!! I am always one of those people who sets up a post for like the next day or day after. I am never ahead. I have a schedule, but I'm always cutting it close. I totally over request books too, then I am in such a rush to get them all in. I need to stop that.
ReplyDeleteI always try to be organised with scheduling my reviews according to the date they're released on, but I always end up falling behind due to like you mentioned not being able to gold back on requesting review copies. May is also a super crazy month I have like 13 galleys to read for by then and I've only read like 4! Also as me and Rachel both blog, we try to sort out the months schedule beforehand and as we both have the same taste we usually have turns in reviewing our favourite reads. I really wish I had more time to read my own books though, as I have a gigantic pile to get through, but I'm going to try and get through my May pile first. Thanks for sharing how you go about scheduling things Jenni!
ReplyDeleteHahahaha, I've been learning that I need to be careful how many books I request to read on NetGalley and Edelweiss too. I mean there are just so many pretty ones out there! I think we kinda schedule the same way, but I haven't been able to get to far ahead. AKA, I wrote my review that went up today last night... yep.
ReplyDeleteWow that is very pink! IT BLINDS!
ReplyDeleteOh is that our topic? Bahah I had no idea O_O I was wondering WTF I could write about blogging schedules O_O It's gonna be fun to see what changed actually I never really thought about that!
Anyways, WOW is fun bc I like to find new reads and it,s an easy post. I guess my Wednesday is like your Sunday where it's like my easy post and I don't have to write a review and stuff for that day. I post a review if I want but if not I just do a wow.
Omg I have ARCs for life! Bhaha *goes to check Netgalley* I have started looking at the release date when I see an ARC though and if it's the same month or next I'll hesitate more than if I see like.. August or after. Haha you totally took those different color idea from me, bitch!
LOL. I function fine thank you very much! I'm actually a few days ahead right now. WRITING the review the day before is no problem I mean it takes 30 mins, but reading I'm actually ahead 1 week after I finish Program (which I will be finishing today). Yay for me! I,m like Christina even if I try to get ahead it just doesn't work so fuck it I don't worry about it lol. I will get ahead for BEA and then fall back to my bad habits!
My biggest issue is over-booking books for review, then struggling to make sure everything fits in. It helps that I almost never request books anymore. But yeah, scheduling is an ongoing issue for me.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the discussion, Jenni!
I have a color-coded google calendar and use it to keep track, and I schedule, schedule, schedule, everything all the time. That's the only way to reduce stress, otherwise I'd go nuts. This way, I even get a chance to read a book just because I feel like it now and again, and it's the best feeling ever.
ReplyDeleteI don't know that I have a particular schedule when it comes to reviewing. I do like to have my reviews for review books up before release day (maybe a week or two). But that's about it. If I have a lot of review books, I get a bit overwhelmed. Because I am so busy being a student I know that do a meme on Tuesdays, post reviews on Thursday and Saturdays. I sometimes deviate from that though. It's not set in stone. And I use my Justin Bieber (it was a gift) Calender to keep me organized.
ReplyDeleteSara @ Just Another Story
I'm glad you're back!
ReplyDeleteI was really good at following my schedule and reading ahead for like a month. Then real life/school got in the way and I totally fell apart. All of the books I requested on netgalley (which was way more than I could physically read) got pushed back and I decided to at least make sure I kept up with the physical ARCs and review books.
My solution: no more Netgalley! I don't even go on and look (although the other day I fell off the wagon and requested like 5 books). It's helping! I'm going to try to catch up on review books and all my "me" books before I start requesting more books (although I'm sure I'll slip up again soon and request like a hundred books at once again).
I'm the same with netgalley, whenever I see a book that I really want to read, I request it, but since the past week, I'm trying to not go on there until I've read and reviewed a few more of those books and so far it's working, don't know how long I'll be able to keep it that way.
ReplyDeleteI don't schedule things on an electronic calendar, it doesn't work for me, I have to write it down on a paper calendar, I have an organizer that I use and every month is almost full. If I use the iCal app on my laptop or the calendar app on my phone, I will forget and I hate using those anyways. The old fashioned way works for me great. Plus, I'm the kind of person that needs to write down things by hand and I also make lots of lists, like: I make a list of books that I want and need to read and review every month, unfortunately I never end up reading the all, life's just too busy. I have a blog tour stop scheduled on Friday and I still have many pages left, I don't if I can finish it by then. I used to be REally good at reading many books but this year I've slowed down. I'm envious of people who read a 300+ pages book in 2 days, even if I love the book, I just can't finish reading it that quickly. I did finally read mangas again after many weeks, I read two yesterday, so that's good I think.
-Nazish @ Nazish Reads
Welcome back, Jenni! I find myself only loosely following what I've scheduled. I guess ultimately, we read and review because we find it fun to do and if you find that it's easier to manage your life when you read as you please, then blog as you please. Have a lovely week :)
ReplyDeleteI love to schedule things -- make lists, prioritize things, and stuff like that because it helps me feel like I have control and that there is all the time in the world to do what I'm supposed to do. But ... I almost never follow that schedule. Oops. I've also been really bad about requesting too much from netgalley recently. I really need to get on those ARCs! I've sworn myself off it until I get caught up. I've been pretty good about it :)
ReplyDeleteGreat tips on how to manage things. I often stray to read a lot of "me" books too.
Wow, I continue to be amazed by you bloggers that blog and read by a schedule (or strive to!)! I don't think I would like *having* to read a certain book - I already do that for bookclub lol! How much time do you think you spend each day on blogging and reading? (Just curious - because I like to know how much time other bloggers spend on blog stuff and reading :)) And some days, even when I actually make "plans" to blog, shit comes up! How do you deal with that?
ReplyDeleteSo to answer your question about balance - I don't really have balance! I am one of those inconsistent bloggers who blogs when the feeling strikes :)
On blogging and reading each day, oy, probably 4-5 hours. But I don't work so this is primarily what I do along with keeping the house in order lol
DeleteEh, I DO have a reading schedule, I guess, but I don't really follow it, and I don't have it all written down or typed up somewhere. Gosh, I suck at being on time with my reviews. Procrastination all the way! Haha. Basically, I read - or try to read - books according to their pub dates. Like, if this book is going to be published first, I'll read it so that I'll be able to type up my review on time. Sometimes, though, I stray from it. See, I don't have much self-control. I can't imagine anyone NOT following a schedule, because if I did that, it'd be disastrous! How do I balance reading books I have to read and readings books I want to read? I read too many books at one go. Right now, I'm reading four books, so I alternate between them. At night, when I'm lying in bed, I'll read one chapter of this, one chapter of that, one chapter of the other, and one chapter for the last one, or something like that, anyway. :P It's a miracle I don't mix up characters together, lol.
ReplyDeleteMy post schedule was very much like yours, except that Saturdays were my rest days (they still are now, kinda), and I did IMM on Sundays. Now that I've lost interest in Waiting on Wednesday, too, my blog has been more review-centered and I try to have a discussion post at least once a week. Haha, having a calendar would probably help, but I'm too lazy. :3
Thanks for sharing your tips! And yay for color organization!
I'm new, which SHOULD mean that I'm not out of my head with blog posts and stuff, but, sadly that's not the case. Between work, school, friends, and blogging I feel like scheduling just has to take a back seat for now. Things go up when they go up. But I seriously need to change that attitude, scheduling would probably help, it would guarantee that I don't get a text from my bff telling me that I'm a horrible person for not talking to her for 2 weeks.
ReplyDeleteAnywho, great topic as usual, I'm a big fan of the Book Girls Don't Cry feature!
Welcome back Jenni! I missed checking your posts last week :) I still consider myself such a newbie that my posts tend to be a little like you said: I want to post when I want to post. I've stopped doing StS since after my BDay...until BEA I figure >.< I was only getting like 1-2 review books from Netgalley/Edelweiss for a bit there...trying to show SOME control and doing up a while StS post with link and pics for just 1 book, no thanks! Anyways, I love WoW and do that one regularly for sure in addition to my reviews (which have been behind these past weeks, ugh!)
ReplyDeleteAs for scheduling reviews, I was really bad at it when I first started. I still have review copies that need to be read o.O I had no kind of schedule but a lot of the books I'd get were already out so I didn't feel the rush...I was still so new at everyone, I got carried away with requests anyways. I've gotten better at it now, since I have a list of like the books I've gotten for review and the dates they release. Then I just start reading the book a few weeks before so I won't have to rush. Thanks for sharing your process on the whole thing...even if you find you don't stick to a schedule as much, it was still helpful to hear you talk through it somehow :)
Welcome back, Jenni! Yay, it's good to see you here in all your pink-robed glory, hee hee.
ReplyDeleteI do plan ahead in a way, but I'm also a mood reader so I'm a bit of a pantser as well. I arrange my books by release date on my nightstand, and then I try very hard to read mostly books in the upcoming months. Sometimes the will is weak and the desire for coveted books is too strong, though, and I stray!
After that, it's a little more loosey goosey. Between the three of us on the blog, we just put placeholders in for about a month ahead (we love our different colors too, hah) so we know who's doing what (in addition to separate "dibs" document), but all of that can and does change. I wish I were better about scheduling reviews ahead of time since I feel so accomplished when I do, but usually I end up composing just before I post. Bleh.
It's always so interesting to hear how different bloggers do things, though. We're all just trying to do the best we can. :)
OMG, do bloggers actually make review schedules? I am officially the worst blogger ever! Except for the few cover reveals I participate in and blog tours, I post reviews when I have time. I try to aim for 3 a week but lately it’s been 2. *sigh* Unfortunately, I work full time and can’t read fast enough to get through my never ending TBR. I admire bloggers that have all their reviews planned and scheduled but it also starts to sound like a job…
ReplyDeleteI have a loose outline of what I have to review... but I usually end up reviewing the books the day before I post them. As a high school student, I'm finding it increasingly difficult to find the time to read all the books I want and write reviews for all of them.
ReplyDeleteSo basically, I read whenever I can, and post whenever I can regardless of the schedule I set up. I just use that as motivation to actually read and post. Of course, when it comes to blog tours and other things, I follow the schedule more strictly. It's just reviews where I tend to lag off.
Grabby hands lol :-). Me too! Trying to get in on a schedule now so I don't get all confused.
ReplyDelete