There are many blogs I love to visit and take time to read the reviews. But as we know, time is limited, and we all want time to read books too!
I happened to notice that I was secretly happy when the blogs I like to read didn’t post for a day or two. It lessened the amount of time I felt I needed to spend reading other blogs. So I thought, what the heck, if I post less, maybe I’ll make some people happy, and simultaneously lessen the stress on myself to come up with new material! Thus, I am now mostly posting more infrequently.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t remove the desire to visit the blogs I do as often as I do. And yet if I can’t, I don’t feel as guilty.
Does this make sense? Is anyone else secretly happy when blogs fall off for a bit? Does it impact your commenting at all?
Filed under: Commentary, Sunday Salon Tagged: | Commentary, Sunday Salon
From September on, I promise I’ll be making you very happy
I don’t mind it when people post once a day every week day, but more than one post a day is definitely more than I can cope with. And I’m glad that not *all* the blogs I read post daily, otherwise I know I’d have to read fewer of them.
It’s just impossible to read all the blogs that are out there on a regular basis anymore. What I’ve noticed is that I gain more google readers during the spells when there’s radio silence on my end than when I’m actively posting. Weird, but I’m afraid to analyze it too deeply.
I am so with you!!!! LOL! I totally get it!
Oh I totally get this too! I don’t ever want anyone to think I don’t appreciate their work and their words though. But I find myself almost dreading Mondays because there is an INSANE amount of posts. It is all I can do to get through them all, and if you post something mid or late afternoon, there is a good chance I won’t see it at all. When I don’t hear from someone in awhile, I do worry that they are sick or having trouble. But it sure is nice to get a break. My biggest issue (if you want to call it that) is that I read too many books!
It’s simply a matter of time. A wise friend said that it isn’t the number of hours in a day, it’s what you do with those hours. I get in trouble when I forget that advice and try to read all the blogs and read the books and do my necessary chores and post in my own blog, etc. So, I just try to cool it. I read my favorite blogs (like this one) nearly every day but others I just catch up on occasionally. I comment when I appreciate something in a blog or learn something from it, or if I feel I have something to add to the conversation. Otherwise no.
I do understand what you’re saying, but I still want to hear from you – I just love your blog. Having said that, I think everyone needs to do what works for them.
Absolutely! In fact, even though I read quite a few books this past week or two (mostly because of graphic novels and shorter stories), I refuse to put them up on a more time-intensive schedule, so at the moment… I have reviews scheduled out into June. I don’t mind that at all, and it’s letting me be a bit more leisurely with my reading for now. I am not sure how long that will last, but it’s nice
I’m not at all perturbed when blogs I follow don’t post every day – I mean, I certainly don’t! I simply don’t have the material/time/energy to write my best every day, so I don’t force myself to do so. I’d rather people post less frequently but post better content than post frantically.
And, actually, now that you mention it, I do find that when someone posts less frequently I do feel compelled to comment more on their posts. If someone posts daily and I miss a day or two, well, I figure it’s only a short wait before I get another chance…
As one who has hardly blogged in six months because she started feeling too overwhelmed, YES, I agree with this statement. Back when I was blogging regularly I found it easier to catch up with the bloggers who didn’t post as much rather than the ones who posted every day. I was more likely to open my Google Reader after a week and hit the blogs who had 1-2 posts rather than 10.
But, all that said–after six months absence I’m allowing myself to hit that Mark As Read button a lot more frequently than I used to. Afterall, there were only a handful of bloggers who commented on all of my posts–why was I going the extra distance to read everything and find a comment for everything (although I did enjoy this it was causing stress and guilt).
Anyway, to post or not every day is a personal decision and if it’s quality content I don’t see the issue. But if someone is trying to add filler just to get a post up, then “ehhhh.”
On Mondays when I open Google Reader and see 100+ posts (everyone seems to post on Monday) I’m all ACK! And on Friday/Saturday (people seem to take those days off) when I open the reader and see around 30 posts, I say a quiet yippee.
I have to admit I love my bloggers that don’t post everyday. It’s hard to keep up with everyone when the GR has 100+ posts every day. It definitely affects my commenting as I’m much more likely to comment when I know I haven’t commented (because of lack of posts) for a while.
I can’t keep up with all the blogs I keep on adding to Google Reader and yet I keep finding more, so I definitely appreciate it when people don’t post every day. Why do I feel the need to post something everyday myself???
I’ve been posting less recently in an effort to have more time for other things, but it’s hard to change my habits.
I completely understand what you’re saying. I think it is completely fine not to post every day and many days I am completely fine if there are fewer posts in my reader.
I have been asking myself the same question: why do I feel compelled to post something every single day? I love doing it but I know I should spend time working on the quality of my posts. I guess I’m afraid people will stop reading me if I’m not there every day.
I just sat back and thought about that last sentence. I paused, stopped and washed a few dishes, and thought some more. That is the silliest reason in the world. I didn’t stop reading your posts the last few weeks. I really like what you write, whenever you write. So people aren’t going to stop reading my posts, unless the quality deteriorates.
So — thanks for bringing up the subject and giving me a chance to seriously think about this. I’m going to give myself permission to have some blank days on my calendar. And I’m perfecdtly happy if you do the same.
I am so glad to have made you happy over the past few weeks. LOL!
I know what you mean. I’ve been under stress over so much, that visiting blogs and commenting isn’t even on my radar screen. It’s so hard to balance everything, isn’t it?
You have made me happy this week by being such a good blogging friend. I’m so glad you’re out there no matter how often you post.
I’m so sorry if I stressed you up! LOL..I left my blog idle for a month in the beginning of this year and the strangest thing is my blog hits did not suffer!!
I do skim reading on my google reader. If I read every single posts, I may never get to go to bed and my sons will go hungry!
JoV,
I would not want your kids to go hungry! Seriously, I have a hard enough time without young kids to take care of – I can’t imagine how all of you bloggers with young children cope with all the time pressures, managing somehow to read, come up with posts, comment on others, AND take care of your families! Amazing!
I totally get this. I love your blog though and always appreciate when you post. Today seems a bit slow for blogger posts.
I personally like when blogs don’t post every day … and I HATE when blogs post multiple times a day. I do find that if a blog posts more than I do, I don’t feel guilty not reading all of their posts! I’m going to be slowing way down in my posting as the Little One isn’t in school and my free time evaporates so celebrate your new free time! HAHA.
I am breaking out the champagne as we speak…
Jill,
Thanks for taking some of the guilt away. I really want some balance and acceptance and I found it here.
Taking a break is always a good thing.
I follow a core of blogs every day and don’t mind spending a certain amount of time reading/commenting. I really like it when bloggers only post once a day…any more than that makes me feel anxious!!!
I know what you mean.
I don’t mind it if the blogs I follow have a post every day, but I do skim if they have lots in a day and/or if the topics do not really interest me.
i don’t post everyday because i just don’t have the time. i keep thinking i should try to stay on a more regular schedule (ie. mon, wed, fri) but can never seem to stay on track. i post 2-4 times each week and comment about the same.
EEk! I am a chronic poster – LOL…. I love to chat it up with people and post pretty much every day. Usually twice a day with my morning meandering and then a review set to go live in the after noon. The morning meanderings I actually write int he mornings but the reviews are drafted to go live throughout the week.
I try to get around to the blogs I love to frequent but have already noticed this time of year I dont get around to them as often as I did in the winter. I usually respond to every comment on my blog so I hope people see I do chat witht hem that way
I read blogs every other day. I used to read them every day but even if they post every day, I am still going to catch their posts if I read them every other day. See my logic?
I dropped a weekly meme that I used to participate in (Friday Finds) so Fridays are now free days. I can post or not post. That has taken the pressure off because although I never had trouble finding a book to showcase, I didn’t always have the time to write the post.
I’ve been feeling completely overwhelmed lately, and so my blog reading has really fallen off what it used to be. I try to keep in mind that I can’t keep up with everyone else’s posts if there are a ton of them, so I shouldn’t publish too often. But it always seems like I have things that need to be posted, so I haven’t taken a day off from posting in a while.
I’m thinking I’m due for a blog vacation though. Probably at the beginning of June when the kids get out of school. I’m thinking I’ll just take a week off of the computer (and then see how long it takes for the withdrawals to set in).
It’s hard for me to keep up with Google Reader any day of the week, but I admit it’s much easier when people post only once a day. However, I don’t mind when there are more than one post, because I can simply choose to read them or not. I feel so guilty hitting the “mark all as read” button, but when real life is crazy-hectic (like it is for me right now), you gotta do what you gotta do.
It’s hard for me to keep up with Google Reader any day of the week, but I admit it’s much easier when people post only once a day. However, I don’t mind when there are more than one post, because I can simply choose to read them or not. I feel so guilty hitting the “mark all as read” button, but when real life is crazy-hectic (like it is for me right now), you gotta do what you gotta do.
–Anna
I will admit that there are blogs that I have stopped reading because they post so often, multiple times per day. I would open my Google Reader after a day or two and there would be 10 posts at that one blog and it was just too much.
Personally, I post several mindless posts for every serious one, so as not to tax my readers.
Both of them.
Yeah. I can’t keep up with it all, so I just check in when I can and comment when I have something to say. I can’t possibly read everything that everyone writes, and sometimes I just scan my blogroll and check out my pals, and sometimes if I can I’ll check in with everyone. What can you do? Only so much time in the day.
I find the optimum amount of posting for blogs I like is three to four times a week. More than that, and I start getting anxious about missing a day. Right now I’m so busy I’m hardly able to comment at all, which is frustrating, but it’s probably good for me in the end, to be forced to let things slide.
My blogging has slowed down in the past couple weeks, and probably will continue to be slow over the summer while the kids are at home. In fact they finish school this Friday!
And, I’ve also fallen way behind on google reader. In fact, trying to keep up, I haven’t noticed if any certain bloggers have been posting less often.
I tend not to blog, or read blogs/leave comments on the weekends. Sunday Salons are very popular with bloggers, but I tend to skim through most of them because they are often recaps anyway. (if any look interesting, I mark as unread and go back to it when I can) .That’s just me though!
Blog however often you feel comfortable with — I’ll always read you!
BTW, I’m not saying bloggers shouldnt’ do Sunday Salons….it just that because it is on a weekend day, I don’t get to them, or read them thoroughly, right away. Just wanted to clarify that
Hee Hee
Given the state of my Google Reader I’m okay with bloggers taking a few days off here and there 
I’m totally with you! I just went through my blog reader, which had 1000+ unread posts in it, and weeded it down to about 30 in less than two hours (which gives you an idea of how many posts I read!). Had to be done, though, since I’m leaving for BEA next week and could only imagine how daunting the task would be when I got back!
This is what happens when I take a break from reading blogs – I come back to it with a renewed vigor and comment blitz my favorite ones
Well, as you know, I am not adverse to not posting every day (or every other day or even every three days). I must admit to feeling a little bit guilty when I realized I’ve been posting once a week, though!
I just find I sometimes have a lot to say, in which case I’ll post really frequently, or I have nothing to say at all, in which case I don’t do so much as peep. Also, I’m finding Facebook fulfills my need to air my thoughts – it might be because my thoughts lately have been in little bitty bit-sized proportions LOL
I really like blogs that post only once per day…more than one post tends to turn me off reading them…because they get burdensome if I don’t have the time to read them daily.
I really don’t mind if commenters comment only on posts they want to comment on or visit when they have the time. I’d rather have conversation than generic comments about nice weather we’re having….lol you know what I mean