Monday, May 7, 2012

Changes!

There comes a time in a life of most blogger's when push comes to shove and there just doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day. Not enough time for family and friends and things that need to get done. Not enough time to read or spend a few moments just being quiet. 


It's at that time when you know you have to make some changes and I think that's where I'm at with the Book Bag. My blog is strictly a book blog. I don't add a lot of fluff or memes or unnecessary stuff. It is basically filled with reviews, guest posts and interviews with authors, and giveaways. In the last several months I think I have bitten off quite a bit more than I can chew. I have posted two reviews a day for a long time, that's roughly fourteen books a week. That's a lot of reading and a lot work. 


Recently my boyfriend, Scott has been very gracious in helping me with my blog. He has helped me with Cover Art, prepping reviews and setting up giveaways and a lot of the behind the scenes things in order to give me more time for other things. I appreciate his help very much. But I've come to see that blogging has become more of a chore than a hobby. It is becoming less fun and more tedious and I don't want it to be that way. 


I have decided to cut down on the amount of books I take on for review drastically. I will not be accepting outside submissions from authors. I will do a few select titles from publishers but not anywhere close to the pace I have tried to keep for so long. I want to enjoy blogging again and I'm looking forward to doing that. 


I plan to continue my cozy mystery reviews and giveaways as well as a few other books to offer some variety. Sourcebooks has always been a very good fit for me here at Debbie's Book Bag and I will probably continue to work with them, but very few others, if any. That means that a lot of the paranormal romance and urban fantasy books will have to go by the wayside as well as many other titles. 


You will begin to see the changes take place in the next couple of weeks. I will be cutting down to only a few challenges, if any. I plan to continue the 2012 Cozy Mystery Challenge and hope that you will all understand the need for these changes. It's a personal decision and one I feel confident that will make me a better blogger, mom, friend and companion.

12 comments:

Rachelle21 said...

I keep seeing reviews of books I want to read on your blog. If you cut down reviews, I will save money as there will not be so many books to buy. I did buy a lot of books by authors who I had not read at our library's book sale. So I have a lot of cozy mysteries to read. I also picked up a biography of Zero Mostel which I can use in the A-Z challenge if I don't find the book I originally bought for that challenge. I hope I have something that will fit the next mini challenge.

Lexi said...

Good for you! I don't know how you could possibly have kept up that crazy pace, two reviews a day?! So I hope you get back to enjoying reading/blogging/life. =)

justpeachy36 said...

It won't drastic changes... just a slow down of sorts! I need a bit of a break!

The Insouciant Sophisticate said...

I could not understand how you were putting up so many reviews-it made you seem superhuman! Glad to hear that you are human like the rest of us ;) I know I'm not a big commenter but I've gotten several great titles from you and I tend to prefer cozies anyway so I will definitely continue to be interested in your content.

Marg said...

Sounds perfectly reasonable! Your blog should be fun and not a chore!

Hope you enjoy your slow down and find some joy in blogging again.

Scott said...

Your supportive comments mean a lot to Debbie and I.

This was a tough decision for her to make.She has some followers that read her reviews and enter just about every giveaway she has.This blog and her followers really mean a lot to her.I was afraid if she didn't slow down she would have quit doing what she loves doing all together.

Thank you all for understanding.

justpeachy36 said...

It was a difficult decision but I think it was the right one. I don't want to quit, I have a real passion for books and promoting good fiction. I hope it shows in how I review the books I choose.

In the meantime, a little bit of time to smell the roses will be nice!

And isn't he just the sweetest? LOL

Peggy Ann said...

I always wondered how you even squeezed in sleep! We'll still love you Deb!

Carol N Wong said...

Sounds like a great solution to me.
You need time for the part of your life that is not blogging, reviewing and reading. Relieved that you are still going to do some cozies as I love your reviews. I hope that you end up much more time to enjoy life.

Carol Wong

Karen B said...

Hurray for you! Life is too short to miss time with your family. Slow way down and smell the roses. We will still be hear to read your comments and reviews whenever you choose to post them, which are excellent, by the way!

Karen B

Linda Kish said...

I keep wondering how a lot of you keep up such a frenetic pace and still take time to enjoy life. I think it is great for you, and your boyfriend and family that you will be taking more time to yourselves.

Martha Eskuchen said...

Two reviews a day - wow and ouch. I can understand why you need to back off some. It should definitely be fun, not a chore. Take care.