What Happens when a Hobby Turns Into Something More?

I've been doing some thinking today, inspired in part by the connection that I see between Jules and Eisha's recent identify crisis (and comments therein) and the discussion that's been taking place on various blogs (and a discussion list), especially at Becky's Book Reviews, about summer reading lists. In both cases, the concern is that it's possible to take something enjoyable (like blogging or reading) and suck the fun out of it by turning it into work (as happens with book reviews sometimes, and with required reading lists). Mary Lee from A Year of Reading called these things (in the comments here) "idea cousins." (This post is a bit introspective - feel free to skip if you're just looking for children's book news and reviews.)

What I'm wondering is, is my blog a job or is it a hobby? Reading children's books used to be a hobby for me. I would lose myself in the books. I would recommend them to people, and buy them for kids I knew. The books were an escape and a joy. They were what I loved. I would occasionally get on my soapbox with people I knew well, urging them to read to their kids, but this was an infrequent thing.

Then I started my blog, and I developed an audience, and people started sending me books. And that was all great (I love the books and the discussion). But now I have deadlines. I have posts that I try to publish on a weekly schedule. I have my weekly newsletter. I have authors and publishers asking me to review their books, and people who visit my blog asking me to recommend books to them. I have other blogs that I read, and I try to keep up with the constant trickle (sometimes a deluge) of new blog posts into my Google Reader. I highlight reviews that inspire me. I've had a project management role with the Cybils, and a research role with Readergirlz. I'm even occasionally been called upon to be an interviewer.

Over the past year I've done some things to focus my blog efforts a bit. I've stopped participating in big, cross-blog events like the SBBT (although I think that it's great that they exist), because having externally imposed deadlines and coordinating with other people adds a layer of stress to an already finely balanced juggling act. I've pretty much stopped doing interviews, because I find them taxing, and I'd rather keep my focus on the books themselves. I've pushed back on anyone who tries to get me to commit to reviewing a particular book in a particular timeframe (that deadlines thing again). I stepped down as a Readergirlz Postergirl, because I was having trouble focusing enough on pure YA to be useful. I don't do challenges, and I rarely do memes.

On the surface, my focusing efforts are about keeping the time requirement for the blog manageable, since it's a part-time effort for me, and keeping myself focused on the things that I think really make a difference. But as I think about it now, in light of Jules and Eisha's recent post, and all of the recent discussion about summer reading lists (especially the contributions from A Year of Reading), I also realize something. My focusing efforts have for the most part centered around pushing back on the things that feel like work (to me), so that I can focus on the parts that I most enjoy. And I think that's a good thing. (I also owe a debt of gratitude to Kim and Jason from Escape Adulthood for the philosophy that's helping me with this).

Blogging for me still lives in an odd space that's not a job (I don't do it full time, I don't get paid for it, I don't have a boss), but not quite a hobby either (I have deadlines, I make commitments to produce certain things, I work with other people). It's more like an unstructured volunteer position. Talking about children's books and reading, helping people to grow bookworms, is much more than a passing fancy for me. It's a cause, a soapbox, something I think is really really important. Ultimately, the reason that I spend so much time on my blog is because of that - because I truly feel like if I can help even a few parents and teachers and librarians to find the right books for even a few kids, I'll have made a positive difference in the world. When someone tells me that their child spent hours lost in a book that I recommended, I know that I'm doing something worthwhile.

And yet, even with that feeling to guide me, even with that reasoning to justify the effort that I expend as important, I still struggle with the TIME. If you have a full time job, you expect to spend 40 or 50 or 60 hours a week on it, and you set up your life to do that. And if you have a normal hobby, then you enjoy it in your spare time, but you can usually put it aside when you're busy. But what if you have something that's not your full time job, but that takes 20 or 30 or 40 hours a week to keep up with, and that you really want to do? And where you're producing something that other people look at? Obviously, I can and do put the blog on the back burner sometimes, like when I moved last spring, when I travel, when we have guests visiting, etc. But even when I'm not traveling - even when I'm just home, having a normal work week, and a normal amount of social things going on, the time that the blog takes up is more time than I really have available. Other things have been falling through the cracks. I've been stressed out. I've been having tension headaches (because of the other things that I'm not doing, not because of the blog itself).

I know what the answer is. I know, like Jules and Eisha just discussed, that I need to scale the blog back further. I've committed myself to doing more than I have time for, on a week by week basis. And even though I wish that I had more time to give to to these efforts, that's not really an option at this point. I have a full time job and other personal commitments. I need to spend less time on the blog, even if I don't want to. If I don't, I'm going to turn the whole thing into work, and/or get burned out.

But even though I KNOW that's the answer, it's still not easy. I have so many things that I want to do with my blog - I love doing my Sunday visits posts, I love the literacy round-ups, I love reading and reviewing books (well, the reviews are work, but I love having reviewed books). I'm really enjoying these little "reviews that made me want the book" posts. And I love putting out my little weekly newsletter (which isn't really any extra work, once the above content is produced). How could I give any of these things up? It's not that I think that other people sit around waiting with bated breath for me to produce these things every week - it's that I WANT to produce them. And I have a couple of new things on the horizon, too, which I'm absolutely committed to, because they're going to help me take my blog's mission to another level. (More on those later.)

So here I am, knowing that I need to cut back a bit, but not willing to do it. I'm like a dieter who can't give up any of her favorite foods. I'm addicted to my blog, addicted to the books, addicated to the idea of helping to grow bookworms. But I'm going to have to figure something out, because these headaches have to go.

I have some small ideas that I'm going try, like not requesting any new review books for a while (I'm sure I have a whole year's worth of reading material already), and scaling back my blogroll a bit, but I suspect that I'm going to need to make some bigger sacrifices. I'm working on it ... At least I know that I'm not alone (see Jules and Eisha's post at 7-Imp, and Jenny's post at Read. Imagine. Talk., for example). Meanwhile, if anyone has gotten this far, thanks for listening. It always helps me to write things out.

© 2009 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved.

Comments

[Kelly]

I'm right there with you guys. For me, the solution is going to be a radically-curtailed review book policy and something else I'm not mentioning aloud yet.

[Rebecca Reid]

I completely understand! I've been feeling the same thing about my blogging and reading. It takes on a life of it's own, and I love it, but it's sometimes feeling like a "job" I have to do. I'm trying to find balance and take away the self-assigned pressure.

[Aerin]

I am anxious to hear about what you're going to do to further your blog's mission!

Also, to add more pressure, I /love/ love love your blog, and would give anything to do what you do - review, suggest, etc. And I don't have the time.

Is there anything I could do, sort of as an assistant, long-distance and over the web, to help? I can only do a few hours, which isn't enough time for a full blog for me, but maybe it would be enough to lighten your load a little.

Just a suggestion. I heartily recommend and advocate your taking care of yourself - hope you can figure out how!

[Doret]

With all the kids books you read, when do you find time to read mysteries? Maybe, you'll like your blog more when you cut back, because you'll have more you time.
Goodluck!

[Anastasia]

Great post!!
I'm so glad you're doing what YOU love - and not trying to do everything.

[Megan Germano]

I am right there with ya, sister. I never do anything in the amount that you do each week and I still feel the joy is sucked from my blog. Although, I am totally addicted to blogs and blog reading. Sometimes I am a little jealous of people that share a blog. I would like to share and divide the work. But then again I would never trade this experience.
(On another note, did you watch the WHOLE video on Read Roger... Sorry girl, you didn't make the grade, but you made the Awesome Video.)

[Terry]

Oh, so true. It seems so much harder to stop and take a breath ... especially when what you do is boosted up by a foundation to make a difference. I can't thank you enough for all the doors you've opened for us, so I am happy to open a few in return. Just let me know!

[Little Willow]

Writing things out and/or talking things out always helps.

[Jen Robinson]

See, THIS is why I keep blogging. You all are so great!!

Kelly, I've heard hints about you scaling back a bit, and I swear I'm not copying you by bringing my own issues up at the same time. But we do seem to be in a similar cycle - and I hope that your decisions are the right ones for you.

Rebecca, balance is definitely the goal - but it's amazing how elusive that is.

Aerin, thank you SO much for your generous offer. I need to do some more thinking about what I'm going to do myself, but I'll definitely keep the offer in mind. I am for sure going to be looking for some help on a project that I'll be starting for the Cybils in the fall, and I've added your name to my notes. THANK YOU!

Doret, I LOVE my blog. But I'll perhaps feel less stressed out about everything else, if I find a way to rein it in a little. Mostly I read mysteries when I have long flights - I prefer to take fewer, longer books on those trips, so the adult titles are a bit better for that.

Anastasia, you are always so supportive of the other bloggers. And I know that you've gone through your share of blog focus questions. So your input means a lot. Thanks!

Megan, if you're not getting joy out of your blog, then it's time to do something about it (not sure what). The blog sharing idea did cross my mind today, as I was thinking about ways to scale things back. But I've historically done better when I have complete control over the timing of things, so I don't know... And yes, I did watch the ALA video. It's pretty funny. Though seeing myself on video just makes me think - forget about focusing the blog, I need to find time to exercise. But that's a topic for another day. But anyway, it was an honor just to be included in the video.

Terry, thank you for offering to help open doors, too. I added your name, with Aerin's to my notes for the upcoming Cybils project. More soon on that. But yes, I know that you understand about putting time into something where you have a purpose of making a difference. And I think that you're making a difference with the Reading Tub.

LW, yes, writing it out helps. Perhaps I didn't really need to post my thoughts, if the true goal was just to write it down, but it's clear from the comments that I'm far from alone in thinking about these issues.

Thank you all for reminding me of this very important reason to keep blogging - the wonderful community.

[Anamaria]

Thanks for that insightful connection between summer reading and blog identity crises--for this whole post, really. I'm a little fish in the kidlit blog pond, but I'm experiencing some of the same issues people are talking about, and have had to cut back on posting over the summer while my kids are home. When it's working--writing the blog, being a more active participant in this community--it's great, though; I don't want to give it up. On the contrary, I'd like to do more in the fall, when I'll have more time and a better sense, I hope, of what I've really missed. Please add me to your volunteer list!

[Mary Lee]

It is definitely a balancing act. Franki and I are EXTREMELY lucky to blog together. Sharing the load makes a TON of difference. It also helps us that our blog is an extension of our day jobs. We keep each other in check and we have vowed to make sure we never take the blog so seriously that we stop having fun with it.

[Bianca Schulze]

As a newbie to the blogging world the toughest part is certainly the balancing of all aspects of life. While I am still in the 'honeymoon' phase of my blogging career, your post has given me a focus to just do what I can and always have fun! Thanks.

[Jules]

I wish you luck in figuring out the balance.

For me, it was simple. I, like you, still WANT to blog like I used to, but suddenly, as in on a freakin' dime one night (when I usually write reviews for the next day), I could. not. do. it. Just could NOT. I had a stack of books I was going to review. Were they good? Sure. Did the author meet his or her goal? I thought so. Were they fairly well-crafted? Yup. But did I want to spend one more -- or two more -- hours writing about them? Nope. Didn't have it in me. (Plus, my workload has increased, which is a large part of this; I was just too tired to keep it up.)

The burn-out built very, veerrrrry slowly over time, but what happened so suddenly was finally not worrying so much what my readers thought. For me, I've always wanted to be consistent about posting; I've never cared, nor known, our reader stats. I don't even know how to READ them or find them or whatever people do, but if *one* person were reading, that mattered to me. And I felt like consistency (posting at least every other day) was only fair.

But that right there was why it was like a part-time job -- one that an increased workload (and children -- oh my children! I think I said "just a minute -- let Mommy finish typing this" WAY too much) isn't allowing for anymore.

The other sudden realization -- for me -- was how sad it was that I felt like I didn't have time to read what I wanted. We get so many review copies, and a percentage of them are great, but a good chunk of them...well, I wasn't so sure I'd normally pick them up to read.

One more thing, 'cause I'm probably rambling: This all is not not not EASY! I feel for authors right now -- not that 7-Imp is sooo important, not by any means, but because with diminished print space for book reviews, they may have to rely on blogs a bit more these days. That's what we always hear and read anyway. So, here are two bloggers (many more, actually) saying, 'well, I'm feeling overwhelmed with all these copies and would rather rave about something I found serendipitously or wanted to read on my own.' So, what can authors do then? It's a catch-22 for them, I would think. I wonder if they're reading all of us bloggers lately and wondering how the hell they can make us happy. :)

And I also wonder if we have confused publishers (though I carefully worded an email to ALL my pub contacts and made it clear that we were still going to blog and would accept *occasional, rare* review copies). I wonder if they're thinking, 'we just can't win.' I wouldn't blame them.

But I gotta do what I gotta do, and I can't tell you how happy I feel. I celebrated by going to a bookstore, sans kids, and buying an adult fiction title that no one asked me to read. Sure, there are tons of review copies left I want to and plan to read, but I've reclaimed my pleasure reading for myself.

And I wish you luck in balancing it all, too. Your blog is fabulous -- that's all I can say, but I hope you find whatever balance you desire.

I always used to think, 'if only blogging paid,' but now I also understand why reviewers get burnt out -- why Roger Sutton, for instance, talks about not reading so much children's lit -- as adult books -- in his spare time. When reading becomes a chore, it kinda kills the joy. At least it finally got to that point for me.

(And you touched upon keeping up with blogs -- that was another big issue for me. I got tired of just skimming my favorites, feeling like I had to keep up with EVERYone).

I'm glad you were able to think outloud and get good feedback from all the awesome bloggers of the kidlitosphere.

[Jen Robinson]

Anamaria, you're on my list. Thanks! I love your blog, and I look forward to the time when you're able to do more with it. But the message that everyone, consistently, is sending is, do what you can, and what feels right to you.

Mary Lee, I think that you and Franki are a perfect example of how a blogging partnership can keep things balanced. And I love that you consciously made an agreement to keep it fun. I think a lot of us just start, and get in over our heads, and then are baffled because this is supposed to be about what we love. How can it be stressful?? But yeah, I'm sure that having it tie in with your jobs helps a lot, too.

Bianca, enjoy the honeymoon phase, and don't worry too much about all of this. But keeping an eye on having fun is a great idea. Your blog is off to a great start.

And Jules, you're not rambling. I could talk about this stuff with you for days, I think. I'm sorry that the burnout hit you so hard.

I haven't gone so far as you have on the review copies, Jules. I'm still accepting them from the publishers that I have relationships with, and just not specifically requesting any new titles (or accepting them from new people). But it's definitely crossed my mind to just stop altogether, and go back to getting books from the library and the bookstore. Ironic, given that this would once have been a crazy dream - all the books that you can read, send to your door for free. What keeps me accepting the RCs are two things:

1. It is fun to get ARCs, to read a book before it's out, to be able to share an opinion early, when it can really make a difference.

2. I've ended up reading, and loving, a lot of books that I would never have picked up on my own, especially on the picture book and early reader side. Left to myself, I don't think that my range is broad enough to meet the mission of my blog.

But obviously, that's where I may have to go at some point (no more RCs), if I can't get the time thing under control. Right after I wrote this post this afternoon, a very nice author emailed me to offer a copy of his book. And saying no was so hard! I wanted the book, I wanted to say yes to him. But I just have to scale it back. The question will be whether I can scale it back without turning it off altogether. We'll see... I did think about the message that this post would send to the authors and publishers and the like, should any of them happen to read it. I thought of not posting it, but I think it's an important discussion (and clearly lots of people have things to say).

But you, Jules, are an inspiration, and I'm really happy for you, taking back the pleasure of reading. I'm going to be giving it more thought, as the summer progresses.

[Jenny]

Thanks, Jen, for the thoughtful post. You've captured the way I feel about finding balance perfectly -- and it's nice to know that I'm not alone in the slightly overwhelmed feeling!

Like so many others have said in these comments, I love your blog and all that you've done for children's literacy...

[Paige Y.]

I really like doing by blog, but I gave up long ago thinking I would be as prolific a writer as many of you. I don't want it to seem like work -- I already have a job and my blog should be something I look forward to coming home and doing.

At first I was going to review every book I read, but then I realized that there were some books that I really didn't have much to say about so now I tend to just review books that I think other people should read and think about. And if I never get to a review, I don't sweat it. Life's too short to worry about the little things.

[jama]

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts. Much of the self-imposed pressure to keep up with everything that you, Jules, and others are experiencing comes from CARING so much -- about books, literacy, serving the community of readers, writers and other reviewers in the kidlit world, and sincerely wanting to accommodate everyone -- and you know, to be honest, you people do such brilliant, thorough work that you've spoiled all of us out here, who depend on your blogs to help us navigate our way through tons of books. And it's easy to see how once you realize how much people benefit from and depend on what you do, that you'd feel guilty about doing less. But there are limits; no one can be superhuman forever. I know you will find the right balance -- and ultimately we will all benefit in the end.

[Charlotte]

I too have been feeling a bit aggrieved about not getting the chance to blog about the books I loved because of having to try to keep up with books coming in...This is one reason I started Timeslip Tuesday, on the grounds that there aren't that many new timeslip stories being written (although I was quite possibly wrong about this) and I would have a slot where I would have permission from myself to write about books that I love (like I did this Tuesday).

[Jen Robinson]

Jenny, I know that you're struggling with this, too, right now. And you are DEFINITELY not alone. Thanks so much for the encouragement. It means a lot.

Paige, I think you're smart to take a "life's too short" approach to the whole thing. I have a row of books on my shelf that I read early in the year and never reviewed, because of time, not because I didn't like them. But now they're weighing down on me, because it's harder to write a review when the book isn't fresh in your mind. I think I'm going to take your advice, and let them go.

Jama, I think you hit the nail on the head. We all care so much about this whole cause of reading and literacy that it's hard NOT to do too much. Though I think that you manage to maintain a nice sense of play with your blog, and a sense, even when you're doing detailed posts, of focusing on things that you love. The whole thing about having people who depend on reading one's blog is definitely a double-edged sword. It's wonderful and awe-inspiring, and I watch my little newsletter circulation grow with much interest. But it definitely adds to the pressure, this feeling that people SIGNED UP to hear from me once a week, and so I should try to have something interesting to say every week. But I know that I'm overthinking that, because we all have so much to read, that going a week without my newsletter would hardly be a burden for anyone.

Charlotte, I love Timeslip Tuesdays. And I think that as a feature on your blog, it's an excellent example of something that keeps up the joy. I'm expecting to add lots of books to my reading list from Timeslip Tuesdays over the coming months (though, for the record, you have my permission to skip weeks as needed, too).

I love talking with you all!!

[Jason of Kim & Jason]

Jen, it looks like you already have quite a bit of very insightful advice, but I'll share a few thoughts anyway. The fact that you are searching for a better way IS A GOOD THING. Pat yourself on the back for that. Some people keep plowing through their work without taking time to stop to consider why they're doing it in the first place. Many people wait until it's too late. So kudos for that.

Now, that's not to say it isn't icky. It is. It's frustrating and confusing and stressful and annoying and scary and well...icky. But give yourself permission to keep sorting it out. Don't put a deadline on that. I have found that as I have been building our website and business, there are many things you do regularly that aren't really as important anymore, or the reason you started doing them in the first place is no longer relevant. The trick is to look objectively at all of your activities (maybe even within the blog itself; literary rounds-ups for example) and ask, "Why did I make the decision to start this? Why am I doing this now? Has anything changed since I made the decision to start doing this? Is there are way this can be done easier or more efficiently?"

As you've seen from me, sabbaticals can be a very good thing, and can give you the time to come back fully recharged and excited again. Just don't force the process and be patient with the ickyness. (Easier said than done, believe me!)

[Jen Robinson]

Thanks for taking the time to help, Jason. I know that you're right about everything that you've said. I do need to look at some of the things that I'm doing, and figure out what NOT to do. It is hard - especially those "why" questions - but it's clearly necessary.

I must say that the idea of a sabbatical sounds pretty appealing right now. I just might take at a couple of weeks off from the blog, while I'm thinking about all this.

It's funny in a way that I'm going through this with the blog, which is the thing that gives me joy in the first place. But I guess now I'm full circle to my original point - you can turn even something that you really love into work if you force it. It's like that scene in the movie version of Matilda, where the greedy kid is forced to eat an enormous chocolate cake.

Thanks!

[Becky Levine]

Jen,

Glad you're taking time and thought to figure this one out for yourself. I often have the opposite problem; I back off from ventures I worry WILL be too much for me, but then I miss out on lots of wonderful things. Do whatever you need to keep your balance and to keep your love of books and reading and literacy in your life. We'll be here for whatever you decide to do. :)

[Jen Robinson]

Thanks, Becky! It's funny how different people are, isn't it? My problem is definitely jumping in with both feet, and then realizing "hey, this current is a little bit strong for me." Anyway, I appreciate your support!

[Karen]

I'm not saying anything that all the people before me haven't already said in their comments, but finding that balance is so important in life. I think there is something about the blog community that can be very addicting. I read blogs for well over a year and a half before Bill and I started ours. Even then, I was glued to my computer daily, looking at what people had to say about the best and brightest books available.

Then, we started our blog, and I loved it! Bill and I became part of this fantastic community of people who care about good children's literature. I felt so blessed. But, at the end of this past school year (only 4 months into the start of our blog), when things got crazy at work, I had to walk away from the blog for a while. That's when I really appreciated my good fortune to blog with Bill -- he took over when I couldn't do it.

Now, this summer, I'm loving it again, because I have the time to relax and do my posts (I am one of those writers who does quite a few revisions before I post). I don't know how I'll feel about it in September, but I will be following your journey closely.

I love how you connected the summer reading lists with how you're feeling about blogging. I hope the joy of blogging comes back to you, and you do it because you want to, not because you feel you have to.

Good luck!

[Jules]

Good luck, Jen! You'll figure it out; I know you will.

And it's not like I know exactly what I'm doing right now anyway, but I'm going to just let my joy lead me, as psycho-babbly or flaky as that may sound. When I've got a new project for work that has my hours increased, as in I'm working now when I used to blog, it makes the decision reeeeeeally easy! I can only post anymore now when I find the time. If my hours slow down soon, we'll see how I feel then, but right now I'm really enjoying obligation-free reading (though there are lots of review copies I still have that look really great to me that I want to read that I'll get to, I'm sure).

I could talk about this all day, too, so I'm stopping myself. GOOD LUCK to you! Just remember that you rock---and rawk, as the young 'uns say---no matter what.

[Jules]

P.S. One more thing -- you listed the reasons you still like accepting ARCs and RCs. If you still *have* reasons, then that probably means you're still good-to-go with reviewing them. My burn-out built slowly, like I said, and a few months ago, if I stopped to even consider no longer getting free books at my doorstep that I didn't have to go seek out myself, I kept thinking of reasons that I enjoy it -- or I'd consider a big 'ol change in our RC policy, and then the next day some amazing book would show up. Or something else wonderful would happen, like a nice comment from someone about our blog, or a nice email from an author, etc.

But it's when I could no longer think of reasons that I wanted to keep getting SO MANY that I knew it was time to make a change. Or the other reasons for making a change were outweighing what I was currently doing (mainly, more work and my reading habits had changed in ways I wasn't comfortable with anymore).

So, all that's to say that it sounds like you're really thinking about it and listening to your gut, which is good. Sounds like you're on the right track to me. It takes some serious contemplation, and I know you won't do anything rushed.

From one who jumps in with both feet to another....:)

[cloudscome]

I am feeling the same way this summer. Keeping up with posting reviews of all the books I am loving this summer has become impossible and is stressing me out. Not to mention that I always feel I should be doing something else (playing with my kids, for instance) and wishing I had eight hours a day to read other people's blogs...

I am going to be taking grad courses this fall and there is no way I can keep up with blogging. So the writing is on the wall for me. I hope I can keep up with Poetry Friday and occasional reviews or haiku, but I am not pushing myself.

That said I am sad to think what I will be losing. I hate to think of the friendships I've come to treasure slipping away. I miss you already my friend.

[Vivian]

Jen,
I'm so glad you wrote your post. You are an inspiration with all you do...now it's our turn, as your readers, to give you permission to let you give yourself a break and have fun with your blog.

I've been feeling the same things you, Jules, Eisha and many others have shared in the comments. I've only been blogging for a year and a half, much less than you, and am already overwhelmed with book review and interview requests.

It's all a balance, and one I'm sure you'll figure out. In any event, I'm glad you're going to continue to blog. Good luck figuring this out!

[Jen Robinson]

Thanks, Karen! The blogs are definitely addictive. I'm glad that you have time to enjoy yours now. And it's not that I've lost the joy of mine - it's more that I'm stressed out because I can't do as much as I want. But I still love it. I'm glad that you have Bill to help you keep things balanced.

And Jules, letting the joy lead you sounds great. I may try some obligation-free reading on my next trip. But I do definitely still have reasons for accepting the review copies - the book that I reviewed today, "The Other Side of the Island", was so fantastic, and that was on that the publisher sent to me. I'm going to make some changes to m my review policy, but I still expect to keep getting books. At least for now...

Andi, I'll miss you, too, if you can't keep blogging! (Though of course I would understand). I totally get that feeling like you should be doing something else, too. I get that all the time. It's something that I work on, but I'm definitely susceptible to it. And I can't even imagine how having kids affects that equation. But I think in your case the thing to realize is that even if you have to take some time off while you're in grad school, the blogs will still be here when you come back. And I'll bet you're able to keep popping in for Poetry Friday from time to time. At least I hope so.

Vivian, thanks for that! It's nice to know that people like you understand. You seem like you have a pretty good balance going with your blog. But I do think that you're right that the length of time that you've been blogging having an impact - the longer you're around, the more people find you and ask you to review books, or otherwise get involved with things. So, the longer you blog, the more you have to work to keep things balanced. Of course the jumping in with both feet (or not) thing makes a difference.

[Lenore]

I love your blog (I will try to comment more instead of just lurking) but I know where you are coming from with this post. I haven't been reviewing long, but I already feel a certain amount of pressure that kind of drags down the enjoyment level a tiny bit. Let's see how I feel when I've been at it as long as you have!

[Jen Robinson]

Thanks so much, Lenore! I love it when people comment (but I know that it's hard to do sometimes). As for the pressure that drags down the enjoyment, all you can do is try not to let it. I know that. I think for me right now, it's not so much the pressure to have to review the books that I've written as it is the sheer volume of books in the house that I want to read in the first place. If you keep that in check, it's a lot easier (something I haven't been good about at all lately, but am working on).

[Sheila Ruth]

Wow, I think you really hit a nerve here, Jen (and Jules and Eisha, who started this topic off). I, too, have been feeling the burnout lately. I have a bunch of books that I've put off reviewing, and they're also getting to the point where it's going to be difficult to review them because they aren't fresh anymore. And these are outstanding books that I really liked and really WANT to review - I just can't make myself sit down and spend the hour or more it takes me to write a review.

I wonder why so many of us have been feeling the same thing at the same time? I think that Jules hit the nail on the head, that one answer is to read some books that you choose yourself just for pleasure in between the review copies. I know for my part, that every time I finish a book. I feel obligated to start another review copy, because there are so many that need to be read and they keep coming in. I need to learn to put them aside sometimes and read just for the pure pleasure of it, something that I want to read without feeling any obligation. I'm not ready to give up reviewing, either - I still LOVE getting those review copies in - but I need to find balance, too.

Thanks Jen and Jules and Eisha for starting this important discussion.

[Jen Robinson]

Thanks for understanding, Sheila. I'm sorry that you're going through this too, but I definitely know what you mean about feeling like you always have to pick up the next review copy, because there are so many. I think that interspersing with other books, selected purely for the pleasure of reading, and that you don't intend to review, is a good idea. At least, it's a good idea as long as you can truly let go of that nagging feeling that you should be reading on of the RCs.

I think that the fact that this is hitting a lot of people at the same time isn't a coincidence. I think it's partly summer, and ideas about summer reading. And I think it's probably, ironically, an indication of the success of the blogs. Publishers and authors are taking us seriously, and thus sending us more books, which is AMAZING ... except for that self-pressure thing of trying to review them all.

[eisha]

I hadn't read the full post until today, but man, do I ever hear you, Jen. You're right, it's the deadlines and imposed structure that killed the joy for me. Blogs were supposed to be fun! Anarchy! Anything goes! And all of a sudden it was a second job. So I fully support your quest for balance. Good luck and godspeed!

[Sheila Ruth]

I think you may be right that it's an indication of the success of the blogs. The publishers seem to be throwing a lot of review copies our way. Ironically, there's one book I'd really like to request a review copy of, but two of the books I have on my stack waiting to be reviewed are from that publisher, and I don't feel right asking for another one until I review those!

And yes, I think summer reading plays a role. When I went on vacation a month ago, I really wanted to find some fun books that I didn't have to review to read on vacation, so I went to the library. Significantly, the two library books that I read on vacation are the only two I've reviewed this month.

[Jen Robinson]

Thanks, Eisha! I support your quest, too. For me, I don't think the blog was ever going to be anarchy - I always kind of viewed it like I was putting out a publication on a particular topic. But I didn't realize the effect that it would have on my joy of reading (sometimes...). So you and Jules are helping me a lot by inspiring me to take a look at that.

Sheila, I think that if you have a book that you're excited about, the publisher would love to hear from you, regardless of the status of the other two books (especially if it's a larger publisher). But you did make me laugh, with the fact that you ended up reviewing the two books that you selected because you didn't have to review them. I'm thinking about what to take to read on an upcoming trip, and I realized that I would like to take books that I don't feel obligated to review, because I typically don't review while I'm traveling, and the more time that goes by between when I read and review the book, the harder it is for me to do. So... I need to identify some books that I want to read, but don't THINK that I'll feel a need to review. Maybe some adult titles...

[Andrea of JOMB]

Another great post, Jen. Thanks for being human, despite all your obvious super-human achievements.

I'm currently experiencing a glimpse of the other side of the Identity crisis.

Yes, there are parts of JOMB that trigger dread -- the bottomless web that makes interview preparation an endless affair, the excruciating effort involved in the writing of my single-line book posts (and the way I beat myself up when the resulting single-line description sucks anyway), the admin-intensive parts of it, like interview scheduling back-and-forth and organization of review copies etc.

But last week when our audio-laptop had a high-speed encounter with a floor and our ability to do JOMB came to a sudden halt (for up to 2 weeks) I realized how much JOMB is part of my identity. How absolutely lost I feel without it.

I'm sure I could get used to all the late night spare time and the much needed sleep I would have without producing audio, but this short (I hope) interlude without JOMB really opened my eyes as to how much of my current Me is defined by podcasting and my involvement in this wonderful world of children's literature and literacy enthusiasts.

Moderation is important, of course and the challenging aspects of it will continue to feel daunting -- and I'll still pine for more time to change things up in ways I'd love to and just can't. But it's nice that I now recognize the give as well as the take parts of this time consuming hobby of mine.

As for your own decision, I'll feel privileged if you continue to produce any one of your many staple contributions. Be good to yourself, Jen!!

[Jen Robinson]

Andrea, thanks for understanding, and for sharing the perspective of someone who was forced by technology to stop blogging for a bit. I do feel similarly - that a big part of who I am now is tied up in this blog. And I'm ok with that - I just have to figure out how to keep the parts that really matter, while easing up on the time requirement somehow.

I'll be glad when JOMB is back up and running!! Hang in there in the meantime.

[Sara]

Jen, I'm just now getting to this, after taking a blogging break of my own. I had two full weeks off, without the slightest desire to post...and then, suddenly, I wanted to blog again. I know some bloggers who take off the whole summer. Why not? Maybe next July, we'll all sign a NO BLOGGING treaty and go lie in our hammocks and read.

I do love your mission. And I love your voice. I have every confidence you'll find the balance you seek.

[Jen Robinson]

Sara, thanks for chiming in. I hope that you enjoyed your blog break, and that you've come back refreshed. The idea of all taking next July off sure does have appeal, doesn't it. We could start right after MotherReader's 48 Hour Book Challenge, and just never stop reading... But meanwhile, thanks so much for your good wishes. I love your voice, too, and I'm glad to hear that you ended your break wanting to blog again.

[Jennifer, Snapshot]

Wow--

I missed this the first time, and I'm glad that you pointed back to it, and that I came and read it (and some of the comments.

I went through a similar issue a few months ago--trying to deal with a semi-professional writing gig for 5minutesformom.com, and maintaining my personal blog. I was considering undertaking some new semi-professional ventures online, but they were joyless. When given the opportunity to launch 5minutesforbooks.com, I realized that over a year into running the book review column, I loved it--loved working with the publishers, loved offering books for giveaways etc. So, it's working.

But I agree with the review copy dilemma. I too have become much pickier about what I accept, but like you, enjoy reading something that I might not normally pick up.

[Jen Robinson]

Kudos to you for picking the parts that give you joy, Jennifer. I think that Five Minutes for Books is a great thing, and that you are the perfect person to do it.

And I guess the whole selectiveness thing is a natural progression. When you first start a blog, it's pretty cool if anyone wants to give you any book. But if you're successful, well, the volume of books can proliferate, that's for sure. And then you have no choice but to be more selective. Anyway, I'm glad that you're enjoying what you're doing now!