Hi everyone!
I hope you’re doing well with this COVID insanity. It has been a bit of a rocky road for me, but I am making it through.
I tweeted yesterday about significantly reducing my participation in blog tours/book blogging in order to focus on other things, and I wanted to explain some things a little further.
First of all, I’m reducing participation, not quitting completely. I started book blogging with a goal in mind. I wanted to help others, so when it came time for me to release my book, I would have a bit of a support system. Book blogging was a networking opportunity…but it became a family. I love all the friends I have made during this.
As most of you know, I have health issues. I am on disability and do not work a full time job. I have more time than most and blogging has been the distraction I needed to keep myself sane. Not working is not actually good for mental health. I needed something to keep me busy.
The downside, is that I’m reading so many books that I don’t have time to do much else. This isn’t a complaint, just a fact. I have a million books on my bookshelf that I haven’t read because I have committed myself to tours.
I am also writing my own book and if you’re a writer, you know, this requires time. I don’t have the time because I’m committed to reading so many books. And it isnt just reading. It’s setting up posts, setting up tweets, cross posting.
So, it is time to take the next step. This was a thing I planned for. I knew there would come a time for this step.
Starting in December, I am going to take on much less blog tours. Maybe 1 or two a week, and probably not even that many. This will give me time to do the following things.
- Release my book
- Market my book
- Spend more time with my Etsy store, A Writer’s Crafts
- Work on a YouTube channel (more info TBA)
- Read casually with no pressure
- Read and interact with other blogs
I have a lot of goals and behind the scenes, things are coming together. I am getting ready to recruit beta readers. I have a tentative release date for my book. I’m going to need a lot of time to dedicate to that.
This is not a bad thing. This is not because of my health, anger, or anything negative. This is a good thing. It is the natural next step in my plan.
I’ve appreciated all the love and support and I hope you will continue on with me in the next step of my journey.
❤❤❤❤
Jessica Belmont 