2 days become 9: An extended hiatus on RobAroundBooks

Hi fellow readers,
Those who have been following RobAroundBooks know that I’ve been on a blogging hiatus this weekend in order to catch up with myself. I’m happy to report that the break’s helped. I’ve got my backlog vastly reduced, and the break from having to keep up a respectable post count has been hugely refreshing. In fact this has been the first time in months I’ve been able to think straight, and in doing so I’ve had a number of mini-epiphanies over the weekend.

The primary realisation that’s revealed itself, is that I need a bit more time to completely sort myself out. And so, in an unprecedented move (because I’ve never taken a real break since RobAroundBooks launched), I’m going to extend my blogging hiatus to include the next seven days too.

I should make it clear that this is a decision that I’ve not come to lightly. I’m well aware that reliability and routine are stalwarts of a blogger; the disciplines that build trust and long-term associations. And my biggest fear should I stop posting for more than a day or two, is to lose credibility through inactivity. However I think a break is required, and I need to take a chance that the residual fallout of a short blogging hiatus isn’t going to be too devastating.

Why a week’s break then? Does this mark the beginning of the end for RobAroundBooks? *grins* Absolutely not! I’m doing it solely for the long-term good. I touched on the subject last week during my weekly round-up post, that lately I’ve felt more and more as though I’m just going through the motions of blogging; not really injecting the same level of passion and enthusiasm that I began with when RobAroundBooks opened it doors just over a year ago. That perhaps some of my posts are a bit flat. This upsets me massively, probably more than you’ll ever know, and I need to work on getting my driving force back to the level it was. I know many of you have said I’m doing just fine and I really appreciate your warm and sincere sentiments, but in myself I’m not satisfied.

The solution is easy – it’s mainly a time management thing i.e. being too pushed for time or too tired to get my enthusiasm up to full operating speed, and although during the past week I’ve been working on a better routine which will (hopefully) improve the quality of my blogging, it still has gaps! It’s not watertight! And I want my ‘improved’ routine to be absolutely 110% ‘leak proof’ before I’m happy enough to start following it.

I also want to very slightly tweak some of the features that are already regulars on RobAroundBooks – the way I present my reading journal for instance, and also implement a few features which have ‘back burnered’ for months now, waiting for me to find the time to launch them. I’m hoping a blogging break will give me the time I need to do these things.

Finally I want to make absolutely clear before I close that my reading schedule WILL NOT be taking a break. My review reading will continue, as will my numerous reading projects (including my most active at the moment – my 31 Shots of Shock and Totally Knut projects). The only difference is that you will not see me speaking about them over the next week.

So I guess that’s all I have to say for now. And although I’m only taking a blogging break for seven days – which to a lot of people is of little significance – this has still been a really difficult post to write. I truly hope you understand why I’m doing this, and I hope, when I come back a week on Monday (26th October), you’ll agree that Rob’s seven day blogging break was well worth it.

Have a great reading week folks. And if you still want to get in touch with me then my email is always open.