Scorching Book Reviews 2021 : Moving forwards

I think every year I do one of these posts. Every year I set up some expectations but, ultimately, I ask too much from myself and I fail. I have had to stop feeling bad about that – this blog is a hobby; when it stops being fun, I’ve done something wrong.

This year, I have decided to focus a resolutions around the ethos on the blog and less on arbitry “I’m going to do x number of reviews a week” (a target I’ve never once met) as I don’t want to promise what I cannot do.

On the subject of reviews, I will be completely honest with everyone; they get very little interest from readers. I get far more hits on my GR reviews (which I know due to likes etc). I will continue to review but it won’t be a priority.

So, what am I thinking for the blog?

1. To try to increase traffic. I know this is an odd one for a blogger to say but, ultimately, without traffic I am not reaching anyone with my book reviews. I am working on my SEO, my cross posting …. honestly, it’s a whole new world of learning but, ultimately, if no one reads the blog, then no one will see anything I want to talk about.
2. To try to continue to read more own voices books. This one is something I started to actively do last year and I have now read a lot authors that were new to me, I have found some fabulous authors and I want to continue.
3. To try to do more posts for bloggers/readers. When I first started out, there was so many bloggers who were happy to help out and posted content that really helped me. I don’t see that anymore so I want to do that again. If anyone wants a particular topic (whether it be about reading tools, blogging topics or website stuff) just comment.
4. To do more recommendation lists. Seriously, this is what people read. Whether you are doing a general Top 10 or a Top Dragon book list, people want to read those posts. It may be because there is more choice or because there is no chance of a spoiler, I really don’t know but it is where most of my traffic comes from.

I decided a while ago that I wasn’t doing blog tour posts for authors I didn’t read because, as I say, I want to be honest on this site and featuring authors feels like an endorsement and I won’t do that for an author I have never read.

That still stands.

The issue I currently have is whether to run events anymore.

I love doing them but I don’t invite authors; they sign up themselves. This means I am not really checking the authors I am featuring and then, if they turn out to be bigotted douches, they are already on the site. I’m not OK with that but I don’t know how to do them a different way. I’m not sure what to do with that so, for the time being, they may be on pause until I figure out a way forward.