What's in a Blog?

I've been struggling with blogging for a good chunk of time. I'm just not feeling it. Blogging has become something that feels less like fun or a hobby and more like work (that I'm not getting paid for) or a dreaded school assignment I procrastinate on. This could very well be a case of It's not you, it's me. I'm not breaking up with blogging--I love the community too much, even if I see most of it on Instagram and Twitter and probably nothing would even change if I did quit. But I think it's time to revive Beauty and the Bookshelf and give it something...more. And to make myself more of a presence.

I'm not going to worry about posting a Top Ten Tuesday every Tuesday or a Waiting on Wednesday every Wednesday. I'll participate in TTT when I really like the topic, and those weeks I'll also do a WoW.

Reviews...those have been so hard to write. They're like an essay. I don't want to write them, but I have to. I'm debating revamping the format and seeing if that helps, or figuring out what I can do in my reviews that's unique. It would really help if I wrote a review after I finished a book. (I have yet to write reviews for A Darker Shade of Magic, Winter, A Court of Mist and Fury...) I've considered switching my reviews to YouTube--I already do the Ninety Second Novel there--because it's so much easier to talk about a book than write about it, but I don't know if people would actually watch those videos, and I like having those thoughts in print. I don't even want call it a review--or a discussion a discussion--but I am constantly stumped on what else to do for names. (Is a blog post title that doesn't state exactly what it is--review, discussion, giveaway--okay, or do you like it to say exactly what it is?)

Speaking of YouTube, I really, really want to use that more. It's fun. Right now I just use it for book hauls and the occasional Ninety Second Novel, but I'm thinking I might also use it to review/discuss rereads. I'd like to think of something else that's fun to do with YouTube, but I don't have any ideas yet.

Back to this here blog...I have discussion ideas. I've had a draft of a post about there being multiple editions of a book (and how much it sucks for readers) sitting for a few weeks, but it may need some rewriting. It's awfully ranty and could use more eloquence. I want to write about my bullet journal (which I'm also horrible at using), and maybe do some arts and crafts and things with food. I don't like to get deep and personal, but I'd like for this blog to be a sort of reflection of myself, awkwardness and all.

One thing I really want to bring back is Be Our Tattooed Guest. (Examples here, sign-up form here.) I looove tattoos and books, and this feature was a great way to combine the two and let people show off their tattoos (and make me want several myself). I've been thinking about doing a Sunday Post--or something of the sort--where I recap the past week on the blog and foreshadow the next one. The latter might help keep me accountable, which could come in handy. Maybe I'll find a way to link back to bookstagram, too, because I love it.

I don't want to worry about my blog, but I still want to use it. I need to put more time and effort into it. I need to read other blogs and comment on other posts. (I am so, so bad at that.) I don't want my blog to be boring in the slightest; I want it to be fun and interactive and something people want to read. I want it to be whatever I want it to be, but also something that appeals to readers (otherwise I'm speaking to an empty room, you know?).

But I want to know: what do you want to see on Beauty and the Bookshelf? And on blogs in general? More of this, less of that? I don't know! But your feedback is very much appreciated. In the meantime, I'm going to try posting at least four times a week and give you posts that I hope you'll like. But first: Brainstorming! (And hopefully you'll notice an improvement in this blog over the next few weeks.)

Tell me: how have you felt about blogging lately?