Balancing Reading and Writing: A Blogger’s Dilemma

Hello Readers,

For the past month, I’ve struggled to write book reviews—despite reading several books, I couldn’t move past a couple of sentences. My ideas would flow in my mind, but when I sat down to write, nothing came out. Facing writer’s block and burnout, I found myself with twenty-four blank documents and no motivation, questioning why this block persists.

Reason #1- Work always works. After reflecting on my writing struggles, I began analyzing why I was feeling blocked, and the first reason became clear.

Usually, I write during my lunch break, but over the past two months, relentless interruptions—questions, meetings, even friendly chats in the parking lot—have cut into my writing time. Though I value social moments, sometimes extroverts need uninterrupted space to express their thoughts, like when they share whether a book is worth reading.

I’ve also gone on reading sprees without balancing writing. Recently, I finished two novellas and four Amazon short stories, but didn’t blog about them. When I binge-read, my blog remains empty for months. I realize I need to digest my reading better—either stop sprees or write multi-book posts.

I often have big writing plans without the follow-through. For example, I intended April to be Jaque Aye appreciation month—posts, reviews, even an interview—but got sidetracked by work and self-doubt. My habit of letting plans stay on my laptop needs to change. Bold action and a concrete plan are necessary.

Ultimately, my blog’s issues start with me. I recently read about a blogger who pivoted after 10 years, and I wonder if that will be me someday. Yet I know I love writing and have reinvented my blog before—from dating to food, then books. I aim for consistency by scheduling content in advance, dreaming of a blog that mixes essays, reviews, and other fun, insightful writing.

Looking ahead, I believe I can get back on track this summer by finishing books, highlighting posts, and prepping for busy months in advance. I’m already planning to write and schedule essays over the next six weeks.

I still love writing and am not ready to leave this blog. I just need to break the cycle of letting life’s distractions take over.

Until Next Time,

Che Michelle