How To Be A Book Blogger If You Have No Time

Having a book blog takes a lot of time, organization, and dedication but it’s worth it because it’s so rewarding and fun too!

Not only do you create a platform where you can express your own style and voice, it’s also a great way to connect with other readers/bloggers and have the chance to connect with authors and review their books.

I literally don’t have time.

The problem is, everyone is so busy these days. School, work, other hobbies, and family are all things that take up time during our day so what time do you have to even run a blog?

I struggled before making this commitment.

The two main things I struggled with when deciding whether or not to start this blog are:

• Do I have time?
• Can I commit to this & be sustainable?

I’m a full-time high school teacher juggling daily teaching/marking, running a Christian podcast with my friend, attending weekly Zoom meetings for my church small groups, working on my WIP, cooking meals, doing housework, and getting through books I need to review. It sounds like a lot – and it is, but throughout all of this, I’m thankful.

Thankful to be doing all of these and for being able to keep busy but most of all, thankful that I love doing all these things!

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These are some tips that have helped me be a book blogger despite my busy schedule:

1. Make a firm commitment 

You’re either in or you’re out. Once you make a commitment to your blog, there’s no more “I didn’t have time for it”. If you’re committed, you’ll need to schedule it in and get it done just like you would with other ‘must-do’s’ in your life.

2. Make a detailed calendar

Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, or even a physical calendar/planner – it all works! Personally, I prefer to plan everything onto a calendar online because I’m constantly changing and moving things around and it’s easy to just copy/paste/delete online. 

Here are some things I include on the calendar:

• Post names
• Blog post process (colour-coded into ‘in progres’, ‘finished & scheduled’, and ‘posted’)
• Books I need to review

Having this all down ensures that I’m able to write posts and plan out what will upload when. It also allows me to see my posts visually and be able to write a variety of posts and avoid having similar blog post topics upload around the same time.

3. Brainstorm ahead of time

I’m a natural planner so I like to know what’s happening ahead of time. The topics I blog about are always decided ahead of time. I have a doc full of possible blog ideas and choose from my list when I sit down and actually write my blogs. This saves me a lot of time!

4. Create a schedule and stick to it

If you’re someone that’s busy, you’ll need to intentionally schedule in time to work on your blog. Leaving it to ‘whenever I have time’ means you’ll likely never get to it. The solution is to set goals for yourself – how many blog posts do you want to post per week? Then, at the beginning of each week decide how many blog posts you’ll write and prepare. Schedule them into your to-do list and get it done!

5. Always have your phone or journal nearby

I find that blog post ideas always come to me whenever I’m out and about or doing something other than blogging. Whenever a good idea comes to me, I just pull out my phone or journal and jot it down. This way, I always have a list of ideas that are ready to go and I don’t need to find time to sit down and brainstorm about what to blog about.

6. Make yourself focus

If you need music to focus, turn on your favourite music. If you need it to be silent, shut yourself in a quiet room. Give yourself whatever you need to focus, eliminate distractions, lock in, and get it done!

7. Take advantage of your passion

At the end of the day, you should only blog if it’s something you want to do or else it’ll feel like work. But if you love writing, reading, and want to have a platform where you can share your thoughts, do it! Take advantage of what you love and put it into your blog – it’ll be very rewarding.

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Whether you want to start a book blog or you’re already a book blogger, I hope the tips I mentioned can remind, inspire, and encourage you toward your goals. 

If you’re not looking to start a blog but you’re curious, here it is. Here’s how it gets done and maybe these tips can be helpful for whatever other endeavours you have.