Farewell blogworld

I was all set to write you a gushing, over-enthusiastic review of Cormac McCarthy's The Road which I read, awestruck, over three consecutive evenings this week, when suddenly I thought 'Does the world need another opinion on a book that everybody agrees is a masterpiece?  What on earth can I add?'

And so I closed my 'new post' window and idly surfed around my blog feeds and this struck an immediate chord.  Yes, it's true.  Far too much of my time pours itself into the void of the internet and I'm running out of energy and enthusiasm for it.  So in future I'm not planning to update Book World save for my list of books read and maybe the occasional interesting quote from books in progress. 

All the fun will continue over at Britlitblogs and the other very fine sites over in the right hand sidebar.

Comments

[Diana]

Dammit, no!

MMV's post also struck a chord with me as I often, while writing a blog post, am hit with a crushing sense of "Who cares?!" And the feeling that I spend way too much time reading other blogs. This is usually when I start the ruthless deleting from my Bloglines account.

Oddly, just before I clicked on your blog in my Bloglines this morning, I once again noted to myself how I'll skim over the list of who's updated, wondering which one to look at. I watch myself do this and wonder, what makes me click on this one or that one after having passed by all of those?

Yours is always one I eagerly skip over many others to open first and I think it's because I always know that you have something to say. You don't post every day, so you don't post every little thought that comes to you. I know when I come here that I will be rewarded.

I had just sped through all of those thoughts and then I see THIS! I do hope that you'll come to see the error of your ways. :)

(But yes, the glut of stuff out there in cyberspace is something to be wrestled with and often it's best to just step away.)

[SFP]

We started our blogs at practically the same time and I could very well have written this post. I've certainly been floundering the last few months (have noticed the same in a handful of other old-timers) and honestly, don't know when I'll be back up to speed, or if I should even bother--except I know that I'd miss the community as a whole and several bloggers in particular if I (or they) were to quit altogether. I think cutting back to an occasional quote is a most sensible approach. Don't disappear completely, Sandra! You're one of the ones I'd miss terribly.

[Stefanie]

No Sandra! I've enjoyed reading your blog for so long. Where am I going to get my books about London fix not to mention descriptions of visits to the London library? I am hoping all you need is a break. But if not, then I look forward to the occasional quote or note. All the best to you!

[Dorothy W.]

Well, I'll stay subscribed to your feed, just in case ...

[Jodie]

I have often thought about starting a book blog, realised I don't have time and envied those who don't have time but still slot one in somewhere. If you need your time for something else then good going, get the hell away from the computer but know that we really were all eager to hear your opinions. Will you be writing that novel now? (don't know about you but I find it impossible to write anything without clutching my head and screaming at my stupidty ever since I started following SH's very practical and wonderful course).

[litlove]

I think yours was the very first book blog I came across, Sandra, and it was an inspiration to me. Blogging certainly comes in waves of enthusiasm, so I'll hope that this is the ebb tide and that in a little while you might feel compelled to return. You never know, some fantastic book might just compel you to tell us all about it.

[Mark Thwaite]

Don't go! Or -- if you really, really have to -- use your newly-found spare time to write that novel!

But, you know ... don't go!

[Nic]

I second Mark: No! (and ditto other comments further up about yours being the first litblog I started reading; pretty sure it was you who inspired Vicky to start EA :-))

Will be very sorry to have no more posts from you to read. I occasionally get the 'who cares?' feeling (or, more usually, 'how on earth can I possibly feel qualified to write all this wibble?' feeling). But then I remember that I blog about books in large part because of how it makes me *think* about books. I get so much out of blogging because I get so much more out of reading as a result.

It doesn't have to be about the audience - although evidently we are here, and we *do* care! So I sincerely hope you'll be back, after a break.

[Danielle]

There Has been lots written on the Cormac McCarthy book, but the funny thing is I would have loved to hear what you had to say about it. It's the 'voice' behind the blog that I've always admired. It can certainly all be overwhelming though, and there's nothing wrong with wanting to get away from it all and concentrate on other things. I, too, hope you won't disappear totally, however!

[lurking helen]

Hello, I haven't commented before but I I've been really enjoying your blog and I like your perspective on books. So I'm sad that you're stopping. If you're really really really determined, then let me just thank you so much for all your posts, and wish you all the best in the future. And write that novel...

[Kate S.]

Your blog was one of the first to lure me into the book blog world as well and I'd be interested in what you have to say about any book regardless of how many other reviews of it that I've come across. But I certainly understand about diminishing energy for blogging and wanting to use your time for other things. I hope to still find you here occasionally and I wish you well on your other projects.

[dovegreyreader]

Sandra, I understand completely but will miss you terribly! I have loved the inspirational quality of your blog and the seeds it has sown in my own reading, but once it becomes a chore the enjoyment goes.I'll own up that I write for my own pleasure and though that might seem self-indulgent I'm with Nic on the way it makes me think so differently about how and what I'm reading, if others read it great and I love the feedback but even if they didn't I wouldn't be worried because I never expected them to in the first place. Plus the diversionary thinking has saved my sanity on many occasions when the NHS has threatened to steal every ounce of my being,it's my therapy and a lot cheaper than drugs and counselling:-)Good luck in whatever you do with all that time and thinking space you gain.

[Kim]

Please don't go! On days when I vow to only look at one or two blogs, yours is always one of those one or two, usually the first. If you really do go, you will definitely be missed.

[bloglily]

If this means there'll be room in your life now to do writing that makes you happier -- that novel! -- then I'm celebrating your decision (sadly, if that's possible).

Thank you for the many wonderful posts, and also for leaving the site up for browsers. There's so much good stuff here!

xo, L

[Jane]

Don't go . . . we do care and we do keep reading your posts!