Busting the Newbie Blues
- When did you start your blog? I started this blog last month. I also have a personal blog which I started in April 2011.
- Why did you start your blog? I love reading and book reviews just didn't have a place on my personal blog so I started this one to talk about books.
- What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far? I never know what to comment on when reading a book review for a book I haven't read and I don't really know how to connect with other bloggers other than commenting.
- What do you find most discouraging about being a new blogger? Feeling like I am writing stuff that no one will ever read.
- What do you find most encouraging? It inspires me to read more and think more about the books that I am reading.
- What do you like best about the blogs you read? Have you tried to replicate this in your blog? There are some memes that I really love reading ever week so I've been participating in those.
- What do you dislike about blogs you’ve read? Do you try to avoid this? Reviews that are really lengthy. I try to keep mine to a few short paragraphs.
- Any advice for other new bloggers? Write for yourself that way it won't matter how many people are reading.
- Any questions you'd like to ask newbie or established bloggers? See my answer to 3. How do you make connections? What kinds of comments do you leave? Also do you read books that you want to read or books that you think people will want to read a review of?
- Is there anything you’d like to tell us about your blog? Feel free to link a few of your favorite posts or posts you wish had more comments. I haven't written that many posts yet so I don't really have favorites but feel free to read through them!
Oops! I tend to write some long reviews. I know it can be discouraging to some visitors at first glance, but I like to believe that I'm just so insightful that someone will find them worth reading anyway. :p
ReplyDeleteI agree it's hard to comment on books I've never read. All I can think of is something to the effect of, "Wow, I've never heard of this. It looks interesting." Which I then feel is so generic that the blogger will think I commented just so they visit my blog, when really I was just trying to be friendly and leave a comment! So I usually only comment on books I've read or ones I plan to read and am looking forward to. Or ones I know enough about that I can ask a question about them.
I read books I want to read, so that blogging is fun and not a chore. Perhaps it confuses followers when two weeks of YA book reviews pass and then there's a review of The Trial of Joan of Arc, but they're not obliged to read it if they're not interested.
Thanks for sharing your answers!
Welcome to the blogging world! :D
ReplyDeleteI read whatever I feel like, to be honest. For a while I was reading mostly for tours and events and I wasn't enjoying myself at all. The second I stopped and started reading what I wanted, new or old, I started to love blogging again.
Are you on twitter? Twitter is my best recommendation for making connections and finding a group of buddies that works for you. Having a fb page for your blog is really fun too, there are so many pages to follow and you can comment and participate in discussion easily.
Commenting on others posts is an obvious way to make connections but it can be hard to think of meaningful things to say sometimes. I generally go with the rule that 'If I can't find anything interesting to say, I don't leave a comment.' If I like the blog, I add it to my reader and when they post something I have an opinion on, I'll comment then. :)
I hated feeling like my carefully written posts were just floating into the ether... I don't know what to say to that really. Just make some friends and pretty soon you'll have some regular commenters and be all snug and happy in your bloggy world. :)
Happy blogging!
It's a pleasure to meet you. I hope you enjoy book blogging! It's a great community to be a part of because everyone (so far) is incredibly nice and helpful.
ReplyDeleteI usually connect with people via Twitter. That's the easiest method and one of the quickest. I've met some great friends on there already and am looking forward to making many more!
As for comments:
If it's a book I've read, I usually share a link to my review and also what I personally thought.
If it's a book I haven't read but have been meaning to, I usually say so and point out items of interest in their review.
If it's a book I haven't read and didn't know about, I usually say something along the lines of that.
As for choosing books, I always go for the ones I would like to read. As much as I think it would be (maybe) beneficial to blog about what people want to see, I enjoy reading too much to let other people's opinions sway what I think.
Hi Kathy, thanks for joining in! Welcome to blogging :)
ReplyDeleteI only comment to make connections with other bloggers, though I know many people use Twitter to network. With my comments, I try to make them meaningful. If I’ve read the book, it’s easier because then I can gush about what I thought and how that compares to what they thought. If I haven’t read the book though, usually I try to comment on something specific they mentioned. Did something in their review pique my interest in the book? Then I comment on that. If they’ve given new information about the book then I thank them and comment on that (like if it is told with dual narrators and I didn’t know that).
As for the books I read, I only read the books I want to read. It can be easy to get sucked into reading books you’re not really into (especially when an author asks you really nicely), but this is one point I’ve made myself remain firm on. Reading is something I truly enjoy doing, and I don’t want to turn that into a bad experience or an obligation.
I am a commenting machine. If I haven't read the book I comment on the review style or something the writer made me think of. I say talk talk talk. You'll be surprised how easily conversations start. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteI share your feeling about the review thing. Do people really read what I write or am I simply blabbering stuff into empty space? But the important thing is to have fun while blogging, so I keep blabbering :D
DeleteAnd when it comes to reading, read what you love. They're your BOOKS, and it's your TIME that you spend on them. If you think you'll love something, go for it. Maybe someone will read your favorite book just because they saw it on your blog! New follower:)
Im a new follower www.thephantomparagrapher.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteHow do you make connections? I Promote my blog wherever I can and also try and participate every now and again in a variety of memes.
What kinds of comments do you leave? If I love the book and it's on my TBR Pile , If the cover is gorgeous -Im a cover addict or if Ive read and reviewed the book and my thoughts on the book.
Also do you read books that you want to read or books that you think people will want to read a review of?
Both - I tend to read alot of the books I want to , but also ones that people have sent me to read and review.
Thank you for being the first person to admit that sometimes you read books and review them for other people :)
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