Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Top Ten Tuesday

Today I'm participating in Top Ten Tuesday hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

Top Ten Tips For New Book Bloggers

I'm excited for this week because even though I've been blogging for about a year and a half, I'm always discovering things I didn't know.

1. Carefully pick a name for your blog.  Once people know your blog name it is hard to change it and you will be stuck with it so make sure you like it.

2. Enjoy reading and talking about what you read.  Will you win some free books...possibly.  Will you receive some ARCs...hopefully, but that is not what blogging is about.  Ultimately it comes down to a love of books and reading, and wanting to share that love with others.

3. Find a groove that fits you.  Sometimes memes can get overwhelming.  They are great for bringing traffic to your blog but often times when people start off blogging they join all the memes and don't have any days left to write reviews.  Find memes you enjoy and are a good fit for your blog. 

4. Proof read your posts.  (I'm sure I'm shooting myself in the foot with this one and now because I said that there are sure to be multiple mistakes in this post).  I often find grammatical mistakes as well as just using the wrong word.  I get so excited typing out my post and then I go back and reread it and see a bunch of mistakes. 

5. Comment on other people's posts.  The best way to get people to visit your site is to comment on other people's blog posts.  I try and return the favor as much as possible and if you become a regular commenter on someones site you will get noticed.

6. Be courteous.  Sometimes you have to write a bad review.  For me these are so hard to write.  I feel bad because I know how much a writer's work means to them.  Don't attack the author just because the book wasn't the right feel for you.  Explain why in your opinion you didn't like certain aspects of the story or the characters, and tell the truth.  You don't need to lie about liking a book, but just be respectful that other people may like it.

7. Join social networking sites.  This is something I'm not very good at and I know I need to work on.  Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, etc.  Sign up and spend some time networking. 

8. Read what you like to read.  The great thing about blogging is that there are blogs out there for every genre.  There are bloggers of every age reviewing different genres and "typical" age categories.  Don't read a certain book because everyone is reading it, read a book because you want to read it.  Look to people who seem to enjoy the same books you do and then if they liked it, maybe you will too.  There are too many books out there to read them all, so read what you enjoy.

9. Be organized.  This is another thing I need to work on.  Set aside some time each week to work on things for your blog.  It may be writing up your reviews or maintenance issues.  Make sure you have the time to not only read the books, but also time to put into blogging.  It is a hobby and you don't want to turn it into work, but like any hobby it takes time and sometimes patience.

10. Be yourself.  People may give you a lot of advice.  Some of it will be great advice and some of it may not work for you.  Everything in this post are things I found helpful or wish I would have known when starting a blog, but ultimately listen to yourself and what you want.

10 comments:

  1. Great advice for both new and old bloggers. I have a hard time with 5 and 7 myself.

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  2. Great tips! I always struggle with writing reviews for books I did not enjoy. I always try to find at least one positive thing to say about the book.

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  3. Hi there :) just popping in... Choosing a great blog name is a big one. It took me quite a while to come up with something different and that I liked.

    I'm also your newest follower :)
    Waiting On Wednesday

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  4. I like the "carefully pick a name" tip. When I started, I didn't know anything about the book blogging community. I had no idea anyone would read my blog except maybe my family and a few students. I wasn't in it for followers, or being at the top of Google search results...I've learned a lot. I named my blog something different than my URL. I came to realize that this was confusing, and not a good idea. I changed it (the name, not the URL) but I wish I would have read all these tips before I started. Heck, I didn't even read any book blogs before I started!

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  5. I agree with you on commenting on other blogs. Making the comment meaningful letting you know that your post was actually read. Networking your blog is great advice too. Getting your blog out there and known to the blogging world. I love reading and blogging but I do say that it is like a job but hey I like it that way. I feel like I am maybe accomplishing something if I refer to it as being a job. Thanks for visiting My Top Ten Tips.
    New Follower
    Nancy @ The Avid Reader

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  6. I totally agree with your first piece of advice. I created my blog for fun and just named it after my brother's dog Harley Bear, but after I got serious about blogging I couldn't change it because people knew me as Harley Bear Book Blog. I think people probably picture a bear on a harley davidson motorcycle reading a book which is not at all what my blog is so I tell people now to choose their blog name wisely lol. There's no going back! My Top Ten Tuesday

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  7. The pick a good name tip is definitely something you have to take time with. It took me quite a while to pick my name, and then I saw other blog names hat were completely original and better than mine. However, mine fits me, so I kept it. And proofreading is a definite must however I'm sure I fail at it every so often. Great list!

    My Top Ten. Don't forget to check out my giveaway!

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  8. Hi there :) just popping in...

    Proofreading.. yes I'm still trying to remember that myself lol and even when I do I still miss something. Thanks for stopping by as well.

    Waiting On Wednesday

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  9. Love the tips! Thank you so much for posting them. My brain has officially turned to mush from over-saturation of the most incredibly helpful advice today :)
    Angela @ AJ Arndt Books Blog

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  10. Great tips! I feel like everyone has similar tips but I wish someone had to me these when I started. Lol. It would have been sooo much easier.

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I love love love hearing your wonderful thoughts! Thanks for stopping by and happy reading.