Today Armchair BEA is asking a really cool and important questions:
What have you done to get better as a blogger…and what do you want to do? Post about your experiences, link up, and go check out what other bloggers are doing!
For me, the biggest thing I’ve done as a blogger is let go. I try not to obsess about my numbers, or freak out if I don’t have 2 new reviews up for one week. I just try and go with the flow and have fun.
When I first started blogging I had a few “unhealthy obsessions” with a few “big” blogs out there. I wanted to have all the followers, all the ARC’s, all the blogger contacts. It didn’t take long for me to see that putting them on a pedestal was only tearing down the hard work I’ve put into my blog! So I said screw that mess!
The second biggest thing I’ve done to make myself a better blogger is SCHEDULE! While I try and keep it loose I still like having a frame for how things should go on the blog. When I started blogging I thought it was going to be this super easy and quick hobby. I had no clue about all the outreach, networking and tweaking I would have to do to be, what I consider, a successful blogger. I forgot that I still had to make time to read, work my full time job and most importantly take care of my family. Scheduling has helped me see where I need to focus on content and I love that!
The last thing, and probably the hardest for me to actually acknowledge, is stepping up and meeting people. I’m not shy by any stretch of the imagination, but I have a horrible time making new friends. I literally start to shut down when I have to go off by myself and make new friends. But, I’m slowly learning that the book blogging world is the easiest place to make friends. Most bloggers are super nice, and typically authors are accepting of you twitter gushing. I can honestly say that without my blogger friends I probably would have stopped or slacked off from blogging a while ago.
Fiction:
Oh where do I begin with this one?
This, like me as a blogger, has evolved so much! I remember a time where I would only read one genre, all because of my “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” mentality. I didn’t grab my first true fantasy novel until last year! And I even have a few books I’m sort of ashamed to admit that once upon a time I truly loved. It took a while but I finally know what kind of reader I am, and it’s such an amzing feeling to pick up a book, read it and then accurately and intelligently share your likes and dislikes. Your thoughts, your feelings! Fiction goes so much deeper than it’s Webster definition.
You have horror, that scares you to the point of hoarding night lights!
Then there’s the fantasy, that takes you to a time & place that you never knew was possible!
The adorable love stories that make you giggle out loud!
The steamy “adult” reads that require a fan ;)!
And the one’s you can’t really categorize, but know you loved more than chocolate!
Fiction is my 5th love! Right behind my daughter, my boyfriend, chocolate and Chrys of Oh Chrys! (hi wife!!!). Besides, it’s a hell of a lot more entertaining that non-fiction. 😉
