I don’t know about you guys, but for me, creating a book blog was an impulsive decision of mine, one I’m glad I made after stalking some book bloggers for over a year. The problem was that I wasn’t well prepared to start any blog, never mind a book blog.
You do not know how much I wanted people to tell me certain things before I actually started book blogging, which is why I am going to do you guys a favor and tell you the top three advice and tips for blogging beginners (according to me, some people might not think these are the top three advice every new blogger should know) that I wish I knew before I started book blogging. Who knows – it may not be too late for you!
The first advice I’ll like to give new bloggers is this: Plan some posts ahead of time. The schedule option will be your new best friend. When I first started out, I only had one review written and that’s it. To make matters worse, that one review was written after the day I started my blog. (Kind of embarrassing, don’t you think?) I wasn’t posting everyday or even every two days, I think I was posting once every three or four days and sometimes double posting reviews a day. I want to shake my old self and tell myself to just schedule some posts.
Social media is also a must. As you can see from my The Awesomeness of Twitter Post, I used to shun social media, especially twitter, but once I actually made a twitter account and used it, I totally changed my mind. Twitter and social media in general does wonders for you and your blog.
My last advice to you guys: Interact with other bloggers! I was in the blogosphere for five months until I actually crawled out of my rock and started interacting with other bloggers. Trust me, those five months of blogging was no fun since I was just sitting there, never commenting on other people’s blogs but hoping that somehow, someone will somehow land on my blog and start a conversation. I wish I knew that hey, we can start the conversation. People don’t bite. (Well, most people.)
How about you? What advice would you give to new book bloggers (or any blogger really)?
Twitter twitter twitter! I was hesitant to get involved with Twitter but once I did – Holy Cow! I am so glad I did. My interactions with readers, bloggers, authors, and publishers went through the roof and interacting that way is one of my favorite parts of blogging!
CeCe recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday – Bookish Wishlist
Those are great points! I also think doing some link ups helps to meet new bloggers!
Missie recently posted…The Winter People
I wish I’d have seen this post a few months ago, took me a while to figure out you could schedule posts! (Like months) haha
Great post :)
Ashton recently posted…Book Spotlight: The Fine Line by Alicia Kobishop
Excellent advice, especially about interacting with other bloggers.
Tanya Patrice recently posted…6 Speculative Fiction Books By Authors of Color Coming Out in 2014 {On My Reading List}
Haha, I was exactly the same, though I didn’t even know there were other book blogs out there, I literally just started a book blog in a void. In some ways, I feel like these are almost necessary growing pains ya know? It’s stressful to do everything at once, so maybe starting out posting once a week (which I did) is okay and then you slowly ramp up? Getting on Twitter at least a bit at first is totally a good idea, but I don’t think I could have even if I thought of it. I needed to focus on the blog at first and then slowly branch out to actually talking to people haha!
Anya recently posted…Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge eARC {4.5 Stars}
Great advice, I totally agree with you! I started commenting on other blogs right away, mainly because I followed them before and was thinking about having a book blog myself so I could finally comment! I didn’t felt like leaving a comment when I didn’t have a blog. I’m still struggling with pre-scheduling, or should I say writing posts at the last minute. And I must participate on Twitter more, sometimes there are days when I don’t say anything..
Lanaia recently posted…Top Ten Things On My Reading Wishlist
I really don’t’ get the posting-ahead option. I tell them post it then, and then I wake up in the morning and it isn’t posted -__- so that’s pretty frustrating. Must look into that. Love the post though!
Sandra @Sandra’s World of Books recently posted…Liebster Awards
This is all really good advice! I wish that somebody had given me the advice to be more outgoing when it came to social media and commenting on other people’s blogs back when I first started blogging a couple of years ago. Since I kinda knew that stuff from my old blog, when I started my book blog I immediately started interacting a ton and it was definitely the right decision. In such a short time, I’ve made so many friends and already have a bunch of people that comment on my blog regularly :) And I’ve been using Twitter much more than I ever have before, and finding it a lot of fun!
Miranda @ Tempest Books recently posted…Cool As a Cucumber
The schedule part, haha. Yes! I started in a whim, so I had no posts at all and that was very stressful in the beginning. Another thing I’d say is: be yourself! Don’t plagiarize and remember that you are unique and awesome the way you are :) Choosing a good name is also important. I’ve seen some people change their name, so if you pick something you know you’re going to stick with – it’s easier :)
Mel@thedailyprophecy recently posted…Short Review 229. Adam Gidwitz – The Grimm conclusion.
YES Kelly you are my spirit animal! My first few months were EXACTLY like what you said, because at first I literally did nothing to promote my blog until I finally decided to comment on someone’s blog and join this feature called Follow Friday and then I finally started my blog down the hill. also, I totally agree about the importance of social media. I feel like the #1 way to market your blog is through Twitter, Facebook, etc. etc. Fantastic post, Kelly! <33
Eileen @ Singing and Reading in the Rain recently posted…Uninvited by Sophie Jordan
My first few weeks of blogging on Radiant Shadows was sporadic book reviews – it took me a while to post anything different! I wish someone had told me to make sure I had varying content (I didn’t research book blogs a whole lot before I started one, haha), so I just posted book review after book review and wondered why I wasn’t having anyone comment on my posts!
Hi! Great advise! As I am a new book blogger, I really need a lot of advise and tips.
Nina recently posted…Heroes of Olympus!
I started blogging doing those things that you did. I was probably the worst, unoriginal and anti-social blogger ever. I think I started talking to you when I asked you what a kelly was (your twitter handle). Hehe!
I might use this for a post once I hit like 8 months. It seems a bit silly to write a post now considering I’m only like 6 months old.
Nova @ Out of Time recently posted…Novel Melodies: Divergent – Veronica Roth
After nearly 4 years of blogging, this is great advice! I too wish someone would have told me these things before I got started. I also wish someone would have told me to chill out on requesting so many books! I still haven’t figured that part out quite yet … there’s just so many good books to read!
Brooke @ i blog 4 books recently posted…Blog Tour & Review | Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay
I say twitter too! Okay, so I have to admit that I was totally confused by twitter at first and didn’t really know what to do with it. And now? I am on it constantly and probably talk WAY too much. Haha. But that’s how I’ve gotten to know people and now I have all these awesome bookish friends! *hugs everyone*
And scheduling. Yeah, I’m not sure why I didn’t do that….
Wendy @ Book Scents recently posted…TTT: Top Five Things on My Reading Wishlist!
My advice to any blogger has to probably be the most obvious one: social media. I know most people are afraid of interacting with others because they are introverts or they just have problems interacting with people, but social media is a must if you want to get others following your blog and commenting on your posts. And I’d have to twitter too. I was like you about twitter, I ddidn’t want to have a twitter account because I just don’t want too. But a little while later, I found out that twitter was my best friend. :)
I’m a new blogger and I definitely schedule my posts. But i could do them every couple days but I feel like that would be posting too much. I feel like if I only post three or four times a week then people are more likely to actually read my posts and not be overwhelmed. Is this incorrect?
Rain Jeys recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Things I’d Make Writers Write About If I Could
What I don’t understand is the huge disparity between my six (yes only six) followers and around 800 “hits” each week. Only one person ever comments directly on my blog (and I think it is only because she doesn’t have Twitter or Facebook). That is one thing I don’t like about Twitter, when I tweet a blog post people comment on Twitter, and not my blog. On Facebook they “like” the FB post (I don’t know if they actually read the blog post), but don’t comment on my blog. I do vary my posts, but if it isn’t a review they are always either book related, as in instructions for homemade bookmarks, or about unique libraries and bookstores. I had zero intentions of ever creating a book blog, but did so accidentally trying to register to enter a book giveaway, lol.
La La in the LiBrArY recently posted…Happy BiRtHdAy EDGAR ALLAN POE…
Yes! I second this advice! I didn’t blog properly for a YEAR after I started. It’s pretty boring when you’re blogging to 3 people (and they’re most likely related to you). I’m also glad I finally stopped procrastinating and got a Twitter account a few months ago. It’s SO handy and fun!
Cait D recently posted…How To Put Links in Blogger Comments
I thought I’d commented but I hadn’t! I agree with all this advice. I think the most important one (for me) has been the interacting with other bloggers and readers. So much more fun when you have company to get excited with.
I’m with everyone else…I started on a whim and had zero posts prepared before I bought my domain and went ahead and ‘started’ Looking back it might have been a good idea to have some reviews all prepped but it worked out.
Great discussion!
Kristen@My Friends Are Fiction recently posted…Review of Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen
I wholeheartedly agree with these (although I rarely schedule posts – the majority of mine are written as they go live) and I want to add: request in moderation. Three years of blogging and I’m STILL working on this one. Adding 50 new books to your To Read list on GR is FAR different than actually being faced with 50 new ARCs. When I first started blogging I’d request (and accept) anything offered. These days I’m trying to cut back and accept/request only the books I know I’ll read or the ones I’m definitely interested in, rather than ones I might enjoy.
Leah recently posted…A Breath of Frost by Alyxandra Harvey
Those are some really great advices especially the planning and scheduling ahead. Another advice that I would give a newbie blogger is to only request 2-4 ARCs per month and to MAKE SURE they actually read the book! Also, to not post so many book covers, book blitzes, and memes. Those are just my least favorite type of posts (if they post like 3 in a row).
Leigh @ Little Book Star recently posted…Comment on Who Run the World? BLOGS! {Discuss #10} by Leigh (LittleBookStar)
Starting my blog was also an impulse decision for me. I don’t even remember why I did it. :P I do like your advice though. I pretty much figured those all out on my own and through lurking on some other blogs. I think it’s really helpful. I’m falling behind on scheduling my posts though so I should really work on that. :P
Francine Soleil recently posted…Guest Post: Gayle Forman Book Signing
Your last point is absolutely the most important. Go interact with blogs. No one cares about your reviews at first because no one knows you, no matter how good or talented you are. I think the number one thing I learned that made my blog grow was a blogs biggest audience IS OTHER BLOGGERS. And there are huge circles around them, so you need to be active and show your face. Now I have so many bloggy friends, and have so many great discussions. Sure beats those first five months begging for a hit.
Nathan (@reviewbarn) recently posted…Sci-Fi Review: ‘God’s War’ by Kameron Hurley
Love this and love your blog! We actually named you our Blog of the Week over at The Duck & The Owl :)
http://theduckandtheowl.wordpress.com/2014/01/25/sunday-sweets-smiles-week-42/
Smiles,
Kaitlyn :)
Kaitlyn recently posted…Sunday Sweets & Smiles (Week 42)
Things have changed so much since I first started blogging. Nobody here said a word about linking to each other’s blogs, blog roll, favorite blogs list. That used to be HUGE and not just because backlinks used to matter. It was an acknowledgment that more experienced bloggers now considered you a peer. I got as much of a thrill from showing up in a blogroll as I did from a comment.
But that still originated from commenting on other blogs. Before Twitter and Facebook pages it was the only way to get noticed :>)
Mulluane recently posted…Swordspoint: (Riverside Book 1)
Great points. I’m bad about scheduling posts to this day, but I know how less stressful it can be.
If I had one thing to say to people just starting to book blog, it would be to TAKE IT SLOW. Don’t go overboard on requests, book tours, memes, commenting frenzy…etc. It’s okay to not post every single day when you’re starting out.
Lizzy recently posted…Book Review: These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner
About having posts scheduled in advance, yes, yes, and yes! If only I had known. Now it’s so hard to get ahead!
Katie @ Doing Dewey recently posted…Monuments Men Part III Questions
I discovered the scheduling thing when I started doing blog tours. Thank God, or they’d never be up on time! Haha. Honestly, I try to make the most of it. But sometimes I just don’t have the time to sit and write out a week’s worth of posts (although I try)
As for Twitter, I have to agree. I’m totally new to it. But it’s a good way to get word out and authors are pretty cool about retweeting reviews and giveaways so that’s cool :D
Although, it also made me realize I’m as awkward online as I am in person. Aha. So as for talking to other people… I’m trying. I don’t have much time to visit and leave good comments. Which saddens me :/
But I do when I can(:
Good advice, though! Still new here and it’s still good to know this!
Joanna V recently posted…Mini Reviews: Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead
Your tips are spot-on! I just started my blog December 1st. I was like “oh you know, I have 5 reviews and like 10 that are half-way finished. I’m good for a while… I will write more later, I’ll have enough time.” NO. I didn’t. Life happens, I decided to go back to school to get a second Bachelor’s. That has taken up so much of my time. I actually posted about 2-3 reviews a week for a while. I created a schedule for myself for the first time in my life! It has done wonders. I am a certified procrastinator and I never thought marking things on a calendar would be effective, but after less than a week of using one I found it so much easier to plan things in my head and manage my time. I have just recently found my groove for how I like to write reviews and am currently working on writing several. But blogging is fun if you don’t let the stress get to you. As long as you do it for fun, it won’t get to you. It becomes easier.
You are right, social media is a must! I never thought Twitter was worth it. I disliked it at first. But I have been finding new people I have a lot in common with, not to mention flash giveaways, your favorite authors saying something back to you, and learning new things (e.g. UberFacts). :) I have also been commenting on other blogs, trying to find people I enjoy listening to, and befriending them. It seems like a lot. But I have gotten the hang of it for the most part. ;)
Makaela recently posted…Waiting on Wednesday: The Vanishing Season by Jodi Lynn Anderson
Some great advice here…
My advice… post to your own time frame. Don’t try to keep up with others if you don’t have the time.
Jodie @ Words Read & Written recently posted…Author Interview: Laura Tisdall
Excellent advice for beginner reviewers. I have been blogging off and on since 1998. (tells you how ok d I am), and I have learned some things rather the hard way. A year or two ago, I started a book reviewing blog with poetry attached. However, I had to give it up due to college. I miss reading books, writing poetry, and reviewing books. I know it will always be there. I only have two more years left of college and I am free. It’s worth having the reviewing books as an experience. Do you prefer short reviews or long reviews?
Jamie recently posted…Bullies Behind Keyboards Are Still Bullies