With one year of blogging behind my belt (plus a few years of aimless wandering), I feel like I can finally talk about the things that I’ve learned being a blogger. I can see myself writing a whole new list a year from now, but I thought I would share some of the things I’ve learned in the past year. If you’ve been blogging for a while, you’ll probably nod in agreement for some of these, or if you’re a newbie blogger, you might feel a bit of anxiety over some. This is what’s working for me.
1. It’s OK to not accept review books.
There are always reasons we do the things we do. When I started book blogging, the reason was two-fold: I wanted to talk about the books I read, and I wanted to remember the books I read. You know what wasn’t the reason? To get review books. Sure, it’s awesome receiving review books and getting that email from NetGalley saying you were accepted for that exclusive title that everyone wants, but this isn’t why I started blogging. There’s no written rule that says you MUST accept or even request review books. Books are timeless; they’ll be around FOREVER! This is why we still read classics hundreds of years after they’ve been released. ALL books should be open for bookish discussions!
2. It’s OK to not buy books.
Before I started book blogging, I bought books. When I started to get into book blogging, I started to buy MORE books. Eventually, close to the one-year mark, I realized that I didn’t have to buy ALL THE BOOKS. While it’s awesome to display these books on my shelf, I found myself wanting to be pickier about the books I buy – I want to buy books I’ve read and loved, or books by authors whom I love, instead of buying books just to bulk up the shelves. In the same sense, the LIBRARY IS YOUR FRIEND! If your library does interlibrary loans like mine does, you will find that there is a HUGE selection available! Use it!
3. It’s OK to throw books away.
For most of the time I’ve been book blogging, I’ve coveted books. They stay on my shelf, piling up on top of one another. But sometimes, you need to throw a book away. Take ARCs for example. If I have an ARC and buy the finished copy of a book, I will throw the ARC away – or, if I have an ARC that I didn’t like and that no one wants, I’ll toss it. Or, there are the books that are way past their prime, old and decrepit, and falling apart. These can get tossed. DON’T FEEL BAD!
4. It’s OK to NOT finish a book.
This is something I’m still getting used to. When I’m reading a book, even if I find that I’m hating it, I feel like I MUST finish it! This doesn’t have to happen – there are so many books published each year, with a new book being published every 30 seconds, that we shouldn’t feel like we need to waste our time on bad books! If you feel like you must finish a book, maybe take a break and read something else. Then see if you want to come back to that not-so-great book. Maybe then you’ll realize that you don’t want to continue reading it and shelf it. It’s OK.
5. It’s OK to not LIKE a book.
So there’s this book – everyone loves it and everyone is talking about it, so you MUST pick it up! But then you read it and you think that it sucks. It’s OK to feel this way. I’ve read a few books that everyone loved and it’s brought up great discussions about the book. You know what else? If you hate a book and talk about it, you might find that OTHER people also hated the book! You’re not alone!
6. It’s OK to WANT to buy the books.
Yes, I’ve said that you don’t have to buy all the books, but it’s OK to want to. I have so many books on my wishlist and love to look at the pretty books in the bookstore. This doesn’t mean I have to buy them all, but it’s OK to dream about buying them all and just gushing over how pretty they all are.
7. It’s OK to not want to read ALL THE TIME.
Being a book blogger, you will get to the point where you feel like reading should be your life and that you should spend every spare minute reading the books to review on your blog. You don’t have to do this! There are other awesome things in life that you can – and should – be spending time on. What do I do? I like to play my piano, spend time with my husband, watch my TV shows, do some baking, and other things. Sure, there are times when I’ll listen to an audiobook while cleaning or baking or something, but there are times when I just don’t feel like reading.
8. It’s OK to break the rules.
When you start blogging, you will have those bloggers you look up to. You may try to emulate these bloggers in your own blog, trying to do what they do, to be just like them. But you know what? It’s OK to be different. This is what makes certain bloggers unique – they’re comfortable in their own skin and want to stick out from the crowd. This doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re the most popular blogger, or that they get all the traffic, but they get those dedicated followers who stop by all the time just because you stand out from the crowd. There are so many book bloggers out there that it’s awesome to find those ones that stand out and be themselves, the ones who seem to blog to a different beat. There are no written blogging rules – stand out!
9. It’s OK to reach out to other bloggers.
It can be so intimidating being a newbie blogger. There are so many bloggers out there and some of them get so many page views and so many review books and they just seem so unbelievably intimidating. But you know what? Bloggers are people, too. Even if they’re part of a big-name blog and seem to have all the right contacts, they still have the same insecurities you may have. Don’t be afraid to reach out to them for a chat about a book or even to ask about blogging advice. The best part of book blogging is the community and this is how we build the community!
10. It’s OK to take a break from blogging.
No one says that you must blog every day, all the time. If you feel like you need to take a break, TAKE THE BREAK! It can be a few days or an entire month (which is something I did), but whichever one you choose, it can be refreshing. Take the time to read that guilty-pleasure genre, or to not read at all. You may think that you’ll lose all of your followers by doing this, but if you have dedicated followers and take the time to be yourself and post original content, those followers will be there when you get back. Rather than feel like you’re burning out from blogging, taking the break can make you a better blogger.
What have you learned being a blogger? Can you add anything to my list?
© 2012, Reading In Winter. All rights reserved.
Great list, Kristilyn! I think we all need to remember the library. What other place can you go to with a giant tote bag and fill it up for free? I’ll will save us lots of money in the long run.
Congrats on the anniversary!
Exactly! Libraries are AWESOME! Now I just need to find a super cute tote bag to take with me when I go!
What a great list! We all need to remember these things sometimes. Though that bit about throwing away books makes my teeth itch. I just can’t bring myself to put a book in the trash! I will donate them to my local library or to the used book store (if they’re not ARCs) but I just CAN’T out and out throw them away.
I also sometimes have trouble with the not wanting to read thing – even before the blog reading was my thing, but now I’m noticing more than ever if I go through a week or so that I don’t read at all, not because I don’t have time, but because I don’t want to. It’s almost like I’m afraid I’m not being myself when I don’t feel like reading. It’s a weird feeling.
Anyway, Happy Blogiversary! Here’s to many years to come!
It really depends on the state of the book. If it’s old and ratty and just falling apart, I’ll throw it out. Or if it’s an ARC I didn’t like and don’t want to share with anyone.
Along with the not wanting to read, I sometimes get sidetracked and don’t want to read according to my schedule. It happens!
Thanks for the wishes!
Great list! Only in the past year am I learning that it’s okay to not finish a book. And it sure feels liberating to stop reading a book I’m not enjoying!
I don’t know if I could ever throw a book away, though, so I guess it’s a good thing I’m not being sent ARCs left and right. My sister has a ton of ARCs and she often buys the hardcover if she really likes it, but I don’t think she throws the ARCs away. I’d been thinking of them as kind of collector’s items, but really, what is one to do with them? Hmmm…
Anyway, this is great advice for a new book blogger like me. A reminder that I can blog at my own pace, when I have something interesting to blog about (not forcing it), and about the books and topics I want to cover. Thanks!
It certainly does feel liberating! I’m reading J. K. Rowling’s The Casual Vacancy and might DNF it because I’m just too bored. I may get rocks thrown at me, but better than forcing myself through it!
I think it depends on the ARC — if I got a super cool ARC, I would probably keep it, but for the most part I try and pass them onto other bloggers. If I really hate them, I toss them.
You should always blog at your own pace and do what you like — it’s your blog!
See, that is why I didn’t even bother with The Casual Vacancy. I read the description and it sounded boring, so I decided I didn’t want to read it. I probably never will.
I’m sad that it’s not living up to my expectations.
This is a great post!! I am still a pretty new book blogger, and I’ve already found that I’m starting to learn some of the points you mentioned. I also agree with Kelley (above) that I am learning that I don’t have to finish every book if I don’t like it. This summer I “gave up” on 2 books for the first time, pretty much ever…it was hard, but life’s too short to read bad books!
Life is definitely too short to read bad books!! I’m glad you’re finally on that bandwagon!
This is a really great list. My blogging motto is “if you don’t love it, don’t do it”. I think it is important to keep in mind why you started blogging in the first place.
So true. We should ALWAYS remember why we started blogging!
I think it does take awhile to realize that you’re not going to be able to buy or even just read all the books. It’s so hard because every good review makes you want to get the book, but you just can’t get them all. Or not all will be right for you.
It’s so hard and I really have to remember that. This is why I have a TON of books on my shelves that still aren’t read. Once they’re read, I’m going to change my ways when it comes to buying!
This is such a great post
I’m a newbie that is learning as I go and your list is a great help. Thank you!
You’re welcome!!
I think #7 is the hardest part for me: the obligation of reading. I tend to binge read (or, go on benders) and that means I also spend periods of time NOT reading (when I recover). I’m going through one of those right now, where I don’t particularly feel the need to read. AND THAT’S OKAY!
Yes! Me, too! I’m on a binge right now and it feels awesome. Of course, I know there will be a time where I’ll want to catch up on a TV show, or maybe do some knitting. It’s life! It happens!
I struggle with not finishing books. I don’t like admitting that I couldn’t finish a book. Sometimes I’ll finish it despite it being painful. Or I won’t finish it and refuse to talk about it.
It’s so hard to not finish a book. I have one right now that I paid for but really don’t like. It KILLS ME that I bought it and don’t like it! This is why I should’ve waited and gotten it from the library.
It’s just about a year for me too – and love your list and agree with most things. I would say though that before throwing books away – see if there is anywhere they can be donated where they might be useful to others.
Also, for people who don’t have a really good library system (and thank goodness I do – and that’s where I get 99% of my books from) – then the thrift store or dollar store are excellent places. The books we read and discuss don’t have to be new – in fact, more people are more likely to comment when the book is one they’ve read already i.e. older books.
The books I throw away are usually old and tattered, or ARCS — neither of which are much use to anyone. All other books get donated to the library or a teacher friend of mine!
That’s so true that the books don’t HAVE to be new! I think a lot of newbie bloggers feel like they need to stay on top of all the hot new releases and that’s just not the case. I’m more likely to comment on a review if I’ve read the book and I’m really not staying on top of all the new ones!
I hate the feeling of having to finish a novel. I always tell myself maybe it will get better at the end. I’m recently started if I don’t like it or its got me hooked in 50 pages I move on. It’s hard because I feel bad lol. One thing that I’ve learned is if I feel stressed out having to review novels that I have accepted for review because life is extremely busy I take a step back from the blog and deal with the stress of life because blogging is suppose to be a fun hobbie not a stressful one. I take many breaks from my blog. Especially when I have night class and I’ve realized it’s okay to take a break no one is going to be mad at you and if you lose a follower or 2 oh we’ll there will be more.
Damn auto correct
I try to be consistent with blogging, even if this month and last month have been CRAZY. I have a plan outlined and I hope to stick with it and schedule as much as I can. You’re right — life does come in and we have to remember that!
I feel bad about not finishing a book, too — it’ll take a while to get used to it!
Summer seems to be my only consistent times (no school woot woot). My goal is once I’m finished with school to be more consistent.
Great list! There’s definitely a lot to learn as we blog, and one I’ve learned recently is not accepting all the book reviews! I have my own books that I want to read, and if it doesn’t appeal to me I’ll just kindly tell them no. They aren’t always happy with me though lol but oh well.
and we have a lot of branches here where they can borrow books from for me.
I find that I also want to randomly go out and buy books, but I have to watch my money, which can be hard. I love my library too!! They’re the best
Another thing I’ve learned is to write about things that make you happy, and not to just impress other people. It shows your personality more too!
Yes! This is one that took me a long time to figure out and I’m still rusty about it. I have so many books of my own that I just feel better about reading than always reading review books.
The library is awesome! I love mine!
And you should never write JUST to impress people — being yourself is what people want to see!
Great list. I also don’t finish books sometimes. I’m trying to use the library more. I’m trying to make more time to read stuff that I’m interested in..
That’s awesome, Jen! I’m trying to do the same!
FULL of wisdom, you are. I agree with you on all fronts. I think we should all print this out and tape it up somewhere prominent in our homes.
Thankful, I am.
Great list for sure. You get more focused and happy with your decisions after awhile. Another I learned is you have to have a separate email just for blogging, wow.
My biggest learn was that it is ok to not accept review books.
Yes! I started out having a separate email and it works awesome. You can get a LOT of email from your blog!
Dude, this is a great post! Especially the it’s OK to not accept review books. I think of it a bit differently though, as in when I first started the blog and was getting requests from authors I thought I had to accept every one because they wanted to be featured on MY blog! Needless to say I got stuck with a stack of ebooks that made me want to cry and gouge my own eyes out. All of these are great points.
Ha ha … I did the SAME THING! But now I’m so much more selective. Really, I should try and have a month where I DON’T have any review books and see how it goes. Might feel nice!
Great post Kristilyn! I’m still learning so many of these! Because I’m trying not to buy any books until I read what I have (I can by faster than I can read), I still head to the book store (or the book section of Walmart) and stare longingly at all the pretty books before walking away sadly.
I need to do that, too!! I always seem to fall prey to the pretty books on the shelves …
I feel like I just want to fist pump and go YES THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT I LEARNED!
1. I learned this the hard way. I’m still working my way through review books (though I should be done by the end of the month), and while I don’t regret accepting most of the books I did, I’ve realized that I can definitely be more picky about what I choose to read and accept.
2.YES. I keep thinking I need to buy, buy, buy, when really… there are other ways (like the library and generous friends) to get a hold of books.
3. Getting rid of books has become my new “thing”. I do it periodically (like every two months) and it always makes me feel better. I’ve never just thrown a book out; usually I donate them to the library or send them to someone else.
4. I’m still not good at this. I don’t think I’ve ever managed to do it. EEP!
5. OH YES. It’s happened.
6. YES. I’m the girl who will obsessively stare at pretty books in the store and wish I could scoop them all up and run away with them!
7. Every blogger needs a real life, I feel. It would be weird to feel like you only read all the time, at least for me. I love my TV shows. And my friends and family and fiance. And my city. And blogging. And traveling.
8. YES. Once I started doing what I felt like doing, I found that I was more comfortable with my blog and much more at ease when posting.
9. Always! Bloggers, in general, are the nicest people EVER. And it’s worth a try to see if you can form a connection there!
10. Yup. Did that this year as well and it was AWESOME!
Okay, now that I’ve finished commenting on your whole list, I want to say again that this post is awesome. I feel like the things that you’ve learned are very true for most of us, and you’ve expressed them so well in this post!
There are so many ways to get books, you’re right. And really, I get one freebie and then I want to buy all the books in the series and read them ASAP. Much better than just randomly buying books from the store!
And purging is great! It made me feel so much better!
Yup, definitely nodding in agreement! I think the overall takeaway message that I learned from a year’s worth of blogging – and which sort of summarizes the feeling behind your list – is to just RELAX and HAVE FUN. I used to get so stressed out and anxious over a myriad of things related to blogging – all of which you outlined above. And it started to seem like a chore, which was no good. Blogging was always supposed to be a hobby, first and foremost, not a job. And it was with that overarching realization that I’ve found that I have been able to enjoy my second year of blogging a lot more!
So true! I thought I had to do everything early in the year and eventually had to take a break. Now I feel so much better about things!
Great list Kristilyn–it took me several years to accept many of these items and I wish I had done so earlier in my blogging as I think it makes a big difference. It’s so easy to want to put pressure on ourselves, but we also need to make sure we’re doings things the way that we WANT to do them as well. Happy bloggiversary!
Thank you, Trish!
Yes, it’s SO easy to put pressure on ourselves and forget that we’re here for our love of reading — sometimes we just need to … READ!
This is a great list. I know I am guilty of WANTING ALL THE BOOKS, but I’m trying to get my list way down. I have gotten rid of books I didn’t like, but I have yet to literally throw a book away. I just can’t do it. I donate them somewhere if no one I know wants them. I would feel very guilty if I were to throw a book out, akin to the guilt I’d feel if I boiled a live puppy or something.
Ha ha … I only throw out ARCs I dislike and don’t to share OR books that are falling apart. That’s it! Everything else I find a good home for.
Honestly, when I first started I didn’t even KNOW people would ask me to review books, or that I could even REQUEST them. No. Freaking. Idea.
I’ve already started bulking up a shelf with books I absolutely LOVED. Ones that I’d most likely read again, and then on the other shelf are books that where really good, and I might or might not read again. It depends, I just kind of know which is which.
Oh my god, I feel obligated to finish a book. Even if I absolutely hate it beginning to end. I always feel like I HAVE to finish it.
I love the parts about just kind of taking a break because personally, I don’t want to spend every single spare minute I have reading. My eyes actually start hurting! Sometimes I just play piano for hours or until my hands hurt, or until (this is embarrassing but I’m saying it anyways) I sweat so much I have to shower.
And also about not having to blog everyday and maybe even taking a break. Thanks to you guys telling me that my blog will always be here, not like it’s going to grow virtual legs and run away, I feel comfortable NOT posting a lot one week. Sometimes I only get one review up, maybe even none. But I don’t feel as bad about it anymore.
I always felt obligated to finish a book and now I’m not forcing myself. I do take a BREAK from a book if I don’t like it and read other things. Usually those other books show me how much I SHOULDN’T be reading the boring book I don’t like.
You should never feel bad about how often you post. It’s your blog, so it should be according to your schedule. I have a schedule made up for the next 8 months and it’s great to know that that’s ALL I’ll have to post is what’s on the schedule.
And yes! Take a break! If your eyes are hurting, you need to stop! And I totally know what it’s like to play the piano ALL DAY LONG. I’ve done it. It’s awesome.
I know a lot of people who read multiple books at a time, I like to read one at a time. If I read two at once, I think I’ll get them confused.
You have a schedule… for the next month!! That is crazy! Haha, I usually finish a book, then a day or two later, the review is up!
SOMETIMES I read multiple books at a time … especially if I’m reading a hardback. It’s just easier to have a book going on my Kobo, then. OR, if I have an onslaught of ARCs or something, I try to have one on the go.
I have a schedule for 8 months! BUT, I’m only really scheduled through October.
Pingback: Clock Rewinders on a Book Binge (9) | Reading In Winter
Pingback: Smash Attack Reads
Book blogging made me re discover the library again and it was a beautiful thing:)
I know, right? My library has a GREAT selection! Once I get through most of my books that I currently own, I’m going to use it a lot more often!