Armchair BEA – Becoming a Better Blogger / Genre Fiction

Posted 29 May, 2013 by Linda @ (un)Conventional Bookworms in Uncategorized / 0 Comments

Armchair BEA3 - (un)Conventional Bookviews
Design Credit : Sarah of Puss Reboots

Becoming a Better Blogger

I have been blogging for almost a year – actually my blogoversary will be on Sunday – the last day of Armchair BEA. During that time, I have changed quite a few things. First, I started out on Blogger, but I didn’t like to feel so enclosed, there were a lot of cool widgets and layouts it was just not possible to have there. So, after just three months under my belt, I moved to a self-hosted wordpress blog. And I’m so happy about that! I can choose different plugins for so many different things. I mean, really, if I think of something I want on my blog, I do a plugin search, and chances are someone with programming skills have already thought about it!

Apart from that move, I’m not really thinking very much about bettering myself as a blogger. I know I have changed the way I review a little bit – but that’s just experience and not a conscious decision. And I really want to continue to have blogging as a hobby. I do not have adds, I earn no income from having my blog –ย  and that’s OK! I have signed up with Amazon Associates program, because I figured if people want to buy a book based on my review, and they click a link from here anyway, it would be nice if I got a few cents for it. That way, the next time I decide to host a giveaway, I may at least have some monetary ‘help’ from the associates program, instead of paying it all myself.

I sure have branched out a lot, though! I have ‘met’ so many nice bloggers, and I’ve found so many excellent books thanks to them. There are some blogs I check out every single day, and I know that some of them return the favor, because we are chatting back and forth across the boundaries of our own blogs. This is one of the things I love the most about blogging, the fact that I actually have someone I can chat about books with! Whom I can share my excitement or my frustrations with.

Genre Fiction

Just as yesterday, when I was asked to talk about a few bloggers I really respect and love, talking about genres I love more than others is like you’re asking me to choose favorites among my children! I just can’t do that! If you are familiar with my blog, you know that I read more or less anything as long as it is, indeed, fiction! I love reading YA (even if I don’t really agree that YA is a genre per se) because it’s refreshing to read about teens who are evolving into adulthood. I love reading paranormal mystery, paranormal romance, paranormal erotica… yeah, if it has something paranormal in it, I will probably want to read it ๐Ÿ™‚

I can enjoy the classics, historical fiction, historical romance, so called ‘chick-lit’, contemporary romance, New Adult. I can’t really think of a genre I would not read! I think the main thing I can say that I look for in a book is that I want to be swept into the world the author has created there. I want to feel connected with the characters, and get to know who they are, read about how they grow, and try to understand why they make the choices they make.

So, yes, Fiction is my favorite genre hands-down ๐Ÿ™‚ But please don’t ask me to be more precise than that ๐Ÿ™‚

Thanks for stopping by today for some more Armchair BEA fun! I got to add some new blogs to the RSS reader I use, yesterday, and I hope I’ll find more today.

Lexxie signature (un)Conventional Bookviews

 

 

 

 

Linda @ (un)Conventional Bookworms

About Linda @ (un)Conventional Bookworms

Linda is an English as foreign language teacher and has a Master's degree in English Language and Literature. She's an avid reader, blogger, compulsive one-clicker and a genre omnivore. Ever since she learnt how to read she has been seen with a book or two in her hands everywhere she goes.

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0 responses to “Armchair BEA – Becoming a Better Blogger / Genre Fiction

    • Yeah, I would feel really bad if I left something off a list – so my lists tend to be all encompassing ๐Ÿ˜€

      Thanks for stopping by Kriss!

    • Thanks Tanya ๐Ÿ™‚ Yes, I want to continue to have fun with blogging – I have lots of stuff I have to do – blogging is not part of that ๐Ÿ™‚

    • Yeah, I’m a total book omnivore! And I really like it that way. Reading different genres bring me different things as a reader ๐Ÿ™‚

      Thanks for stopping by Mel!

    • Thanks Tamara ๐Ÿ™‚ I haven’t even planned to do anything special for my blogoversary… I am having too much fun with all the Armchair BEA posts to think about it ๐Ÿ˜‰

    • I’m actually very happy I did it so early on – it has helped me keep my blog all mine ๐Ÿ™‚ And it’s really great to find different themes and plugins that appeal to me ๐Ÿ™‚

  1. About being a better blogger… I don’t know, I blog for fun but sometimes I don’t feel like blogging at all. I started blogging to keep track of the books I read (which I could have done on GoodReads!) but then… now I feel guilty when I don’t post!

    I need book blog counseling ๐Ÿ™‚

    Lectus recently posted: A Shade of Vampire by Bella Forrest
    • LOL Lectus ๐Ÿ™‚ I have some weeks where I post almost every day, and then others where I only post once or twice… I don’t really want it to become an obligation, and if I don’t feel like it, I just don’t do it ๐Ÿ™‚

      I hope you won’t continue to feel guilty if you don’t post as often as you think you should.

    • Oh, I love the quote at the end of your comment! It’s so true ๐Ÿ™‚

      I agree, if I feel something, and believe in the story, I’m happy!

    • I have some I gravitate towards more often as well, but it’s fun to read outside of what I’m used to as well – and discovering a ‘new-to-me’ genre is the best!

  2. When it comes to asking about genres it’s better to ask me what I don’t read that what I do read as like you I am sure my list would be shorter. ๐Ÿ™‚

    I know for sure that I don’t care much for Sci-fi, military and non-fiction. Not real big on literary fiction either. I do know that I have read some books with sci-fi influence but I can’t just so straight out Star Trek type..lol.

    Happy Reading!

    • I have actually read some military romances lately, and I have to say those S.E.A.L.s are mighty yummy, Stormi ๐Ÿ™‚ And depending on the SciFi, I enjoy it, too. I never watched or read Star Trek, so I used to think I didn’t like SciFi.

      Thanks for stopping by to say hi, Stormi ๐Ÿ™‚

    • ๐Ÿ™‚ Preferences are good, but I agree, there are so many great books that are just waiting for me to discover them – and sometimes, the genre can seem to be something that’s not for me, and then it is, anyway ๐Ÿ™‚

      Thanks for stopping by Stormy.

    • I have periods like that, too, where I read a lot of books in the same genre, enjoying myself immensely, and then, suddenly, I find myself reading something completely different for a while.

      There are a lot of great tutorials out there if / when you decide to move to self-hosting. You will know when the time is right ๐Ÿ™‚

  3. Happy almost 1 year blogoversary Lexxie! That is exciting!! I think doing the move to WP at the start of your blogging career is smart. I’m thinking about it — but first I have to get familiar with the system, especially because I want to transfer my design as fully as possible.

    Haha, I love how diverse you are in your reading! Pretty much anything and everything ๐Ÿ™‚ I agree though, that despite the genre, the main thing is to connect to the characters and the words!

    I loved reading your thoughts Lexxie, and thanks for stopping by my post earlier ๐Ÿ™‚

    Have a great week!

    • Thanks Rachelia ๐Ÿ™‚ And yes, I am pretty much an omnivore when it comes to fiction. I usually get so immersed in what I’m reading it doesn’t really matter if things cannot possibly happen in the real world ๐Ÿ™‚

      Have a great Armchair BEA week yourself. I look forward to reading more of your posts!

  4. Hi Lexie,

    I like having bloggers to talk to as well. I find my review style constantly changing as my writing evolved. I like many different types of fiction too and paranormal is among my favorite genres. Contemporary mysteries are my favorite genre of all, but I like reading any type of book really.
    Fantastic post!

    • It’s a little strange now, to go back and read my first posts… that I wrote more or less to myself anyway ๐Ÿ™‚
      Thanks for stopping by Rachel. I hope you’re having as much fun with Armchair BEA as I do.

    • Thank you Tanya ๐Ÿ™‚ If you need help with the UBB, let me know – I love that plugin.

      Thanks for stopping by.

  5. I just recently moved to WordPress and I wish I would have done it a lot sooner! I love having more control and all the awesome widgets! My reviews have changed as well with experience, some of my first reviews were quite terrible lol.

    I don’t really consider YA a genre either. I’m not sure what I’d call it exactly, maybe a category? Idk. I think it’s awesome that you are so spread out in your genres. I’m like 50% Contemporary and 50% everything else!

    Kimberly @ On The Wings of Books recently posted: Armchair BEA – Blogger Development & Genre Fiction
    • YA as a category, or as just towards targeted age-group or something. However, I am really ‘too old’ to be in the targeted age-group…

      Yes, the first reviews I wrote are, let’s say, different, from the ones I write now. Thanks for stopping by Kimberly ๐Ÿ™‚

    • I love talking – and I love even more when it’s possible to get to know new people with whom I have something in common, even if we live on different continents!

      Thanks for stopping by Kim.

  6. Congrats on your upcoming blogoversary! I’ve been with Blogger for a year now, and I feel like I’ve outgrown it. It also drives me crazy when it fails to save a post or just acts up in general. I’d like to move to WordPress eventually, once I have the extra money for self-hosting and things like that.

    Thanks so much for stopping by! ๐Ÿ™‚

    Lee @ Rally the Readers recently posted: Armchair BEA 2013: Giveaway!
    • I got a really good deal when I found my host, I got three years hosting, with unlimited GB, for just under $100. I am happy with my host, too.

      I wish you luck when you decide you are ready to make the move. And don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions before you start.

  7. “This is one of the things I love the most about blogging, the fact that I actually have someone I can chat about books with” YES! This is on reason why I love book blogs as well.

    Thanks for stopping by the blog! Happy Armchair BEA!

    • I know, right? I had missed that so much! Now, I can chat with other book-lovers from all over the world every day!

  8. I totally agree about getting to meet people… I always kinda thought that was just something that people said but didn’t real mean. But no! Book bloggers are actually super friendly! haha. Was definitely glad to realize that the more I jumped into the community ๐Ÿ™‚

    Helen @ The Fiction Conniption recently posted: Announcing: Let's Discuss!
    • I’m glad you’re meeting a lot of Bloggers who mean what they say, Helen ๐Ÿ™‚

      Thanks for stopping by!

  9. I think most of my development has come just as a natural product of experience as well. I don’t always sit down and think “what can I develop about my blog today?” It just sort of happens over time anyway. Nice post.

    • Thanks Sandy ๐Ÿ™‚ I think part of why I’m not really thinking about actively developing my blog is that the main reason why I blog is for me! And if other people stop by to comment, that’s just an awesome added bonus ๐Ÿ™‚

  10. I want to be swept into the world the author has created there. <– I look for precisely that in a book as well, Lexxie. ๐Ÿ™‚

    I may have to check out wordpress…I feel like I don't do enough to the design of my blog, because I'd rather be reading. ๐Ÿ™‚ But blogger does give me headaches quite often and it's not fun to blog when blogger is giving me hassles.

    I can't believe you've only been blogging a year – happy early blogversary, by the way! ๐Ÿ™‚ I think you know I enjoy your blog. And I'm glad to have found your blog because reading your reviews and discussing books with you is a bright spot in my day! ๐Ÿ™‚

    Bookworm Brandee recently posted: **Blog Tour & Giveaway ~ Fierce ~ Ginger Voight**
    • Aw thank you Brandee! Yours is one of the blogs I check out every single day, and I usually won’t leave without leaving you a comment. It’s amazing to find such kindered spirits thanks to books and the internet!

      Thanks so much for stopping by ๐Ÿ™‚

    • LOL spaces – especially line-breaks are not very easy to do! But I do my best ๐Ÿ˜‰

      Thanks for stopping by ๐Ÿ™‚

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