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 ๐
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 ๐ But please don’t ask me to be more precise than that ๐
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.
I LOVE IT! Fiction, yep.. I tried and I feel guilty because I missed so many of my favorite reads!!
Great post today!
Yeah, I would feel really bad if I left something off a list – so my lists tend to be all encompassing ๐
Thanks for stopping by Kriss!
thanks for your comments on self-hosted blog, I may take the leap one of these days
There are some pretty good tutorials about self-hosted blogs and wordpress.org both at Parajunkee’s View and at Nose Graze so you can read a little about both the good and the bad before you make your decision, Emma.
I love your no stress approach to blogging – that’s how it has to be to remain a fun hobby ๐
Thanks Tanya ๐ 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 ๐
We are quite alike when it comes to genres. It’s so hard to pick a favorite one, so I went on and choose the ones I read the most. That’s what you get when you are a true bookworm: we like almost everything!
Yeah, I’m a total book omnivore! And I really like it that way. Reading different genres bring me different things as a reader ๐
Thanks for stopping by Mel!
Happy blogoversary! I’m with you and fiction! I feel like I generally read alot of genres, as long as it’s fiction! BTW, your log looks great!
Thanks Tamara ๐ 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 ๐
I meant your *blog looks great! ๐
๐ that’s what I thought!
I’ve yet to take the leap to self hosting, but I’m glad it’s worked out so well for you! ๐
I’m actually very happy I did it so early on – it has helped me keep my blog all mine ๐ And it’s really great to find different themes and plugins that appeal to me ๐
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 ๐
LOL Lectus ๐ 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 ๐
I hope you won’t continue to feel guilty if you don’t post as often as you think you should.
I wish I had moved to wordpress.
It’s never too late, Liviania!
I don’t like to choose a favourite genre either. As long as the book in my hand takes me somewhere, convinces me, moves me, then it’s a book for me :0)
Oh, I love the quote at the end of your comment! It’s so true ๐
I agree, if I feel something, and believe in the story, I’m happy!
You’re right – it is almost impossible to choose one fiction sub-genre as a favorite!
๐ I’m all for the good story!
Totally agree with you! I really can’t pick ONE genre to love. I think I love stories more than genres. Granted, there are some that I gravitate to, but if the story is solid, I’ll pick it up… no matter the genre!
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!
Twitter: bmreviewsohmy
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. ๐
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 ๐ 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 ๐
Choosing a favorite genre is so hard! I think I have genre “preferences”, but I don’t think I have just ONE genre I would consider my favorite.
๐ 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 ๐
Thanks for stopping by Stormy.
As a new blogger, I’d love to move to a self hosted blog at some point! I need to branch out and meet other bloggers to talk about books with!
I feel the same way about genres! I like anything with a compelling story and great characters! Right now I’m enjoying a lot of fantasy, though!
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 ๐
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 ๐ 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 ๐
Have a great week!
Thanks Rachelia ๐ 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 ๐
Have a great Armchair BEA week yourself. I look forward to reading more of your posts!
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 ๐
Thanks for stopping by Rachel. I hope you’re having as much fun with Armchair BEA as I do.
Hi Lexxie, I love your unconventional reviews, I’m so glad you recommended the Ultimate Book Blogger plugin to me also. Can’t wait to get that figured out. I started out on blogger too and am soooo glad I changed to wordpress.
Thank you Tanya ๐ If you need help with the UBB, let me know – I love that plugin.
Thanks for stopping by.
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!
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 ๐
I love the way you put it — chatting across the boundaries of our blogs. That’s one of my favorite things bout book blogging too.
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.
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! ๐
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.
“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!
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 ๐
I’m glad you’re meeting a lot of Bloggers who mean what they say, Helen ๐
Thanks for stopping by!
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 ๐ 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 ๐
I want to be swept into the world the author has created there. <– I look for precisely that in a book as well, Lexxie. ๐
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. ๐ 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! ๐ 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! ๐
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 ๐
After 5 months, I can (almost) properly put spaces into my posts. *gnaws on shoelaces*
Happy b-versary!!
LOL spaces – especially line-breaks are not very easy to do! But I do my best ๐
Thanks for stopping by ๐