Hey, everyone! Today, Samantha from Bookish Serendipity and I are doing a guest post exchange! Be sure to visit Samantha’s blog to read my guest post, but first read Samantha’s list of why she loves being a book blogger and reader below! =)
I’ve been running my book blog, Bookish Serendipity, for almost 2 years and it has been an absolutely awesome experience. I’ve been reading for much longer than that, of course, but blogging has allowed me to reach out and share my love for books with people I never would have met otherwise.
There are many reasons to love blogging and books. The amount of space that I would need to list ALL the reasons I love books and blogging would be a novel in itself, but today I’ve decided to highlight a few of the major reasons why reading and book blogging is amazing.
Reason #1—Finding New Books
Before blogging, I used to mostly read MG books. One of the biggest ways that blogging has influenced me is definitely the types of books I read, since I’ve started to read a lot more YA and teen fiction in the past two years that I’ve been running Bookish Serendipity.
Joining Goodreads, reading reviews on other blogs, being sent ARCs of books I would pick up on my own—these are all things that have helped me expand my horizons when it comes to my reading taste.
Reason #2—The Community
The book blogging community is made up of the nicest people! I’ve met some amazing people (like Emily) through blogging, and it has been great to find so many people who share interests with me. Being a bookworm in a world in which the vast majority of people don’t read 50+ books each year can be hard. That’s why having an online community of book bloggers who are willing to rave and rant and fangirl with you is so incredibly awesome!
Reason #3—Organization
One of the main things that blogging has forced me to improve is my organizational skills. Running a blog takes a lot of planning ahead of time—getting ready for blog events, or finding time to write posts, or scheduling blog tours, and more! I like to think that I’m a better planner and more organized person than I was before I started Bookish Serendipity.
Reason #4—Writing
I really enjoy writing and blogging forces me to write A LOT in order to keep the content on Bookish Serendipity fresh, and not just book reviews. I’ve written about plenty of topics—my thoughts on a book, spoilers, upcoming releases, gender equality in reading, social media, love triangles, DNF reviews, debut authors, feminism, book recommendations, etc—and it has allowed me to develop my writing skills more. I think I’ve definitely learned a lot!
Overall, Blogging is an amazing experience. It’s definitely taught me a lot and hopefully I’ll get to stick around in the blogging community for many more years to come!
Thank you so much for doing this with me, Samantha! It was a lot of fun and I love your post. 🙂 Be sure to check out my post on Bookish Serendipity!
All of these are really true! I have been blogging for a loong time, but book blogging is a recent addition. I read a lot more since I started it, and I write a lot more too. I’m a more critical reader now, too. Not in the negative sense, but I’m constantly thinking about how parts of the story interact with other parts, or how two books address a similar subject. It’s interesting.
I agree with you on the critical reading thing. When I notice little things in books, I not only find things to mention in my reviews, I find an appreciation for the author and how much time and effort they put into their story. It’s amazing how much detail there is in a novel. 🙂
Loved both of your posts. I sometimes struggle reading around people but other times I don’t. It depends whom I’m around.
On a nother note, Emily, I started and finished The Healers Aprentice. I started it around one and finished it around six. It was pretty good. I liked the book but I had a few problems with it. I liked all the God references and liked Rose and Hamlin. I did not like Rupert. At all. I wish Rupert and Rose did not have any sort of relationship. It seemed so weird to me. Rose obviously did not like him. I could see how it was going to end and some of the characters seemed a little stupid at times. I really liked Hildy.
Okay moving on. I think you would really like Writer to Writer I haven’t finished it yet but I can tell you would like it. I wish I owned it( I got it from the library. I’ll have to return ot and buy it so I can do some.of.the projects and finish reading it).
Pen pal. I’m really going to try to ask my mom. I always get the courag to do itg but when I’m about to ask I get supper nervous and ask her something else. Lol. I’m going to ask her today. I am.
I definitely understand your problem, Brooke! I want to ask my parents about becoming critique partners with some other writers, but I’m nervous. What if they say no? Then it will be awkward…Gah! I’m basically just like you right now. Usually when I’m in a similar situation, it turns out alright, but still…
I’m glad you liked The Healer’s Apprentice. I agree with you on Lord Rupert. Blech. I didn’t like him at all. But I adored Hildy! I have friends just like her. I love all of the books in Melanie Dickerson’s series, but I have to be honest… I’ve never finished The Merchant’s Daughter. I don’t know why. I keep starting it, but then I get another book I want to read and it sort of drifts away and then I remember it again. I guess it’s just not interesting enough in the beginning to hold me through. I’m not sure. Have you ever had books like that, you really want to be able to finish? Maybe it’s just me. 😛
I’m going to ask my mom if she’ll order Writer to Writer for me on Amazon. She’s usually reluctant to buy me fiction books because I go through them so fast (I usually buy my own books or borrow them from the library, and sometimes on audio), but she’ll probably get me a book for writing.
I completely understand!! I’ve definitely gotten that way with my mom before. I’m not sure why it’s so hard to ask parents’ permission for things sometimes, but it is. I guess I just have to remember that the worst that can happen is they say no, and it’s not so bad. I just have to think, “But if she says YES… it’ll be so worth it!” Haha. 😉 Good luck to you, too Ana. Critique partners are really fun. 🙂
Okay so I finally asked my mom. She facebook messaged your mom and it should appear in the other file. Please tell me when she writes back so that I can tell my mom.
I don’t have the Merchants Daughter yet. I might get it sometime next month. Yeah. Ive had books like that. And sometimes they end up being really good! Other times they are horrible. I have not finisned This Star Won’t go Out and I started it last year. I just got to a boring part I guess. I liked all the journal.entries.but those have mostly stopped. I should finish. I guess. I really like Writer to Writer. I think I’m going to buy it so I can finish it and do the projects. It gives great ideas.
Really? That’s great! I told my mom about the Facebook message. She said she will check it in just a minute. (Moms are always busy doing something or another, don’t you think?) 😉
If you finish it before I get it to it, tell me what you think. I’m sure it’s good I just got stuck on a boring part…
I understand what you mean. I should get This Star Won’t Go out. I was going to one time at Barnes & Noble, but they only had it in hardback so it was too pricey for me.
I’m definitely going to order Writer to Writer when I get my chore money this week! 🙂
I agree with all of these points, Samantha! When I first started blogging, I thought it would be fun, but I didn’t know quite how fun it would be. I love the community surrounding book blogs, and how many book recommendations I get from people. Without other book bloggers I would have missed out on a ton of fabulous books that have now become dear favorites. I also most certainly would not have finished a novel if it wasn’t for other writers and published authors to encourage me. The book blogging and writer community just brims with encouragement.
YEEES. I talk to my mom all the time how much fun blogging is. My favorite part is probably the community. I love getting comments and I’m working on commenting more on other peoples’ blogs, and it’s just so much fun! I have several close friends but none of them read very much at all. it’s a blast talking to everyone. 🙂
YESSS too! 😉 I’m trying to comment more in other peoples’ blogs as well, because I know how happy it makes me when I get a comment and I want other people to feel that way, too.
Your right. Moms always seem to have something to do. My mom is writing back right now and I think sending a picture.
Okay will do :). Yeah. They only sell it in hardback. Her father was a pastor so they talk about the bible some in it too. You might not like how she talks about Harry Potter a lot( since you aren’t alowed to read it).
Oh and by the way I read a Tangle of Knots. I liked how they changed up the POVs. I could predict the ending but otherwise it was pretty good. I think I’m going to make one of the cake recipes for my moms Bithday.
Okay. 🙂 I will have to get my mom to check her facebook again.
That’s good to know! I’m glad she was a Christian. 🙂 I probably wouldn’t mind. Most of my friends have read Harry Potter and talk about it.
I predicted the ending, too. 😉 I borrowed it from the library last year so I haven’t made any of the recipes. Tomorrow I’m going to try to make chocolate chip cookie dough stuffed soft pretzels. It has a long name, but it sounds yummy! I also want to try to make something from the MDBC recipes sometime. Maybe I’ll do that instead. I haven’t checked to see if we have all the ingredients for the soft pretzel things. I just want to bake something! 🙂
Okay :).
Yeah it was plesent to know. Okay. Yeah ive read it and really like it but because you can’t read it I’ll try to keep.how often I mention it to a minuim. Its a pretty good book and I’m going to try to finish it soon.
I bought the book used and I’m glad I did. Its pretty good and I’m definetly going to try one of the recipes at one point. I think I’m going to make the peanut butter one at the end of the month or the begining of april. Have you tried the MDBCcookies yet? They are pretty good.
It’s okay. 😉
I haven’t tried any of the recipes from the MDBC! I can’t believe I haven’t. I guess I just forgot or never got around to it.
Anyway today I went to my home school group. I only have five more weeks of school left!! It seems unreal. Summer is pretty close for me. This was my first year of home-schooling and I love it. I am getting out of school one whole month earlier than I would in my old school. I’m already wanting it to be summer sooo bad!! 😀
Cool. I don’t know how many more weeks of school is left for us. I think its about the same. Lol. I love how early we end. Its so fun ending before all my friends. I have never not been homeschooled.
I have only tried the one recipe( like 4 times). I should try the other ones at some point.
I hope my mom didn’t message your mom a horrible picture of me. Did she send a picture?
Me, too! I’ve made several good friends in home-schooling, but I’ve kept in touch with my two closest friends from my school last year. I don’t think I ever want to go back to public or private school! I love home-schooling! 🙂
Hahaha!! It must be delicious, then! Is it a cookie recipe in the first book? My cousin still has the first one (She doesn’t read books as fast as me, lol, but she likes it a lot!) I will have to look at some recipes in the other books.
I think she sent a picture, but I haven’t seen it yet. 🙂
I don’t know.if I’ll ever go to school. It matters where we are living I guess and if they allow homeschoolers to do sports with them.
Its in the first one. That’s exactly like my cousin! She takes a while to start or finish a book.
Oh. I’m sure its a bad photo ;p. I don’t like my picture taken.
These are definitely some of the best things I’ve had in being a book(ish) blogger. I’ve found the community awesome and filled with people ready to chat, and the fact that it has forced me to get out of my comfort zone and be awesome like that.
So, yes! You’re very right!