Today topics are Blogger Development and Genre Fiction. I have been blogging for a little over 2 years now. I still feel like I don't know what I am doing! I have tried to make my blog better by the example of others. I have learned that using twitter to reach out to people is a good thing. That not participating in too many memes is important too. I have tried to incorporate my book clubs from goodreads into the blog to make it more interactive (the Young Adult Book Club, and Stephen King Fans) . I haven't had any giveaways or anything like that because I hate to feel like I am buying my readers. Though I am going to have one for my OZ month here in September and I am not even sure what to expect! It will be my first time! I have partnered with other bloggers for a few blogging events. I don't think I am pro whatever that means. I enjoy meeting other bloggers. There is a small group of bloggers in my local area but I haven't really connected a lot locally. I have found lots of friends who are far away from where I live. I use Blogger.. which everyone says sucks but I am not some HTML genius and so I guess I will just hang here. I have tried to find books on wordpress and html but they are all WAY over my head. I just need someone to tell me in layman's terms.
Genre Fiction:
Now onto the Fiction post. I love all books. I do review a lot of Young Adult but that is because I run a young adult book club... if it weren't for that I would probably read a lot more adult books. I love Stephen King~ one of my all time favorite authors. I love Charlaine Harris' books. I really enjoy R.A. Salvatore's books too and need to finish up the Drizzt series. I think the only type of genre I don't like is romance. I just have never been able to get into it. I don't mind it mixed in with other genres but stand alone romance is just eh to me.
Well... I wish I was walking around BEA right now.. but here I am typing up this post and needing to make time for some reading!
Ehhh I know HTML and still use Blogger. It's fast and easy for me, and gets the job done just fine. But I've heard people put it down, too. I'm happy! (and weird, just got deja vu)
ReplyDeleteI like Blogger... I don't need anything too fancy anyways. If I see something I like on a blog I will research it and learn how to do it. Usually blogger can do everything!
DeleteNice blog! I'm really enjoying learning about what others are doing on their blogs. It amazes me the different ways we all share our love of books.
ReplyDeleteAH@Badass Book Reviews.
Thanks!!
DeleteAll good tips that I've been trying to implement too! I'm good with blogger too, though I am curious about why wordpress is so good. But someone has my URL on wordpress so that won't work! I wish I could find a group of book bloggers from my area - that would be fun, and I would like to connect locally and maybe see them for book events around here.
ReplyDeleteReading all the posts about people at BEA are kinda making me feel like I'm there... not really...
Yea I did try to connect with the people in my community... but it didn't totally work out. I still list the Colorado blogs I found in my menu but I might delete it! I don't know if it really helps anyone out.
DeleteI know about the hesitation of giveaways. Most followers aquired come become of a giveaway and the following count is inflated, but once in a while you'll get a follower that sticks around. There's nothing wrong with blogger-use the platform that works for you.
ReplyDeleteJess @ Literary, etc.
You are right. Maybe the one person who enters the giveaway will become a true follower. I just don't know. Guess I'll see come September!!
DeleteI also would put learning from others and learning to use twitter at the top of my list of things that have changed as I've blogged :) And I agree with you completely about giveaways! To avoid (hopefully) avoid having people follow me just for giveaways, I usually weight following me heavily, but don't make it a requirement.
ReplyDeleteI am thinking of not making following me a requirement on my giveaway. I would hope that people who would be apart of a giveaway would automatically follow but I am sure that is not always the case.
DeleteI'm still on Blogger too just because I don't want the commitment of my own domain & hosting & all the headaches that come along with it. I think pro bloggers are the ones who earn an income and are the "go to" references for their genre. Great post! Tattooed Books
ReplyDeleteOOOHHH hummm well I am certainly not a pro-blogger then. I also don't really want to have to pay for my blog .. I just want it to be a free hobby to do so I would have a hard time putting money into it.
DeleteI get in over my head with the HTML stuff too. I use the Wordpress.org, since you don't have to have a lot of technical knowledge. It'd be nice to have the benefits of being self-hosted but the idea of actually doing so intimidates me.
ReplyDeleteI had a similar fear of giveaways. I've run two now and it's hard to keep the balance between using a giveaway to your advantage but not manipulatively. I always have a free entry option, which helps me because I feel like ANYONE can enter, and then just extra entries for following and such.
The free entry option is a good idea. Then I wouldn't feel like I am buying my followers. I would hate for them to feel like they have to follow me and then never come back!
DeleteAngela, I'm sticking with Blogger too although it has given me some issues at times! Hope you are having a good week.
ReplyDeleteThanks... I have had issues with it too. Copying and pasting a picture into a post instead of uploading it drives blogger nuts. The rest of the post goes all wacky!! That drives me nuts!
DeleteStephen King scares the bejeezus out of me. Just the cover of IT scares me, but I have read a few of his books and have enjoyed them. Didn't sleep well for a couple of nights, but enjoyed them. I enjoy most every type of book and it depends on what mood I am in. I would like to build a better blog, but find that when I sit down to focus on the blog something crazy happens at home. Good luck with the blogging and enjoy ABEA!
ReplyDeletehahah! I know .. I have been wanting to do something for my blog, like graphics, and I sit down to do them and then I started blog hopping all over the place and by the time I look at the clock and hour has gone by!!!
DeleteI've never really understood everyone's hatred of Blogger! I love it, I find it simple to use and I've never had any issues - given I don't code much, so maybe that's it!
ReplyDeleteI do the occassional giveaway, but I always make sure it's not a "follow me in the 18 places for an entry" type giveaway - I just like sharing my favourite books and celebrating milestones.
Angie, I think you're doing awesome with your blog. And, for the record, I've been using blogger since 2009 and though Google technically owns my blog, it's easy, it's functional and I love it...so don't let people sway you! In terms of giveaways, I think they're fine, as long as you don't force people to follow you, you know? I think people will get invested on their own! :)
ReplyDeleteGreat post!
Hi Angela, I've only done 1 giveaway but I gave a free entry and everything was optional. In the follow my blog option, I added 'if you like my content'! I'd hate to buy followers too plus they would never return so are a number only not a real follower.
ReplyDeleteAnd I have never had a problem with blogger, its easy to use and that's all the matters to me for now anyway.
I've been on Blogger for 6 years, so I do not think it sucks, obviously. Plus, I still don't feel like I know what I'm doing! There's no roadmap to blogging, that's for sure.
ReplyDelete