How long have you been a blogger?

I launched this blog January this year, so nearly 2 months. All the bookish and other miscellaneous content that I blog here is pretty much novel to me, but I have been blogging on-and-off ever since 2009 (for other topics of interest in old WordPress blogs).

At what point do you think you will stop?

I would love to be idealistic and say never. But I’m currently in my mini-gap year – I just finished high school at the end of last year, and am not starting college until September of this year – so I’m investing quite a lot of my free time to blog. However, college will be in a completely new world to me, and I feel that it will affect my blogging time. Currently, I try to blog several times a week, and I’m hoping that when I get busier, I’ll be able to blog at least a week. Blogging is one of the few things that I have absolute control over, as it’s completely separate from my life with my family and friends.

What is the best thing?

Just having your own blog, you know? In this technology and media-crazed millennial world, you find and do almost everything online. I love having complete power – though limited – over how I design and customize my blog, create my blogging content, and choose how I interact with others. It’s a personal satisfaction that can be shared with others, and that’s a really gratifying feeling.

Also, I don’t talk as well as I write IRL. I wish I could, but I still have lots to improve. So my blog is like my outlet, you know?

What is the worst thing? What do you do to make it okay?

I don’t think there’s a ‘worst’ thing, as I am here completely by my free will, as most of the (bookish) bloggers I know are – unless you’re trying to build your business through your blog. Of course, there are some limitations, such as having access only to the free themes and customizing options, or constantly comparing yourself to highly experienced and creative bloggers. I am an extremely jealous, obsessive and insecure person, and I can be affected by the slightest dissatisfaction that my blog creates.

However, I also try to picture myself with those things – having the perfect theme, excellent blog posts, etc. Where would I aim, then? I believe that having these ‘limitations’ motivates me to continue becoming a better and more creative blogger. It’s these things that we ‘don’t’ have that keep us happy, because they enable us to continue setting goals.

How long does it take you to create/find pictures to use?

I have a featured image for every blog I post, and I usually take them from my Bookstagram or the Internet. If not, I use pictures that I have taken in my mini-photo shoots to distinguish it from my Instagram. Additionally, sometimes I edit them to highlight the title of my post.

Who’s your book crush?

That’s for me to know and for you to find out 😉

What author would you like to have on your blog?

I can’t imagine any author wanting to be on my blog, much less the deceased ones. Buut I guess I’ll go with George Orwell (if you can bring him back to life or Mark Haddon.

What do you wear when you write your blog?

It really depends on what I’m up at the moment. I haven’t established a defined schedule for blogging yet, but it usually happens like an hour or two before I need to go somewhere else. If I haven’t changed into my go-out clothes, I would probably be in my most comfortable pair of shorts and a loose tank top (it’s blazing hot here right now). If I’m going out, then I would probably be wearing more presentable clothes.

Note: The picture you see on the left? That is so not how reality is. I like to spice things up when taking pictures, and I go kind of crazy. God I would never wear such nice clothes to blog. Mind me.

How long does it take you to prepare?

Again – it depends on the type of post. It usually takes longer to write reviews than any other post. If you have read my first few review posts, they are freaking long and detailed. I would spend 2-3 hours trying to write them coherently. Now it’s usually down to 1-2 hours. I am starting to set the topic of each post on the weekends (as I post daily during the week) so I have to think them through while doing other things, without actually consciously thinking about them. It gives me more time to get my ideas concise, without putting as much pressure when I’m down to writing it.

How do you feel about the book blogger community/culture?

So far, all the people that I’ve met (whether it be on my blog or on theirs) have been overwhelmingly nice and supportive, which gives me such a boost in my confidence. Unlike Bookstagram, which is less text and more photography, I feel that people who comment on your posts genuinely care what you write about. It’s less obsessed with likes and comments and followers. Bookstagram kind of creates that unflattering and phony environment.

Thus, whenever I read a post or browse through a blog, I try to comment when I feel the urge to. It’s nice when people comment on your posts and truly feel it, or else it’s just empty compliment and that means sh*t.

What do you think one should do to get a successful blog?

• Check out more experienced book blogger’s blogs  for inspiration.
• Get in touch with other book bloggers, which I found through Bookstagram (or other media outlets that may help you connect with bookish people)
• Get creative! There are no rules for how you should blog. I started off with the bookish mindset, but I soon realized that that was way too confined for me. I wanted to blog about everything I’m passionate about that is separate from my personal life.
• Blog regularly. I feel that this applies more to those who are just starting out (like me) in order to get the word out to other similar bloggers. But like I said – you make your own rules. You may just blog whenever you feel like it, and connect with bloggers via other ways.

Who do you tag?

Kat, from bookboxbykat

Fiction is My Addiction 

Camryn

And… YOU. If you’re a (book) blogger and you’re reading this, then you’re tag (sorry!).

If you decide to do this tag, leave a comment when you’re done so I can read it 🙂