Happy Blogoversary To Me!

I started blogging exactly a year ago yesterday (as I totally forgot to post this), and it has been an absolutely insane year. It’s not what I was expecting at all. I had always thought about starting a blog for reviews, but my boyfriend Ben really pushed me to do it. The fact that the reviewing community is so much bigger than I expected is the first thing that daunted me.

I learned a lot about computer stuff I never thought I’d have to learn before.
I created amazing contacts in the publishing industry. An industry I want my career to be in. I didn’t make a ton of friends, and that’s mainly just because i’m super shy. I hope to remedy that in the new year. And to the blogging friends I did make, thank you so much.

I learned a lot more about the processes that go into publishing a book, and it made me appreciate them all the more.

But most importantly, I read some absolutely amazing books that I don’t know if they would have been on my radar as much because of blogging. I had the opportunity to read books ahead of time, read books i’ve been meaning to read for years, and took way more from them by reviewing them.

My reviewing style changed throughout the year, and i’ve finally figured out that I just need to write what I want to write for a book, and not worry about what other reviewers will think of me if, say, my reviews are shorter than some.

I’ve learned that it’s okay if I don’t review every book that I read, and that I definitely don’t need to post every day. My style of blogging is that I post when I feel like posting. Sometimes thats five days a week, sometimes it’s two or three times in two weeks. I’ve learned over this past Christmas break, with my boyfriend home from school, that I don’t want to feel obligated to my computer or blog. I felt that by blogging a lot over the holidays, i’d be wasting time with my boyfriend, who goes to school across the continent from me, and is only home for a small period of time. As much as I love blogging, I don’t want to end up dreading it in any way. I want to keep loving it, and finding passion in sharing my love of books to other people. If that means taking breaks every once in a while, then so be it!

Working in a bookstore has definitely helped with blogging. For starters, i save a ton of money on books, as I have this crazy need to own my books. Secondly, I get to help promote the books I love even more to my customers, and I have customers who come in and don’t even question the books I put in their hands. They simply buy them and come in to talk to me about them later!

What started out as an internship with Adventures In YA Publishing has turned into a full fledged contirbutors role! I deal with the communications between authors, publicsits and agents for guest posts and every day I get to talk to some amazing people. It really has been the coolest experience and I thank Martina Boone (whose book BEHOLDEN, comes out next year and is going to be SO GOOD!) and Jan Lewis. Both of these women have helped me out so much, and the experiences and contacts i’m making are so incredible.

No giveaways for my blogoversary unfortunately, as I just paid for school and have zero dollars. But I do have one going on for a finished hardcover copy of The Unseemly Education of Anne Merchant by Joanna Wiebe courtesy of the publisher 🙂

I’ve learned a lot over the year, and I have loved every moment of it. I’m so looking forward to another year of amazing books, fantastic and incredibly kind authors, publishing contacts, and readers.

Love,