Shelf Addiction
  • Home
  • The Podcast
  • Blog
  • Monthly Read-Alongs
  • About Shelf Addiction
    • Media Kit
    • Advertising
    • Privacy Policy
  • Support Us
  • Shop
  • Tee Public Merch Store
  • Book Club Guide
  • Giveaways
Sign up for the FREE Shelf Addiction Newsletter!

Armchair BEA 2013 | Paths to Becoming a Better Blogger

5/29/2013

6 Comments

 
Picture
Design credit: Nina of Nina Reads
Picture
Photo credit: mollermarketing.com
"With the right stage and the right voice 
there's no limit to the size of your audience."

Visit and comment on other blogs

This is a win-win because you'll be opening the door for conversation and possibly starting a relationship.  Also this will allow others viewing that blog to see you and possibly lead them to check out your blog.  Commenting particularly is very hard for me to keep up with because I work all day then have many tasks to do when I get home in the evenings. I've found a few blogs that I really like and I try my best to keep up on commenting on those at the very least. I keep trying to improve in this area!

Team up with other bloggers 

I want to interact more with local book bloggers so I thought up the GLBBA! Great Lakes Book Blogger Alliance. This group is for book bloggers in the Great Lakes regions! I have two wonderful blogger co-chairs, Meagan and Stephanie, helping me develop this group and get the ball rolling!

As a result of making connections with the GLBBA,  I was invited to co-host a read-a-thon!  I was introduced to a wonderful group of ladies by Meagan, one of the GLBBA co-chairs.  I do believe I've made blogger friends for life!  Want to know more about the Summer Lovin read-a-thon? Check out the details at Read-A-Thon Central!

The Summer Lovin’ Readathon is a week-long readathon event hosted by seven independent bloggers! (Oh, Chrys!, Tumbling Books, Effortlessly Reading, Love Life Read, Shelf Addiction, Read Sleep Repeat, and Reviewing Wonderland)

Sign-ups will be open through July 6th. I’m in, are you?!

This post is all about blog development and what approaches we have taken or will take to improve our blogs.  I'm looking forward to reading many others thoughts on this subject because even though I've been blogging for 3-4 years on various topics, there is still so much to learn!   Especially since my book blog is only 1 1/2 years old.  I'm taking positive steps in the right direction to end up where I'd like to be.  Here are the things that I've done so far and that I recommend.

Create your own unique feature

Create your own unique feature that will help get your name out there.   For example, I thought up my Summer of Indie Author Features event. Preparing for this event has introduced me to authors I wouldn't have known before, and hopefully new readers who love Indie books will find my blog as a result. 

Particpate in MEMEs

Personally I haven't had much success participating in MEME's, but others have had great results.  Try it out!  What to create your own MEME? Go for it!  Besides MEMEs you can participate in read-a-thons, read-a-longs and other group type events. You're already making a great start by participating in Armchair BEA!

Become a social media maven! 

Twitter, Facebook, Google+, YouTube, Pinterest, etc.  Again, this also take a pretty large time commitment, but the more you do it, the easier it will become.    It's difficult at first to dive in and begin talking with strangers, but there is no easy way. Just do it! You'll meet some very cool people and be glad that you did. Remember you must go further than just posting your reviews. Really try to interact with others. Yes, some of the bloggers seem to be a bit clicky, but keep chatting and before long you'll find blogger friends!

Also, be apart of Twitter parties! It may take you a try or two to get used to the flow of it, but they are always fun and informative. 

Join blogger & reader groups

These can be on Facebook, Goodreads, Google + or whatever you enjoy using best.  The goal is to develop relationships with more people in the community. For example, I am a member of 2 live in person book clubs and several online book clubs. These are great opportunities to find out about new books and authors and allow me to make even more connections!

What's in the Shelf Addiction blogs future?  I'd love to take on one or two reviewers. I'm not sure how I'll incorporate that quite yet, but I'd love to bring on reviewers that read the genres that I don't, which will allow for more diversity. In addition to adding more diversity, I will strive to keep my content fresh and interesting.

My advice? First figure out what your blogging goals are. Once you know where you want to end up, you can draft the road to get there. Stay true to yourself. Be genuine and don't worry what others think. Remember that it's impossible to please all of the people all of the time. Just be you and the like minded readers and bloggers will find you!

Find what you like and stick to it.  Just consider that while it's great to be comfortable with what you're doing, you'll be even greater if you step outside of your comfort zone and try new things! You may discover something awesome!

What's your take on blogger development? I'd love to hear your ideas! 

Happy Reading, 
~Tamara
6 Comments
Lexxie @ (un)Conventional Bookviews link
5/29/2013 03:24:14 am

Hi Tamara :) Great post with lots of good advice! I enjoy memes because they are about sharing a little more about ourselves, and I have found some bloggers I love thanks to the memes I participate in. I don't think I'd ever try to invent my own meme, though - I need my imagination for my reviews :)

I still see my blog as a fun hobby, and a great way to chat with other bloggers about books I love.

Have fun with the Armchair BEA - here's my <a href=http://unconventionalbookviews.com/armchair-bea-becoming-a-better-blogger-genre-fiction/">BEA post</a> for today.

Reply
Tamara @ Shelf Addiction
5/29/2013 01:12:59 pm

Thanks for stopping by Lexxie. I enjoyed your post also!

Reply
Katie_Wordsforworms link
5/29/2013 04:09:42 am

Hi Tamara! These are great tips. I've had a BLAST with the Top Ten Tuesday meme The Broke and the Bookish hosts. I think joining up, fostering community, and making friends is the name of the game for sure. Happy Armchair BEA!

Reply
Tamara @ Shelf Addiction
5/29/2013 01:15:26 pm

Katie,

I'm glad to hear that you've having a great time doing MEMEs, that's awesome!

Reply
Tanya link
5/29/2013 05:21:56 am

I would like to start my own feature, but I am afraid of failure. What if it never catches on? It can be a daunting proposition, but one that may pay off in the end. Courage!!

tanya

Reply
Tamara @ Shelf Addiction
5/29/2013 01:23:50 pm

Tanya, You should totally start your own! If it doesn't catch on, at least you tried. But what if it DOES! Do it! :-)

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Gain access to exclusive content!
    Picture
    Click for Shelf Addiction merch!
    Follow on Bloglovin

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Get ONE month FREE!

    ​Rating Scale: 

    Picture
    Wonderful! Loved it! Add it to your shelf!
    Picture
    ​Very good read! It's bookshelf worthy.
    Picture
    ​I liked it. Borrow it from the library or a friend.
    Picture
    I got through it...barely! If you must read it, borrow it.
    Picture
    Don't waste your time.

    Picture

    Currently Reading

    Somebody I Used to Know
    Hidden Bodies

    Follow on Bloglovin

    Read the Printed Word!
    Picture

    DISCLAIMER 
    All affiliate links used on this site are links which I will receive a small commission if you purchase using them. A percent of all monies earned goes to help pay for this website and giveaways hosted by me .
    Click here to read the 
    Privacy Policy for Shelf Addiction


    Categories

    All
    1 Bookmark
    2 Bookmarks
    3 Bookmarks
    4 Bookmarks
    5 Bookmarks
    Aa Fiction
    Armchair Bea
    Audiobook
    Author Features
    Autobiography
    Biography
    Blog Tours
    Book Conventions
    Book Haul Tuesday
    Bookish Bargains
    Bookish News
    Bookish Pod Chat
    Book To Movie Adaptations
    Book To TV Adaptations
    BookTube Weekly
    Buddy Reads
    Chick Lit
    Christian Fiction
    Contemporary Fiction
    Contemporary Romance
    Cover Reveal
    Dystopian
    Erotica
    Fantasy
    Fantasy Series
    Feature & Follow Friday
    General Fiction
    Giveaways
    Guest Posts
    Historical Fiction
    Horror
    Inspirational
    Literacy Events
    Memoir
    Movie Reviews
    Mystery
    Narrator Interviews
    New Adult
    Non Fiction
    Paranormal
    Paranormal Romance
    Pop Culture Sunday
    Read Along
    Read A Thon
    Romance
    Romantic Suspense
    RTU
    Sa-book-club
    Saturday Book Chat
    Science Fiction
    Seasonal Reading
    Shelf Byte
    Short Stories
    Steampunk
    Summer Of Indie
    Suspense
    TBR Jar
    The Book Exchange
    The Recap!
    Thriller
    Throwback Thursday
    TPCP
    Tv Show Reviews
    Urban Fantasy
    Why I Love Wednesdays
    Womens Fiction
    Ya Dystopian
    Ya Fantasy
    Ya Fiction
    Ya Historical Fantasy
    Ya Historical Fiction
    Ya Mystery
    Ya Paranormal
    Ya Retelling
    Ya Romance
    Ya Science Fiction
    Ya Steampunk
    Ya Thriller
    Ya Urban Fantasy

    Reviews Published

    Sponsor Love

    Picture
    Advertise on 
    ​Shelf Addiction!

    Picture
    Picture
    We can't do this without you!! Support this podcast! Use the referral links, leave a review on your platform of choice, donate a coffee or checkout the merch store. Even show your support on Patreon!

    Podcast Book Chats, Bookish Topics, Book Reviews, Audiobook Reviews, Author and Narrator Interviews, Online Book Club

© 2012-2023 shelfaddiction.com. All rights reserved.