Welcome to the Book Blogger Hop,
hosted by Billy @
For more information, click HERE.
What to Do
1.) Post on your blog answering this week's
question:
Why did you start your blog?
(submitted by Elizabeth @ Silver's Reviews)
2.) Enter the link to your post in the
Linky list on Billy's blog.
3.) Visit other blogs on the list and
comment on their posts.
4.) Be sure to find out next week's
question when you visit
Ramblings of a Coffee-Addicted Writer!
My Answer
Quite honestly, it was because I wanted to share with other bloggers -- as well as with the world at large -- my opinions of the books I read. I also wanted to share what I called "literary musings". These were my thoughts on book-related topics.
As time went on, I decided to start participating in book awards and book tags. This was fun at first, but then became a chore. That was because, when I was nominated for an award, or tagged, I was then supposed to find at least ten other blogs to either nominate or tag. Finding such blogs turned out to be very time-consuming, because 1.) some of them had already been nominated or tagged, and 2.) many bloggers did not want to participate, and stated as much in their comments section. Besides, I felt kind of like I was trying to force bloggers to participate whenever I left comments on their blogs, informing them that I had either tagged them, or nominated them for an award.
Another problem associated with these tags and awards was that I had to answer the questions sent to me by the "awarder" or tagger. Then I had to come up with my own questions (usually 10) to be answered by those whom I tagged, or gave an award to.
So I then decided to include a statement above my comments form, that would let visitors know that I was no longer participating in either tags or awards.
I then began to participate in blog tours. I've already commented on these in two previous BBH posts, so I won't repeat those comments here. I am currently limiting blog tour posts. On the plus side, blog tours enabled me to get some free books. On the negative side, they were -- and are -- very time-consuming to create. For the rest of the negatives, just refer to my previous BBH posts.
Next, I started participating in blog hops. These were, and are, fun, and I'm still participating in them. Although I do enjoy joining in, these hops can at times be disappointing. This happens whenever I leave a nice comment on one of the blogs taking part in the hop, and don't get a comment back. This really puzzles me..... The purpose of a blog hop is to make like-minded friends and have friendly interaction regarding books read or on one's TBR list. Why join a blog hop, if you're not going to comment back on the blog of the person who left you a comment? That seems to defeat the whole purpose!
Thankfully, I've encountered some very nice people who DO comment back, so I will continue to participate in these blog hops.
I think that, slowly but surely, I'm getting back to my original purpose for my blog --- just sharing my reviews and opinions with people. If they don't comment, or comment back, if shouldn't matter, really. After all, my book blog should just be a labor of love, something I enjoy doing, no matter what! I will continue to publish some of the kinds of posts I've created in the past, and just not sweat the results....
As time went on, I decided to start participating in book awards and book tags. This was fun at first, but then became a chore. That was because, when I was nominated for an award, or tagged, I was then supposed to find at least ten other blogs to either nominate or tag. Finding such blogs turned out to be very time-consuming, because 1.) some of them had already been nominated or tagged, and 2.) many bloggers did not want to participate, and stated as much in their comments section. Besides, I felt kind of like I was trying to force bloggers to participate whenever I left comments on their blogs, informing them that I had either tagged them, or nominated them for an award.
Another problem associated with these tags and awards was that I had to answer the questions sent to me by the "awarder" or tagger. Then I had to come up with my own questions (usually 10) to be answered by those whom I tagged, or gave an award to.
So I then decided to include a statement above my comments form, that would let visitors know that I was no longer participating in either tags or awards.
I then began to participate in blog tours. I've already commented on these in two previous BBH posts, so I won't repeat those comments here. I am currently limiting blog tour posts. On the plus side, blog tours enabled me to get some free books. On the negative side, they were -- and are -- very time-consuming to create. For the rest of the negatives, just refer to my previous BBH posts.
Next, I started participating in blog hops. These were, and are, fun, and I'm still participating in them. Although I do enjoy joining in, these hops can at times be disappointing. This happens whenever I leave a nice comment on one of the blogs taking part in the hop, and don't get a comment back. This really puzzles me..... The purpose of a blog hop is to make like-minded friends and have friendly interaction regarding books read or on one's TBR list. Why join a blog hop, if you're not going to comment back on the blog of the person who left you a comment? That seems to defeat the whole purpose!
Thankfully, I've encountered some very nice people who DO comment back, so I will continue to participate in these blog hops.
I think that, slowly but surely, I'm getting back to my original purpose for my blog --- just sharing my reviews and opinions with people. If they don't comment, or comment back, if shouldn't matter, really. After all, my book blog should just be a labor of love, something I enjoy doing, no matter what! I will continue to publish some of the kinds of posts I've created in the past, and just not sweat the results....
What are your thoughts?
Please leave a comment,
and I'll go check out your post!
I think I pretty much started out for exactly the same reason and had similar experiences with awards and hops. Awards take a lot of time and I also always felt a bit awkward getting in touch with other bloggers initially. And when it comes to hops I sometimes really have the best intentions to visit other blogs and then it completely slips away as work keeps increasing :( But thanks for sharing :) I hope you have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteMy Friday Post
Juli @ Universe in Words
Hi, Juli!
DeleteIt looks like the great majority of book bloggers got started for the same reasons It really is very rewarding to share one's thoughts about books, as well as experiences with the literary world, with other book bloggers! From time to time, I have also posted about book events I've attended, such as the Miami International Book Fair, which comes around every November. (Of course, I wish it were at least a bi-annual event, instead of an annual one!!)
Awards and tags felt awkward to me, too, after the initial fun aspect of them wore off. I felt uncomfortable contacting other blogs about these.
As for comments, you're right -- sometimes people do have the very best of intentions regarding commenting back, but they can get pretty busy. I greatly appreciate all of those WONDERFUL book bloggers who DO comment back, after I've left a comment on their blogs!
You're very welcome for the share! Thanks for such a nice comment!! I hope you have a great weekend, as well!! :)
It is so interesting that we share so many reasons for starting blogs. I feel that I could have written your fist paragraph describing my own reasons for blogging.
ReplyDeleteIt seems that about three to four years ago awards and blog tagging were at their height. It seems to have died down lately There are some awkward aspects to it. On the other hand I do like to answer questions about myself.
Hey, Brian!
DeleteYes, it's not only interesting, but wonderful, as well! Some of us book bloggers -- like me, for instance -- don't have that many "real-life" friends, so it's very gratifying indeed to share thoughts and opinions on books with other book lovers who also blog about these precious treasures!
I remember, when I was just starting out (nearly FIVE years ago; I can't believe it!) that awards and tags were very popular. I was thrilled when I got my first award, in fact. I began to take part in them. One day, I was tagged, so I started to take part in these events, as well. But I always felt uncomfortable about contacting other blogs to let them know that i was either 'nominating' them for an award, or tagging them. It felt as if I were foisting the award or tag on them. I noticed that some of those I contacted did not go on to participate. So, after a while, the fun, as well as the novelty, wore off.
I don't know if these are still popular anymore. Since I no longer participate, I don't know whether or not bloggers are still engaging in these activities.
I did enjoy answering questions about myself, provided they weren't too personal. Usually, they weren't.
Lately, I've been pondering what to do about my blogs. As you know, I have two. It seems that my reading is lagging behind my blogging! So I want more reading time. Yet, I don't want to give up my blogging. I guess what I'll do is just post less often. And I've definitely cut down on blog tours. So I guess I'll just keep on truckin'!! Lol.
Thanks for the nice comment!! :)
I pretty much just start my blog 2 weeks ago and it was for the exact same reason you did - to meet and connect with readers who loved this as much as I do.. I have seen the blog tours around and I am looking into joining a few here and there each month. I still like the idea of reading for ME - I have also gotten a few emails from authors to read their novels so I am think I will start working my way through those on a "if I choose to read this" kind of basis. I have seen the comments for awards and I see why it would be so time consuming! I think you have an excellent thing going here && I am going to follow you so I can keep up with your blog (:
ReplyDeleteHi, Peyton!
DeleteIt looks like most of us started blogging about books for the same reasons. And it's just WONDERFUL to meet other like-minded folks through the blogosphere!
As for blog tours, my advice to you is not to do too many of them. Some bloggers consider them to be spam. Or maybe you'll have better luck than I have. Most of the time, when I publish a blog tour post, I get very few comments on it, or no comments at all. Maybe you won't have the same experience. So I guess you can just play it by ear.
Awards and tags are definitely very time-consuming. Besides, I felt like I was imposing on other bloggers when I contacted them about being nominated or tagged.
Thank you so much for compliment about my blog, as well as for your very nice comment!! Thanks for the follow, as well!! I will be sure to reciprocate, if I haven't done so already.
Hope you have a FABULOUS weekend!! :)
I felt the same way about the awards and tagging - it was fun at first, but I quickly got tired of trying to keep up with the "rules" of each award, so I stopped participating. I like doing blog hops though, and I hear ya about the commenting! I try to spread my comments around, but some weeks go better than others in that regard!
ReplyDeleteHi, Kym!
DeleteYeah, the whole thing about awards and tagging was just not fun anymore, after a while. It was very time-consuming, as well.
Blog hops are great, and I love participating in them! Sometimes one does get a little busy, so I can understand that commenting on a lot of blogs is just not possible. However, I do think that people should comment back if another blogger has taken the time to comment on their blog. But well, it doesn't always happen. I guess I'll just have to look on the positive side, and be thankful for all the bloggers who DO take the time to comment back!
Thanks so much for your insightful comment! Have a GREAT weekend!! :)
I started out for similar reasons and was thrilled to find the community that exists. The awards and tags can get a bit exhausting and time consuming. I tend to not participate either.
ReplyDeleteHi, Katherine!
DeleteIt was thrilling to me, as well, to discover this thriving book-loving community!
I'm glad you agree about the awards and tags. Not only are they exhausting and time-consuming, as you say, but also awkward. I felt I was imposing on the blogs I was contacting.
Thanks for dropping by and commenting!! Have a lovely weekend!! :)
I started my blog for pretty much the same reasons, and have found all the same things to be true that you stated. Blog tours are too time consuming to really enjoy posting for, and awards and tags are more of a burden than anything else. As for blog hops, I still participate in those and have fun with them most of the time.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing! I think most bloggers feel the same way you do.
Dena @ Batch of Books
Hi, Dena!
DeleteYes, all of us book-loving bloggers started for the same reason -- to share our love of books with other like-minded people.
I'm glad you agree about blog tours, awards, and tags. All of them do take up a lot of time. Blog hops also take some time, but the ones I participate in -- "Waiting On Wednesday" and "Book Blogger Hop", are very rewarding!
You're very welcome for the share! Thanks for the validation, and for the great comment!! Enjoy your weekend!! :)
Nice answer as always.
ReplyDeleteI started mine for the same reason...to share my thoughts on the books I read.
Meeting other bloggers was the BEST and is what keeps me going.
ENJOY your weekend, and Happy Hopping!!
Elizabeth
Silver's Reviews
My Blog Hop Answer
Hi, Elizabeth!
DeleteThanks so much for the compliment!
I think that most, if not all, of us book bloggers started out for the very same reasons.
I agree that meeting other bloggers is a GREAT experience. It keeps me going, too!
I hope you enjoy your weekend, as well! Happy Hopping to you, too!
Thanks for the visit and the comment!! :)
I started my blog for the same reason! At first it was only the books through reviews that I thought there was to talk about but then I found discussions, awards and tags etc. I still do them because while they can be time consuming, or even a burden, I enjoy them :) (plus I often just tag everyone and skip that stage ahah)
ReplyDeleteGreat post as always! Happy reading :) I'm an old follower
Enchanted by YA
Hi, Anna!
DeleteYep, I think all of us book bloggers pretty much started for the very same reasons!
I wanted to be a bigger part of the blogosphere, and get to know more bloggers, so that's why I began participating in tags ans awards. But then, after a while, these activities stopped being fun, especially when I saw that not all the blogs I tagged or gave awards to wanted to join in.....It began to feel awkward, as well as time-consuming. I'm glad you still enjoy them!! You have to tell me more about how you just "tag everyone", lol.
Thanks for the compliment, as well as for the fact that you visited and commented!! Happy Reading to you, too! Thanks for being such a loyal follower, also!! <3 :)
What a great post! Thank you for sharing your blog story with us. I so enjoy talking about books with other readers. It's why I joined the online reading groups I did, and part of why I was compelled to start my blog.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you when it comes to the awards and tags. Initially it was a great honor to be chosen, but afer awhile it really did seem like a chore. I stopped participating in them after awhile. They can be great conversation boosters and fun to feel out--but many are repetive and I never liked tagging people.
With blog hops, I find the bigger they are, the less likely people participating will comment on my blog. It's hard to comment on all of them--I know I can't always. With the smaller ones, it's much easier to get to all the blogs. I do make a point on the bigger ones of commenting on the blogs of those who comment on mine if I haven't commented all ready. I've met many great bloggers through the hops and memes. They really can be fun.
I hope you have a great week!
Hi, Wendy!
DeleteIt looks like most of us book bloggers started our blogs for the very same reasons. I love connecting with like-minded people as well, although I don't belong to any online reading groups. I don't have the time for those....
I'm glad you agree about the awards and tags. I kinda miss them sometimes, ironically enough. But then I recall how they got to be too time-consuming, and how uncomfortable I felt whenever I tagged people. And you've made a great point -- many of them are, indeed, pretty similar.
You're also right about blog hops; the bigger they are, the more difficult commenting becomes. But you know, even with the smaller ones, not everyone comments back. So I make sure to comment back myself. I know it must feel disappointing to others when they don't get comments back, because it's disappointing to me. I wouldn't want anyone else to feel like that! And I love blog hops! They really can be fun!
Thanks for such a detailed, thoughtful comment!! I LOVE to get such comments!!
I hope you had a WONDERFUL Mother's Day yesterday, and that you have a great week, too!! <3 :)
I started my blog to slow down my reading. But I love everything you wrote. I have not done the awards and tags.
ReplyDeleteSportochick’s Musings Blog Hop Answer
Hi, Teri!
DeleteThis is the first alternative reason I have come across for starting a blog. In my case, I find that blogging has definitely slowed down my reading, but I'm not happy about that, because I'm a slow reader to begin with!
I'm glad you loved everything I wrote! Thanks for the compliment!!
If you want to, you could try out the awards and tags. As I wrote in the post, they can be fun at first. I got started with them when someone gave me my first blog award, back in 2011. (I began blogging in 2010.) I remember feeling very honored and excited. I loved answering the questions, and coming up with my own, in order to pass them on. Then, sometime afterward, I got book-tagged, as well. That's when I went on a roll!
The more you participate in these activities, the more awards and tags you'll get, believe me. So then it becomes rather burdensome, because you can hardly keep up with them!
Like I said, these awards and tags lost their appeal after a while....so then I added the note about them to my comments form.
Thanks for dropping by and commenting!! Have a GREAT week!! :)