Friday, May 26, 2017

Book Blogger Hop No. 96: The Most Fun Aspect of Book Blogging


Welcome to the Book Blogger Hop,
hosted by Billy @


For more information, and 
to find out the topic of next week's question, click HERE.


This Week's Question

What is the most fun part/aspect
of being a book blogger?

(Submitted  by Kristin  @ 



My Answer

As with other questions of a similar nature posted in previous weeks, I really can't isolate just ONE aspect about book blogging that I think is the most fun. I LOVE it all -- writing articles, finding AWESOME books (whether on Goodreads, Amazon, or other book blogs) reading and then reviewing them, interacting with other book bloggers, putting posts together.... ALL of these activities are a LOT of FUN!!

Another activity I greatly enjoy is participating in blog hops such as this one! It's SO interesting to "hop around" and see how each participant has answered the week's question! Since every person is different, no two answers are exactly the same, although there are frequently some common points shared by all of the hop participants. 

I also love participating in blog tours, because through them, I can introduce books to my readers and visitors.  Creating this type of post is usually time-consuming, but I do enjoy every minute! Some time ago, I came up with the idea of including a mini-review in blog tour posts that feature an excerpt from the book being promoted. This mini-review is of the excerpt, not the whole book. I decided to start doing this because some book bloggers, and visitors in general, consider blog tour posts to be spam. Wordpress doesn't allow their bloggers to publish such posts, for instance, for that reason -- they consider these posts to be spam. I totally disagree! These posts bring new books to the attention of book lovers everywhere. However, including my mini-reviews does insert some of my own original content into such a post, which then makes it unique.

Yet another thing I have a lot of fun with is hosting my own giveaways, although I must admit that it's better when I join a giveaway blog hop, because my blog gets more exposure, and thus, more visitors. Hosting my own giveaways, though, does give me the freedom to create my own Rafflecopter options, whereas, with a giveaway hosted by other blogs, I do have to follow the rules of those other blogs. 

Reading challenges are another very enjoyable activity, although I have stopped participating in them because I simply got tired of visiting other blogs, commenting on their challenge reviews, and then not getting comments back on my own reviews.

When I first started blogging, I had a GREAT time working on my blog design (with the help of the Blogger software, of course, lol). I picked out the template, chose the background, the post background color, the font I wanted for my post titles, etc. I did quite a bit of experimenting back then, and learned SO much! I also learned from visiting other blogs, as well as from a book I bought -- Blogger For Dummies. That was back in 2010. And then, after creating and discarding several headers, I met a VERY talented web designer named Jennifer Johnson. She designed my present header, which I ADORE! It fits PERFECTLY with my blog's theme! You can find Jennifer listed in my sidebar.

I also get a lot of enjoyment from interacting with other book bloggers, both here on this blog, and on theirs. My only disappointment is, again, not getting comments back when I go and comment on other blogs..... However, I must say I have gotten to know several VERY nice bloggers who DO comment back! We've become friends, and frequently visit each other's blogs to exchange viewpoints, reactions to new books, and to support each other. You can see the book bloggers I regularly interact with listed in my sidebar.

Book blogging is a very exciting, rewarding hobby, and I LOVE every single aspect of it! It's the type of activity that I will willingly engage in without ANYONE pushing me to do so. Unlike some "real-life" jobs I've had in the past, I actually look forward to blogging about books every single day! I don't get paid for doing this, of course. The most I will ever get is free books from blog tour companies, or books I win through giveaways on other book blogs. It would be WONDERFUL if I got paid for doing this! I would be lying if I didn't wish that, lol! But I will ALWAYS LOVE AND WANT to blog about books, just because I feel SO HAPPY when I'm engaging in this activity! Aside from the sheer enjoyment, the whole idea of being free to post pretty much whatever I want is totally exhilarating!! No one is looking over my shoulder, criticizing every move I make. No one is telling me what to write, or how to write it. Aaaaah, BLISS!! If a visitor doesn't like what I post, they can just move on. This is REAL FREEDOM. 

So I will continue to enjoy every single facet of book blogging for as long as I possibly can! (Heck, I'll probably still be at it when I get into my nineties! Lol.) Hope you'll all stick around, too!!  :)



 
What are your thoughts on
this topic?
Please leave a comment!
If you're participating in this meme,
I'll go comment on your 
own BBH post.
If not, I will then comment on one 
of your blog posts!
Thanks for visiting!!! 








16 comments:

  1. Great post Maria.

    I also would have trouble zeroing in on one thing that is the most fun.

    Your point about freedom in book blogging is a good one. Indeed, no one has to push us. We can also express ourselves however we choose to. Add to the fact that we can reach people all over the world. In some the world of blogging has given us a kind of freedom that few people have ever had who ever lived.

    Have a great weekend!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Brian!

      Thanks for the good word!! :) :) :)

      I'm glad you like and agree with my point about being able to blog with freedom!! This is one of the most valuable, as well as fun, aspects of blogging! Perhaps I should have picked this one aspect in my answer as THE most fun, but then, I LOVE to write long posts, lol. (In fact, that's another fun facet of blogging I should have mentioned, haha!)

      Being able to express our opinions freely is vitally important in this day and age. As Americans, freedom is, and indeed, has ALWAYS been, our most prized possession. Perhaps blogging, and especially BOOK blogging, is one of the very last bastions of Liberty in this country.

      it's also absolutely WONDERFUL that our blogs reach people worldwide!! People in other countries, along with those all over the U.S., can read our posts in complete freedom, provided they have access to the Internet, and are not oppressed by their own governments.

      In short, blogging -- whether about books or some other topic -- is most likely the MOST democratic technological invention ever created! Our Founding Fathers would have been HIGHLY pleased!! :)

      Thanks for your TERRIFIC comment!!! Hope you have a great weekend, too!! <3 :)

      Delete
  2. A really comprehensive look at what you think! I really appreciate that. I'm not sure I love every moment that I work on a post but I agree that every aspect has a joyful part to it and that it why I keep going. I loved hearing about your header journey. I've also went through a couple blog revisions and recently updated my blog. That is terribly fun, isn't it! Thanks for taking this question seriously! I appreciate too that you are award and tag free. I love the list/meme posts though.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Dani!

      Thank you so much for the compliment!! <3 <3

      Yes, creating a post is definitely a LOT of fun!! Except, of course, when the blog platform software (Blogger, in my case) decides to act up. Lol. Still, I keep going, just like you!

      I'm glad you enjoyed my "header journey"! Nice way to put it, too! I was somewhat limited in creating a good one, since I don't know how to use PhotoShop. But Jennifer, that talented web designer, made a GORGEOUS header for me!! She does know how to use PhtoShop. I'll be ETERNALLY grateful to her for it, too!! (Of course, she charged me for it. She also created my blog button.)

      I'm not surprised you've re-designed your blog a few times, too. I think most of us bloggers have done this. And yes, that's definitely part of all the fun, too!!

      Oh, I ALWAYS take these questions seriously, even though I like to insert some humor into these posts. Lol.

      About the awards and tags -- I used to participate, especially when I was just getting started in the blogosphere. I wanted exposure for my blog. These things were fun, too, at first. But after a while, I did get tired of these activities. I really should have mentioned this in my post. Anyway, I didn't like having to contact blogs that were to be "nominated" for these awards. It felt too much as if I were imposing on them, on their time. Besides, not all of the blogs I contacted wanted to participate. That was obvious when they never did, lol! (Yeah, I used to check.) The whole thing became just too time-consuming and frustrating, so I stopped participating. So glad you agree!!

      I LOVE book memes and blog hops, like this one, for instance. The only problem is, though, that sometimes people whose blogs you comment on don't comment back on yours.....

      Summing up, I LOVE every aspect of book blogging, and don't think I'll EVER stop doing this!! :)

      Thanks for the SUPER nice comment!! Have a GREAT weekend!! <3 :)

      Delete
    2. I hear you! Actually you are such a trooper to use Blogger. I tried and could not get the hang of it which is why I'm at Wordpress which I can eventually switch over and host myself if I want which is very convenient.

      Delete
    3. Hi, again!

      Yeah, I know Blogger has its quirks....lol. When I was setting up this blog, I constantly referred to a VERY helpful book titled, "Blogger For Dummies". If not for that book, I would NOT have been able to create this blog by myself! :)

      I did think of transferring my blog over to Wordpress at one point, but then decided not to go to all that trouble. Besides, I would NEVER dare perform the transfer myself, as I'm really not that tech-savvy. Lol. I might end up losing my entire blog! HORRORS!!! So that means I would have had to pay someone -- perhaps Jennifer -- to carry out the transfer for me.

      Another reason I decided to stay on Blogger was that I wouldn't be able to publish blog tour posts on Wordpress, since they think such posts are spam. So I guess I'll stay put, at least for now! Lol.

      Thanks for commenting again!! <3 <3 <3 :) :) :)

      Delete
  3. Beautiful answer.

    I hope you are having a good day. I am enjoying my visit with my sisters.

    HUGS, and thanks for always having wonderful, thoughtful answers to the weekly questions.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Elizabeth!

      Awwww....thanks!! You're SO sweet!!! <3 <3 <3

      Oh, I'm having a GREAT day!! How WONDERFUL that you're enjoying your visit with your sisters!! It's SO nice to have a close-knit family!!! :) :) :)

      You're very welcome for my answers, and thanks again for always complimenting me on them!! <3 <3 <3

      HUGS BACK!!!! Thanks for always dropping by!!!! <3 <3 :) :) :)

      Delete
  4. Lovely answer. I particularly liked your inventive way of creating original content in blog tour posts. As a writer, I organise blog tours for my own releases, so it's great to hear perspectives on those types of posts.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Nicki!

      Oh, thank you SO much!!! What a WONDERFUL compliment!! <3 <3 <3

      Yes, I decided to inject some original content into these blog tour posts, as some people do object that "they're just spam", and just "regurgitated material". Lol.

      I think it's AWESOME that you organize your own blog tours!! And I'm glad you enjoyed reading about my little twist on them! :) :) :)

      Thanks for dropping by and leaving such a LOVELY comment!! Hope you're having a GREAT Saturday!! <3 <3 <3 :) :) :)

      Delete
  5. Yes amazing answer and I totally agree with everything you said! Happy blog hopping and have a great weekend. Here is my blog hop answer.

    http://katisbookaholicramblingreviews.blogspot.com/2017/05/book-blogger-hop-42_26.html#more

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Katiria!

      Thank you SO much!! <3 <3 <3 SO glad you agree, too!! I really couldn't pick ONE aspect of book blogging that I enjoyed the most. ALL of the aspects are enjoyable to me!!

      Happy blog hopping and a great weekend to you, too!!

      Thanks for the lovely comment!! <3 <3 <3 :) :) :)

      Delete
  6. Love your long answer, as there are so many fun aspects, whether it is the community, all the fun books, the freedom, the reading challenges and the list goes on.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Kristin!

      Thank you so much for the compliment!! And I think this is a GREAT question you asked! I really enjoyed answering it!!

      Yes, there are many fun aspects to blogging! I LOVE them all!! And one of the most fun is hearing from nice bloggers like you!!

      Thanks for such a lovely comment!! Have a FABULOUS week!! <3 <3 <3 :) :) :)

      Delete
  7. And I hope we'll still be blogging right alongside you when you're 90! There are so many things we love about blogging; and the longer we've been at it, the easier it is to overlook the things that we don't love. The friendships are definitely one of our favorite aspects; it's so wonderful to talk with people who love books -- even if you have different book interests, you still have that common thread of being a reader. We sure are glad we found you, or you found us -- can't quite remember how that came about, but we are so thankful for your friendship. Wonderful post! *HUGS* <3 <3 <3

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Michele & Mckenzie!!

      Awww.....you guys are SO sweet!! It'll be GREAT to keep sharing AWESOME blogging times with you both for years to come!!! <3 <3 <3

      You've made a VERY IMPORTANT point: even if bloggers don't always have the same taste in books, the fact that we all share a PASSION and LOVE for books and reading creates an immediate and WONDERFUL connection!!

      I'm SO glad I found you guys, too!!!!! <3 <3 <3 I really don't remember how we first connected, but I am VERY thankful, too, that we met and started this VERY rewarding friendship!!!

      Thanks for the compliment on my post!! Thanks for being such AWESOME, SWEET, LOVING FRIENDS!!!!!

      HUGS BACK!!!!!! <3 <3 <3 :) :) :)

      Delete

THIS IS NOW AN AWARD-FREE, AND TAG-FREE BLOG. Thanks for the compliment, though! : )

As of today, 9/23/18, I have permanently enabled comment moderation, due to a sudden rash of SPAM comments. I appreciate your patience!

Thanks for your thoughts on my posts! I always reply here, as well as comment back on your blog. Have a WONDERFUL day!! :)