I made my first blog in December 2015. Until now, I can still remember how clueless I initially was. I spent my first week reading and reviewing books en masse — and get this — not interacting with other book bloggers. I did know that book blogging was ✨ A Thing ✨ and a significant number of other people were doing it. However, I did not imagine that making friends through blogging was possible.
Having zero knowledge about blogger-to-blogger engagement was only the tip of the embarrassingly huge iceberg of things I was clueless about. But somehow, I managed to stick around for nearly five years and build a legitimate, mid-size platform.
It goes without saying that I’ve learned so much since my first week as a book blogger. Although I’m no longer a “traditional” book blogger in the sense that I now write about other content as well, I’ve never really left the book blogging community. (I still yell about book blogger rights on Twitter almost weekly.)
Plus, I owe the majority of my platform’s growth and evolution to this chaotic little corner on the Internet. In fact, the book blogging community remains to be my favorite online sphere for making new bookish friends, finding shiny book recommendations, and exchanging opinions. 🥰🌻
But! There is a ‘but’.
As much as I adore book blogging and the online community built around it, there are definitely aspects of book blogging that completely blindsided me. Moreover, book blogging is not as straightforward as simply talking about your favorite books on an online platform, as some people may assume (and yep, I was once one of them).
As a young woman of color from a third-world country, my rose-tinted glasses were forcibly taken away from me at the onset of my book blogging journey. I really wish that I had been better prepared for the darker, grittier realities of having a bookish platform. With that said, here are some things that I wish I had known before I started my book blog.
(Last Updated: August 23, 2022)
- Really think about the name of your blogging platform.
- Your reading and your blogging are separate entities.
- You can make money out of book blogging, but it’s extremely complicated.
- Online bookish or book-based platforms are NOT equal.
- Authors and publishers aren’t the only people who will try to exploit you.
- Some people will only value what (they think) you represent.
- Book blogging is a game of privilege, not numbers or statistics.
1. Really think about the name of your book blogging platform. (Seriously.)
Let’s kick this post off with something fairly lighthearted, okay? I wish I had known to put more thought into my blog’s name and identity. But in case you don’t know (or in case you haven’t been following me since my early blogging days), I used to blog as that bookshelf bitch. It was a blogging identity that stayed with me for three whole years. That’s more than half of my entire book blogging ‘career’, so to speak! Although I’m not exactly ashamed or regretful, ‘that bookshelf bitch’ did come with unforeseen drawbacks.
– List of Cons –
- Receiving serious, professional emails that start with “dear that bookshelf bitch”
- People assuming that I’m snarky, hotheaded, intimidating, and other similar adjectives
- Having a negative first impression on some authors and publicists
- Feeling embarrassed whenever someone I personally know in real life would… bring up my blog name (and even worse, ask me why I chose it)
- Not being able to include or mention my blog in my resume
When I first started blogging, I wanted to make sure that I had a memorable name for my platform. However, little did I know that some names can be too memorable — and sometimes in a bad way.
In all seriousness, it’s important to use a blog name that you’re proud of and happy to be associated with! A name that boosts your confidence and empowers you to keep making content. Moreover, your blog’s name is key in establishing your brand and in building an online reputation for yourself. Try to be strategic about it!
And just because I live for shout-outs…
– Favorite Blog Names –
2. Your reading and your blogging are separate entities.
What do I mean about that? For book bloggers, reading and blogging are undeniably intertwined — that much is obvious. However, you don’t have to blog about every single book that you read. At first glance, this may seem really obvious as well, but funnily enough, it’s actually not. Especially when it comes to the dreaded ‘problematic faves.’
Now, listen. When you choose to put your opinions out there for public consumption, you aren’t just opening yourself up to criticism — you are also taking on the responsibility of becoming someone of influence. While you can argue that you don’t have enough followers to claim ‘influencer’ status, you are (at the very least!) an opinion leader to the people subscribed to your content.
Although opinion leadership is derived from the outdated two-step flow of communication model (which was first proposed in the 1940s), it can still offer some insight into social influence, even within online spaces. Opinion leaders are active media users and consumers who contextualize media content. They pass along their interpretations to the people within their social networks, thereby shaping these people’s opinions to some considerable extent.
Applying opinion leadership to the context of book blogging:
Book bloggers actively consume books and have their respective online social networks with varying sizes. When they share their opinions on their platforms, their followers and subscribers receive the bloggers’ interpretations, which become a factor in their own opinion-making. Therefore, book bloggers are opinion leaders in the online book community. (Caveat: This is only a surface-level application of the theory. Discussing any deeper would derail the main point of this post.)
In conclusion, your status as a person of influence is not determined by the size of your following. What makes you influential is that you have a following. Which is already a privilege that millions of people don’t have. Especially those without access to the Internet and technology.
Moreover, as a person with a platform, you should think twice (thrice even!) about the content you’re making and the ideals you’re promoting. This is where your problematic favorites come in.
Questions to Ask Yourself
- If your favorite book is problematic, how often should you actively promote it on your platform? Should it be visible there to begin with? Should you still include it in your book lists and recommendations without proper caveats?
- If you are advocating for diversity in books, how does your work uplift voices from diverse backgrounds? When planning read-alongs, readathons, and other projects, who are you bringing to the forefront? Also, when do you read and review diverse books? Do you only write reviews for when you receive early copies or ARCs?
- If you’re currently reading and enjoying a book that’s been called out for being harmful to marginalized communities, must you publicly broadcast your enjoyment? What value does that bring? How would your actions impact those affected or hurt?
Coming to terms with your social influence as a book blogger:
Unfortunately, if not ironically, many opinion leaders within the online book community don’t seem to grasp that social influence is a legitimate currency. Free publicity and exposure do have value and do make an impact.
Making room in your platform for a harmful book that you personally enjoyed — no matter how many half-hearted disclaimers and broad “I acknowledge that this book has problematic content” statements you throw in — ultimately still helps the author and supports the book. Especially when you are unwilling to put in the work to provide meaningful context and offer sufficient caveats.
Subsequently, on that note, allow me to gently remind you that: you don’t have to blog about every single book that you read and/or enjoy! Therefore, if you’re going to be problematic, the absolute least you can do is be quiet about it.
Of course, there are other situations that call for your reading and your blogging to remain separate. But that’s a discussion for a different day.
3. You can make money out of book blogging, but it’s extremely complicated (and usually not worth the headache).
The idea of monetizing book blogs and their content has always been a long-contested and sore topic among bookish creators. I believe that this is a much-needed conversation that requires nuances beyond 280 characters. However, whether bloggers should be financially compensated for book reviews is neither here nor there. At least, for the scope of this post, that is. Instead, I want to focus on the question: Can you make money out of book blogging?
The short answer is yes, but only a few bloggers do and even fewer do it successfully. I won’t delve into the nooks and crannies. Maybe I’ll reserve that information for blogging resources that I’ll share on a future post or on Patreon. But as a rule of thumb, you can earn from book blogging either directly or indirectly.
4. Online bookish or book-based platforms are not equal.
I once came across a tweet that claimed that there isn’t a difference between book-based platforms (i.e. book blogs, bookstagram, booktube channels). But I disagree. Listen. The platform you have does make a world of difference. And this is me speaking both from personal experience and from an academic standpoint as a Communication Research graduate.
If the chosen medium for your content is truly irrelevant, then we wouldn’t have a competitive global industry revolving around media planning and communication strategy. In fact, many recent studies confirm an increasing dependency on social media platforms. Hence, this is partially why independent platforms like blogs are taking a hit.
The platform that you have affects how you are treated as an influencer, the opportunities that you are eligible for, and how your work measures up against influencers on other platforms. It also determines the privileges that you are afforded. For instance, the capability to easily monetize content, endorsement deals, and even, priority for ARCs. Arguably, in the food chain of book-based platforms, book blogs are at the lowest rung.
5. Authors and publishers aren’t the only people who will try to exploit you.
Across the years, I’ve seen many discussions on the exploitation of book bloggers. Particularly how many authors and publishers bank on bloggers’ love for reading to get free labor. As a result, this free labor usually comes in the form of unpaid promotional efforts, free publicity, early reviews, and arguably the biggest scam of all, bulk cover/excerpt reveals. (In the future, I’ll find the energy to patiently explain why cover/excerpt reveals are the worst, I promise.)
I think that it’s definitely important to bring attention to the many ways that this industry casually exploits its bloggers. However, the terrible reality is that exploitation is not exclusively from authors and publishers! And I don’t think enough people are talking about it. Moreover, while I commend Marie for recently weighing in on fake engagement, I don’t think enough people realize that fake engagement can, in fact, be a form of exploitation, too.
How are book bloggers exploited by other people?
By definition, exploitation means getting taken advantage of. Additionally, it means people are using you and your work to obtain benefits for themselves. And in most cases, you get nothing in return. Hence, exploitation can come in many forms. And unfortunately, some of these forms are quietly thriving in the community. Shady book tour companies, predatory ‘engagement’ groups, and other problematic initiatives exist right under our nose.
Even more unfortunate, these groups are more likely to target bloggers who are more vulnerable — those within marginalized communities (particularly BIPOC), those with very small followings, and those who are just starting out their book blogging journeys. This is because these bloggers generally face more barriers to ARCs, opportunities, and platform growth. Unlike already established and immensely privileged bloggers, they’re more likely to accept any form of perceived ‘boost’ that they can get.
I wish that someone had warned me of this when I was a relatively new, naïve book blogger. I, too, fell for these tricks back then. But now that I have almost five years of blogging experience under my belt, I want to do my part in cautioning vulnerable book bloggers. Below are key questions you should ask yourself before choosing to support a project, group, or initiative.
Questions to Ask Yourself
- What benefits are you getting out of it? Are these benefits fleeting or long-term?
- Who gains more out of this, you or them? More importantly, how big is that gap?
- How honest and transparent are they being about their operations? Are they the type to address mistakes publicly or to quietly delete their tracks?
- Do they frequently use ‘buzzwords’ to promote themselves? And are they using these words in the right context? (See Example 1)
- Are they practicing standard procedures? If you’re working with a company, compare their policies and practices with other similar companies. (See Example 2)
Example 1: When they use the #ownvoices label, are they really pertaining to own-voices bloggers?
Example 2: When you’re joining a book tour that does not give you an ARC, that isn’t standard practice.
6. Some people will only value what (they think) you represent.
As a woman of color, this was the most painful, most heartbreaking lesson that I’ve learned. When you are a person of color, people will tokenize you for your identity. Consciously or unconsciously. Intentionally or unintentionally. It will happen to you. Again and again. Until you are too tired or too numb to deal with it. But I guess I’m getting ahead of myself.
Storytelling Time
My early years of blogging showed ridiculously rapid growth. Firstly, 2016 Shealea somehow magically garnered 1,000 blog followers in 8 short months (#hustle). Next, this pacing stayed the same for 2017, despite it being an inconsistent posting year for me. By the end of 2017, I had more than 2,000 blog followers.
Here’s what’s weird, though: Despite my blog’s follower count, I was getting minimal engagement on my posts. Moreover, unlike my blog, my social media presence wasn’t growing at the same rate. And then there’s the fact that authors and publishers were not lining up to work with me. Overall, I was “successful” but it never really felt like it. Not truly.
Then everything drastically changed in 2018. Suddenly, my tweets were “trending” and being circulated. People paid attention to my content and projects. Publishers replied to my emails. Authors actively interacted with me. All in all, everything skyrocketed. By the end of the year, I had more followers on social media than on my blog.
And what changed in 2018? In March, I discovered the literary gem that is The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco. From that point onward, I then started reading more widely and diversely, and ultimately, I became more vocal about issues. Particularly, the issues faced by people of color. It definitely did not escape my notice that my voice was suddenly valuable because I was “raising awareness” and “educating” people.
Recognizing the unfortunate reality:
I’ve talked more in-depth about this in one of my newsletters. But the crux of the matter is that the currency of being listened to is relevance; for people of color, our relevance is always tied to our ability to act as mouthpieces for our cultures, our communities, and our collective identities. And while it’s great to be heard over the cacophony of voices on the Internet, it can also feel quite uncomfortable.
Personally, the constant awareness that my “worth” as an influencer is irrevocably intertwined with my perceived status as a ✨ good, socially aware, and vocal ✨ woman of color is a huge emotional and mental burden on me. But the absolute worst part of people valuing me for what I represent — or what they think I represent — is that many of them don’t even realize it. So it’s like? Can I really hold it against people if it’s so subconscious that they don’t even know it? I don’t know.
But circling back to my main point: this is the unfortunate reality for people of color. Even in a supposedly welcoming and inclusive community like the online book world, it’s never quite all rainbows for us. 🌧
7. Book blogging is a game of privilege, not numbers or statistics.
In all seriousness, numbers and statistics mean virtually nothing when you’re not based in some bigoted first-world country. (I’m looking at you, United States and United Kingdom.) Even more so if you aren’t as pale white as the god of thunder dipped in a milk bath. ⚡🛁 In fact, here are the biggest truths about book blogging and the online book community in general:
- Marginalized book bloggers, especially BIPOC, are disproportionately disadvantaged compared to everyone else.
- The publishing industry, and arguably the online book community itself, is inherently Western and US-centric.
As a result, book blogging is very much rigged in favor of the more privileged. Like any much-needed discussion, there are a lot of nuances. I do argue that location and race/ethnicity play huge roles in people’s book blogging experience. However, it must still be noted that privilege comes in numerous forms. Command of the English language, class privileges, educational attainment, wealth and purchasing power, being able-bodied, proximity to whiteness, age, gender and sexuality, and access to resources — these are all undeniable factors as well.
I hate the idea that I’m “easy-to-digest” or ✨ white cracker friendly ✨ to Western audiences. But I cannot deny my privileges:
- I am extremely fluent in English.
- I had studied in an extremely prestigious university in my country.
- I have enough resources to invest in a self-hosted domain, purchase a premium theme, pay for commissioned art, and everything else needed to improve the quality of my blog.
- I have access to software like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign.
All of these things collectively give me a considerable edge over other Asian book bloggers, including fellow Filipinos. A lot of them don’t have what I have. Still, at the same time, I’m still continuously tossed to the side in favor of more privileged white bloggers who are based in more developed countries.
Consequently, this is exactly why we need to have this conversation. Moreover, this is why we need to recognize these nuances. It is only by having these difficult conversations that we would be able to find where and how to improve. Additionally, it is only by discussing the systemic problems that we would be able to come up with sustainable solutions.
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I’d love to hear from you!
🌻 What are some things that you wish you had known before you started blogging? Did any of them make my list? What would you like to add?
🌻 Honestly, I had to cut out so many sections of this post to maintain readability. 😅 What particular points would you have liked me to discuss further? Do you want to read about them in my next blog post?
🌻 Discussion time! In your opinion, what needs to be done for the book blogging community to improve?
Omg! Number one is hilarious! Great post!
I’m kinda a newbie, so a lot of these are really helpful. I’m also from India, so from what I’ve experienced, I can really relate to what you’ve written. Lovely post!
OMG it is so good to have you back, Shealea! I love how this list is so you and expands beyond the very surface-level things that most people include.
I think one of the most important lessons I’ve learned actually came from THAT BOOK you, me, and Kate wanted to read but didn’t want to support in any way. You saying that “Your reading and your blogging are separate entities” in our group DM was honestly so liberating for me, and being on the side of wanting a good, problematic laugh also helped me see the other side of not just avoiding trash. There’s a difference between what we choose to consume and what we choose to promote, and consuming quietly is just fine so long as you’re aware of the problematic content.
Wow, this is such a detailed and wonderfully written post! I completely agree that book bloggers get taken advantage of a lot by authors and publishers. I wish I had known that sooner. I feel that genuine engagement is the best way to organically grow on book blogging and bookstagram. I wish I was sooner aware of all these things.
Thank you so much for linking to my blog! I actually had a similar issue with the name. Back in 2015 when I first created it, I actually went by “Life of an Educated Negra” or something like that. It was also back before I knew about other BIPOC creators so I felt like I was the only Black book blogger out there and I ended up not committing. I changed my blog name to Rae’s Reads and Reviews two or three years ago when I started to feel that tug that told me I needed to start blogging again, but I didn’t get super into the book community until about a year and a half ago. I honestly wish I’d known all these things 5 years ago so I could’ve made the most out of this community a lot sooner 🙂
This is a list of things I definitely wish I had known before starting my blog. My blogging is no longer too schedule because I have reached a point where I blog for myself and for the few people I know actually read my blog – the numbers aren’t high, but I’ve found more engagement on Twitter, tbh. Maybe because it’s quicker? I don’t know, I’ve become a lot less vocal.
One thing I wish I had known was how much all these things affect one’s mental health. I’ve definitely found myself more stressed, and am now learning to manage that again.
Thank you for taking the time to write this, Shealea!
I think that it’s okay to have different blogging goals. Do what’s best for you!!! Especially because blogging can be really draining on a person’s mental health. That’s absolutely valid.
I’m happy that you reached a point where you know what you want to do and whom you’re writing for. ?
Wow. I’m a new reader of your blog (*click: subscribe*), and I’m so happy I discovered your little piece of the Internet because I feel like I struggle to find ones that I really resonate with these days. Especially since I’ve also only just started taking my bookstagram seriously, and planning my own bookish website to launch soon. The conversations you opened up are so important, and I’m grateful that I stumbled upon this post before going further into my own blogging journey. I agree with all the points you made, and I’m definitely pushing myself to not focus on vanity metrics that much because I want to build a genuine and interactive community. Slowly but surely building that up, so I can say that that’s still a small win for me, hehe. Anyway, super appreciate this post! Looking forward to all your other content. 🙂
This post is so educational and insightful. I’ve never really thought of the impact a blog name could carry before. And what you said about minding what one posts – esp if it’s a problematic book – is very on point.
That’s understandable! I didn’t think much about my name and choices back then either. The line between casual and professional is very blurred on the Internet. But once your goal is to *grow* (in terms of reach, engagement, etc.) you have to start thinking of yourself as a brand. ?
Shealea, you are so THOROUGH with this post. At this point, I’ve been blogging for about two years, and I’m not sure I could have cut to the heart of matters as concisely as you have. The point about book blogs sitting low on the food chain, though, really hit home. I guess I suspected it for a while, but it’s both a relief and disheartening to see I’m not the only person who’s noticed it, and that it’s not just a small quirk of the online bookish bubble.
Your list of questions to ask about apparent opportunities, though, is probably my favorite part of this post. I’m never going to be able to answer emails or do any networking without thinking of those questions, and I suspect my blogging experience is going to be a lot better for it!
And at some point, I’d really like to hear more about why mass cover reveals are more harmful than helpful, and maybe what bloggers can do instead to still celebrate a book or a reveal? I saw you talk about it on Twitter, but I keep thinking about a reveal I participated in with a street team a while back and how I can do better by the books I’m backing if it pops up again in the future. Does doing an ICYMI sort of reveal a week later do any harm? Help at all? Is there something else entirely that doesn’t make a mess of things? This is probably the thing that caught me most by surprise here and I’m just sitting with it and trying to figure out what alternatives are actually good substitutes instead of a different shade of the same issue.
I loved reading this post (and welcome back <3 )!! I remember when I started following you, it was with That Bookshelf Bitch, and while you really owned it, I completely understand how much trouble that might have given you (especially when lazy people don't even bother researching your name even if it's in plain sight, and just e-mail you with the name of your blog), so it's really great advice. And I totally agree that people should be aware that they can influence others regardless of numbers and that it should be easier to book bloggers to get rewarded for their hard work (especially because it's not as easy to grow on book blogs, compared to bookstagram and booktube).
I love this post. I would love to read this during that crucial time of deciding whether I should put up a blog or not. My blog is fairly old and I have to stop and abandon blogging a couple of times because I don’t see any growth on my platform. Reading #2 and #7 makes me think of my platform and how it should be used.
I also want to earn through blogging to continue supporting more creators but as #4 pointed out, my platform is at the lowest rung that is why despite my reservations with showing my identity, I made YT and IG.
I would love to read more about #5.
Wow Shealea, this post is amazing and thank you so much for sharing your experience!! Book bloggers really should be paid for their work and I think it’s ridiculous that only bookstagrammers and booktubers are paid when book bloggers do just as much and even more for the community. And still exist. And get good engagement. Anyways, again LOVED this and so excited for all your content xoxo
So comprehensive! I’m new to bookish blogging here btw, and this is really helpful 🙂
Awesome post! I made a lot of these mistakes too. I barely interacted with other bloggers for the first 2 years I was blogging. I put zero thought into my blog name because I assumed no one would read it. There’s a lot I would change if I could go back in time.
I’ve learned first hand not to do excerpt/cover reveals because I don’t gain anything, not even an eARC. I’d like to help authors in their promotion but how can I promote the book “lovingly” if I wasn’t able to love the book or even like it at least in the first place? And, yes you’re right. Most of them contacts book bloggers who are new to the community or has still few followers.
Ah, I also remember my previous years of blogging. I used to be Paper Boulevard. Hehe
Thank you for sharing all of these. You’re one of the first bloggers I ever really followed and I’ve learned so much about the book community and the blogging community from you!
Wow! This blog post was seriously eye opening. You brought up so many valid points that I didn’t seem to think about until now. I think the book community deserves way more attention and respect. Without this community, I wouldn’t have gotten back to reading and started my own platform. Thanks for the insightful read! I learned so much 🙂
Thank you so much for this post Shealea. My blog is not even a month old so I’m a total newbie but I do agree that book bloggers put so much effort and work into their posts, yet they are constantly under appreciated. My two best friends are bookstagrams and I can see how engagement and following defers on a large scale when comparing them to book blogs. But what I come to like about this community is that plenty of bloggers are actually really nice and supportive, there’s just so much love for books and sharing those books and the love of reading it just really puts a smile on my face.
I have been getting review requests but as an experienced blogger and reviewer, is there any “red flags” I should be looking out for when dealing with publishers/authors/etc.?
And this post arrives at the perfect time for me. I have been thinking of closing my blog for a while because I didn’t realize there were stuff I was worrying about that didn’t even matter. So Thank you for writing this Shealea. You are kickass!
“many opinion leaders within the online book community don’t seem to grasp that social influence is a legitimate currency” – LOUDER FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE BACK!!!!
God I love this post.
Also yesss I’ll be waiting about the post on cover and excerpt reveals because while I don’t enjoy them, I genuinely have no idea why they’re bad so it will be interesting to hear your thoughts on that 🙂
Hehe I love that you’re calling out that company in the examples.
“the currency of being listened to is relevance, and for people of color, our relevance is always tied to our ability to act as mouthpieces” – this is so sad and true and as someone who isn’t always a mouthpiece due to her mental health, I feel disheartened that my platforms may never reach a certain level of success.
Anyway, this is just a wonderful post and I love the snarky edge this has and I’ll definitely be looking forward to your next newsletter/blog post <3
Great post!!! I would love to see you talk more about topic of problematic “faves” and how to deal w problematic aspects of book / author if you love what they create (besides their problematic parts ofc)
Wow, several eye opening pointers. And I definitely agree with the privilege bias among the US/UK bloggers. I live in the middle east, almost outta nowhere. And guess what are the chances of me getting free books and arcs or even getting new books in the stores? Almost nil. And that is one of the reasons I have been concentrating on backlog books and classics on my blog.
I love this post!
I love this post and I agree with all your points, Shealea! I especially agree about 2, 4, and 7- I don’t collaborate a lot with publishers or being on other social media, but I agree how book blogs seem to be at the bottom rung and how there are so many barriers for poc from third world country like us. I’m also more privileged compared to other people in my country-fluent in English and having internet access is already a huge advantage here- but most of the time, it’s still not enough compared to white creators.
“Even more so if you aren’t as pale white as the god of thunder dipped in a milk bath.” I’m crying hahahaha. I think one of things I wish I had known is how hard it is to get people to interact with your posts and how hard it is to get that interaction meanwhile going on booktube and seeing creators that have started their channel only within a few months. That’s hard to process for those of us that have been blogging for a little over a year. And it takes some swallowing and just moving on that sometimes you don’t necessarily want to do. I love your point on the privileges of graphics. I am currently unemployed due to covid and am a little shaky on whether I’m going to be able to keep Photoshop (probably not). It’s a big privilege and I hate how expensive it is.
Love this post!! I have also been blogging since 2015 and really never talked to that many book bloggers so I really never grew as a blogger. However, most of my growth came from bookstagram. ( I also switched from weebly to WordPress a year ago and everything feels a little messy currently). Anyways, as much as I can say I’m a book blogger I really haven’t been because I’ve been really only communicating through bookstagram. All this to say, I am definitely going to actively read and contact more book bloggers! I love your blog and you’d think after 5 years of book reviews I would know better, but this post still taught me a lot!! Thanks for sharing <3
I’m on Weebly too, and I admire your courage for switching platforms!
Thank you! Still working through the doubts but hopefully it was the right choice in the long run!
Deciding on a name for anything is sooooo difficult! I want one that’s catchy, recognizable, and means something that will make a light bulb appear on top of people’s head when they read it but I fail. The best I’ve come up with was variations of the name “egg”. Oh the many times my friends would make fun of me because of it. ? I hope I can think up of something better soon
Thank you so much for this article! I’ve been thinking of revisiting my old blog (that I have abandoned for more than 5 years or so) or start a new one so I can slowly detach myself from Goodreads. A lot of things covered here are things I needed to know for my restart. ?
This is a fantastic and informative post! I started blogging in early 2018 and feel like in just the short time I’ve been here I’ve already noticed a shift to more social media and less blogging, and it makes me sad sometimes how much people crap on blogs and undervalue us, and a few times I’ve contemplated focusing less on my blog and starting a bookstagram or even booktube (lol I would never I’m shy nobody online is allowed to see my face) instead or something, but deep down I know that blogging and writing words is what I love, so I just stick to it not for the ARCs that I don’t get, but for the amazing community.
Honestly, these points were also the things I should’ve known when I started book blogging, which is idk, 2017? or earlier? and I really didn’t succeed in that. I was actually doing it so the future me can remember the books I’ve read and what I had to say about them. I still have a lot to learn, I guess, bc my blog is still a potato. so really, Shealea, thanks for this. I’ll keep these points in mind. I’ll breathe life to my lifeless blog and come back to the points you raised here in your blog post. ?
This post was so well written Shealea! I definitely struggled as well when I first started blogging since I started in 2013 and joined way too many promotional opportunities that just weren’t compatible with my tastes all for the sake of “exposure.” In the end, I think it’s what drained me and I just felt insignificant despite all the work I put into blogging. Ever since becoming more active on social media and genuinely engaging with other bookish content creators, it’s honestly felt like a lightbulb moment. I loved your emphasis on platform privileges and opinion leadership! Being a US-based blogger, I definitely have access to a lot more than my other blogger friends so it’s been an important switch for me to focus on promoting books/content that I’m 100% passionate about. These past couple of months in particular with being active of social media and constantly educating myself on privilege and supporting diverse stories has been a huge highlight to my blogging experience and made me so much more appreciative of (some aspects) the bookish community.
This was such a helpful blog post, Shealea!! And, I am glad your back. ?? My blogging journey began in 2017 and since then I had some active and inactive phases – based on what’s going on in life really. I’d say that one of my biggest mistakes starting book blogging were blogging about every book I read and ONLY posting reviews of these books (boring, right?). Fortunately, I have started trying out different blog post formats and so on. I also had a bookstagram page for a while but that didn’t really make me happy and I felt pressured to have an account just because- everyone other book blogger seemed to have one. The truth is being active on different platforms all the time is difficult, time-consuming and exhausting to me. I respect everyone who does that though and absolutely admire them. ? I like to have my own little blogging corner.
So much resonates here! From that first point, I spent the months before starting my blog cramming in reading so I wouldn’t run out of reviews but didn’t consider visiting and interacting with other bloggers until MONTHS later. Lots in these tips that I’ve stumbled on late in my blogging journey
I love this post! Everything you said is so true. I especially noticed point 6 where since I’ve become more vocal about issues I get more engagement.
Thank you for writing this. I wish I had read this when I first started.
Wow! Just wow! This was such a sold blog post and I learned so much. No. 2 really resonated with me the most because I do try to keep book blogging and actually personal reading separate. By doing so, I’ve taken so much pressure off my reading, how much I should review, how much I need to post, etc. I like focusing on the reading part and doing book blogging on the “side”.
-What are some things that you wish you had known before you started blogging? Did any of them make my list? What would you like to add? In general, I learned that book blogging is super undervalued compared to higher-media platforms like YT and IG. It always feels like book bloggers are never considered, not just for opportunities but even within the community as far as friendships go.
-Discussion time! In your opinion, what needs to be done for the book blogging community to improve? All I can think of is better visibility and better appreciation. Some Booktubers shout us out, but not very many. I’ve seen so many book blog following chains on Twitter but I don’t know if it does enough.
Amazing, amazing discussion!
I couldn’t figure out how to like this post so I’m just going to leave a comment ? these were some truly insightful points, especially the ones about opinion leadership and privilege over stats!
Very excited to bear witness to the shut up Shealea renaissance!
I absolutely love this post, Ate Shealea! This actually made me reflect quite a bit on my progress as a book blogger after all these months and I really wished I knew better back when I first started out (I relate to the fake engagement scheme hard).
That bit about opinion leaders, too, I also agree! (also quick geek moment: I love how you integrated communication theory for this point, as a fellow comm major I am fangirling hhh) Being a bookish creator in itself ensures that you have a following so it will be helpful to be mindful about the content we consume and promote since people are most likely to pick up these from you, being a creator/opinion leader that they follow.
This is a great post and I am looking forward to read more of your discussion posts in the future, Ate!
These are SUCH GREAT POINTS. I was also approached for many “offers” for boosting and such. The only reason I did not fall for them was because 1. I’m a very suspicious person anyway and I realized that I was not really getting much out of them and 2. I’m a little stingy with commitments. I won’t commit unless I’m sure I’ll really want to be a part of it and can spend the energy. This has worked negatively before (me not signing up for most great book tours and other things) but it also saved me from being exploited. I basically just do my own thing, until now.
Also, I followed you when you were That Bookshelf Bitch and I was actually in awe with your confidence to go with that name and use it for so long. But I understand what you mean by the idea it shows. I’m glad you came back to blogging!
Shealea this was such a perfect post and super helpful!
I agree so much with what you said about tokenization and being paid attention to only when we’re ‘educating’ people.
EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS IS SO IMPORTANT. esp as a new blogger i feel like the one saying to be aware of being used is so important. i am a younger person and think i need to be more concious of what info i’m putting out there. as for the name YES! i used to be @lives_in_ya_books but changed mine to Solace in Reading b/c i don’t just live in ya books anymore.
THE THING ABOUT INFLUENCE YES!!! LOUDER FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE BACK!!!!!!!
Shealea, this is a thoughtful and incredibly well-written post. The amount of dedication and effort that you put on this post is very much appreciated (I love how you share your point of view as a Communication Research graduate and educate us with academic facts!). To be answering some of your questions:
✨ I couldn’t be more agree with everything that you mentioned here. From the importance of the branding of your blog and socials, to the inequality among book platforms and how someone’s privilege played a huge contributing factor to determine their “success” in book blogging. Many privileged blogger/creator often missed this point and they blindly believe that everyone in the world has the same amount of accessibility to them. Also, the fact that many of them still reply to POC’s tweets that complained about how certain new releases are unavailable or being too pricey with a “But have you try to go to your local library?” as if the local library exist in the first place, is driving me mad. How can someone be so ignorant and insensitive?
✨ It’s embarrassing to admit that at the very beginning of my book blogging journey, I may fall for the fake engagement scheme. It seems like a promising opportunity at times and I was desperate to connect with people. Although, I must state otherwise now that I experienced it by myself and how ineffective they were. I’d like to read more of your thoughts about this topic! I think it’s important to make newer bloggers realize that they worth so much more than shoutout-for-shoutout boosts.
I’m looking forward for more of your discussion post. Stay safe (and don’t ever shut up!). x
Omg yes I feel you about the blog names. I’m so glad I changed mine from fandom-specific especially after growing out of that fandom myself
Thank you for writing this post, Shealea! I have been in this community for more than 3 years now and still my followers count is not even 500 ? But it is about so much more. I might be doing something wrong all those years. But the truth is I am feeling detached from blogging? May be that’s why I am not investing much time in my blog. Also you said correctly- blogging is more about privilege. I have resources to invest may be that’s why I am still stretching my blog though it’s not successful? And about the point of people associating you for certain things, I totally get that and guilty of doing that myself. And I am definitely one of your early blog readers ?
“My functionalists brain cells were far and few in between” ADJASFAGDVWUDHUSHXHW
Absolutely loved this post. Firstly, I’m one of your 2016 readers so yes, I do remember That Bookshelf Bitch and still associate the colour light purple with you. Secondly, everything you’ve said in this post is so accurate. I particularly felt the most after reading the last point: book blogging is so much more about privilege than just the numbers. And a lot of growth that book bloggers see can be attributed to the privilege they have, even if little; electricity & Internet being the most overlooked for many yet the most essential for some. As for the second point, I couldn’t agree more. People paying attention, even if little, to what one says sets up a responsibility that many fail to acknowledge or consider, which is very disappointing. I’m glad this post dived into what we all need to look closely into. <3
This was such a useful post! Although I’m not a total newbie anymore, I’m still only six months in with a lot still to learn, so this was a great read. Especially about how your reading and blogging should be separate. Thank you for including A Little Shelf-Righteous as one of your favourite blog names too. I probably spent a little too long figuring that one out because so many URLs were already taken ??
Aww, thank you, Meg! Separating my reading and blogging is a pretty lesson for me, to be honest. I’m so glad that you found the post helpful. ?
And yes, I love your blog name! I’m a sucker for great puns.