Hi everyone...and a happy, book-filled new year!
I decided to start 2014 doing something completely new to me, blog-wise - that is, joining a challenge. This one is hosted by Parajunkee. And what I like about it is, it deals with blogging and bloggers, not with a mere list of books to read as fast as possible.
And here is her introduction to the challenge...
Hey everyone, it is that time of year again. The time when we get all excited for a NEW YEAR, plan our goals, set our resolutions and just straight-up get motivated. Guess what? I’m here to help you get a little more motivated about your blogging, with 14 writing posts for the New Year.
The Book Blogger New Year’s Challenge will begin on January 1st and run 14 days. It is going to be fun, it is going to be easy and hopefully it will get you motivated in 2014. Each day I will post my own prompts and at the bottom I will add a linky so you can add your own posts. Here are the topics:
Before I start, be warned...I will not participate in tomorrow's round of the challenge. I don't have a blogger horror story to tell...yet. But I will make sure to stop by and read yours! I hope they're not too scary though ;).
January 12 Question: How do you plan on getting more followers this year?
I have to say this challenge made me aware of a couple of things - or at least, more aware. One, I've been a bit isolated to date, despite my Goodreads activity. It's not like doing follow-for-a-follows or posting a link to your latest entry on a group page is guaranteed to raise interest about your blog. Two, discussion posts are fairly more alluring and successful than reviews - especially not-so-recent-book reviews. So here comes my recipe in two points:
- be more social (though I don't mean to merely sell myself this way. I am enjoying the interaction this challenge provides, and the more, the better!). Participating in cross-blog activities, as long as they're not too time-consuming, because you know...work, housekeeping...
- do more op-ed pieces, that can also double as discussion prompts.
So what's your secret recipe? ;)
The weird thing about housekeeping is no matter how often you do it, it still needs to be done. Same thing can be said about blogging. No matter how much time you spend on your blog, there always seems to be more to do.
ReplyDeleteSo...I don't know. I'm working on creating a clone. Due to being a habitual procrastinator, it's still in the early phases aka day-dreaming is as far as I've gotten.
Lol, you're right. About the clone...just screen the procrastinating part of you out when you create it...or it will be useless ;). Good luck!
DeleteWell, much to my husband's dismay, I will no longer be putting housework before blogging. ;)
ReplyDeleteI've had so much fun just interacting that I haven't even worried about how many followers I have, it's more as if I'm back as a member of our awesome community.
A good discussion topic does seem to stir a lot of conversation, so good luck with that one! I plan on doing one a month myself, but so far I really only have one idea. lol
Here's to all the comments we will leave on blogs in 2014!
To the real Desperate Housewives - may we get so many followers and so much fame that we can hire someone else to do the work for us! ;P
DeleteWell, I am not much social either, but look at us... Getting along just fine! I love discussions, but I am afraid to put them on my blog, because some people misunderstand everything. Well, I hope your plan works! Ciao!
ReplyDeleteI hear you. But I'm thinking about discussions along the lines of the ones we're having in this challenge...I hope they won't cause troubles ;).
DeleteThe same happened to me once I began taking part in this challenge - I realised just how isolated I'd been from the book blogging community. But hopefully that will change for the both of us from here on! :)
ReplyDelete- Farhana @ Digesting the Words
Absolutely - though time is a huge factor when it comes to commenting and blog-hopping. It's not easy to balance blogging and...well, living. Then again, it's worth the try!
DeleteIf you find the secret recipe, please share! I'm not very good at social media, but do plan on visiting and commenting on other blogs on a more consistent basis. I'd love to start doing discussion posts, but never seem to be able to come up with interesting ideas. Good luck with your goals!
ReplyDeleteI don't even have any kind of social media account, go figure (unless you count Goodreads). I'm not confortable with them, and they're too time consuming...Having said so, visiting blogs is another pair of shoes. And IMHO, it's also much more fun!
DeleteThank you :).
Nice, I planan to at least try to be more social this year too. :)
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like we are all of the same mind this year. Many bloggers have expressed this very resolution. Now we only have to stick to it...;)
DeleteGood luck on your followers. I think social media really helps...I just won't sacrifice much reading time to really interact like I need to. Thanks for visiting!
ReplyDeleteI want to be more social on blogs...but I don't plan to sign up for a Facebook or Twitter or you-name-it account. It's not my thing, and besides, it's too time-consuming. And you're right, less time for reading...I have 9 new shiny books at home, that I received on Jan. 2, but I've only read 2 and a third of them so far. This challenge was...too challenging LOL.
DeleteThank you too!