Hi everyone!
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:
January 2 Question: Your pros and cons of blogging list.
Well, who am I fooling. For me, the very best thing about blogging is being able to say what's on my mind. Even when you're not sure if anyone read what you wrote, or cared at all, there's a sublimating quality in being able to express yourself publicly. Of course, it helps if someone is really reading and caring ;).
I have to say I also enjoy designing graphics, formatting posts etc. It's another way of being creative. Now, I'm not the artistic type at all when it comes to drawing or such, but I learned a couple of things about web graphics (just a couple, but still), and I like to experiment with them. As for formatting posts, Blogspot/Blogger can be a real pain in the ass sometimes, but surprisingly enough, I have fun fighting with it outwitting it ;D.
And of course, you know, books. Dissecting them (erm. I know it sounds cruel, since I'm supposed to love them - which I do. But in this respect, I'm a bit like the kid disassembling her/his new toy in order to understand how it works...). Reconstructing them. Polish them till they shine. Trying to steer someone toward them. Or maybe not sometimes.
As for the cons - um. Since I've not really been in the swing of things to date (like I said in my 1st Day post, I tend to be on the quiet side, blog-wise), I can't say I experienced some real cons - like drama or controversies related to authors or other bloggers. Unless you count as a con when one doesn't really feel like posting, but doesn't want to be M.I.A. for too long either. Or when one posts what she/he regards as a great review or article and nobody seems interested in it. Which I guess happens more than once, especially to less established bloggers.
I'm looking forward to your answers now... :)
Motivation to blog can be hard to find sometimes and its something I struggle with every now and then. Also that fear that no one's going to like what you have to say. It can be daunting sometimes and has been known to stop me from writing a post once or twice.
ReplyDeleteThe pros outweigh the cons though. I enjoy designing graphics myself, and have only just really started. I still have so much to learn but it's quite fun :D
The pros outweight the cons...definitely :). Maybe it only takes a challenge like this now and then, in order to remind us that.
DeleteI put that as my con as well.. putting all the effort into a post with little response given back. I think pros outweigh all of the cons I could think of. Great list and love that you have fun working with your posts. I think it's fun to get everything set up too.
ReplyDeleteThank you, and I hope we both can go on having fun for a very long time :).
DeleteI consider that a con :D But soooo good that you haven't experienced a lot of them. So jealous.
ReplyDeleteHehe. But maybe I will eventually ;).
Delete"Not really feeling productive" ... that would surely be my con :) Another thing I usually struggle with is reviewing books written in foreign language, especially finding the book title in English Edition.
ReplyDeleteI think we don't feel productive sometimes because we keep seeing other people's posts in our streams or mailbox, and we can't help thinking we are undeveloped bloggers, or at least lazy ones. Which isn't true of course. Hand me over that person who decided one has to blog at least every other day, and I'll make said individual die a slow and painful death ;D.
DeleteAren't you on Goodreads? Once you search for the original title, it should be easy to find the English one there.
Roberta R., you give me, as a new blogger, hope. :) I've been concerned that maybe I'm not posting enough. Maybe I am posting enough and I need to stop comparing myself to others.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely yes to that. You know, most of the time I feel like I'm talking to myself, but I don't mean to give up. And since I've always been the odd shoe (I'm not really sure if the saying applies here, but I guess you know what I mean), I still refuse to follow trends and to do things like they "should" be done. E.g., posting every single day or so just for the sake of it, or trying to come up with something to say everyday, no matter what. The world is full of words and opinions. One really should put forth the ones she/he thinks are most valuable...
DeleteSo don't give up! I'm glad I gave you a small ray of hope :).
I know the feeling that comes with thinking you have a great post, a awesome feature, a witty review, and then no one seems to read it! But, that's partly my fault, because I did a whole lot of nothing when it came to interacting and commenting on blogs in 2013. And, like you pointed out, one of the pros of blogging is that we get to write what we want. I guess I should be less concerned about getting responses and more proud that I'm creating something. ;) I loved that you stuck with the pros, because that is the reason we're all here!
ReplyDeleteI was a bit lazy myself last year, waiting for people to come and read me just because I posted the title of my latest article on a Goodreads group page. Or living in hope that someone was really paying attention to my posts' excerpts when they popped up in their GFC stream. I did comment on blogs now and then, but I guess some of them where the wrong ones, because not every blogger I talked to was so gracious to return the favour, so to speak. So yeah, we probably need to work our butts off! ;P
DeleteI love the idea of getting my opinions out there as well. Even better when I know it gets across to someone! :)
ReplyDeleteIt's a pity there are so many silent readers, so we don't always get to be sure of that. But it won't stop me from talking books ;). I hope it's the same for you!
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