I talked to expert book blogger Paige on her journey in creating a bookblr on Tumblr. Here's what she had to say!
1. Why did you start a bookblr?
I started my bookblr for two reasons: one is to have a blog separate from my personal one that was dedicated solely to books, and two is that I wanted a place that was a bit more casual and free-form than my personal website which I dedicate solely to reviews and blog tours.
2. What books do you recommend?
My number one recommendation is always "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak! It’s beautiful and haunting and really cuts deep into your core when you read it. From there I always like to know more about a person’s personal tastes in order to recommend books. One person who loves "Game of Thrones" may not love YA lit and vice versa.
3. What are your favorite genres?
I love the YA genre the most! It’s something that is so broad and covers a lot of different sub-genres (like fantasy, romance, etc) and has been growing a lot lately to incorporate more depth and hard-topic issues of today.
4. Top most hated and loved books?
I’m really not a fan of the stuff Sarah J. Maas or Cassandra Clare writes because I just find their series’ a bit dull. However, I love "The Lunar Chronicles" series by Marissa Meyer, "Warcross" by Marie Lu, "The Hate U Give" by Angie Thomas and "Dear Martin" by Nic Stone. They’re all wonderful books that I’m constantly bringing up to people and encouraging them to read.
5. Why do you like reading?
Reading has saved my life more times than I can count. It’s something that has always been there for me and is an escape from the real world when I need it. Without books I wouldn’t be where I am today.
6. Is there any particular book or series that got you into reading?
Not particularly. My parents read to me before I could read on my own, and ever since then my fondest and earliest memories are of me rushing off to the library to check out a new stack of books or to participate in story-time.
7. What is your favorite part about being in the book community?
I love meeting new people! Everyone has such a cool and interesting story to tell about the books they love and how they got into reading and why it’s so special to them. There’s something very singular about reading that’s important to each individual person, but it also brings us together in really beautiful ways
8. What is the hardest part about maintaining a bookblr?
I think the hardest thing about maintaining a bookblr is the coding. I’ve spent hours trying to figure out HTML formatting and coding for my website, sometimes because colors don’t look right, or columns have suddenly shifted. That’s definitely the bane of my existence.
9. Do you have any tips on starting a bookblr?
Do it for yourself. If you’re not starting a bookblr for yourself, I’m a firm believer that you’re doing it for the wrong reason. I started a bookblr as a side-project from my main website, and that’s what it continues to be today. You don’t want it to feel like a job or a requirement because then, why are you doing it? Start a bookblr if it’s going to make you happy and you want to engage in the community!
10. What are some does and don'ts?
Do start a bookblr because you want to.
Don’t start a bookblr because you want to gain followers or increase your stats.
Do engage in conversations with people.
Don’t send people hate mail or anonymous hate messages. It’s cruel.
Do have fun!!!!
Don’t make it feel like a burden on yourself.
Don’t message people asking them to follow you or reblog your posts, it can get annoying very quickly.
11. What should people keep in mind when starting a bookblr?
Having fun and creating lots of content are my number one tips to people when they’re starting a bookblr! When you create a lot of content more people will see it and engage with it. So, if you’re posting about your favorite books other people will see that and comment on it, send you a message, whatever! You never know who is going to see your post and if your new bookblr best friend is just a click away.
12. What is the best and worst thing that has come out of blogging?
The best thing that has come out of blogging is definitely the friendships and conversations I’ve had with people. There have been so many times where I’ve gotten to know people through books and then we begin to relate on more personal levels and they trust me enough to learn about a slice of their personal life, which is awesome! I love talking with people in the bookblr community.
The worst thing that has come out of blogging is the hate. It’s only happened a few times, but I have gotten some really intense messages that I’ve quickly learned to delete and not engage with because the people sending them are not worth my time. You’re never going to please everyone, and when you stop caring about what others think, you become free.
13. Why should someone join the book community?
People should join the book community because it’s awesome! We’re diverse, we talk about more than just books, and we love to read! Reading and literature will save the world. It’s important and if you like to read then you’re important too.
14. What gives you inspiration for your posts?
I think my best source of inspiration is other people’s posts. I love finding/reblogging other people’s posts and incorporating certain elements in my own pictures, to kind of create this mish-mash of their ideas with my own to create something new and organic. Oddly, the weather/season has a lot of influence on the type of pictures I’m taking too. For example, in the summer time I use more brightly colored books and lighthearted stories in my pictures, while during the winter months I’ll feature longer, heavier books that have more neutral and dark tones.
15. How do you keep a balance between blogging and life?
It’s so easy to keep a balance between blogging and life, because blogging is not my life! Time management is a beautiful thing. Before I graduated college I was working on my senior thesis, working two jobs, having my own personal life and reading and blogging on top of all of that. It’s important to remember that if you’re doing blogging for fun (which you should be!) then it won’t feel like something you need to be tied to. Don’t let life pass you by.
16. Estimate how much time you think you spend blogging. Is it worth it?
I definitely spend more time blogging on the weekends because I’m not working then, but that’s usually to queue up posts and take pictures that will appear during the week so that there’s is a constant source of new content for people to engage with even when I’m not online and don’t have time to blog. I think it’s totally worth it too because, again, it’s fun. I love blogging and doing what I do. It is its own escape from the real world for awhile just like reading.
17. Do you recommend Tumblr to people in the book community?
I actually don’t recommend Tumblr that often to my friends in the book community because it can become time-consuming very quickly. Some people may not like the platform and trolls are rife on Tumblr which can be difficult for those to overcome if they don’t have thick skin. It definitely can be a lot of fun though!
18. Have any recommendations on book cites (buying, blogging, etc.)?
I’m a sucker for Amazon when buying books. I have a Prime account and can get books very quickly, and I find they usually have the best prices. That being said, I also love my local indie bookstores because the folks who work there are always so friendly, and I’m all about supporting the local community and small businesses when I can. If you’re looking for international editions, The Book Depository is your best bet, since they have free shipping, and if you’re looking for a lot of books for really cheap, Book Outlet is always a good option to check out.
19. Are you on any other social media platforms?
You can find me on my main website: tumblr, Instagram,Twitter, andYouTube.
I defensively suggest checking her out if you are thinking about starting a bookblr, or if you already have one and you need some aesthetics ideas. She also posts reviews and recommendations, so if you are just looking for some new reads or book merchandise, she is still the person to go to.