It’s My First Blogversary!

My little book blog turned one this week and I’m so happy about it. Let’s have a little chat about my experiences and a couple of my highlights. 

I have fallen head over heels in love with blogging since I started it a year ago and it, teamed up with reading, is probably my favourite hobby. It was just over a year ago that Jemima invited me to The Book Club and I honestly haven’t looked back since. It has been SUCH a blast. I am so thankful to her and all The Book Club girls for being there right at the beginning and giving me advice. We all still talk every single day and I love them all so so much.

Now, less of the soppy stuff and onto some of my ACTUAL highlights:

 

• That blogging-life balance: A huge highlight for me has been balancing my blog with a part time job and being in the second and then final year of my degree. It gave me something to focus on that wasn’t so academic and in a way forced me to read more, which made this time in my life much more enjoyable.
• Review Copies are nice: I have jemima to think for most (pretty much all) of my physical review copies but I will never forget the excitement of getting my first approval for an Earc on Netgalley. I also squee with excitement when I get review requests (if you are an author looking for a review, click my about page).
• Bookish Events!: I love book events, they are just so so so much fun. Since starting my blog I have been to five and loved them all. The first one was Nathan Filer, where he talked about this novel The Shock of the Fall and his work in mental health. This one was particularly inspiring in a lot of ways. The second one I went to was when I met my darling friend Kelly, who I love a lot. I travelled to Cardiff and we went to an event with Katherine Webber, Sarah Govett and Alwyn Hamilton. It was so nice to meet Katherine and she recognised me and Kelly, another moment I will never, ever forget. Next, I saw Angie Thomas in Bristol. I just love her, she is such a wonderful woman and I saw her again that weekend in London with Kelly. Finally, this past week I met Louise Pentland at her Wilde Like Me signing, she’s pretty awesome too.

• Beta-reading: I am really enjoying doing this. It helps me improve my own writing and I love the feeling of helping out fellow writers! My total so far stands at three of all differing genres. If you are an author looking for a beta-reader, please go to my about page/contact page and drop me an email.
• The Community: There is nothing quite like the bookish community. For the most part, author and blogger are on the same level. Everyone is super friendly and any rudeness/bullying is not tolerated. All tastes and reading styles are accepted and everyone is SO supportive of eachother’s ventures.

 

So, what’s next? Well in the next year, I just want to keep going really. Keep going, keep learning and keep making life long friends. I do have a few goals that I’d love to achieve though, these are lifelong goals, mind, not within the next year!:

• Reach 200 followers by your 2nd blogging birthday.
• Have a quote/review in a book.
• Chair a bookish event (one day!)
• Make Beta-Reading a THING.

I have no idea how achievable these goals are but honestly, for now, I’m just enjoying doing blogging for me and documenting my reading and all things like that. I am so glad I started a blog and I can’t wait to see what comes next!

 

 

How long have you been blogging for? What’s your favourite thing about blogging? Let me know! 

Follow me on twitter for updates on what I’m reading. Look at the Book Club here or even follow me on snapchat @rosiefreckle to see live updates of my reading.

Thank you lovelies and happy reading! ox