5 Reasons Why I love Reading Your Blog

I love reading various blog posts. Not just the bookish type, actually. I also subscribe to beauty, fashion, fitness and lifestyle blogs. It is amazing that today there's a blog for every niche possible. I also prefer blogs to a magazine website, for example, because I get to see the writer behind is and somehow it makes it more interesting.

I have seen bloggers come and go, many of my favorites decided to stop blogging and it saddened me. Well, I guess that's just what life is, but I also learned that blogging, in general is here to stay. As long as there's the internet, blogs will stay alive. If any of you recognize me as one of your subscriber/follower, consider your blog has one (or more) of these traits:

You write with your own voice, this is the reason I landed on your blog home page in the first place. Your voice and personality captured me. You are unique and know how to make yourself stand out from the crowd. You make sure that your blog doesn't look (or sound) like governmental website. Where's the fun in that, really?

Why Responding to Comments is Actually A Great Idea

One of the perks of being a blogger is the excitement of getting your readers feedback. It has been years since I started blogging, but the excitement stays the same. I still feel like a newbie blogger who've just got her first comment every time I see the comment notification. I feel appreciated, and of course exalted. I will never get used to this kind of thing, and gosh, how I love it!

This post isn't really about whether you should or should not take time to reply to your incoming comments. This is actually my personal preference, just some insight on why I believe in it. I am by no means a blogging expert, and some bloggers even think that it's old-fashioned, still I have my reasons why it's actually a good idea.

It makes the readers feel welcome

This is an obvious reason, of course. When your door is being knocked, you'll see who's coming and open the door, the guest then are welcome to enter your home. To me, ignored comments are like unwelcome visitors standing outside the door not knowing whether they're allowed to enter or not. I don't know, maybe it's our culture so we feel the need to be as friendly as possible to our guest, offer them drink, do some chitchats and since you cannot offer a drink to your readers, at least saying hello won't hurt.

How Being A Book Blogger Changes My Life

When I started this blog, it never crossed my mind that I'd be still doing it now, 5 years later. It's something I started out of the blue, no planning whatsoever, heck, I didn't even know what I was doing. I thought it would be neat to record my bookish journey (after a very long period of not touching a single book). It has been quite a wonderful thing for me. Being a book blogger has changed my self, for the better and I am confident enough to say that I am not the reader I was.

I used to judge book by the cover

I still do, but that stops right there. I love pretty covers, I think it's already in my soul I cannot change it. However, book blogging makes me realize that sometimes book covers are misleading. Their only job is to catch the attention of the potential readers. The story itself is irrelevant, it could be way better or far worse than what the cover depicts. I learn just to admire it and now I believe covers and stories are two different beasts, not fair to clump them together.

What Are Your Dreams As A Book Blogger?

Hello everyone! Nice to see you again. It's now 2016 which means I have been book blogging for almost 5 years now. Gosh, time sure flies so fast! It's a learning experience for me, a precious one in fact. Being a blogger does help me to understand things deeper, gives me a lot food for thought and of course, dreams. Oh, we bookworms have dreams, too. To be frank, it would be so amazing if they come true, especially because they're a bit unrealistic and some are totally not up to me. But, hey! That's why they're called dreams, so here are mine and I am dying to know about yours!

To convert a non reader into a reader

... but I don't know how to do it without being rude, obnoxious or sound like a know-it-all. People around me said that they don't have time or reading is simply is not important enough to make time for. See, I am kind of hopeless with adults, so my biggest hope is my children. My oldest can't wait for the newest edition of her favorite children magazine. My youngest will come and join whenever I read to her sister. She would laugh if she finds something funny, good signs because that means she does listen to me when reading to them. God, I hope this last, because if they find books to be fun, I would be the happiest parent in the world. Next step is the nephew and niece, let's see if I can turn them into future book lovers!

Decluttering Your Blog : 4 Things To Keep on Your Sidebar

Ah, well all hate messy sidebar! They're equally annoying as messy room, no one can stand being in it for more than 5 minutes. If you are considering to do some sidebar cleaning, congrats! Why, because many bloggers are too afraid to do so. Well, some of my customers asked me whether they should use their sidebar as their blog gallery? So I said, no way.

But who in their right mind wouldn't install those fancy cute buttons? Or the flashy banner. It's too hard to resist. Oh, trust me, I know. I am a fan of fancy buttons, too though only on clothing. Having too many of that stuffs on your blog will interfere with your blog's speed. People dislike slow site since always, you don't want to jump into that crowd. So, instead of rambling what to delete -- because that's your decision to make, you know the pros and cons -- so I'd just blab about a sidebar's must-haves, and here they are:

So, You've Started A Book Blog : Now What?

First of all, I would like to congratulate you. You are now just a few steps away from conquering the world (of books, that is). Now, the big questions is what are you going to do now? Chill out, it's perfectly normal to ask yourself this kind of question. Blogging needs a commitment and I am pretty sure you are willing to do some works, especially on these early days.

You don't have to do all the work in one sitting. There's no need for that, actually. Let yourself be excited. Seriously, enjoy that feeling while it lasts because it's not going to there forever. While you are still excited, maybe you can use that extra positive energy to keep your new baby book blog up and running.

6 Types of Blogs I Will Never Bother To Subscribe

Hello everyone. Great to see you again! You know I love roaming around the internet hunting for new blogs to subscribe. I enjoy reading various kinds of blogs and this makes my feed almost never-ending. Not that I mind, of course. I like reading posts from different point of view and it allows me to learn something new everyday, while having fun at the same time.

Having said that, I do come across some blogs that I think a little reader unfriendly. A pity, because once a new visitor landed on your homepage, you want him/her to feel comfortable and continue surfing your blog. Here are the types of blog I personally dislike.

#1 Blogs that don't have mobile version

Seriously, it's 2015. Everyone and their grannies use their smartphones or tablets to access the internet. Chances are, your readers do, too. If you really care about them, turn on the mobile version, there's no reason why you would still show the desktop version which is harder to access on smaller screens.

Why I Am Still On Blogger

First of all, this post is not about playing devil's advocate. This question has been in my mind for a few years, actually (on an off, mind you). During my first months of blogging, I was sure that I was going to migrate to self hosted Wordpress sooner or later, because that's what everyone does. They usually outgrow their first blogging platform and then switch to one that can cater their needs.

To migrate of not to migrate. That's the question.

I have been using Blogger for more than 5 years. Before I started this blog, I had some blogs where I post random stuffs that anyone couldn't care less about. I didn't really understand the point of blogging back then, I just did it for fun.

This is the blog where I try to do my best and four years later, I am still using the same platform. Yes, even when everyone and their mothers have migrated to self hosted Wordpress. You know, my main hesitation is not the hosting fee, actually. In fact, I personally think the fee is actually reasonable and affordable.

15 Non-Review Blog Post Ideas for Book Blogs

I am one of those people who believes a book blog isn't always about reviews. I'd just leave 100% reviews to Goodreads or Amazon and the likes. If you believe the same thing, high five! Herewith I gather 15 blog post ideas for you in case you face blogger's block (we've all been there) and hopefully, it will help you brainstorming for your new contents.

These prompts are actually questions I'd like to ask to fellow book bloggers. Sometimes, a bookworm can get to excited posting all reviews talk, where in fact, we as the readers, do want to know more about the blogger. So, if you are interested in writing different kind of bookish stuffs, here they are! Of course, if you have other ideas to add, feel free to drop them in the comment section *winks*

Tutorial : How To Make Blogger Circle Profile Picture with PicMonkey

Hey ya'll! Hope you're doing great. Tired with your default picture? Let's prettify it a little. This time I'd show you how to make a circle profile picture for your blog, the easy way. Well, there are many ways actually, one of them is inserting some code into your template, creating it with Photoshop, but heck, who has the time for coding or messing with complicated image editor! This tutorial will show you how to create it easily even my 5-year-old can do it. Here are the steps:

Visit picmonkey.com, and click "edit" option.

How to Polish Your Blog When You Have No Idea What To Write

Stuck with blogging slump? Ah, we've all been there. When you first started blogging, you had so many ideas it was impossible to shut your brain. All you wanted to do is to write a new post. People said it's called blogging honeymoon, so enjoy it while last. They are right, it doesn't last. Sooner rather than later, you'll face something called blogger's block, a situation where you don't feel like writing at all. 

The thought of brainstorming headlines gives you dizziness and while you're at it, you try to fight it but the creative juice just won't flow. Rest assured that it is just the way your brain telling you that it needs its rest. Take it easy. Lack of ideas doesn't mean you just have to sit down and wait for it to come. It doesn't work that way. In fact, you can still do something productive to make your blog better which only take less than an hour of your time.

Why I Stopped Doing Memes (and Maybe You Should, Too!)

For those of you who are new here, you would notice the lack of bookish meme on this blog. I did some of them in the past, just to have some fun. They are indeed fun, quick and easy. I stopped doing them because I didn't believe them giving benefits to my readers. I actually didn't enjoy it either, so it wasn't fair for me nor my reader to continue. Below are my other reasons why I believe bookish memes aren't for me:

It infests my feed

I use Bloglovin to help me keeping track with blogs I follow in one place. It's practical and saves a lot of time, me likey! Everything seems beautiful until it was bombarded with memes. Since I subscribe to tons of book blog, you can image how hard it is to find other blog post to read other then memes. Everybody and their moms are doing it, for God's sake! It drives me nuts because I have to do a never-ending scrolling to find a non meme post at the bottom of the world.

So You Want to Start A Book Blog? : Pros and Cons of Book Blogging

I believe most of you who read this post already have your own blog, and for those of you who have yet own one, this post is for you. Although I have been blogging for years, I still face obstacles that I struggle with each time. Posting regularly is the biggest obstacles ever. I am not good in finding topics to write and I don't have enough time to practice which is shame. I hope someday it will not be a problem anymore as I am always trying to find which of those blogging tips that works for me. All right, below are the pros and cons of book blogging based on my experience. The cons part is not meant to scare you but rather than to let you know what to expect in case you decide to blog.

Pros:

Good to exercise your writing skill

Sure, this seems obvious. Blogging is about writing and expressing yourself. Your writing is the centerpiece of your blog, of course you have to constantly write to keep your blog updated. People say practice makes perfect and it is true. The more you write, the better you become.

Yes, I Have a Small Blog and I'm OK with It

For those of you who are new to my blog, you might not know that it's more than 3 years old. It is quiet compared to newer and popular blogs out there. Well, of course I want to reach more audiences and talk to more people, but since I've had enough on my plates, I learned just to let it go. I stopped obsessing about the stats (page views or followers) and to tell you the truth, it's so much easier when you don't force yourself.

I am one of those people who worries too much. What if my writing is not good enough, what if my reviews are too boring to read, what if people don't like my products and I still have tons of what ifs that I cannot write here. Just a few years ago I learned to relax a bit. My life has never been better ever since. All you have do is do your best and let God decides what's best for you.

Giving Maintenance for Your Blog

You know, everything needs maintenance to run smoothly, so does your blog. A blog that is taken care of will have a good performance and readers find it comfortable to browse around. I cannot tell you how many times I encountered a blog that has good contents but is infested with spam. Such a shame! Of course you don't want to be that kind of blogger who doesn't care about his/her blog. If you haven't done any maintenance yet, this is a good time to start. Trust me, it is so worth it in the long run. Here are some things I do in regular basis, just to give you some ideas.

Check for broken links

It is important to make sure that all links on your blog are live. Dead links are annoying, well no one likes to be in a dead end, right? The good news is, there is a handy tool which can help you with that. My favorite is deadlinkchecker.com It does a thorough checking and it doesn't require lame captchas, for those of you who are new here, I hate captchas.

Discussion : Ever Thought of Starting More Blog?

Ha, I know some of you would chuckle as soon as you read the title. One blog is hard enough to take care of, let alone two. Well, of course you have passions other than books, or whatever you are blogging about! So, the big question is, would you blog about it?

To tell you the truth, my passion for fashion and beauty is even bigger than my passion for books. I love reading style blogs, seeing people showcasing their outfits and reviewing their newly bought beauty products. I enjoy shopping for outfits and makeup and when I do, I feel instantly invigorated. Books, in the other hand, give me much different effect. Books calm me down and they keep me relax. So, I need them all to keep my life in balance and to stay sane.

How to Suck at Being A Blogger

Hi folks! Here I am again acting like a know-it-all shoving (supposed to be) tips to your faces. Well, I had fun writing How to Suck at Writing Reviews and hey, why not write more post like it. So, I decided that this kind of stuff would be a regular thing on my blog, but since my inspiration is more unpredictable than the weather, I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you.

Let's talk about sucky bloggers. Just like what we agreed on my previous post, a good blogger is so mainstream (and boring), you might not want to be one of them.

Email every publishers/authors on this universe asking for freebies

Dear publisher/authors

My name is yada yada and a professional book blogger. My blog is extremely famous, I get around a gazillion page views per day, so you have to give me free books to review. It's a win win situation because I get the book and you get the exposure.

Best,

Yada Yada

Such a cool pitch email, isn't it? A blogger who doesn't approach every publisher/author he/she can find is some kind of a troglodyte. Come on, it's 2015 and you still don't have the guts to approach the big guys? Now sit on your computer desk, write the emails and send them around already.

Blogging Goals for 2015

Hello everyone, happy holidays to you! Only a few days left on this year. For me, it has been an amazing journey and an important one. It's the year where my firstborn on going to school for the first time, starting an Etsy business and also the year of taking my blog more seriously. Well, I have been serious about it since day one, but this is the moment that I finally dedicate my time for it. 

Talking about being a serious blogger, I have some plans for it which I hope will help it grow. I wish blogging burnout won't touch me soon because I have lots of things to do, so let's take a peek:

Goal #1 : to read more classics

I have been thinking about this since last year, actually. As some of you may have known, I wasn't really into classic book and my hesitation kept me from picking them up. Now I believe I am a more mature reader and of course a more open-minded one, I am finally have the courage to put it into my 2015 goal. There are too many gems I'd missed if I were to ignore this ancient beauties.

Why Reading Various Blogs Is Good for You

Unlike most of you who may be so updated when it comes to blogging world, I can consider myself to be a latecomer in blog to read many blogs in one place (I don't know the better term for this, English is not my first language, I apologize). I used to rely on Google Reader until big G decided to retire it. I had no tool for blog reading anymore. I was stuck, but couldn't motivate myself enough to find a solution.

After some digging, I finally visit Bloglovin and so far, it works for me. So, I started following other book blogs and since I also sell on Etsy, I follow tons of craft and DIY blogs to, even though I have no intention whatsoever so try the projects. Oh, I also have fashion and beauty blogs on my reading list, too. I actually subscribe to any kind of blog I find interesting and they actually helps me in some ways:

It opens my mind to a different point of view

I saw a craft blog once that features some cool items made from used books. As a bookworm, of course it made me cringe. How on earth would anyone butcher a book into a wall art, for example. As I read the blogger's explanation that she made it from abandoned book that was almost falling apart, I can definitely see her point. It's a good thing to bring back the book to a useful condition rather than leaving it alone tearing itself apart.

Where to Find Free Stock Images for Your Blog Posts

I used to think that images aren't that important for a blog post unless it is a tutorial. Now I know that they're are indeed important because nowadays, with all the social media around the net. you want your post to get noticed. People are more drawn into images rather than full text post. Well, the saying "image is worth a thousand words" is not without reason, right? If you haven't include image in your blog posts, I strongly recommend you to. It helps with the social media as well as making your post looks good in thumbnails.

These are the sites I use frequently, mind you there are still tons of free stock photo sites out there, but some of them only display their images and don't have search feature. I am not a patient person who loves waiting for images to load, that's why I exclude them. Here they are: