Day 10 of the A-Z challenge.
J is for Jublilation
Do you ever get days when you wonder why you ever decided to start that blog? It seemed like a great idea at the time. But now you’re not so sure.
Some days, blogging feels like a bind. You’d rather be doing anything than writing another review or dreaming up another topic.
Before you get too downhearted, let’s take a moment to think about the times when blogging can be a cause for jubilation rather than despondency.
We’ll start by taking a trip down memory lane to the first days of your new life as a blogger.
You publish your first post
Remember that day when, after hours of toil (and maybe tears) as you fought with the blogging programme, you managed to send your first darling into the world? It felt good didn’t it?
Holding that memory in your head will help you as you get ready to write and publish your next post.
You get your first real comment
Another day to remember with affection. No you can’t count the comments from your mum, your partner and the cat. I mean the first comment you received from a reader – the kind of person you hoped to find when you decided to become a blogger.
With that comment you gained proof that there was someone out there listening. It might have been only the slimmest of comments rather than a discussion of the finer points of your review, but so what. It was a comment.
It took two days before I got my first comment. It was a reaction to my review of The Elected Member by Bernice Rubens.
I can still remember how that comment had me walking around with a big smile for the rest of that day. It made the effort of blogging feel worth while.
Guess what?
That feeling of jubilation might fade occasionally but it never entirely goes away. I still get a buzz when I see comments on articles I’ve written. Other bloggers who’ve also been in the game for several years , like Sue at Whispering Gums will tell you that it’s the interaction that also keeps them blogging.
If you love comments here are some tips on how to get even more comments.
A Reader Takes Your Advice
Lots of bloggers start because they want to share their love of books with a broader group of people. For Susan at A Life In Books, it’s all about “getting books into readers’ hands”. How wonderful then to get a reader telling you they’ve bought the book you were just raving about, based purely on your review. Or a reader tells you they are going to try a tip you shared.
Reactions like that can be a great boost to the confidence.
A Compliment Comes Your Way
This is even more of a cause for celebration. As a blogger you always hope that readers find your posts interesting and/or useful.
Your visitor or viewer numbers aren’t going to tell you that. Neither will the number of followers you’ve gained. What you really want to know is that you have engaged followers; people who regularly read your content and signal their interest by leaving a comment.
An even better indicator that your content is valued is when a follower tells you as much. We all love compliments don’t we?
You Discover You’re On Track
Enough of the past. We’ll turn to a reason for a celebration in the future.
Imagine the day you realise you are up to date with your book reviews is cause for much jubilation. Yes I know there are some super bloggers who can review a book within hours/ a day of reading it. But we mere mortals need time to digest and reflect before we can even think of committing words to paper. So we end up with a backlog of reviews that seems to get longer by the week.
How magical it would be if one day we could clear that backlog. I live in hope that I’ll achieve that state of paradise. I guarantee you’ll hear me whooping and hollering when that comes to pass and the champagne will flow. Shall we make it a party?
Join The Discussion
What milestones have you reached that have given you cause to celebrate as a book blogger? Leave me a comment below to share some of your experiences.
