Book Blogger Appreciation Week, Day Three

As part of BBAW, festivities-host My Friend Amy posed the following questions today:

What is one thing you wish you knew about blogging when you started or what advice would you give a newbie blogger?

When I started my blog, it was for purely personal reasons. I was reading so many books and then not able to make good recommendations when asked by friends because everything started to run together. I started the blog to put my thoughts down on paper, which has ultimately made me a much more thoughtful reader.

I had absolutely no idea about the amazing book blogging community that existed. It is a welcoming, supportive group that truly makes me feel like I'm surrounded by very well-read friends.

What is your best blogging tip?

This may sound obvious, but...make time to read. It's so much fun to read everyone's blogs (I myself can spend a couple of hours reading the Sunday Salon), but remember that it's important to stay true to yourself, and that is that you're a reader first...so read, and then share your finds with the rest of us!

Only a few people I know can actually post reviews every day (how do they do that?), so it's also important to have a few events that you join in to supplement your reviews. I try to have two book reviews up a week (although that's not evident lately, with two relatively back-to-back vacations!), and I supplement my posting by participating in events such as Booking Through Thursday and Sunday Salon.