GUEST POST: Don’t Be a Stranger: How to Make Connections in the Book Blogging Community

Carol from Reading Ladies Book Club is back to help out some more during my recovery. This time, she’s here with a Guest Post that could be subtitled “Things HC Needs to Improve On.” Hope you enjoy this asmuch as I did.

An earlier version of this originally appeared at Not-So-Modern-Girl.

Don’t Be a Stranger: How to Make Connections in the Book Blogging Community

Photo by Jess Bailey on Unsplash

No One Can Blog Successfully in Isolation

One of the first blogging lessons to be learned was also my greatest challenge: I needed a Community; I desired to make connections and find my people. I knew for certain that no one can blog in isolation, but the solution intimidated me.

I’m an introvert. I’m a reader, not a talker. I love canceled plans so that I can stay home and read. I’m never lonely because I always have a book. These self-descriptors don’t set me up for making online connections. I also had fears: what if I attract creepers or someone makes a mean or negative comment?

How Did I Move From Frozen to Connected?

Photo by Marvin Meyer on Unsplash

To be successful as a book blogger, I knew I had to extend myself, take chances, make the first move. Easier said than done for someone who finds comfort hiding behind a screen or seeks escapism between the pages of a book. I hope you find the following five tips helpful:

1. Set aside your hesitations and join ALL the social media
   • Make bookish accounts (using your blog name) for Twitter/X, Instagram, Pinterest, Goodreads, Facebook (you can make a separate business page as an extension of your personal FB page), etc; the only place I do not have a presence is Booktube because I don’t do video reviews
   • Some bloggers prefer to focus on only one or two social media platforms, but I’ve found it beneficial to dabble in all of them (each platform reaches different potential followers); I gain the majority of my “click throughs” from Pinterest and Twitter/X
   • Follow bookish accounts on Bookstagram (Instagram users with bookish accounts), BookTwitter/BookX (Twitter/X users with bookish accounts), Facebook, Booktube, etc
   • Look for opportunities to join engagement groups on Bookstagram and Twitter/X
   • Follow blogging and book groups on Twitter/X and begin to comment on threads
   • Drop your links often (at the end of your Goodreads review for example) …but not in blog comments unless asked
   • Pin often to Pinterest and join group boards for pinning book review posts
   • Make sure your blog has its social sharing options set up….especially for Twitter/X
   • Share each and every post you write to all your social media accounts (you can set up your blog to automatically share your posts to social media accounts)
   • Yes, this takes time and is uncomfortable for introverts at first, but if you want to find your people and have people find you (a community), you need to promote yourself consistently

2. Find Your Niche and Your People
   • Book Reviews and Talking Bookish are my main niches, but I can narrow that niche more by connecting with bloggers who enjoy certain genres or subgenres
   • Do some blog hopping and follow a few blogs (maybe five as a starting point) that share your niche, content, and preferences (visiting the “About Page” on a blog is a good way to begin)….hopefully they will follow you back
   • Begin “tweeting,” “liking” and “commenting” on their posts….hopefully they will return the comment or even reciprocate by commenting on your posts
   • Don’t be discouraged…..not all bloggers will reciprocate…..move on
   • Once you have developed a reciprocal blogging relationship with a handful of bloggers, expand the pool
   • In four years, I have developed an inner circle of bloggers (20-30) whom I consider my “community”; We comment on each other’s posts, share reading preferences, enjoy bookish conversations, and promote each other’s posts on twitter; this all happened organically through genuine interactions
   • In the huge worldwide web, this is the group with whom you will invest the most time
   • Oh, and those negative comments or creeper concerns? Almost nonexistent. However, you do need to be wise and aware (WordPress is great at filtering out spam)

3. Slowly Expand Your Reach; Try New Things
   • Guest posting is a new venture for me, so this post is me expanding my reach and trying new things
   • I’m thrilled to have connected with blogger H.C. Newton @ Irresponsible Reader
   • Try new memes or challenges….I’ve often participated in #NonFictionNovember #NovNov (Novellas in November), #TopTenTuesday #Top5Tuesday #ThrowbackThursday #LetsTalkBookish #LetsDiscuss ….these are all great ways to meet new bloggers and make connections
   • Check the calendar for special days or theme months…..an opportunity to connect with other bloggers using the same prompts and tags
   • Participating in a blogger’s book tag is a fun way to make new blogging friends (if you want to be tagged in my next book tag post, let me know in comments)

4. Participate in Popular Memes to interact with like-minded bloggers
   • Top Ten Tuesday is a popular bookish meme for your first experience (ThatArtsyReaderGirl.com)
   • TTT participants are known for their generosity in blog hopping and commenting (always return the favor)

5. ENJOY and TREASURE Your New Book Blogging Community
   • Celebrate their achievements
   • Continue the conversation
   • Enjoy the connection

The Joy of Book Blogging: Community

In (almost) seven years, I can truly say that the JOY in blogging (for me) is the community. Book people are the best people. I hope that if you have not already found your community that these few tips have been helpful and encouraging. Although I’m still a new blogger, I’m happy to answer questions on connecting and blogging and book reviewing!

I’m Carol, and if you’ve read this because you love blogging and reading, then we’re already friends!

I’m a retired 5th-grade teacher, an ardent and avid bibliophile, and my favorite genres are historical fiction, literary fiction, and contemporary fiction. In addition, I enjoy reading selected memoirs and other narrative nonfiction.

My blog www.ReadingLadies.com is almost seven years old. The mission of my blog is to share a love of great literature across a variety of genres with an intentional focus on new releases, thoughtful themes, diverse cultures, and “own voices” authors. I desire to be a trusted reviewer for your next great read! Respectful conversations are always welcome.

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