Book Tag Saturday; The Secret Life of a Book Blogger

I came across The Secret Life of a Book Blogger Tag at Read Diverse Books. I'm not quite sure who started it, but I wanted to join anyway.

Part of the reason why I wanted to do this tag, plus start to do some tags in general, was due to the fact that there is a blogger behind this blog. With no further ado, here's the questions (and answers).

How long have you been a blogger?
In July this year, this blog has a 6 years anniversy. I was relatively green to all things book blogging when I first started (I didn't even have an introduction post), but things did develop slowly after a while.

At what point do you think you will stop?
I have honestly no idea, but I have to admit that there has been moments when I really wanted to quit as I felt a bit burned out and uninspired. For a period, book blogging felt like a chore that didn't give me any joy and I also had a two month reading slump, which didn't help either. Combined, it made me panic a bit, but in the end I had a bit of a f-it moment and after a while the joy reappeared.

What is the best part?
It's not just *one* thing that is the best part, it's more the whole package of things. The book community (bloggers, Twitter, Instagram, FB groups, you name it), the conversations, discovering hidden book gems, keeping an eye on new releases, the list goes on. It is the possibility to dive into all things bookish without looking like a complete nerd (or maybe I am?). There is of course also the added bonus of free advanced reading copies/press copies. How is it possible for a book dragon to say "no" to free books?

What is the worst part?
The worst part is that book blogging can take over your life; it takes time planning and writing blog posts, taking photos for Bookstagram challanges, keep an eye on "everything bookish" (including new releases) and everything else. There is also the slightly annoying aspect of the occasional drama within the bookish community, especially at some Facebook groups where some might "attack" somebody else for not reading X genre, claiming that YA fiction isn't "proper" fiction or whatever. Just because you don't like a certain genre or an author, it doesn't mean that you have to bash everyone who does enjoy it.

How long does it take you to find/create pictures to use?
For my actual book blog, esp. for reviews, I'm cheeky enough to basically use Goodreads. If I participate in book tours, I generally use the pictures I get from the host. On Bookstagram on the other hand, I use my own photos, but it can be a bit of a pain finding the right props (or the right book for that matter), as I'm often participating in Bookstagram challenges. I usually use whatever book(s) and prop(s) that I find that fit within the theme I want and it's usually done within 15 minutes.

Who's your book crush?
Well, Read Diverse Books broke it down to three categories, so will I.
Fictional character crush; That one is pretty easy - Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Auste
Book I'm in love with/can't get over; The first that comes to mind is "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern.
Author crush; This is going to be embarrasing to admit, but for me, it's James Holland, who happens to be both an author and a historian.

What author would you like to have on your blog?
My book blog has been more book-oriented than author-oriented, even though I've had a couple of guest posts thanks to some book tours, so I'm honestly not sure.

What do your wear when you write your blog?
I'll answer this in a probably very feminist way; why the fuck is what I wear relevant for writing a book blog?

How long does it take you to prepare a post?
It depends on the post itself. When it comes to various blog/book tours, I often use the html code(s) given to me by the tour host, so it's quickly done (like five minutes), but in terms of reviews, top ten Tuesday posts and so on, it could take around half an hour, if not more.

What do you feel about the book blogger community/culture?
I've already mentioned a bit about my dislike for the occasional drama within the community, so I'll leave that one to rest. There has also been discussions about (lack of) diversity and/or problematic representations of diverse characters/authors and the good thing about it is that in some cases has been realized that yes, it is an issue that needs to be addressed and dealt with. Though I might add that I do enjoy being part of the book blogger community/culture as a whole, as it does inspire me to read more books and it opens my eyes to new books I might have not discovered otherwise.

What do you think one should do to have a successful blog?
I would probably say this; don't be an online hermit. What I mean by that is if you want people to read your blog, I would advise you to read and comment on other blogs, participate in Facebook groups and so on. There is no tried and true way of having a successful blog, as all blogs are somewhat different and what works for one blogger, might not work for another. The things that I personally think would help, is a bit of an online presense and a tiny bit of originality.

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