For the longest time I told people I had a “book blog” or that “I’m a book blogger”. Now, I hesitate before I say that.
Yes, I review books, but over the years my blog has changed. I used to ONLY blog about books, and that’s the key difference. Now I blog about whatever I feel like. Sometimes that means book reviews and discussions, but other times it means posting about coding things that may or may not have any relevance to book blogging. Or, sometimes I just chat about my life. Looking at some of my recent posts, only 12/21 were solely book related. Some of the others could apply to book blogging, but they’re really more about blogging in general. For example:
- Should You Start a Blog on Blogger or WordPress? — Yes this does apply to book bloggers, but it really applies to any kind of blogger.
- What Google Analytics Data Should You Focus On? — Again, it can be useful for book bloggers, but it’s not only relevant to them.
- Do You Let Your Friends & Family Read Your Blog? — Another post that’s just “blogging in general”, rather than specifically book blogging.
If barely half of my posts are about books, am I really a book blogger? I don’t feel like I should be calling myself that. These days, I see myself as more of a blogger in general. I blog about whatever I want. Often that does mean books, but I don’t know that I should really be calling myself a book blogger if I’m not solely specific to books.
I think if half of your posts are book related, then you could still be considered a book blogger, but it comes down to what you feel like you are.
I know what you mean. I started blogging about books and posted book reviews a couple of years ago, but then towards the end of last year I became overwhelmed and I had to stop doing reviews and blog tours and what not. Now I hesitate to call myself a book blogger or book reviewer because I haven’t read anything or done any reviews in months! I think if you post about books, whether it’s a review or not, a few times each month, you can be called a book blogger. But that’s just me. 😛
I see myself as a book and lifetyle blogger. 😀 I write flash fiction once in a while.
Actually this topic brings up another point for me… “What else can I blog about besides books to keep my blog interesting?” I’m the same as you I wonder sometimes if I’m trying so hard to come up with another feature topic for my blog so that it’s more interesting, then would I still consider it a “Book” blog?
I’ve been racking my brain most recently to have something else besides books to blog about and I have yet to come up with something. Recipes? – already out there. Weekly Memes? – done to death. Blogging tips? – I use and need those so I can’t do it. The only thing I know enough about to actually blog about it is “art/tattoos” and “motorcycles” and I’m not sure that’s interesting enough for people… plus think of the space I would use for all the pictures. 😉
Currently I just post whatever I feel like posting about that day and stick in one of my categories until I come up with something better, but for the most part it’s book reviews and/or book related topics.
In your case Ashley you’ve got a fantastic thing going here with all the amazing tips, plus your “sitting at starbucks” posts and yet you still have half of your posts book reviews. It’s Ideal in my opinion and I would still consider it a book blog with wicked awesome features, but I agree with Jennifer… it comes down to what you feel like you are. Either one is successful.
Thank you so much for your comment, Carrie!
I like your approach: “I just post whatever I feel like posting about that day and stick in one of my categories”. And, hey, if you want to blog about art/tattoos or motorcycles, you could totally fit that in too! I created Sitting on Starbucks because sometimes I just wanted to post about random things and didn’t know where they’d fit. You could create something similar.. just a very generic feature where you compile cool art/tattoos you’ve found/seen and motorcycles you like.. and anything else that comes to mind!
Yeah, I thought of that. Hubby suggested that I call it “Bears Talk Bikes (or Art)” to go with my site name, but technically, my “Life Outside the Reading Realm” is already generic topics. So… maybe I’m putting way too much thought into it or maybe I just need to add the Art or whatever under LOTRR.
Ultimately everyone should post whatever in hell they want I guess, but when you’re trying to attract followers you have to think about others too while not sacrificing yourself.
That’s tough. I mean, you do blog about books, so book blogger does apply, but so do other terms, such as that you blog about blogging advice. But also, I don’t know if there is a term that is simple and accurately reflects what your blog is all about.
I do call myself a book blogger, because that’s what I do solely.
I’m not a fan of labels. Slapping one on often feels limiting, kind of like you’ve outlined here. If you’re a book blogger, where does everything else fit it? I’d rather not worry about it. Write what you want. If people ask, give the label they’ll understand best: book blogger with other features. Labels are for other people. Labels help them understand you. You don’t need to understand you. You know you.
If you say “I’m a blogger,” people are going to ask, “What do you blog about?” Part of the answer is “Books.” And if you blog about books… you’re a book blogger. I don’t think it needs to be more complicated than that. Sure, you blog about other things, but again, it’s just a label.
I’d also frame it this way: who reads your blog? If other book bloggers and readers read your blog and make up the bulk of your audience, you’re a book blogger, regardless of the percentage of your book-related posts. Posting general blogging tips and talking about your life are uniquely YOU, and that’s part of why people come back to read. Because they like YOU.
Perfectly stated!
It’s hard to describe anyone activity in two words.
In the Ruby programming language, it is said that “If an object walks like a duck and talks like a duck, then it is a duck.”, meaning that it doesn’t matter what you’re *called*, people judge you by what you *do*.
I am definitely a book blogger. My only non-book related posts are my Chick Flick Friday movie posts.
I do think you could still consider yourself a book blogger if you wanted to, but it’s really what you feel the focus of your blog is. I never really thought about it much, but I do think the general term “blogger” fits you much better than “book blogger” since you focus on a few different topics.
Yeah, I think you’re right. I’m fine with just the “blogger” title for me. 🙂
I’m definitely a book blogger – the only posts I do that aren’t book related are my weekly BookBlogWalkers update – its about working out – and even that’s on the foundation a book blogger community thing. And then there’s Life of a Blogger, which is more personal than books. Even my discussions are really about bookish issues. But I can see why you don’t really consider yourself a book blogger as much- you have a wide variety of skills that make sense to blog about.
I keep meaning to check out BookBlogWalkers!
Oh you should! Having a community that I feel accountable to really helps keep me focused. My bad weeks (like this last week) aren’t near as bad as they used to be.
I actually just got back from the gym… where I walked/ran on the treadmill while reading on my Kindle LOL
Well, I’m quite inclined to call Nose Graze a book blog, because even though you may not review that many books, you still offer up a lot of book blogging tips in Bitchin’ Book Blog, which applies mostly to book bloggers. I think that the term “book blog” can be used pretty loosely — just as long as you do blog about books, no matter how occasionally, it’s fine to call it a book blog.
I don’t know, for some reason I feel that calling your blog a personal one, or maybe an everything-in-one — just sounds weird. But does this label really matter? I know that even if you stop calling Nose Graze a book blog, I’ll continue loving it anyway for its awesome content and super helpful tips! 🙂
I know what you mean about a ‘personal’ blog sounding weird. Whenever I think of that, I imagine more like a journal where you blog about every single day of your life.. and those kind of blogs don’t really appeal to me. It’s like a journal—something you should keep private! 😛
I totally understand what you’re saying! I feel like the term “book blog” has expanded a lot in meaning – at least in the community – which is not a bad thing at all! I think it’s just everyone has so many interests and it’s hard to just focus on one thing that you love when there are so many things you could do with the other things you love too!
I definitely don’t blog only about books but I still feel like I would classify myself as a book blogger because in general, I do blog more about books.
This is just a side note and not really related but because there are so many other things that I want to talk about, I think eventually I’d start another blog to house all that stuff. It’s something that I’ve wanted to do for a while but juggling two blogs just seems too much so I’m thinking some time in the future when I no longer want to spend so much time on book blogging…
Excellent. I use to say I had a REVIEW BLOG, but I post about other bookish things, so I say BOOK BLOG. (Although, i think my business cards say review….)
Anyway. I incorporate a lot of my personal life into my blog, so I would think it depends on how you would categorize it.
Most of my post are about book reviews so I guess I call myself a book blogger. But lately I am getting bored of only posting book reviews. I am constantly thinking of new topics to discuss on my blog. For me labels aren’t that important. If you think you’re a book blogger then you are, if want to use the more general term “blogger” then it’s fine too! 🙂
Personally, I think your blog is amazing because not only do you write reviews, readers can also get to know you better through your personal posts and you also post blogging tips which are very helpful to other bloggers– not just book bloggers. 🙂
Don’t let label change the way you blog. Nose Graze is awesome just the way it is.
Thanks so much! 😀
I think that your main focus should be something that has to do with books. So as long as there are things like reviews or bookish talk, you are a book blogger 🙂 I also think your main audience are book bloggers and readers, so I would say that the title ‘book blogger’ fits you!
What I like about the community lately is how much it is expanding. People aren’t only reviewing books. It’s starting to get more personal and people are trying new things. It makes it more fun and I love the diversity.
You’re right about the audience thing. Even if I don’t blog exclusively about books, that’s my primary audience. 🙂
I like how the community is expanding too. I’m always on the lookout for unique new blogs that do more than just reviews. 🙂
I see myself as a blogger who blogs about books but I stay away from the phrase “book blogger”. I think it’s a personal preference thing for me though. It’s really exciting to see how the community has changed and grown.
When I started blogging, every single post was about books. All my posts were reviews or Top Ten Tuesdays. I started writing discussion posts about real life and other media (ex: social networking, movies, etc.) In my most recent post, I totally geeked out and wrote all about the newest X-Men movie and my favorite characters. Most of my content is still book related, so I refer to The Nerdy Journalist as a book blog.
What you are is up to you. Your audience will stick with you whether they call you a book blogger or a blogger. I’ve been able to get to know you through your posts so it’s totally a win for me either way.
I definitely still consider myself a book blogger, but that’s because even when I think about what to write up, I stay in the mindset of “I want the blog to be focused on books, and sci-fi and fantasy in particular.” The couple of times I’ve written about grad school, I just haven’t been as excited to publish it for some reason. This could be because grad school is, well, grad school and I don’t do much besides read books and grad school, haha.
I absolutely adore this post. I have been logging on and off for a couple of years now. I originally started with the goal in mind to be a book blogger, but as life progressed so did I. I decided that there were a lot of very awesome book blogs out in the world and that I was going to honestly get lost in the mix if I tried to do the same. So I started adding posts in about other things that I love.
I was finding that those posts were getting a more enthusiastic response. I decided that I am not going to label myself and just keep it casual. Book blogger, beauty blogger, fashion blogger, mommy blogger, etc. I honestly cannot fit comfortably into one of those categories alone. I guess if you do not fit into one of those categories specifically you were just called a blogger then? Well, that’s alright by me. It opens me up to do a lot more exploring creatively. I also like that I may attract a lot of different types of viewers/readers too.
I have found that the blogs I am attracted to time and again Air1 that talk about a variety of things. Like your blog for example, I love it because I can read about books and about designing and the inner workings of the blog. That really appeals to me.
There are so many awesome blogs out there and I hate that there are not more hours in the day to read them all.
For me, it depends on who I’m talking to. To bookworms, I’m a book blogger, but I keep a personal blog that’s separate, and I lead close friends and family to that.
Still a blogger though.
At some point I think it becomes a lifestyle blog. I have thought about going that way myself and know of another blogger who has been more successful in getting followers because she talks about her anxiety issues. Books are a part of my life and so they can still be a part of my blog! I realize I am a few years late on finding this post but it helped, thanks!