I’ve been doing this for *years* now- doubtless my blogging grey hairs are showing- so it got me thinking about what it’s like to run a blog. I thought I’d share my “words of wisdom” with you all, cos clearly I know best 😉 Obviously, (disclaimer) I’m poking fun talking about my experience, so try not to take it personally (though of course you may very much relate 😉). Without further ado, let’s get into how to run a brilliantly bonkers book blog!
First of all, DISCLAIMERS ARE THE BEST!!! And everyone clearly loves them 😉 that’s why you doubtless skimmed my introduction and disclaimer 😉 We have to include them, because otherwise people get angry. But we also make people angry by including them. And anyone that was likely to get angry over what we wrote will ignore said disclaimer anyway… ergo feeling free to get angry. So, we’re off to a good start!
Now, when it comes to formatting your post, you want to make sure everything stands out. Use all the bold and underlining imaginable. And don’t forget TOO MUCH CAPS LOCK!!!! Oh and exclamation marks while you’re at it!!!! (And brackets work as an afterthought) (yes, I’m guilty as charged, whatcha gonna do about it?! 😉)
When it comes to planning your posts, it’s a great idea to stick to a schedule… which is why I never do. That way you keep your readers on their toes! Speaking from experience, people love to be frustrated with you and have no idea what you’re going to do next. It’s also great if you can disappear from time to time (with little to no explanation). Being flaky is the hallmark of being a good blogger 😉 Then when you come back, you can issue a ton of apologies, just to irritate everyone a little more 😉 I like to pull this stunt monthly- because I like to be regularly irregular. You’re welcome (and sorry about all this!!)
I also like to have a plan when it comes to posts… then change it at the last minute when you get a totally different (and hopefully better) idea (case and point this post came after I scrapped something entirely more sensible and probably more interesting 😉). It’s just a way I like to increase my workload. And not knowing which post you should’ve gone with is a healthy way to increase your own insecurities over whether you’re doing this the right way. Win win.
When it comes to reviews… do them… sometimes… Personally I like to several in a row, then none for months. It’s best to maintain your reputation as totally haphazard and inconsistent. (Of course there’s also loads of ways to write reviews, which I’ve already discussed, but the general idea is to shift gears all. the. time.)
Embrace your most obscure/weird/unpopular opinions. You can never be too opinionated! Praise obscure books and bash books that are really popular… that will make people confused and angry. Lots of controversy for controversy’s sake is always welcome! Remember, the more people that don’t like you, the better 😉
Change things up at random… people love randomness 😉 If you want to stop talking about books for a few months and go on about the eating habits of parrots… do that! No one will read those posts anyway- and that’s what you ultimately want! Bonus random points if you start a blog series, do it for a few months… then trail off unexpectedly. Because why should you finish something you started?
Decide you are going to make BIG CHANGES…. Then never do it! For instance, say hello to my little cartoon friend, who was absolutely definitely not going to star on this blog sometime in the near/far future…
Spend more time fiddling with formatting and unimportant admin than actually writing posts. Think of it as the ultimate procrastination- because you feel like you’re doing something, but aren’t really.
Also, come up with a million blog ideas that you do all the work and endless research for… Yet never commit to actually finishing. Juggle too many things at once- it just makes sense!
Chaotically switch up your social media presence. As soon as no one’s looking, I love to just d i s a p p e a r…
And that’s how I like to embrace the *chaos* in every area of my blogging. My god, after going through that I’m seriously grateful to you all for being patient with me…
What do you think of my blogging habits/advice? 😉 Do you have any “tips” to add? Let me know in the comments!
My not-serious advice is to not respond to people when they take the time to comment! 😉
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Hehehehe! Oh I do that one all the time! Good advice 😉
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I love your humour so much!
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Thank you! 😊
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This was fun to read. I liked that disclaimer, not changing things and randomness one.
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Hehe thank you!!
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Oh my goodness this was such an awesome post and quite funny 😂
I loved the gifs
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Thank you!! Glad you liked it 😊
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Haha, a most enjoyable read!! 🙂
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Thank you! 😊
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You are very welcome! 🙂
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Ahaha i love this so much 😂 specially the part about scheduling! (Though I am way too strict on that one.. unhealthy.)
My favorite is to procrastinate while bloghopping 😬 i do something productive.. but still not as my post I need is still not getting written rofl
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Pahahahaaaaa love this!
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Thank you! 😊
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I’m picking up on that the main thing should be to make your readers angry and yourself angry.
I can do that! 😠
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Hehehe!! Success!! 😉
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Don’t forget to just ghost your blog for 6 months. It keeps people on their toes!
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Haha oh yes that’s a brilliant piece of advice! 😉
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I have a schedule. But my mind works in odd ways…so you never know what you’re going to get
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Hehehe!
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I feel so seen with the comment about brackets 😂😂😂
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This may just be my favourite blog post I’ve ever read 😂
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Aww thank you!! 💕
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THAT WAS BRILLIANT!!!???!!!!
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hehe thank you!!
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HAHAHAHAHA! Respectfully, I request to unsee myself in much of this post. Thanks very much! -L
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hehehehe!! Thanks for reading!
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🤣🤣🤣 I needed this today! So funny!!! (!!!!!)
And I feel called out by the mucking about with formatting thing – whhhyyyy is it so fascinating/time-consuming?!
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hahaha I know!! I do that all the time- and it’s often over teeny tiny things that *no one notices*- but I can’t help myself!! 😂
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Haha, I was confused for a bit. You’re quite funny😂
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hehe thanks!
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Boy, do I relate to the general disorganization and wasting time on admin. But then, “Being flaky is the hallmark of being a good blogger 😉 “. There’s some truth to that, I hope.
Tongue-in-cheek though this guide may be, it certainly beats the hyper-structure of some advice on blogging Ive come across. You’re obviously doing something right, so keep it up!
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hahaha I hope there is too!! 😉
hehehe thank you!!
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But I’ve been doing all these things!!!! WHY ISN’T MY BLOG SUCCESSFUL???
😉
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hehehe I don’t know- me too! 😂
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So funny, love it! You should also add, there is no such thing as too many gifs 😉
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Thank you! hehehehe you’re right!! 😂 I proved that here! 😉
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I feel like the disclaimer paragraph is too real. Every time I write a post now it seems like I have to go, “Yes, I said I’d like to see more pandas in books. This does not mean I meant every book needs a panda. Panda-less books are, of course, also good. Yes, I am aware of the red panda, even though this post was not about red pandas, but I realize you felt I should have talked about them, too, and now you are upset, so I will apologize for upsetting any lovers of red pandas. Yes, I am also aware of the Great Panda Controversy of 2008, but, frankly, this post isn’t about that, either, and I hope we can move on since the Great Panda Controversy, of course, does not represent my opinions, and I hope you will not get upset about that, either. And, oh, yes, I realize that some people don’t like pandas as much as I do and they are also entitled to their opinion and I hope my love for pandas did not unduly offend anyone less panda-inclined. Now, onto the post. (Please don’t hurt me.)” Book blogging has changed a lot in ten years. It wasn’t always like this.
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Hahaha!! 😂😂😂 Oh that analogy is brilliant!! I think I used disclaimers in a more tongue in cheek way at the beginning (in the satirical tradition) but now I’ve become more like “oh god this is going to be another incident where people get angry about pandas” 😉😂
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Too true… XD
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I love the pure chaos that is this entire post, lolol.
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Hehehehe thank you!!
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🤣🤣 Great advice!! Lol!
Had me rolling!
“I like to pull this stunt monthly- because I like to be regularly irregular.” 🤣🤣
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Hehehe! Thank you!
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My blog-schedule is like: Wow, it’s already seven days since my last post. I have to come up with some new thing right now!
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Hahaha this is my method right now! 😂
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this is such a helpful post!! i’ve been blogging for a while now, and i definitely like to not have a blogging schedule, and be very flaky. disappearing for a while every month or so just really keeps your readers on their toes.
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Hehehehe! It does! I’m sure everyone loves it 😉
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okok i think i need to follow at least some of these. i suck at running a book blog.
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hehehe!! oh I’m doing nearly all of these and they’re very successful at annoying people periodically 😉
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Totally misread this advice as “and go on about eating parrots”
So hey guess we found out my random boundary 😂
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Ahahahaha!! I don’t think I’d recommend that even in jest! 😉 hehehe!
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Great post! And, yep, I am definitely guilty of spending more time than I should on formatting!
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Thank you! hehehe I think we all do it 😉
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Ah, how did I miss this post before?! It’s so funny! I definitely adhere to the advice of planning and researching for posts I never write. 100% the way to do it…
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hehehe yes I do that all the time!
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I would say that I did not wake up to be attacked like this, but I totally did, because I enjoyed every word. LOL.
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hahahaha! Thank you! Glad you enjoyed!
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my not serious advice?
Use a black background for your pages and then type the text in the smallest size you can find. In white. And then offer all your followers a free eyesight test when they complain they can’t read your award winning prose. Oh wait, that’s why you have a disclaimer isn’t it. “this blog is not suitable for people with crap eyesight”.
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haha oh yes!! It should be impossible to read a blog!
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I love your posts. They are so funny 🤣. I do the disappearing act quite often these days. I have so many ideas for my blog but I am never able to do it because I end up thinking that people might not read them. You are giving me a bit more confidence about it. 😁
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This is the funniest post I have read in very long time and one of the quirkiest advices I have ever found! I think people definitely need more of those in their lives. Haha. 😂
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Thank you!!
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This post made me feel seen 😂 I’m going to change my tagline to “embracing the chaos” when I do a complete overhaul of my blog which is DEFINITELY happening soon (but after I disappear from the internet for an unspecified amount of time)
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Hahaha! I love embracing the chaos 😉
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