I don't usually do posts like these. Wait what do I mean usually? I mean never. And it's because I've never felt the need to (among other reasons). But as of late there has been a post and if you know the post then you know what I mean and if you don't then it's still A-OK. I agree with the post and the fact that each blogger has the right to express what they want. However, some drama has also arisen due to a difference of opinions. Guys let's not forget that we're all entitled to our own opinions and that is what makes me love you all - what makes everybody unique. It seems some negativity(?) has come about around the book blogging community - the way some people say/do things that others don't agree with...
Which is why I want to go back to the reasons why I love the book blogging community. There's #LoveAThon coming up in February to spread the blog positivity, so don't forget to sign up for that on either Alexa, Cee, Mel or Hazel's blogs.
It's no secret that this blog has struggled. I've mentioned it a million and one times so won't bore you with the details. But if you read between the lines enough you might have noticed that underneath, I had notions of quitting. I don't though. I keep on hanging on because of reasons:
I was welcomed with open arms. When I first started using Twitter to discuss books and writing on my blog, everybody was SO welcoming. My friend Mariam introduced me to people and Saz tweeted about my blog and then all these amazing people started talking to me and following me (Alice, Shirley, Pavan, Claire, Hannah, Kim, Kerrie, Kat... and so many other Aussie bloggers). I don't want to stop talking to these beautiful people. When I met so many of them in real life at my first book event after only blogging for 3 months, everybody treated me like I was one of them.
Publishers are so inclusive. I started to hesitantly email and introduce myself to publishers after reviewing for 3 months and ALL. THE. AUSSIE. PUBLISHERS. ARE. SO. FREAKING. NICE. I still remember how daunting it was to send my first email to a publicist introducing myself and asking if I could be added to their database to know about new books. The replies I got were welcoming and I felt so grateful. To this day, I try to regularly email publicists to not only maintain that relationship, but yes while they're busy at work, sometimes a nice email that simply says "hi how are you" puts a smile on people's busy days - hey we're all human.
Interacting with publishers is so fun. Beyond the emails publishers hold chats (PTA Chat) and blogging events (PTA Live, BTCYA Bloggers Night just to name a few) which are open to all. I love getting to interact and joke around with the publicists on social media and in real life. It's a bit of heckling and a lot of fangirling and it gives me all the warm and fuzzies to see how PTA basically reply to all the tweets on a PTA Chat night.
Butting in to Twitter conversations like yeah. The amount of times I do this and have had people just include me in conversations warms my heart. It's such an open community and a lot of the time I lurk and lurk and sometimes I take the plunge and add my comment - people will reply and the spamming begins all over again yisss.
Getting to meet bloggers in real life. Every time there's a bookish event I get to meet more of the amazing people I fangirl with on Twitter. And it's just so good to see everybody and chat books and fangirl about stuff (EVAN WALKER AFTER THE 5TH WAVE MOVIE YEAH).
Friends beyond the blog. So many of these people I've met I now text and chat to on a weekly if not daily basis. We go to movies together (Joy), go out shopping (Jess), text when we feel like it or when we need someone to talk to (Kat and Mel) and it feels so great because you guys get me. You get me more than people I've known since high school get me.
Sharing is caring. And every time we meet up I love the book swaps that happen. We share the book love and just keep on giving.
The friendships have no borders. I've talked a lot about the Aussie YA book community but I've created friendships with so many like-minded people overseas. There's my fellow Sarah J Maas fans Alexa, Rachel, Judith and Katie. Alexa always takes the time to talk to people and she is such a caring person. I go fangirl crazy with Judith and Ellis who are in Europe. And I've bonded with Lisa and Siiri over Melina Marchetta and the Calloway Sisters series. Lyn is my resident KH fan and Hafsah, Cee and Josephine inspire me with their beautiful blogs and designs.
I don't want to stop meeting such wonderful people. Along the way I've met so many other amazing bloggers and my fingers would fall off if I wrote everybody's name (YOU'RE ALL TOO WONDERFUL) but people like Jeann and Emily who always take the time to read posts and leave thoughtful comments, the people I talk to on Twitter yeh now I'm rambling... I want to keep forming these friendships.
The blogs themselves are beautiful. I love traversing and lurking on people's blogs. I get a bit envious seeing all the amazing post ideas and wonderful designs I admit. I admire the thought people put into their reviews and how their opinions are different/eye-opening. I like the way discussion posts are thought provoking and have people sharing ideas. I love seeing the features that people do that showcase their books and likes/dislikes and tell me more about the blogger. And I especially love the sweet comments that result from all this.
These are just some of the many reasons why I love the book blogging community. I'm not gonna lie and say we haven't been shaken up once in a while by drama but the overall community is so supportive and can come out stronger.
If you feel that you can't speak up as a new blogger or whatever, don't feel this way. Send me a tweet saying hi on Twitter - I swear I don't bite!
