Miscellaneous is the tagline to store random posts that don’t really belong elsewhere. They may involve tags, awards, challenges, and other book blogging nonsense.
What’s Miscellaneous Today?
The Secret Life of a Book Blogger Tag
I was tagged by Chanice @ Inside The Mind of a Bibliophile and someone else—I think—I’m pretty terrible at keeping track at who tags me for these. Either way, thank you for tagging me to complete these questions. (I couldn’t find any rules for this so let’s make it up as we go!
How long have you been a blogger?
While I officially started this journey late November 2013 with sporadic reviews here and there that gained very limited traction, I think I officially started getting into the community sometime within the first quarter of 2014. But I’ll always have Nov 27th, 2013 as my blogiversary. The blogging journey is a package deal.
At what point do you think you’ll stop blogging?
Hard to say. Time changes all the time; including interests, so I don’t know when this journey will end. I’m still at a point where so many things are new and exciting. Fact is: you start this journey for yourself but in a sense you stay for those you’re doing it with (re: community). But if I do decide to quit, it’ll come back full circle to me and on my own terms rather than extraneous factors. Sounds bleak as hell but that’s just how I [currently] view this question. Ask me again next year and you’ll have a different answer.
What’s the best thing about blogging?
I’m going to assume this question as asking what my favourite/best thing about blogging is. Superficially, it’s when someone views/comments. You don’t know how happy it makes me when one single thought branches out into many different paths of thinking. It’s even better when they get a kick out of your writing.
What’s the worst thing about blogging?
For niche communities like book blogging, the entire aspect of content writing (whether it involves reviews, discussions, or weekly memes) is a blessing and a curse. It really is. As much as I “enjoy” smashing the keyboard so something is created, the stress is real. And it’s not so much that I question how others will feel but it involves reaching a level of self-satisfaction; something perfectly imperfect that has my branded stamp of a voice—if that makes sense?
How long does it take for you to find/create pictures for your post?
Depends on the post.
Reviews—I’m not a big fan of pictures of GIFs for reviews; they seriously eat bandwidth like crazy and impedes on load time. Otherwise, my new summative review graphic only takes like 5~10 minutes (it takes long because I never know what rating to give a book).
For everything else—depends on what I’m trying to achieve. It could be 30 minutes, an hour, several hours.
Who is your book crush?
I’m quite jaded with crushes because they’ve been mostly all damsel-y. I could give you a list of tv/film though (in no particular order): Donna (Suits), Jemma (SHIELD), Anna Kendrick (as herself), and also [probably] a man-crush on Chris Pratt (but who doesn’t?). Anyone who’s just wicked cool wins in my books.
What author would you like to have on your blog?
Is this a legitimate question? Ofcourseitwouldtotallybepatrickness.
What do you wear when you write your blog posts?
A lot of my posts get half baked when I’m out and about. So, clothes?
But when I’m actually churning out the gritty details at home, then, yeah, clothes too?
How long does it take you to prepare?
For what? (Whoever wrote some of these questions…man :/)
How do you feel about the book/blogger community?
(At first I thought this question was one to spur the pot-stirring of drama…)
I think it has its moments of ups and downs. But mostly up. It’s just that when it’s swimming in negativity…it’s like, drowning itself in the whirlpool. I’ve only come across a small handful of incidences that made me give the stink eye (mainly because I’m a nobody in this community so I don’t really hear of drama or get dragged into it). So it’s been great so far! Not to mention the recent Book Blog Ontario Meet-Up – yikes, that was super fun!
What should be done to achieve a successful blog?
The merit of success differs per blogger. What do you want from this experience? You don’t have to scream it into the world; it’s of no concern to anyone but yourself. Even if you’re thinking “I don’t really know [regarding this question]”, I’d argue that your mind and heart do gravitate towards something—and whatever that may be, it is what it is.
Posts? Discussions? Stats? ARCs? Connections/networking? Friendships? All of it? Some of it? None of it? – Ultimately, a successful blog is as much what you make of it as what you take away. Personally, I’d like to think of every little success as part of a bigger ball of success.
So how do I gauge the little successes? In quantifiable views and comments. (How incredibly superficial, right?) People will tell you not to worry about stats, that it’s not the be-all, end-all. I’ll say that you have the option of harnessing that information in your favour. A good example for me to use is this: I look at real life shit and transition it into book-related content. (How else would I have talked about the male scent regarding cologne in fiction (note: I do not smell like wood)?) When I know there’s possible reader interest, it simply opens up the door for writing inspiration. It’s really what keeps things interesting for me from a discussion standpoint. Even better is if I can elicit a textual “LOL” – then I’ll just add it to the ball o’ success and keep rolling. Onward we go.
Who to tag but these wonderful peeps:
Erika @ Erika in Bookventureland
Josephine @ Josie’s Book Corner
Jesse Nicholas @ Books At Dawn
Kelly @ Dancing Through The Pages
Lauren @ SERIESous Book Reviews
Rachel @ Confessions of a Book Geek
…and you if you would like to do it (it’s a pretty solid schedulable-post!)
Afterthoughts:
Another Sat, another tag, am I right?
(I hope no one notices that I’m rehashing the same ~40 names throughout all of these tags I’ve done LOL. I should fix that…later. #procrastination)
Cheers,
Joey
connect: afterthoughtAn // twitter | anotherafterthought // goodreads
thoughts and afterthoughts. 
Your answers were quite interesting and quite contradictory to what I feel. 😀
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Haha, that’s okay! Different perspectives are a thing to be embraced!
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That’s where fun is, right? 😛
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I don’t think your best thing is superficial, because of the dictionary definition of superficial. If it makes you happy, then it has a deep meaning to you and no one should try to say, “Oh, but that’s not really important.”, or “You only care about numbers, really?!” Like, if it makes you happy, it isn’t superficial, in my opinion.
You really don’t know how much you save me when you tag me in things. Keep ’em coming! (*whispers* Please)
It gives me something to write while I try to produce other ideas. I appreciate it.
For your worst thing, my exact reaction was, *nods* “Oh, definitely.” I have a large stack of outlines to type, and boy, the stress certainly is real. *shoves Oreo ice cream down throat*
LOLOLOLOL to the sarcastic answer in response to the what do you wear question. And I like what you said for success, as well. Thanks for the tag, Joey! (Please keep tagging. Please.)
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Thank you for those words of encouragement, as always.
In terms of the semantics of superficial, that’s definitely one way to consider it I guess (if a bit too positive for my black heart). I definietly do take into the consideration the opinion of the world (naturally); which is why I labeled it as superficial.
Tags seem to be never-ending; which I can’t tell if it’s a good thing or a bad thing because it’s almost gotten to the point that all the questions are just reworded versions of itself.
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Great answers! I have followed all of the blogs here! Thanks for the post! ~
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Thanks Krystol! I hope you find time to indulge in all the rad content these bloggers consistently post!
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Oooh this tag seems pretty deep. I relate to a lot of your answers, especially the ones about the blog community and the stress. I’m always thinking about what I can do to make my blog and posts better.
Lol to the “what do you wear when writing” question. I think that’s a strange question because what else would I wear besides clothes? Thanks for tagging me!
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It’s probably not really deep but I made it deep (because why not? LOL). Overthinking is a blessing and a curse! What’s good is when you try to think while lying down and you end up sleeping. It’s quite liberating, actually, cause then you forget what your worries are when you wake up. (But do as I say and not as I do.)
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Overthinking is a real problem for me. I was trying to sleep yesterday but I ended up being kept up for another hour because of the thoughts I had. I’d much prefer the latter possibility you mentioned.
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As usual, your post is awesome and your answers were entertaining. I can agree, that my mind also changes so quickly that I don’t know how long I will stay within the blogging community!
Stats do have some importance, I love looking at my stats everyday and comparing them to months before, but of course it is best not to make it a sole focus point.
Thank you for tagging me! 😄
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Hopefully we’ll both be in it for the long haul! Next up in your long-term blogging journey: josiethebookworm.com (or otherwise, if you’re rebranding)!
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Love your answer to the last question!
I also approve of your man-crush on Chris Pratt. I myself have a girl-crush on Donna from Suits 😉
Thanks for the tag!
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DONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNAAAAAA.
One day I will walk by the downtown core and be like “oh, hey Donna, getting that coffee for Harvey?” (but then I’d break down and cry because she works for Litt UGH).
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Thanks for tagging me Joey!
I hope you keep going with your blog because your wit always makes me laugh but I understand about the changes in mind and interests. It’s a big unknown. Clothes are always a good choice for writing, I find. Very inspirational.
I think people often find it embarrassing to say that views and comments matter most to them but it’s always good to know you have a supporting audience and you aren’t just writing into a void.
Prepare? That confused me. Maybe mentally prepare yourself for the word vomit that is about to occur when you sit down at the computer. I don’t know.
I totally approve, Chris Pratt is crush-worthy!
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In all seriousness, I was going to reply with “t-shirt and boxers” because I’m all for transparency…but then I was like “no, I could make this witty”–you know how it is.
Speaking into the void is a rite of passage for any blogger, I find. (I’m glad I’m over the hurdle though, sort of.)
Pratt and Faris have risen the ranks of favourite Hollywood couple (yes, I’m super lame like that). Both of them are just super people.
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You too have lessened the drafting queue by one (that was worded very oddly, haha)! Gosh, some of these questions are quite confusing but those are some deep answers. Thanks for tagging me Joey!
…and I’ve always noticed Patrick Ness in your posts but I have still yet to read any of his books. I’ll read More Than This and his Chaos Walking trilogy someday!
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The lessening is a lie. I’ve come to the conclusion that when you do one tag, you get tagged for two more. How are there this many tags? I shouldn’t be asking that because I have 2-3 original tags in the works right now LOL.
You know our friendship would explode from cult to something much deeper if you enjoyed Ness. I don’t know what’s deeper than a cult..but surely it’s not a good thing. (So maybe it’s best if you stay away.)
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I love your answers to the questions! 🙂
I am actually surprised I am even still blogging, to be honest.
I’ve started and quit this blog so many times over the last 4-5 years, lol!
This is probably the longest and most active I’ve ever been.
Thanks for tagging me! 🙂
I already did this tag, so if you want to see my answers I’ll link you below.
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