G’Day Bookworms!
It’s still Book Blogger Appreciation Week and I, for one, am having all the fun! Today’s topic is how we stay connected to the book blogging community. You know, social media, commenting on other blogs, and what have you. Unfortunately, lately, I kind of… Don’t. Womp womp.
That’s not entirely true, I guess. What is true is that I have FAILED massively at commenting on other people’s blogs. I’ll read them, but I have been the laziest when it comes to commenting. I had so much in my Feedly that I got overwhelmed, deleted the whole thing, then never rebuilt it. Over the course of this week I’ve made great strides in rebuilding it with new-to-me blogs and I’m pretty stoked about that! I’m hoping that by hopping around a bit this week I’ll rekindle some existing blog friendships, too. Here’s to turning over a new commenting leaf. February resolutions are totally a thing, right?
I play around with social media, too, of course. I chit chat with my blog friends on Facebook on the regular (though not usually though fan pages, just like, actual friendships. Facebook decided it hated fan pages. A PLAGUE ON BOTH YOUR HOUSES, FACEBOOK. Except not really. Because have you SEEN Zuckerberg’s new baby? OMG so much cute. I take back my metaphorical plagues.) Even though I feel like I’m constantly lurking and inserting myself into other people’s conversations, I do hang out on Twitter sometimes. Can we talk for a minute about how amazing the first #BBAW Twitter chat was? That hour flew by. I also Instagram which is always entertaining, if you like pictures of me in penguin sweaters and photos of things I’m coloring. I’m not kidding about the penguin sweaters, you guys. I have SO MANY penguin sweaters.
Alright, I’m kind of failing at this, Bookworms. I’m open to suggestions. How do y’all keep your blog world straight? Any tips for this lazy commenter?
heather
I checked out your Instagram. Your sweater game is strong!
Words For Worms
Why thank you, my dear!
Words For Worms
LOL, thank you! I try to limit myself to one penguin sweater a week, at least for work. I answered the door last weekend to new neighbors while wearing a penguin sweater, penguin socks, a penguin necklace, and holding a penguin coffee mug. I hope I didn’t frighten them.
River City Reading
I was quickly on the way to a huge commenting slump, but BBAW has kind of helped me in the same way. And is there any question that people LOVE penguin sweaters?
Words For Worms
BBAW has been a good kick in the pants in that regard for sure! I don’t think I want to know anyone who doesn’t love a good penguin sweater, honestly. I don’t need that kind of negativity in my life.
Kerry M
I was the same as Shannon — absolutely on track for a major commenting/blog reader slump, but BBAW has revived me! Let’s just see if it lasts…
PS love the IG sweaters
Words For Worms
I’m hoooooooooooooping the commenting sticks! We can do this!
Words For Worms
BBAW has been SO good for my commenting. I’m still not making it to everyone ever, but it’s been a big improvement. Of course, it’s pretty easy to improve upon doing absolutely nothing, so…
Trish
You are the awesome, Katie. As are your sweaters. I cannot see a penguin and not think of you. I’m guessing you were a penguin in a prior life? Or maybe you will be in your next life.
Feedly overwhelms me, too. And yet I added two new blogs on there this morning. CURSES.
Words For Worms
My favorite thing in the entire world is hearing that people think of me when they see penguins. It makes me stupid happy.
Kristina
Love the instagram! I’m horrible at commenting too, and my feed reader has blown up this week. I wonder how we will ever keep up!
Words For Worms
Thanks! I anticipate an Instagram flurry this weekend because I get to hang out with my niece/goddaughter and she is the cutest freaking kid. Someone is going to get smothered with kisses from Crazy Aunt Katie. And that someone is Emma Jane!
Jeanne
I’m not sure we have to keep it all straight, but it’s nice to go around to a group of blogs we read regularly and try to comment once in a while. Still, there are blogs that intimidate me–the readers are so much more clever–and there are few that write engagingly about books I’m not all that interested in, so I don’t comment.
Words For Worms
Oooh I know the type. I always feel ill-qualified to comment on certain blogs based on either content or general brilliance.
nerdybookgirl
Yay connections! I use bloglovin and I spend my lunch break commenting. I can usually do 20 to 30 minutes of blog reading and commenting in that time. Otherwise my feed has too much and I get overwhelmed.
Words For Worms
You are a lady who has learned to use her time wisely, no doubt.
ThatAshGirl
We all send you so many penguin things.
And lets face it. My instagram feed is my cat, my knitting and coloring! Btw….Johanna Basford’s next book is Jungle themed! Yay.
Words For Worms
My instagram feed has a lot of pictures of me with other people’s children, too. Crazy Aunt Katie cannot be contained.
Jenny
It’s hard staying up to date with everyone’s blogs. I try to keep up but some weeks I just have to live life and come back when I have time.
Words For Worms
I totally hear you. Only I never manage to come back after just that one week. I’m just like “now there are too many posts! I give up!”
priscilla
Commenting. Why so hard? Why why why? I probably rely on Twitter too much, and I’m afraid if I started using IG that people would get tired of my cats.
Words For Worms
It kind of seems like people are okay with Twitter interaction- I mean it should totally count, right? And if my instagram feed is any indication, people never get tired of seeing pics of other people’s cats.
Kay
I think commenting is either your thing or it’s not. And there’s room for everyone and what they prefer. I do a lot of commenting, but I’m a whiz at typing very fast and my thumbs are still learning to ‘type’. LOL
Words For Worms
High five on that. I’ll refer back to this when I feel commenting shame (self inflicted, of course.)
Florinda PVasquez (@florinda_3rs)
I always forget about Instagram as a “social media” thing! And I am a fan of anything penguin :-).
Words For Worms
YOU ARE MY PEOPLE! Shall we discuss the glory of the penguin? Noble, noble aqua bird.
Deepika Ramesh
I love animals. I love your blog. And, I love your penguin sweaters too. 😀
Words For Worms
D’awww, I’m blushing now.
Julianne - Outlandish Lit
I get suuuuper overwhelemed by feedly and end up not commenting on anything which is a huge problem. but I’m trying really hard rn to get my act together. I think I have to reorganize it again ugh. ~so glad we follow each other on instagram now~
Words For Worms
YES YES YES. To all of this! And heck yes with the IG!!! (You miiiiiight end up becoming my fashion/hair/makeup guru. Or I’ll just admire your style whilst carrying on with the penguin sweaters.)
JoulesDellinger
I want more Katie on Instagram!!
Words For Worms
Your wish is my command. Maybe. LOL.
Lory @ Emerald City Book Review
Oh drat, I missed the Twitter chat! Next year I have to make it.
Words For Worms
It was great fun!
Laurie C
I missed the Twitter chat, too, because I was writing a blog post! Missed BBAW Day 5 almost entirely, but I did a lot of commenting the other days and really appreciated the extra commenting from you and others, too!
Words For Worms
It’s impossible to be everywhere at once!
Elizabeth @ Earl Grey Editing
The Twitter chat for BBAW was pretty awesome, though I missed the second due to timezones (seriously, I love you guys, but there’s no way I’m getting up at 4am).
I struggle with commenting, too. Something I find helpful is having a specific time in which to do it. Andi also made a good point over at Estella’s Revenge that sharing someone else’s post can be helpful–especially when you’ve enjoyed the post but don’t have anything to say.
Words For Worms
Hahahaha oh man, I wouldn’t have been getting up at 4 am either. Not a chance!