This blog started out as an outlet to talk about books, and now it’s officially been a year as of writing this post. Actually posting it is another story since after more than year of not seeing one another, it was decided we needed a vacation of the reunion type.

I have had wonderful experiences so far. The bookish community has been welcoming, and I’ve loved being able to commiserate with bloggers over some books as well as share the love over other books. Now, if I could just replicate this in real life too, I would be living the good life.

WHAT I’VE LeARNED

Here are some things that I’ve learned while blogging.

• Do what you like, write what you want. There is a lot of content out there, and there were temptations along to the way to conform to different writing styles because I felt as though my reviews were horrible. I’ve since become more comfortable with knowing that how I write will often be related to how much I liked or didn’t like a book as well as what mood I’m in.
• Attributions. I try to mindful about attributing content to their respective creators.
• Be courteous and kind.
• If you don’t get approved for an ARC, it’s okay. It’s not personal, even if it can feel like it is.
• Tags and memes are super fun. They also provide a mental break from reviews when needed. There are so many to choose from so do ones you like. I particularly enjoy Six Degrees of Separation and Let’s Talk Bookish
• Blogging should be fun. Reading should be fun. When it starts to feel like a chore, it might be a sign to take a break–long, short, whatever feels best. Also, it’s okay not to review every book I read. It helps make blogging feel less like a chore.

FREE ReSOURCES

Here is a list of resources that are free for the most part. They may just require you to sign up.

• UNSPLASH
  A resource for free images. I’ve used the images for quotes, and there are so many images to choose from!
• HUNGRY JPEG, CREATIVE FABRICA, DESIGNBUNDLES, FONTBUNDLES
  There are $1 deals and weekly freebies all the time. I get a lot of fonts and images from here. The freebies also usually come with commercial licenses as well but double check when you’re downloading them.
• KRITA
  This is an open source program I utilize. It can do a lot of things but I use it for simple stuff because I don’t know how to do much. Heh… So far, it’s worked for the things I’ve needed it for.
• CANVA
  I’ve used Canva before but not so much for blogging. It’s a great resource, although it can be somewhat limited for what it offers for free.
• GRAMMARLY
  I use this to double check my writing because I sometimes skip words or write something twice when I edit. It’s helpful. It’s free but is limited to a few things like whether the writing is clear and correct but there are premium suggestions that you only get access to if you pay. I’ve liked the free service so far. My biggest fear about it is if I become to reliant on it! Heh…

FAVORITE BOOKiSH POSTS

Blog hopping is one of my favorite things to do during the week, and there are a few blog features that I always make sure to read as soon as I see them in my inbox or on my reader.

• A Fox’s Wanderings: All Time Favorites is from one of the cutest blogs ever that features the most adorable fox. I love Alienor’s graphics. All Time Favorites is a feature that highlights Alienor’s absolute favorite books.
• Emandherbooks: Map Monday was inspired by the pandemic and the inability to travel. Em shares a book and provides facts about the place in the book. I love reading about the places and make note of those I’d like to travel to one day, although I’ve never been much of a traveler.
• One Book More: Loving the Lines spotlights Julie’s favorite lines from a book or series. As someone who loves to highlight favorite lines and can easily swoon over them, this bookish post has turned me to a few books because I’ve loved the lines Julie’s featured.

I look forward to more reading, more blogging, and more posts to read.
Thank you so much for being a part of my journey.