Instagram or Bookstagram
I like taking pictures of books! Also occasionally myself, my dogs, my cats, influenster campaigns, and makeup. I call it a bookstagram account, but I really just take pictures of what I want. I like it because it's another way to document my reading life. I don't use a fancy camera, it's just my phone camera, which I think does a spectacular job. I don't have fancy editing software. I just use what's on the instagram app. I also don't consider it a job or something I HAVE to do every day. It's just a fun thing for me to do. I'm hovering around the 200 followers mark, which is pretty cool. Thankyou to all my awesome followers.
I do have my issues with bookstagram. Things that irritate me. I don't like shoutout for shoutout posts. The whole post 1 or 5 of my pictures, leave them up for 3 hours, tag me in the post, and I'll be kind enough to mention your name on my account. The idea of having to follow all these rules in order for someone to just mention your name/account just feels fake and dirty. It feels like a focus on numbers rather than just having fun and making friends. I also don't like the like for like posts or comments either. I'm going to like someone's photo because I like their photo, not because I feel obligated because they liked one of mine. The same with follow for follow. I'll follow you because I want to, not because we've made some kind of deal in order to gain more followers. The last thing that irks me is when people post book pictures and the comments are totally irrelevant to what the picture shows. I use my bookstagram account to show current reads, do short reviews of books I've just finished, or showcase books I've just acquired. There's just something that irks me about seeing a beautiful photo of a book and then the comment says, "Is anyone craving tacos? I'm craving tacos." or "I just had the longest day at work, it was awful." What is the point of that? I now know that your account is one that just has a stockpile of pictures of books, but the books are just there to be pretty, cause you're not talking about them.
Okay, rant over. I don't like everything about bookstagram. I think some people take it too seriously. But I like being on there, taking pictures, and sharing my reading life. Just spreading the word about books really.
Youtube subgenre Booktube
I don't think I have a favorite favorite post I've made on booktube. I'm kind of okay with all of them. The only one that pops into my mind as a favorite is the Zombie Apocalypse BookTag, just because that was really fun to make. I'll include the link here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYECbtnPty4
My relationship with booktube has been a little rocky. I started making videos in April of 2012 and have kind of had an on/off relationship with it. Making videos takes time. There's getting ready for them, filming them, editing them, posting them. Sometimes I get lazy and I don't want to do it. So my channel hasn't always been consistent. There were times when I was bitter because other channels were growing at crazy rates while I felt mine was on a plateau. I had to come to realize that I was making videos because it was fun for me, not because I wanted to get internet famous and have thousands of subscribers. I'm trying to be more consistent on my channel now. I'm trying to post a video once a week. We'll see how I do. I do really like booktube. I subscribe to a lot of channels. I've made great friends from it, like Ali and Ke-sha just to name a few. If I never pass the 1,000 subscriber mark, I'll be okay. As long as I enjoy doing it, I'm gonna do it.
Since I had an irk about bookstagram, I might as well give one about booktube. My one irk would have to be the influx of sponsored videos. Or at least booktubers that only seem to do sponsored videos. It makes me question the honesty of the reviews they are giving, because they are essentially being paid to promote a book. Now, I'm happy that they are successful, I just don't like the ones that get tons of subscribers and then lose that authenticity, that realness, the reason that I subscribed to them in the first place. Does that make sense? It's going to have to do.
Goodreads
I love Goodreads! I always have the tab open on my computer. I feel that it's a great way to discover new books and keep track of your reading progress. I love the yearly reading challenge Goodreads has. I've taken part in it since 2012, and it's just fun. Probably what I'm most proud of on my Goodreads account is my gif reviews. I'm so glad my friend Ke-sha showed me how to post gifs, because they are so fun. Here's an example of one of my gif reviews or reactions.
As of now, I have no irks about Goodreads. I think it's really fun. They also have this cool thing called the Goodreads FirstReads Giveaways where you can enter for the chance to win free books. Did someone say free books? Yes Please. Now it's all a random draw thing and the more you review the books you win, the better your chances will be for winning another. But I have won 7+ books in Goodreads giveaways and there is no better feeling than getting that email saying you won. Love it! If you want to be friends with me on Goodreads, please do! I have no questions you have to answer or reasons of why you want to be my friend. I just like Goodreads.
My Blog
No link needed cause you are already here :D
My blog, which you are at right now! Hi, Nice to See You! I've had a strange relationship with my blog as well. I started it in January of 2012 and have taken breaks over the years. Recently, like at the beginning of 2016, I decided that I really wanted to keep my blog updated with posts. Like be consistent about doing reviews and other posts. So far, I feel that I've done an okay job with that. It's also been fun.
In the beginning, I had the false hopes of starting a blog and then just being bombarded with arcs. Reality set in, and I realized getting to that status would take a lot of hard work and time. I get arcs occasionally, and I'm always super excited when I do, but I still haven't reached that holy grail book blogger status. Maybe I never will, and that's okay. As long as my blog continues to be fun for me, I'm going to continue doing it.
Probably some of my favorite posts I've done on here haven't even been my book posts. I mean, I've been proud of some of my Top 5 Wednesday posts. I really love adding gifs to things. But the ones that I had the most fun doing this year have been my review posts of The 100 Season 3. I love that show! I still have to post my reviews for the last two episodes and my general thoughts on Season 3, I'll do that eventually. But they've also been the posts that have gotten the most views, which is always exciting to see. I'll put a couple of my favorites down here. WARNING! They have SPOILERS for the episodes they concern. So if you don't want to be SPOILED for anything that happens in The 100 in Season 3, don't click on the links.
Some people might not be fans, because they are not book related posts on my book blog, but I feel that this is my place, a place where I can share my different loves and hobbies. And they were just kind of fun to make, very time-consuming, but fun to make.
I've been really enjoying the blog life. It's been nice to see my view count go up each day. Maybe one day, I'll be one of those lucky book bloggers that gets arcs all the time. I can dream!
So that's my Top 5 Wednesday. I feel like I might have not done the best job of sticking to the topic of my Top 5 Favorite Posts/Videos, but oh well. These are things I'm proud of and that I enjoy doing. If you want to join in on the Top 5 Wednesday fun, you totally should. Each Wednesday, there is a new, fun topic to contemplate and discuss. Check out all the other Top 5 Wednesday-ers Here!
This type of message always inspiring and I prefer to read quality content, so happy to find good place to many here in the post, the writing is just great, thanks for the post. all natural makeup brands
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteExactly, you're very kind of us about comment!. facials tampa
ReplyDelete