Armchair BEA: Blogging Development

Today's topic for Armchair BEA is how we go about developing our blog. 

My answer is going to be a very helpful one for you all... are you ready?

I have no idea!!!

You must remember that when I started this blog I knew nothing (and still don't really.) And... I'm guessing pretty much everyone else out there knew nothing... or at least not much. It was all still so new. All the stuff that there is now, all the talk, all the events, all the groups, all the "rules" and suggestions and... just all the blogging things... did not exist. There was no TWITTER!! Can you even imagine! :)

So, to me, starting a blog meant that I had a place, a public place (though granted I figured no one was reading it) to talk about what I was reading, and my love for books. People in my real life thought I was crazy, so I figured going online with this passion I would find other crazy people. 

And that's all I thought about. There simply wasn't anything more to it. 

But I knew I wanted readers, so I started trying to find places to connect. Back then it was through challenges, or doing meme's, or Booking Through Thursday, or just simply commenting a lot on other blogs....because I wanted to talk books, and I wanted people to find me and talk with me. 

Things have become a bit more complicated than that these days, haven't they?

Anyway, so here are the questions listed over at the main site Armchair BEA site that I will attempt to answer:

Have you branched out into your community? 

Yes, I have. Or at least I have tried. Both online and in real life. Online I'm quite involved in Bloggiesta! :) And doing events such as this one and BBAW. Sometimes the readathon. In real life, I'm often seen at signings and launch parties and I've organized a blogger party or two. Also, we've got a Utah Book Month thing going on, which is sort of a mixture of both online and in real life communities. I love it!

Do you partner with other bloggers? 

No, as far as writing my blog, no. I have partnered to start up events, like Utah Book Month, and working on Bloggiesta together. That sort of thing. And I've done a couple of read alongs with other bloggers. But for now, I'm keeping my actual blog just my own. Actually, probably for always.

 Have you gone "pro" or begun supplementing your income through your blog?

No, and I don't see this happening. For me, the blog is a hobby and a "for fun" thing. As soon as I start worrying about money, that all changes. And I'm not willing to go there. That would turn the whole thing into a stress and cause me to have a very different end goal in mind. Yeah, that's just not for me. 

 Are you a long-term blogger, and how has your online personality developed over the years? 

I'm guessing six years is long term, yes? And wow, I think my online personality has changed a lot over the years. I was timid and shy at first (much like I am in real life) but online I've become a lot more confident, for the most part. And much braver about what I'm posting and saying and thinking and joining. Yet, at the same time, I'm still pretty timid, and a fairly quiet online person. I tend watch and observe much more than get right into things. But yeah, it's pretty funny for me to read those first posts! I mean, some are fun, but mostly, they are pretty.... quiet-ish.

Man, I'm not even making sense!

So anyway, I think for me, blogging development is something that I have thought about only the past few years, and mostly it means that I'm trying to make sure other book bloggers know I exist so that I can make connections and talk books. It's a very simple philosophy, but one that I'm sticking with!