One year of blogging: thoughts, goals and reflections
I almost can’t believe that I am writing this post! This time last year I decided to finally start my own blog after years of hesitation. My first post was incredibly difficult to write and I spent hours rewriting and editing it before posting. Ever since then, this journey has developed in ways I couldn’t have ever imagined and looking back, I am so glad that I continued and didn’t give it up.
When I think back to my reading choices before I started this blog, I almost can’t believe that I restricted myself to only one or two genres. My Goodreads account consisted of a rotation of thrillers, contemporary fiction and a few classics thrown in but I never allowed myself to step out of my comfort zone and try a book originally published in a different language or a historical fiction novel set in a time or setting unfamiliar to me. Engaging with other bloggers, authors and publishers inspired me to branch out to so many books that I was initially unsure about but ended up loving.
Not only did my reading choices change, but my writing also gradually improved to the point where I now feel comfortable publishing book review posts without having to rewrite the majority of the content. I am still a long way away from producing the kind of content that I aspire to create but I recognise that it takes both time and effort and so I have found myself gradually becoming more eager to work on my writing.
Creating my own brand and sticking with a schedule have been my main struggles with blogging and a huge part of my goals for this year. Today, I am pleased to disclose my new theme as well as a much more appealing logo and banner. Organising my schedule is my next priority and something I hope to overcome in the next few months; I recognise that my ideas for Studious Saturday discussion posts have been limited lately and want to completely focus on these posts rather than book reviews which now come much more easily to me.
Finally, the most pleasantly surprising element of blogging has been the huge support from other fellow bloggers and the interest from publishers and authors. I have read some truly excellent ARCs and connected with so many wonderful members of the book blogging community. As of today I have nearly 300 followers which is so many more than I ever expected and the amount of positive comments and support on my posts is so uplifting and encouraging. The community is full of many lovely people and I am pleased to have found the select few who have become friends and excited to find many more in the years to come. Thank you to all who have supported me during this past year and I cannot wait for the new challenges and ideas to come for Facing the Story!
23 Comments
Jules_Writes
Happy one year blogging anniversary! I’m very glad to be one of those 300 followers.
facingthestory
Thank you, Jules!
Stephen Writes
Congratulations on your blogging anniversary and great post, Darina. I’m so grateful to have discovered your blog, you write very well and I love discussing books with you.
facingthestory
Thanks, Stephen! I also really enjoy discussing books with you and look forward to continuing to do so in the future!
Mani
Happy 1st blogiversary!!! And here’s to many more Darina xx
facingthestory
Thank you, Mani!
Annie
Happy anniversary, Darina, a lovely post again with your thoughts on your book choices and development of your ideas. I am always looking forward to reading your posts and am very happy to be one of your followers! Good luck with all your future book reviews and Studious Saturday posts!
facingthestory
Thank you! I am also very thankful that you have been following me and supporting me during this journey!
jennifertarheelreader
Happy Anniversary, Darina! We started blogging just one month apart! I love that! I think you are a wonderful writer. Your writing shines, and I sincerely mean that. It’s no wonder authors and publishers have been interested in having you read and review their books. I look forward to every post from you and have fixed my notification button for your posts because it had been reset. Best wishes for many more years of blogging! ♥️
Darina
Thank you so much for the kind words, Jennifer! <3 I really enjoy sharing our thoughts on books we've both read and I also always look forward to your posts and have discovered many new amazing authors through your recommendations. It's your blogging anniversary too I guess, so congratulations and I hope to see your posts for years to come!
Kristina
Awww happy blogoversary!! ❤️❤️ This was a wonderful one to read!
I agree, back before i started blogging there was so many genres i didn’t knew about… but I mainly followed my godmother’s more elaborate reading, as she was the only that read around me – mom jumped in WAY later when she got on dialysis. And of course just picked whatever from my school library without paying too much attention. Theres still that ONE book I remember wanting to continue but arhh i can’t remember 🤦🏽♀️ (Was end of the year i read the first, and well.. forgot back in sept..)
Darina
Thanks so much! <3 Ah that's so nice to have those memories with your family although I guess it's true that our memories of books slowly fade away after some time.
Inge | The Belgian Reviewer
Happy 1 year blogiversary lovely!! You’ve done amazing things in that first year and I look forward to many more great posts from you this next year!
Darina
Thank you, Inge! I am really excited for the next year ahead too!
FictionFan
Congratulations! I’m new to your blog so I look forward to getting to know you through your posts and reviews over the coming months. I hope you continue to enjoy blogging – it really does help to widen all our reading tastes, I think, and to meet like-minded bookish people! 😀
Darina
It’s been so great getting to know other book bloggers and my taste in books has improved for the better I reckon! Thank you! 🙂
Shruti | This is Lit
Happy blogversary! And here’s to many more! 🥂❤️
One of the best things about blogging is really the community. I don’t know where I’d be without them. 🙂
Darina
Thank you <3 Definitely, it's so lovely to be a part of the book blogging community!
Meggy | Chocolate'n'Waffles
Happy blogiversary! I really like your new design! 🙂
I love the sense of community book bloggers have created, and I’m glad we’re both part of it 🙂
Darina
Thank you! I agree completely!
Sophie Li
Congrats on your 1 year blogiversary!!! That’s an awesome accomplishment 🙂
Darina
Thanks so much 🙂
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