blogging

Should Writers Start A Blog? (Is It Helpful Or Will It Explode Your Hair?)

24th Mar 2018 by C.G. @ Paper Fury 113 Comments

It’s very common for writers to have someone whisper-shriek in their ear, “OH! You should blog if you’re a writer!”

The question we all are obviously asking is…Well?? Is it true? Should you blog if you’re a writer? People say it all the time, BUT WHY, JOHN. What exactly does it do? Is it beneficial? Or is it another thing to make your hair spontaneously light up and explode into dozens of fiery flames?

**Since I am, in fact, a blogger and an author, I feel like I’m 14% qualified to tackle this subject. So BUCKLE UP. You’re in for a mouthful of my opinions.**

Now obviously I do love blogging because HELLO! I wouldn’t be here typing this and fighting with my broken keyboard * unless I really enjoyed it. But there are pros and cons. So let’s unpack them.

Also FYI: this post is from the point-of-view of a traditionally published author. I’m not speaking for indie authors as I am not one! And this is also from the point-of-view of me, which is dubious at best, and my book is not quite out yet. (73 DAYS TO GO.)

Now let’s get to it.

* Yes it’s broken AGAIN. I have had this new computer (back on warranty) for 3 months and the stupid keyboard types spaces on its own. This is not a sci-fi adventure, you frikkin’ space bar. Settle down and move oNLY WHEN I TELL YOU TO.

QUESTION #1: “DOES BLOGGING HELP YOU GET A BOOK DEAL?”

For me it absolutely did not influence whether my agent or my publisher signed with me. I don’t even think they were aware I was an established blogger until recently. So blogging has a heck of a lot of benefits but PLEASE don’t sit there thinking that if you can only scrounge up 12 followers after a hundred years blogging that you are worthless as a writer.

A publisher is not publishing your blog.

I’m also pretty sure if you said, “Should I work on my book or my blog?” that most people in the publishing world would be like: “uM YOur bOOK OBVIOUSLY.”

QUESTION #2: “SO OBVIOUSLY BLOGGING = NO BIG DEAL THEN.”

No no come back here you little fishling. I’m not finished yet.

Publishing isn’t solely about your book either: it’s about you. Having an online presence is important! Most publishers are here to sell your career, not a single book. Being successful online isn’t a make-or-break thing (I mean did you see how famous The Hunger Games got?! Suzanne Collins isn’t online at all), but it’s definitely somewhere you can:

give updates on what’s happening with your books
generate excitement for your books
lure new readers in sneakily by being a stunningly fantastic person so they go “oh! I must read that author’s book then!”
sell your books
create hype for your books
give teasers
give recipes for disaster
conjure leagues of darkness etc. etc.

One of my biggest reasons I blogged pre-being-anywhere-near-to-being-published was so that I could build an army to buy my book when it came out. I wouldn’t be UNKNOWN.

I have no idea if this will hugely affect my sales, but I HOPE! I’ve cobbled together at least 60,000 followers before I signed my book deal, so C’MON ON. If at least 10% of you buy my book, that would be amazing?! I have raised you from the darkness, work with me now, fiends.

For me, blogging = definitely has been beneficial for raising an audience. And now you’re all really curious to see what damage I can do in 300 pages. Trust me: it’s a LOT. Be excited.

Also as an author with autism and social anxiety, I knew waaaay back that I personally wasn’t going to be able to attend book signings or conferences (at least right now). So I’ve put a heck of a lot of work into my blog to try and balance that out.

QUESTION #3: “DOES BLOGGING HELP IMPROVE MY WRITING AT LEAST?”

I have heard people mention that blogging is a good way to practise writing. And my entire opinion on that is: HAHAHAHA no. I do not blog like I write novels. You’ll see bits of me in A Thousand Perfect Notes (examples include cake scenes and a 5 year old who would rather have a pink knife for her pretend-kitchen than a whisk).

But writing for a blog is sooo different to writing for a book?! For me, blogging is about visuals and writing engaging/short/witting posts and using terrible puns at every opPUNtunity. Whereas writing is about creating worlds and engaging characters and putting stories inside stories inside stories. And also using terrible puns at every opPUNtunity. They have that in common thank goodness.

Sometimes I think blogging has made my grammar worse… But that’s not for me to worry about. That’s for my copy-editors to cry over when 70% of my book is typos.

QUESTION #4: “I MEAN, I DON’T EVEN HAVE A LOT OF TIME, CAIT. HOW DO I BALANCE BLOGGING VS WRITING?!”

This is the big question. If you’re in school or work full time…you’re cramming every spare second into your manuscript. I get that! And if you have to choose: CHOOSE YOUR BOOK. In 10 years time, my readers won’t remember I wrote this post, but you’ll still have my book on your shelf.

Unless…you…ya know…let your dog eat it. Or you used it as a plate for your toast. I will try not to be mortally offended. I still love you.

What I do is:

I do not do everything at once!!! !!! !!!
I’ll schedule posts or go on hiatus while I focus on writing for an intense session.
Or I’ll take time off writing to solely blog/read in my free time.
Or I write a blog post one day —> write novels the next day.

Balance is key. Keys are like key lime pies. Pies are good. Life is a circle. Eat it.

I do personally treat blogging like a job, because I’m trying to mind-control you all into buying my book eventually. It’s a priority for me, same as writing is a priority. But I still pick: writing. If I have to choose.

QUESTION #5: “SO I SHOULD BLOG ABOUT WRITING? I’M TERRIFIED.”

SAME THO. I obviously don’t run a writing-centric blog because (a) I actually have no idea what I’m doing, (b) half the time my writing is genuinely just feeling my way around until I trip and faceplant into something successful, (c) I find it reeeeally hard to articulate what I’m thinking about my writing process, and (d) I had a much much better idea:

But if I blog about books = bookworms will read it.

And who am I trying to sell my book to?! BOOKWORMS. Boom. SOMEONE CROWN ME A GENIUS. So yes I have been infiltrating the ranks, disguising myself as a bookworm, and frolicking about with my audience. Little did they KNOW! Ha!

Okay fine you all knew. Shh, let me try to do an evil villain cape flip once in a while.

**I also just really really love books. I mean OBVIOUSLY. But that is why my blog is 90% books and 10% blogging and 500% cake.**

Also the benefits of book blogging as a writer?! They are HUGE. Hanging around my future audience has taught me:

what bookworms are hungry for
what we’re absolutely sICK OF
I’ve learned so so so much about marginalised voices/identities from people who have experienced them
which has saved me making a lot of DUMB writing mistakes
I also know my competition!! AKA what other books are out there.
I know what happens 784 times in every YA contemporary, so I know to write it differently
I see the gaps, what kind of books we don’t get a lot of
I’ve also learned a looot about promotion and hype
my friends are bloggers and BLOGGERS ARE AWESOME <— this is good
everything you write is better with cake in it

QUESTION #6: “ARE THERE ANY NEGATIVES WE SHOULD TALK ABOUT THEN?”

Well, now that you mention it yes.

For me (personally) I’ve had a few negatives already of being a book blogger x my book coming out soon.

For instance:

Authors harassing bloggers is REALLY a problem and happens a lot. So I’m cautious about overstepping…but it’s also hard to know when to engage and when not to when it comes to my book?!
Like I’m one of you, but I have to be aware that I need to not hover around my own book. When it’s out, it belongs to you.
But yet the need to creep on reviews of my book is REAL.
Someone restrain me.
And seriously…if you read reviews of your own book either (A) the compliments are nice but now IT’S PRESSURE, or (B) the negatives are devastating and you want to go lie in on the carpet and cry your own salty dead sea.
Reviews aren’t for authors. #Fact
I am scared of expectations! If you love my blog, it doesn’t mean you’ll love my book. I want you to! But this is reality.
It is overwhelming hearing opinions opinions opinions all the frikkin’ time. Who is allowed to write what. Which authors deserve to be writing and which don’t. Is your story as important as so-and-so’s. Can you talk about identities that aren’t your own. What’s good writing. What’s bad. Who gets to read it.
EVERYONE has an opinion and SO MANY OPINIONS are terrible for an anxious heap like me. Sometimes I do have to step way waaaay back and not listen. I want to listen. But, for mental health and sanity, I can’t listen all the time.

I think you should blog if you can! But remember, you don’t have blog about writing if you don’t want. And your success online doesn’t translate to your success in landing a book-deal. If you’re busy?! Pick. your. writing. And LISTEN to the blogosphere if you’re hanging out here —> but not all the time because you’ll overwhelm yourself. You can’t ever write the “perfect” book to please everyone.

Write for you. Write for a career. Write for the people (not everyone) who NEED your work.

And it really is super fun to blog. I have met the BEST people here. (That means you.)

(Also remember I am your favourite queen of glitter and darkness and go visit my book page if you want more info on it and preorder links!)

any writer/bloggers amongst us?! what do YOU think are the benefits of being a blogger for your writing career? what are your negatives??? and bookworms: do you enjoy seeing authors blog or do you think both worlds should stay separate?

What It’s Like to Be An Autistic Book Blogger || Q&A With @DaleyDowning To Talk About Our Autism

14th Oct 2017 by C.G. @ Paper Fury 209 Comments

**You know what we never talk about enough around here? BOOKS, OBVIOUSLY.**

Haaa HA ha ha…just KIDDING! I mention them once or twice, when I’m not pretending this blog isn’t completely about cake and how many rainbow books I can fit into one photo. (#Lies. That is exactly what my blog is for.) But there is an aspect of my book blogging, authorly, and bookworm life that I haven’t discussed here and I’m very passionate about so what are we waiting for?! *

Today I’m having a Q&A with my friend @DaleyDowning to talk a bit about how we’re both on the autism spectrum and how our autism affects our reading, blogging, and writing lives! This is definitely a different post to what I usually shout at you about, so I confess to N E R V E S. At least two of them, maybe three.

Since I’ve never actually discussed my autism on the blog before, I’ll do a little mini FAQ before I faceplant into the discussion like the truly chill person I am.

* I mean I’m waiting for the apocalypse. But whatever.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is exactly what is says: a spectrum. So everyone is super different.
It’s a disability, NOT A MENTAL ILLNESS. Although it’s usually a pre-packaged deal with mental illnesses, such as anxiety and depression.
People like to classify autistics as “high functioning” vs “low functioning” which is fair, but hard to gauge because autism isn’t a line. There are “low functioning” autistics who can talk to strangers. There are “high functioning” autistics who can’t leave their house.
Girls are often under-diagnosed because we can blend in more easily than boys. Hence I wasn’t diagnosed until I was 21.
I’m not an expert on anyone’s autism except my own!
Some really excellent YA novels with good autism rep are: Lady Midnight, Queens of Geek, Kids Like Us, and Things I Should Have Known.
Contrary to the myths, autistic people don’t eat their followers’ souls. That’s just me. Mwah hahaha. Aren’t you SO GLAD TO BE HERE.

ALRIGHT LET’S DIVE INTO THE Q&A!

And don’t forget to go check out Daley’s blog! She’s an author and bookworm and her first book came out this year WHICH IS COOL. It’s about magic, faeries, talking cats, and secret organisations.

1. WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITE GENRES TO READ AND WHY?

DALEY: Fantasy and YA. Sometimes historical fiction. Mostly it’s because I don’t have a very strong attention span, so I really prefer shorter novels (300 or so pages) and styles that don’t include 17-letter words that I constantly have to look up. Also I like to be able to pronounce the character and place names, so I’m not huge on high fantasy or sci-fi.

CAIT: My truest love is also fantasy, everything from magical realism to high fantasy. Basically = please let there be knives and dragons. But lately I’ve really fallen in love with contemporary YA too. I’m finding the new releases to be really emotional, raw, diverse, and prone to breaking your feels and while you cry into your cake about it. Books are so nice. I mean.

2. WHO ARE YOUR FAVOURITE AUTHORS?

DALEY: Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman, Erin Hunter, JK Rowling.

CAIT: Maggie Stiefvater and VE Schwab win for BEST OF BEST…but I also adore Cassandra Clare, John Green, Leigh Bardugo, Scott Lynch, Adam Silvera, and Jay Kristoff! (Yes I’m sorry but I’m allergic to minimizing my answers to this kind of question.)

3. WHICH GENRES DO YOU PREFER TO WRITE AND WHY?

DALEY: Fantasy, for sure, but also contemporary. (I have created my own genre, called suburban fantasy – since my plot/characters are generally set in small town communities in modern times.) It’s so much easier for me to keep up with the language and technology and fashion of an era I (more or less) understand, than trying to go back a hundred or more years.

CAIT: I’m with Daley in that my top 2 genres are definitely fantasy and contemporary. I write a lot of epic fantasy, but I’m dying to try magical realism. The idea of having WiFi and chocolate ice cream BUT ALSO faeries and dark magic just is pleasing. I also write just YA contemporary, which is 50% me being able to make a shameful amount of puns and add in Tumblr humour and 50% me trying not to let everyone get murdered because apparently that’s not normal for contemporaries. Who knew??? Amazing. I have written sci-fi before but HAHA NEVER AGAIN. I DO NOT SCIENCE.

4. WHAT PARTICULARLY ASPECTS OF WRITING DO YOU STRUGGLE WITH, AS AN AUTISTIC AUTHOR?

DALEY: Making sure my NT (neurotypical) characters behave in ways non-autistic people would behave. (Depending on the scene, that can be really hard.) Also not cutting short dialogue (because I can’t come up with the corresponding emotional reactions), and explaining action sufficiently (my brain likes to get ahead of my fingers).

CAIT: I’ve always struggled with writing characters, particularly relationships…ok fine, particularly romances. Since I wasn’t diagnosed with autism until a few years ago, I didn’t know why I this was so hard for me and it genuinely freaked me out that my characters couldn’t seem to move beyond sassing each other to death. (Though I still see no downside in that. My aesthetic.) But I’ve put a heckin’ lot of work in with a lot of research through reading and it pays off! As a writer, I think it’s our duty to write from different perspectives and work at it!

CAIT: I also write a lot of neurodiverse characters but not intentionally. Recently I finished a book with my first canon autistic character and my sister read it and said, “OK so who isn’t autistic here?” WHOOPS. So it slips in. Just like it’d take conscious effort for a neurotypical (non-autistic) author to write an autistic character, it’s the same for us vice versa. We have to translate and analyse. I’ll be asked by betas to explain myself more and put more emotional connection on page. “You know your characters can touch right?!?” I’ve been told for my romances and then realised with surprise that I hadn’t done that because my autistic-self hates physical contact so I accidentally avoid writing it. And just like Daley, I find myself doing a double take on how I’ve made my neurotypical characters act. It feels like a big messy puzzle and one I didn’t even know I was putting the pieces in backwards until recently. But do I enjoy the puzzle? #YES.

5. AS AN AUTISTIC READER, DO YOU HAVE SPECIFIC TRIGGERS OR EXTREME DISLIKES THAT YOU TRY TO AVOID WHEN YOU CHOOSE BOOKS?

DALEY: I don’t like explicit, graphic violence or sexual content or lots of profanity. Too much info-dumping really bores me and makes me not invested in the story. And I’m not one for 5-paragraph descriptions of how the character’s shoes were made.

CAIT: I’m opposite to Daley though in that I love dark books. Darker the better yessss. (I’m sure I’m fine, shh don’t fret.) But some of my biggest triggers are: (1) talking flippantly about suicide, and (2) actually reading bad representation of autism in books…which happens a lot. When you see “your people” in books but they’re constantly belittled or forced to change or just written with condescending stereotypes, it gets to you. I’ve finished YA books about autism and felt anxious and ill afterwards. So that’s what problematic representation does to those in the minority, peoples.

6. DO YOU FEEL THAT FINDING NT (NEUROTYPICAL) CHARACTERS IN BOOKS THAT YOU CAN RELATE TO IS HARD?

DALEY: Sometimes, yes. Often I like to read about protagonists who are introverts or who have traits that put them closer to the autism spectrum (even if they’re not actually on it), because I simply can’t connect with people who have 345 friends and are always going places and like having a 9-5 job. And finding narrators/protagonists who experience sensory issues (like a fear of crowds or loud noises and the ensuing physical responses) is very rare and precious.

CAIT: Again I’m so with you, Daley! I love finding characters who have a lot of autism traits because I instantly connect. Sometimes they won’t be diagnosed on page, but I will headcanon that they are and it IS SO NICE. (Especially in fantasy! Where are my fantasy autistics?!) However? The average protagonist…no I don’t relate to them. I actually freak out over this and all my low-star ratings on books I review. Is it because I don’t relate? Am I doing the book a disservice because my brain + that book = aren’t compatible? But fretting aside — I CAN enjoy a book and not “relate.” Good writing wins.

7. DO YOU FEEL THAT WRITING FROM AN AUTISTIC PERSPECTIVE WILL MAKE YOUR OWN NOVELS DIFFICULT FOR MOST PEOPLE TO CONNECT WITH?

DALEY: I do worry about it a little. Since I have 2 characters on the spectrum, they’re really easy to write; and yet, I truly hope I can describe their experiences in a way NT readers will understand and get something from. There are certain things about myself that I just can’t alter or adjust to seeing in a purely NT way, so I do A LOT of editing before I consider my manuscripts complete, hoping to achieve a good middle ground.

CAIT: Again, I hadn’t thought about this till recently…but I’ve worried about it! I also worry that if I write “too many autistic characters” people won’t be as interested in my work. Is that worry unfounded? Maybe??? But I see SO MANY reviewers on Goodreads reading a book with an autistic character and their first comment is: “Well I didn’t relate obviously because I’m not autistic.” It makes me sad. Then it makes me worried. I don’t think it SHOULD be a problem because if I can relate to a neurotypical, why shouldn’t you relate to an autistic? But so far, any betas I’ve had have all found my books delightfully stabby and relatable and I’ve had NO problems. OK fine they didn’t say “delightfully stabby” but I’m sure they think that deep inside.

8. HOW DO YOU PREPARE TO WRITE? WHAT’S THE ENVIRONMENT YOU NEED TO BE PRODUCTIVE?

DALEY: I like it quiet, not many (or any) people around. The cat is fine. Sometimes I like to put on music, or a movie I’ve seen 14 million times, so it just becomes background. Definitely I need to have been thinking tons about my next plot point or moment in the character arc. Usually I handwrite my first draft, then take everything to the computer from there for easier revising and editing.

CAIT: I need 100% silence. I have noise-cancelling headphones to help with this. I also need a very tight schedule to be fully productive. So I write in “binge sessions” and will put in 8+ hour workdays with every minute accounted for (WITH RESTS OK I’M NOT A MACHINE). People often ask me how I even focus for that long and…well I literally can’t focus like that for ANYTHING else. (I have the attention span of a gnat.) But writing? Dude, I just don’t stop. I get into hyper-focus and I’m gone.

9. ARE YOU PURSING TRADITIONAL OR SELF-PUBLISHING, AND WHAT ARE YOUR REASONS?

DALEY: Self-publishing, because I got really tired of sending out queries to agents and getting this response: “We feel your work is promising, but…” The “but” always related to something autistic I’d done (often without even realizing it) in the manuscript, and most people aren’t well-educated on ASD, so they didn’t even consider that the writer was ASD or even close to that possibility. So it boiled down to they liked my premise and my style, but they didn’t get the plot points or MC’s motivations. Through self-publishing, I have total creative control, and no one telling me “not to be autistic.”

CAIT: I have a really lovely and understanding literary agent in the UK and I honestly don’t think I’ve had any hiccups that a non-autistic writer pursing traditional publishing wouldn’t have had too! It’s long and hard journey and YOU GOTTA BE PATIENT even when you want to eat a brick wall. But my agent is extremely understanding and there has been 0% problems with the facts that (a) I’m autistic, (b) I can’t do phone calls because of social anxiety and I’m not good at speaking out loud, and (c) the way I think and write stories.

10. WHAT DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT BEING AN AUTISTIC WRITER AND READER?

DALEY: That we frequently won’t see things the way you do – we may never like the same authors you do, or the same genres, for very valid reasons. And it doesn’t mean we’re being stubborn or extremely judgemental. Often I’ve read books that weren’t for me at all, but I still considered them to be well-written and even recommended them to other readers. Also that as writers, we work REALLY, REALLY HARD to craft a tale that can be enjoyed by a variety of people (I can guarantee harder than most authors, and many of them do work their tails off). And that you shouldn’t worry that you won’t be able to relate to our writing; lots of NT readers have really enjoyed my debut novel. (You may even learn something about how we think and why we act the way we do, and that’s all good.)

CAIT: I love what Daley’s said there! I also think that it’d be nice if NT readers didn’t go into a book by an autistic author or about an autistic character with the assumption they’re not going to relate. Just enjoy the story. Don’t put up mental-roadblocks yourself. Our brains are having a slightly different party to yours, but it’s still a freaking cool party.

i know it’s sometimes hard to think up a comment after a post like this! so TELL ME ABOUT YOU. how does your life experiences (especially if you belong to ANY sort of minority) affect your writing and reading? have you read many books with autistic characters??? and ask any questions. I have at least 10 fingers ready to type answers.

Why You Should Start A Book Blog

23rd Apr 2016 by C.G. @ Paper Fury 216 Comments

If you’ve ever wondered if book blogging is for you, then I am here to emphatically tell you “YES IT IS”. And, because I’m super nice, I’ll even give you a list of reasons why you should start a book blog. I KNOW. My generosity knows no bounds.

And if you already are a book blogger? CONGRATULATIONS. This post is still mightily handy for you because you can print it out on an 8ft poster and then plastered all over your family’s front lawn so they understand why you are a book blogger and all the wonderful benefits it includes and they will never again question why you’re sobbing over trying to get a blog post up before midnight.

You’re welcome.

1. IT GIVES YOU AN OUTLET TO PASSIONATELY MONOLOGUE ABOUT BOOKISH THINGS WITHOUT YOUR FAMILY/FRIENDS BEING 1000% DONE, GAGGING YOU AND TOSSING YOU INTO THE MARINA TRENCH.

It’s odd that not everyone wants to fangirl about books all the time. (I don’t know what’s wrong with them either.) But if you have a book blog? There is ALWAYS someone ready to flail with you. Plus only with a book blog can you get away with writing 2,000-words analysing the strengths and weaknesses of your favourite book cover — WITH NO ONE INTERRUPTING YOU. That, alone, is most glorious.

**2. YOU ARE NO LONGER THAT “WEIRD BOOK PERSON” BECAUSE EVERYONE ELSE IS PROBABLY (AKA DEFINITELY) WEIRDER THAN YOU ONLINE.**

I thought I was a rabid reader before I became a book blogger. HA. WHAT A JOKE. As many books as you consume, there is always someone who reads more. And if you flail wildly and weirdly about your favourite fandom? Someone is more weirdly obsessed than you.

Seriously “weird” has really no meaning on the internet.

Absolutely no one questions me when I mention cake in basically every blog post of ever. No one. It’s not even weird when I suggested The Fault in Our Stars would’ve been better with dragons. YOU GUYS ACCEPT THAT I CALL YOU PINEAPPLES WHEN IT MAKES NO SENSE AT ALL.

3. YOU OWN A PIECE OF INTERNET THAT IS ALL YOUR OWN, CROWN YOURSELF QUEEN, AND RULE MALEVOLENTLY IF YOU WISH IT.

Or use your powers for good. It’s entirely up to you. FREEEEEDOM. You can have friends or subjects. I mean, I have both? I also allow people to call me “Cait” even though the correct terminology is “your majesty”.

4. YOU CAN FIND HORDES OF DERANGED FANGIRLS TO SHRIEK WITH AND FEEL ENTIRELY AT HOME.

Honestly, you can make friends with people IN ANTARCTICA. (Okay, they’re probably penguins, but let’s not judge the penguins’ internet preferences.) I chat with people all over the world! And timezones aren’t even an issue because there’s always someone awake on the internet.

If I’m up in the wee hours of the morning sobbing over a book — I have instant support. Or laughter. Probably laughter actually?

I feel like I need to warn you about this…but when my friends introduce me to painful fandoms and I come sobbing to them — THEY HONESTLY JUST LAUGHT AT ME AND SAY “TOLD YOU SO”. And then they direct me to even more painful fandoms. And yet I listen???

5. YOU LEARN TO BE A BETTER WRITER.

Except I’m 99% sure blogging has made me a worse writer, purely from the fact that I a) have atrocious grammar, b) use made up words like “gargantuanly” and “feelsy”, c) misuse commas because they’re tricky beasts anyway, d) and overuse !! exclamation marks !! because !! I can !!!

Ahem.

But that aside. It has made me a better writer because I’ve learnt how to engage audiences with different writing styles. I’ve learnt how to type SUPER FAST. I basically write every single day and hopefully that’s good for you. My fingers are lean, mean, typing machines.

6. PEOPLE GIVE YOU STUFF AND THAT’S SO SUFFOCATINGLY MARVELLOUS!!

I know, I know. The “don’t blog for free books” thing is a loaded statement, and I kind of agree with it. Getting ARCs or review-copies shouldn’t be the SOLE reason you blog. (Because you have to put so much work into blogging; ergo you need to love to do it just for the sake of it!) But I think it’s FREAKING MARVELLOUS that you can actually be given things specifically to promote on your little piece of internet space!

(It’s never really “free books” though…when you think about it. I mean, say the book costs $20 and you spend 4 hours reading it an and 1 hour blogging? It ain’t free, folks.)

I love getting review-copies or ARCs (aka free books) as part of blogging. As a bookworm who has very little money to spend on books…THIS IS THE BEST THING OF MY LIFE AND DREAMS AND THANK YOU.

7. IF YOU PLAN TO BE A PUBLISHED AUTHOR IN THE NEAR-FUTURE, YOU CAN BUILD AN ARMY. AND EVEN IF YOU’RE NOT, YOU CAN STILL JUST BUILD AN ARMY BASICALLY. FOR NO REASON AT ALL.

There is no downside to having an army, honestly. Even if you don’t plan to write a book and therefore instruct your army to buy it, read it, and zoom you to the bestseller list in 24hrs — you can use your army for other things.

I use my army to admire pictures of my dog. #priorities

Also there is something deliciously satisfying to gaze upon your follower count and think “WELL LOOK AT THESE HUMANS WHO ARE ACTUALLY COMING BACK AGAIN AND AGAIN TO HEAR MY DERANGED SHRIEKS.”

I mean the fact that people read my blog (which honestly is kinda weird and cake-obsessed) it just proves #2. Everyone here is SO WEIRD. And I love it.

8. YOU CAN CASUALLY DROP IN CONVERSATIONS PHRASES LIKE “OH, YES, I’M A BLOGGER AND I JUST CHATTED TO AN NYT BESTSELLER AUTHOR. WE’RE BFFS. JUST ANOTHER DAY AT THE OFFICE, YA KNOW.”

Just chattin’ with me mate * who is FAMOUS by the way.

Okay, but really. The first time I ever talked to an author on twitter, I raced upstairs and expired on the floor hyperventilating dementedly about talking to someone famous. I haven’t matured much since then? But. STILL.

I have interviewed Cornelia Funke. I have chatted with Derek Landy. I have had Rick Riordan share my post.

CAN I SHRIEK NOW??? THIS SURELY MAKES ME FAMOUS TOO, RIGHT????

* Although I’m not actually “friends” with any authors because I’m kind of terrified of them. They’re famous beasts! I’m an anxious fangirl! But I possibly maybe exaggerate to my family…you know. Just that one time…or two…

9. YOU CAN BLAME YOUR NEED TO CONSUME SO MUCH CHOCOLATE ON THE BLOG. NOT YOU. IT’S THE BLOG’S FAULT.

Not that we should technically have to explain away chocolate consumption? But if anyone ever looks at me dubiously while I instruct my dragons to fill the house with boxes of chocolate, I can just say dismissively, “It’s for the blog.” And they can do nothing but leave me to it. Perfect.

10. YOU HAVE HAVE SO MUCH MORE SPACE TO CONVERT PEOPLE TO READING AND LOVING YOUR FAVOURITE BOOKS.

Not to say the good ol’ fashion way is bad or anything. (And by “old fashioned way”, I’m referring to kidnapping a family/friend/alien/cat and duct taping them to a chair and forcing them to read your favourite novel for hours and hours until they swear to be a lifelong fan.) It’s still feasible. BUT. With a blog, you have so much more reach.

How often do I talk about Maggie Stiefvater? How many tweets have I received telling me that a human is reading Maggie Stiefvater because of me? How often do I post Stiefvater books on instagram? How often do I randomly pause in a post and shriek “STEIFVATERFAN!”? The answer is: muchly. And it works. The amount of books I’ve sold…sheesh. I’m sure Maggie Stiefvater is going to hire me pretty soon as her personal publicity manager.

CONVERTING PEOPLE TO MY FAVOURITE BOOKS = THE BEST FEELING EVER.

By the way, obviously, if you haven’t read a Stiefvater book yet…I THINK YOU NEED TO QUESTION YOUR LIFE CHOICES. I also have dragons. And they might come after you. Just putting it out there.

do you think these are good reasons to start a book blog? any more reasons to add to my list? what’s the BEST part of book blogging for you??? LET US CHAT!

How To Get More Comments On Your Blog

27th Mar 2015 by C.G. @ Paper Fury 204 Comments

Comments are awesome. I love comments. They make me feel that blogging is worthwhile! It’s not much fun having a conversation if I’m the only one talking right?!*

But have you ever sat down and kicked your heels because you CAN’T figure out how to get more comments?

LET ME HELP! I’ve gone from having a blog with 5 comments maximum per post, to over 50 comments per post. It is awesome. (And I appreciate everyone’s comments so so much.) It didn’t “just happen”, though. I worked really hard.

So what’s the secret?!

Oh, oh, I’m so glad you asked, my botanical blogglings!** I have a most wonderful post for you.

* Although my voice and opinions are, of course, beautiful.
** I do not, in any way, think you are plants. I just like alliteration. Unless you are a plant, in that case, congratulations for being the most intelligent plant in the universe. I acknowledge your leafyness.

1. GO COMMENT ON OTHER BLOGS

If I can only give you one tip, THIS IS IT, MY FINE FRIENDS. Go comment on other people’s blogs! Visit! Leave meaningful comments. Follow a ton of blogs. When you join in linkups, go and visit a dozen other blogs. JUST GO TALK TO PEOPLE. It works.

In 2013, I averaged about 5 comments a post. In 2014, I started commenting on a bunch of blogs. I followed. I commented regularly. I was a pesky barnacle with friendly things to say. Now in 2015, I average on 50 comments a post.

But pleasepleaseplease don’t just say “Cool post!” and leave a link to your blog. That’s not what I mean. It’s okay to leave a link to your blog, but make sure your comment is about THEIR blog. (Short comments are okay, too. You don’t need to leave epistles! Just be meaningful.) Also, when you follow a new blog, do tell the blogger! It’s totally fine to introduce yourself and your blog and leave links.

There are tons of blogs who do “Bloggers Commenting Back” which is basically I-comment-on-your-blog-and-you-comment-on-mine. It spreads the love and encourages conversation. IT IS AWESOME.

2. REPLY TO COMMENTS

This is really important because you acknowledge your audience! You’re saying, “Hey you! That’s a smart and intelligent thing you just said and I appreciate your opinion.” Everyone wants to be acknowledged.

It’s also furthering the conversation!

I, for one, have been really ticked off (totally curled into my corner of sadness) when I’ve commented faithfully on blogs and had the blogger ignore me. It’s like talking to a wall. Why would I bother?! I quit that blog and focused on talking to people who actually want to talk to me.

3. ASK QUESTIONS IN YOUR POSTS

You could just say “pie is the best, life is pie, there is only pie” and end your post there. OR, you could say “pie is the best, but chocolate cake is glorious too, ack, decisions…which do you prefer?” The latter invites discussion and comments!

People love having opinions! (HELLO. We are bloggers. Why else do we blog?!) They love to express these opinions. I get specific about my questions in my posts. I write a list of questions at the end of a post for people to reply to! If I can’t think of any “discussion questions” then I know my post is too one-sided.

4. CARE ABOUT YOUR AUDIENCE

This comes out in tone and phrasing of your post…and I think it’s important! I like to read blogs where I don’t feel like my opinions is going to be discarded instantly. And you can usually tell from the tone of the post. If the blogger has gone off on a discussion/rant and are constantly underlining how right they are and how perfect their opinion is, I know they’re not going to care about mine.

When you blog, make sure your audience feels welcome to speak their minds in the comments. Don’t write like you have the only opinion in the universe. (It helps if you present multiple opinions in your post, too, for readers to mull over.) Be genuine about wanting feedback or critisim or other opnions. You don’t have to agree with the commenters, but you do need to be respectful of their opinions. Just because it’s the internet doesn’t mean you can be rude. NOT EVER.

5. HAVE A SIMPLE COMMENTING PLATFORM

This is REALLY important, peoples! There is nothing more frustrating than reading an awesome post and going to comment and realising…oh. I can’t because this commenting platform is weird/confusing/descends-from-martians.

The main thing you want is to have anyone and everyone be able to comment. You want a commenting platform that, ideally, doesn’t need you to sign in.

COMMENTING PLATFORMS TO AVOID:

Google+ – This one is ridiculous because you can ONLY comment if you have a google+. Lots of people don’t! (I don’t.)
Blogger – Oftentimes blogger is set so only blogger uses can comment. You can change this in your “comment settings” and have it so anyone can comment. (I totally recommend doing this if you’re on blogger.)
Free WordPress – this is the same as blogger, usually it only let’s WordPress users comment. If you have a blog that ends with wordpress.com, you’re limiting your commenters to wordpress users only. BAD IDEA! Lots of people are on blogger and still want to comment! [EDIT: Apparently I was mistaken for this and it’s not true! So IGNORE ME. ha. ha.]

BETTER PLATFORM OPTIONS:

IntenseDebate – Installing this one is quite easy and there are great tutorials! It allows anyone to comment without signing in. YAY. Downfalls are, if you switch commenting platforms later on, you lose comments. (I lost all my ID comments when I went from blogger to wordpress self-hosted.)
Disqus – Disqus is pretty darn awesome in appearance and fastness. Speedy! YAY. You can have an option to NOT sign in, too, but you have to switch that setting.
WordPress self hosted – This is what I have and, obviously, it’s awesome. (Although, truthfully, I still have people tell me WP eats their comments or they disappear or whatnot, so it’s not perfect.) I love this one because you don’t have to sign in, and I’ve got it on a setting so that everyone gets emailed my replies. I also use commentluv so I can easily find commenter’s blogs and visit!

So there you have it…you know all my secrets.

It’s not hard! It does take a bucketload of work though. And, hey, it’s okay to fall behind or make mistakes or slack off. Just know: if you work hard, you’ll get the comments.

And there are always posts that are going to do better than others. Sometimes it doesn’t even make sense why some posts get comments and others don’t. JUST GO WITH IT. (Although if you ever find the secret to writing the perfect post, let me know. I want in on that.)

SO. like i said…discussion questions are important! can you add to my list?? on your blog, what do you do to get more comments?? which posts do you find to super-uber well? and which seem to sink? do believe in commenting-back? OH. and are you okay with being referred to as a plant? LET ME KNOW ALL.

Cait @ Paper Fury
…is currently feeling very proud and professional because she only used two gifs in this post instead of, like, 9428 of them, because she realises she probably uses too many. But, pfft. Over-gifing is liable to happen tomorrow so WATCH OUT. Also to everyone playing the game in yesterdays post, Cait plans to announce scores tomorrow! Currently she’s reading Snow Like Ashes.

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