One of the hardest thing about blogging is consistently writing and publish blog posts and for that, you have to keep coming up with the ideas. Often times, I find myself blank when thinking or writing a blog post that is not a book review. I haven’t posted a non-book in a while.

So I thought, I’d try to help others who might find themselves in the same situation as of me. Below in this post, I compile a list of 10 (ten) ideas for possible blog posts for a book blogger. It follows a pattern of ten days in which you have to consistently write. Does not matter that you post them one after the other, I do not want to interrupt your blogging schedule.

To complete this challenge all you have to do is for next at least draft these topics I mentioning. I do hope after going through the list, you will become a blog post idea generating machine.

Day One: [Book Haul/Currently Reading/Recently Read/Weekend Reading/Bookstagram #xxx]

Post pictures of your shelves, books, kindles or the one you are recently bought and cannot wait to read.

Day Two: Discuss a character

I love writing in-depth posts. I also love reading in-depth posts about characters. A character can be good or bad, twisted or naive and you can tell this reader by spotlighting one.

In past, I have written a few posts like this. One is an essay I wrote a few years back on one of my favorite Scottish detective John Rebus.

Day Three: Tell The Story Of How You Loved Reading Books

Everyone has a story about how they fell in love with reading books and I (as your audience) am waiting to hear about yours.

See my post on the same topic!

Day Four: Book Cover Likes and Dislikes

I wanted to do this for a long time. Book covers can be a great asset to lure readers. But I have seen covers that have put me off even though that book is worth reading.

Day Five: Writing About Film/TV adaption of your favorite book

Or the one you have read. If you start writing this post, it will never be focused on or about only one book. You can build up a series of posts.

Day Six: Book Lists that are tied to a seasons and Holidays

This type of post is read by everyone. We all need books to add to our TBR or read it on an upcoming weekend/holiday.

Day Seven: Analyze Your Reading Year

Even though it been only nine months this year, you can write a post about analyzing how your reading year is going through. If you are on Goodreads, you can do it easily. Go to ‘My Books’ and then in the left corner there click ‘Reading Stats’ under the section ‘Your Reading Activity’.

• My Goodreads year 2017
• My Reader Profile Analysis which I recently posted with the help of BookSirens.com (for free)

Day Eight: Write about at least one blogging lesson

Share your experiences about blogging. What are you doing to keep your audience interested? What has changed or you put a lot of effort into learning from the point you started blogging up to now. Inspire others and give suggestions or advice. I often find Book Bloggers creative in this area.

Day Nine: Post an Author Interview/Book Blogger Interview

If you haven’t posted yet, this is the time. To complete this challenge, you will have to interview in whatever way you find suitable and post it.

Day Ten: What Genres You Do Not Like To Read?

In my opinion, this particular post will be great for your audience to read. You pick some genres that you do not read and tell them why.

Do you think you can complete this challenge?

These are the ten ideas I have come up initially but feel free to add or replace a post idea or two while doing the challenge.

Here is some swag for you to post/re-suse or spread the word about this challenge.

The Complete 10 Day Checklist

Download as pdf: 10-day-book-blogging-challenge

WINNER BADGES

WHEN You have completed the challenge successfully you can even brag about it by displaying the following badge in the colour of your choice:

Three more colours. All badges – Download

NOTE If you decide to the challenge, please post the link of your posts or the complete challenge below in comments and I will compile those links and spread the word for you. Inspire others!

You got inspired by this post and now you want to start a book blog? Let me help you. You can check out my ebook on Book Blogging which has tons of insights on how to get started and continuing building your book blog. A Blogger’s Manifesto is available on Amazon IN and US.

The post Ten Day Book Blog Posts Challenge #1 appeared first on Confessions of a Readaholic.

I’m sure you would agree that this story has a happy ending.

She was hardly any older than 6 years when her parents, living in a small town of rural India physically abused her, kept her devoid of education and made her do household chores. Now, when I say they belonged to ‘India’, I can hear judgments and pictures of slums thrown at me. No, India’s literacy rate is at 74.04% and also boasts of a few largest companies in the world.

Now, let’s go back in 2012 when I came across a little girl. I still don’t know her name, but let’s call her Meera.  Meera was born in Haryana, she lived there with her parents. Today, she doesn’t live there anymore; neither does she live with her parents.

Being dissatisfied with a girl child, the father bet Meera every day, while the mother never revolted. Meera suffered at her hands of her birth-givers. She stayed chained at home doing household chores.

The disappointment of the ‘man of the house’ didn’t last long because his wife was expecting a baby. Bringing new life into this world is a blessing to everyone, but someone else’s life away is a curse.

What Meera was going through wasn’t anything but a curse to be born to such parents who didn’t love her and left only bruises as memories. She wished that her sibling would comfort her, but hardly did she know what would happen next.

Nine months of wait for the parents to find out the gender, and nine months of cruelty faced by Meera by the alcoholic who called himself a man, and a woman who called herself a mother.

“It’s a boy!” he screamed and jumped and distributed sweets to family and friends. While Meera is still locked at her home, not allowed to participate in the happiness.

Hardly a few months from the arrival of a baby boy, then Meera’s parents decide to do away with her. They buy three tickets to the metropolitan city of Hyderabad, India. One for Meera, and two for the parents. But, they buy only two tickets back to Haryana, India.

Meera is abandoned on the railway station, parents immediately board the next train back home.

On finding her lost, crying, and worried, the railway authorities call the cops. She is taken to the police station and was enquired about her family. On asking the name of the father she is terrified, she trembles with fear and doesn’t utter a word. It seemed like she wanted to stay lost, and didn’t want to go home.

The cops had no choice but to let her stay at the city orphanage. The sisters tried their best to find out about her parents. But she never said a word. They only knew she hailed from Haryana.

She wore a simple ghaghra and had yellow highlights in her hair when I first saw her. It was the first time I saw a 6-year-old with highlights.The Sister at the orphanage told that she applied those highlights herself when she was in Haryana, and loved to dress up.

While she was dancing on stage she adjusts her duppatta. A little girl, fair, with rosy cheeks, curly brown hair with golden highlights, who doesn’t waste a grain of rice on her plate.

She loves to study along with her friends at the orphanage, dress up, and help others. The Sisters said she is the naughtiest of the rest.

Initially, after a month of her stay at the orphanage, the Sisters asked her if she wanted to go home.

She said, “This is my home.”

She finally had the love she always wanted. And, wherever she is today, she’d be happy.

Based on a true story. 

Author Bio

Harsha Sheelam always had the passion for writing. In the year 2016, she practiced writing more extensively. This led to her recognition in newspapers, magazines, blogs, and digital content. She possesses versatility in writing stories, debatable topics, politics, social, fashion, entertainment, reviews, fashion and lifestyle. Today she is a children’ book author, she debuted in 2017 with the book ‘Beautiful Inside and Out’ which is a collection of short stories. She launched it with the aim of empowering young girls and boys. She has the dedication to her craft which makes the children believe that they are beautiful inside and out. Same year her juvenile fiction novel, ‘Good Exists in all that Exists’ released. As the title suggests, the book is based around the theme of ‘good overpowering the bad’.  There is a hidden meaning  for every action. The book does not fail to enhance the enchanted experience of the reader.

Beginning of a new year, in 2018 ‘The House of Terry Atterberry’ made it to book-selling portals. Terry’s tales champion hard work, perseverance, honesty and compassion. The riches that kids gain through this book are overcoming fear, not undermining people, understanding no one is perfect, knowing your true friends, and more. The book is a collection of 15 inspiring fables from the life of a fictional character.

Today, 3 books old, and anticipating more, this is Harsha Sheelam for you. You can find her at:

www.facebook.com/harshasheelamm/
www.instagram.com/harshasheelam

The post Guest Post – The Girl with Golden Highlights by Harsha Sheelam appeared first on Confessions of a Readaholic.

500 posts feel like little piece of milestone. I wasn’t looking to this when I started blogging. 

Blogging has definitely changed my life

Blogging has definitely changed my life in these ways:

• Its a door that leads to many more doors.
• It gave me my first opportunity to get published as poet.
• Blogging has help to revive my reading habit and stick to it no matter what.

• Through blogging, I have learned the consistency needed to do something for longer period of time. I have been blogging for four years now.
• I have made a few friends too and most of my fellow bloggers have been very generous to me.

What I am looking forward to?

• More books to read, more books to review and more author interviews.
• Publishing useful stuff.
• A little bit of extra consistency.
• Writing for Publications and other blogs, though I have already started contributing.

Blog | Goodreads | Medium | Twitter | Facebook

The post My 500th Blog Post appeared first on Confessions of a Readaholic.

Before anything, I thank all fellow bloggers and readers who spent their time here in nourishing and motivating me to keep going with the blog through their words of appreciation. Thereby, I also welcome new visitors. 

Recently, due to my mind-boggling curios mind, I took an hour from everything and decided to give a look at all of my posts irrespective of the topic (though, it’s not a surprise that mostly are related to books) I have written here in the past 2 years and a few months. Starting from the first one which felt evident till the recent one. It brings a recollection of memories whether the good memories, bad memories, the frustration ones, the generous ones and most importantly the feeling of accomplishment. All of these and many others too. Every post is like an attachment to a file that consists of details matching a reality which I was surrounded by the specific course of time. It’s a like a voyage in the past and reading through your journal. It makes me feel happy, abolishes any sense of voidness and at the same time bequeaths me to continue to do what I do. To write, to explore new things about the people who visit everyday, of course, the books (how the hell can I forget them?) and myself.

Looking back, at past, is not recommendable likewise is not avoidable. It holds lots of valuable of lessons, only if we agree on becoming his pupil with good conscience.

Let’s take a look back to some posts that either, I feel, might bring back your old memories too (if you are recurrent visitor) or might generate new ones.

When I confessed about the first book I read

How I become a Reader

Chronicles of a Book Zombie

Prose: How to love your Father? & An Illusion: A Story of a Painter

Talking about Audiobooks

Knowing about Pulp Fiction

My time at The New Yorker.com

Poetry: Shall I die? & A Life

First Guest Post Thanks to Zareen

Last act at College: A Thousand Days

Sharing my reading habits 

Reading 260 Books in 100 days

And of course, my list of Ten Books to Read Before, you know

Tell me about your memories connected with your blog?

The post The Blog Recap, Recollecting the Past appeared first on Confessions of a Readaholic.

It’s always fun to get to know fellow bloggers! I’m glad I have met so many. And am longing to meet more. Thus, I thought why not invite “Guest Bloggers” to my blog and share their experience in their own words? Well here is the first one. 

WHEN YOUR MOM GETS ENGAGED BEFORE YOU DO

by Zareen Naqvi 

First off, congratulations! Your mum snagged a fella before you. She told him to put a ring on it and he did. Unlike your ring finger, which is dry, lonely and vacant. Not to mention, without a ring.

Engagements, weddings, funerals, get-to-know each other parties, reunions etc are all time consuming, boring meet and greet things. In my experience, they have been anything but delightful. Even the ones who say  they are absolutely delighted to attend such shenanigans, aren’t really delighted at all. They are just like you, cursing that they have to get all dolled up for the evening while rummaging  through their closet, trying desperately to fit into a dress that fit perfectly two years ago. Which dress is more appropriate? Is this too loud? Should I put my hair up? Such questions haunt all of us the moment we are invited to social gatherings. Here’s my guide on how to handle being at such “delightful” meet and greet, particularly the one where your mum’s getting engaged:

Shrug off the embarrassment

There might me a moment or two (or more) where the reaction to hearing your moms engagement wouldn’t exactly be what you’re expecting. Actually, it will be exactly what you’re expecting: no one would be jumping from excitement at the news of your mun’s second try at marriage. Friends and family will either stare at you, with eyeballs the size of football, in disbelief or pretend they have misheard you.

“What..wait are YOU getting engaged? Oh your mom! Your mom? Really? At this age”

It can be embarrassing but don’t be. Everyone has a right to choose how to live their lives. It’s the 21st century for god’s sake. Now, YOU pretend to not hear them at all and continue talking about it with the same enthusiasm as you were before.

What to wear

No dress is too short, no color too bold, no heel too high, no makeup too loud if YOU feel confident enough to pull it off. It all depends on you. Be true to your style and to yourself. And even though you’re at your mothers engagement, you don’t need to be someone’s idea of prefect. Chances are you’ll be the target of some comments, audible and non. Even if others think they can’t tell you and lady gaga apart, at least you’re having a ball working it!

Handshake or Hug

This is a tough one. Obviously, when you meet someone you know very well, you hug and air kiss them, leaving handshakes for the ones you don’t know or the ones you don’t want to know.

To avoid such awkwardness and create better first impressions I advise you to take their cue. If they seem friendly and cordial, spreads your arms for the hug. But if their hands are tied behind their back and they’re just nodding hellos, chances are you’re not getting the love.

The Two seated Sofa

Nothing so awkward about the two seated sofa. Nothing awkward if two people are sitting on it. <em>Very</em> awkward when six people are trying to squeeze their butts onto the now <em>flattened</em> sofa seats,holding their breaths while the photographer clicks away unless someone begs him to stop.

The Awkward Session 2

When other couples at the place start posing for family portraits in the middle of a photo session held for the newly-engaged. Um hey dude? You got your chance. Don’t ruin someone else’s photo session because you missed yours.

Small Talk

We all hate it but you can’t get through these evenings sitting in a corner, munching on snacks. Chances are you’ll meet someone interesting. Even more are the chances that someone will find you interesting and start a conversation when you’re mouth is full of food and you have bread crumbs on your pretty little dress. Avoid controversial topics (oh, so you think being gay is OKAY? Don’t you know it’s a CHOICE?) and subjects that might trigger confrontation (so why exactly do your dad leave your mom?). Keep it nice and light. Focus the attention on them. It will be exhausting to hear some self obsessed girl talk about herself and you’ll tune out every now and then, but look at it this way: the less you talk, the more you listen. The more you listen, lesser are the chances of you ending up with your foot in the mouth.

That Annoying Kid

There will always be that one kid who will look like an angel, but underneath the mop of hair will be two small horns. He’ll spit at you. He’ll rub around the place like it’s his bloody home. He’ll come out of nowhere and punch you in the guy for no reason. He’ll be nice to you for one second and next he’ll be kicking you. Beware of such cute devils. You have been warned.

Don’t Brood 

Try and have a good time. It’s your mum’s engagement. It’s not the end of the world, actually quite far from it. Think of it as a new beginning, a clean slate. Be happy for your mum. Wish her luck. And you know, if it doesn’t go well…you just write another blog about it.

 About The Guest Blogger

Zareen currently resides in Karachi, Pakistan. She likes to talk, and meet new people. She knows french and is a wonderful writer. I’d like to thank her for agreeing to ‘be my guest’ blogger and for writing this sparkling post!

You can visit her blog and I am sure you’ll enjoy reading it as much as I do.

The post GUEST POST: Zareen Naqvi- When your mom gets engaged before you do appeared first on Confessions of a Readaholic.