Do you want to become a better blogger? Or you struggling to even start one?

Being a blogger means more than just putting words into post. Everything matters when it comes to run a blog consistently. Things like a blog’s design, managing social media profiles, saving countless drafts and then scheduling them in manner as they fit your theme of the month or something like that. Lastly, do not forget about networking with authors and fellow bloggers.

It sounds overwhelming. It is OVERWHELMING

I am here to help. I have been writing this blog for about 5 years now and have monthly subscribers of more than 7.5k. I am currently writing for three blogs other than this and various different publications on Medium.com and I how hard it can be to find your audience. I have been managing countless social media accounts, and have gone through every phase in terms of blogging that you are going through. This is how I want to help you.

Below is a list of variety of posts that I have written over years and I continue to write that are going to help you not only kickstart in the world of blogging or your niche book blogging, but you will be a PRO in no time. You will be spending more time creating content for your own blog rather than breaking your head over things that are only worth one at a time. After reading them, you will have a workflow (probably custom) and you will utilise your time gracefully and productively.

Check out my latest post #bookblogging.
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So let’s begin…

Browse By Topic:

Book Blogging

• 5 Books you should read as a Book Blogger
• The Secret Life of a Book Blogger
• Social Media for Book Bloggers

Blogging

• How to be a Productive Blogger: Getting Things Done
• How To Hack Your Mornings So You Get Most Of Your Time
• Boost Your Blogging Confidence and Write That Post
• Things I have learned about Blogging

To read in depth of making of a book blogger and all general how-to’s you should check out my Ebook on Blogging: A Blogger’s Manifesto.

It is available on Amazon IN | Amazon US only for $ 0.99.

Stay tuned for Freebies coming for book bloggers next month  To get an update subscribe this blog in the right side bar.

The post Tips on #BookBlogging appeared first on Confessions of a Readaholic.

Having a to-do list is no harm done. It is actually good, a productive step to increase your own productivity. It is a methodology that tends to change the way you work. Instead of feeling overwhelmed and stressed, one can perform their tasks in an organized manner.

Having a to-do list helps to bring a structure to your routine. As a blogger, I do get overwhelmed by the amount of research I have to do in order to complete the task of writing an article. It took me a lot of time to get into the habit of having and maintaining a list. At times, I still struggle to maintain one and achieve the targets I set in a day.

I believe in getting the habit of maintaining a system for oneself. Keeping up with a list and to have all checks at the end of the day is not possible every day. However, it does help me de-clutter my mind. I do not have to spend every moment for getting a task done if I write it down in the list. Not only, I get most things done on most days, the sense of excitement for all things I do is a bliss.

The key concepts I have found that works for me in developing and maintaining this habit are listed below.

Having a List

Write it down in a notebook. Write it in a smartphone application. Or in your email, Whatever works for you. Do make sure, that the material or the application you use must be accessible to you almost all times.

Adding the tasks

All tasks whether, personal or professional, big or small, projects, must dos could be the items on your list. Have a system around them, a concrete format. Such that you do not have to think about changing and modifying the system every day. Add those tasks to your list that capture your attention.

Organization

It can get a bit overwhelming if you add all your tasks without an identifier, whether personal or professional. Divide your tasks appropriately such that you can focus on them and have a clear idea of what you should do next and what can be done later. Do not get into the habit of multitasking, you are only going to exhaust yourself.

Reflect

Take time in a day or twice, to reflect how far you have come and how far you have to go. If your list is organized, you won’t be spending much time reflecting. The frequent reassessment will help you prioritizing your tasks and avoiding the dead end.

Do It

Do it. Write that post. Devoting a fixed amount of time to do the research. In that time, try avoiding getting distracted by new tweets or Facebook notifications. The system does not work in your favor if you do not work on the task you are required to.

By keeping up with your system, you will feel accomplishment and that is a good feeling. You have to feel worthwhile every day to continue putting the hard work. Try this method for few days and if it is not working, reflect and modify it to your needs. Remember. Reflect, and repeat. If you’d like to get in-depth into your working habits and how to maintain them, I recommend a copy of David Allen’s Getting Things Done and Austin Kleon’s Steal Like an Artist.

Read my review on Austin Kleon’s Steal Like an Artist | Five Things I Learnt from Steal Like an Artist

~ Find me on ~

GOODREADS |  TWITTER | FACEBOOK | MEDIUM

The post How to be a Productive Blogger: Getting Things Done appeared first on Confessions of a Readaholic.

So I recently published my first ebook through KDP (Kinde Direct Publishing) and it feels great!  It is short, and will not take much time for you to read and I hope it helps you with blogging.

The ebook will be available on Amazon on 1st Feburuary and it is available for pre-order here! for $ 2.99

Here is the blurb of the ebook:

A Blogger’s Manifesto is a short ebook about blogging written by a blogger. It covers the story of my book blog Confessions of a Readaholic and other essentials for an individual who is getting started with blogging or is a new blogger.

The book in detail covers:
– Starting a blog with zero followers
– Writing a compelling blog post
– Why Comments are essential part of blogging community
– How to reach your milestones with your blog
– Social Media and money making tips

For book bloggers:
– Writing a Book review
– Blog Tours
– Getting an ARC
– Interviewing

… and many more!

If you decide to read it, please leave some feedback on Amazon

Thank you, everyone, for their support!

The post Ebook available for Preorders appeared first on Confessions of a Readaholic.

Show Your Work by Austin Kleon

This book concentrates on the on creative aspect of blogging and your virtual/online life.

The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks

This book breaks down the most fearful thing in one’s life, the fear itself, and takes you to the next level.

Blog Inc by Joy Deangdeelert Cho

It breaks dow blogging into chapters and covers from scratch to fully implemented blog as well as monetizing your blog.

The Art of Social Media by Guy Kawasaki and Peg Fitzpatrick

This book is all about branding, and is co-written by one of the guys at Apple. Social Media is a tough aspect of a blogger’s life but to take control of it and use for your own use and not get baffled by its immense space, is what every blogger should do. This book is a great reference.

Radical Self Love by Gala Darling

Don’t compare yourself with others since every one is unique and will have their own way. This book is a morale booster and can help with blogging.

~Find me on~

BLOG | GOODREADS | MEDIUM | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

The post 5 Books Every Blogger Should Read appeared first on Confessions of a Readaholic.

I am happy to announce that Confessions of a Readaholic has a Facebook Page.

I haven’t personally used Facebook for two years (due some reasons) but it is high time for this blog to have a Facebook page such that you can now read posts/see blog’s activity on Facebook too.

Hit the like button if you read this blog and you are on Facebook. You can also search this blog’s page on Facebook by @readaholicconfessions.

Happy Reading!

The post Announcing Facebook Page appeared first on Confessions of a Readaholic.

This is my first attempt to participate in a book tag or a book award. In time, I have been nominated by fellow bloggers for awards but I never took any particular interest in responding and to continue the tradition from my side. My apologies. However, I tend to enjoy the questionnaire of these book tags and blogger awards since it is fun and informative when bloggers share their experience through these variety of posts.

Nobody nominated me this time for The Secret Life of a Book Blogger Tag but I feel motivated to do this myself. Hopefully, you’ll enjoy this type. I’d like to thank QuirkyVictorian from Over Analysing Literature for introducing me to this tag. Do check out her blog, she’s a bibliophile just like you and me.

How long have you been a blogger?

This is my first book blog and I have been dragging on for four years now.

At what point do you think you will stop?

When I am sucked out of all the energy inside me, or when I stop reading books.

What is the best part?

I can write about any book I want. Certainly, since I manage this blog alone, nobody can question me. Second best thing is the community. There are is so much to learn. So many books lovers and having a talk with them occasionally is certainly one of the best part.

What is the worst part?

When I procrastinate about a post and it remains in the drafts folder, for ever. Sometimes, when I put more than usual amount of energy in a post and I don’t get the feedback as I expected and imagined while writing the post. It’s a learning. Another time is when I run out of blog posts or what to post next. Horrifying!

How long does it take you to find/create pictures to use?

I don’t have a specific template, nor I use much images in my post. I hardly remember to create or edit picture for this blog. Mostly, images I borrow are from websites like Goodreads, Amazon, Authors Websites with credit given whereas necessary or I just use pics that are available under public domain licence (there is an option on Google.com to search images that are copyright free). So yeah, it takes some time. When Google Images becomes a helpful tool, it becomes a matter of minutes. I am a lazy bastard when it comes to pick images that might comfort a post.

Who’s your book crush?

Hmm… I don’t think I do.

What author would you like to have on your blog?

Hmm… Well I have been trying to interview Ian Rankin, Scottish Crime Fiction Writer, and creator of John Rebus, for two years now. Every time, my timing is wrong.

What do you wear when you write your blog?

Clothes. Whatever I am wearing.

How long does it take you to prepare a post?

Depends on the post itself. The preparation of the post subject i have in my mind plays a role for me when writing a blog post. Researching some facts and right images consumes a considerable amount of my time.

How do you feel about the book blogger community/culture?

The Blogging Community is what makes a blogger blog. We may say that our opinions are our own but that’s true for every one, on any social media, not just you and me. Blogging Community restores my faith in humans ad humanity. It’s quite open which is unlike other communities.(Major Examples: Reddit- people are rude, Most coding communities- too many ego-maniacs.)

What do you think one should do to have a successful blog?

I don’t know if there is a specific way to measure the success of a blog. Are factors like earnings and followers what define a success of a blog? Then are  brainpickings.org or Shane Parrish’s Farnam Street most successful blogs of this decade? I think it depends wholesomely on the blogger on how he or she would like to mend the success of his or her blog. Though, I believe there are factors that can help a blog grow: consistency in posting is one. Consistency can be of any form, a post a day or two posts a week, et cetera.

There are other factors like the quality of the content that I think depends on the personal touch/experience of the blogger who writes it which definitely improves the post quality even if it’s a book review on Harry Potter or To Kill a Mockingbird. Writing what one wants to write about is the most applicable and at the same time, appreciable factor behind every blog.

I don’t know whom to tag specifically, I’d like tag anyone who’s reading this post. So, if you decide to write a post and share this book tag, please feel free to mention the link of your post in the comments below.

The post The Secret Life of a Book Blogger appeared first on Confessions of a Readaholic.

Sometimes I feel like an alien  by Mannah Pierce 

There is this fast moving, transient, internet-based world that I do not understand and where I do not belong: Twitter; Facebook; blogs; forums; apps. Even that short list labels me as out-of-date and left-behind. I made it to email and websites but there I stopped. Despite sporadic efforts, that is where I remain.

I used to sit at the side of the internet highway and watch the traffic flash by. There had to be a way of getting up to speed. In Robert A. Heinlein’s ‘The Roads Must Roll’ (1940) there is a mass transit system of huge conveyor belts, called ‘roadtowns’, each of which moves at a steady speed. To make it onto the 100 miles per hour road, travellers would jump repeatedly from a slightly slower road to a slightly faster one. I looked for a series of stepping-stones, my journey from one road to the next; bent on joining those travelling quickest.

Now I have accepted that I will never make it. I no longer even know the destination; by the time I have identified a waypoint those ahead of me have moved on.

Does it matter? Perhaps not. 

‘The Roads must Roll’ was written in 1940. I read it in the early 1970s and the thirty-year gap did not stop me finding it fascinating. As a child I was entranced by ‘The Princess and the Goblin’, a fairy tale written in 1872 by a Christian minister living in Scotland by the name of George MacDonald. My favourite author is Cordwainer Smith who wrote amazing science fiction stories set in his ‘Instrumentality’ universe. Cordwainer Smith was the pen name of Paul Linebarger, a scholar specialising in East Asia and psychological warfare who died when I was six. The gulf between the life experience of Paul Linebarger and that of a girl growing up in seaside village in England did not stop his stories speaking to me.

I do not live in your world. Even so, I hope that my stories speak to you.

I am Mannah Pierce. My stories are set in ‘Known Space’, a world of the far future where Earth is merely a myth and spacers roam between the stars. Find your way to my stories via www.mannahpierce.com.  

Learn more about me rather than my fictional world. 

The post GUEST POST- Sometimes I feel like an Alien by Mannah Pierce 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.