Event Recap: Busting the Newbie Blues

Thank you all so much for participating in Busting the Newbie Blues! I can't tell you how much I appreciate your enthusiasm for this event. I hope your blues have been busted and that you've met many new blogging friends along the way.

Though the linky list is now closed for new entries, you can still click on the links and visit any blog you may not have gotten to yet. I am slowly but surely making my way through the list and I will be stopping by every blog that entered!

The discussions and Tips & Tricks posts will remain open indefinitely, so please feel free to join it at any time. The same goes for the Tips & Tricks Challenge.

If you like these posts, I hope you decide to stick around! Small Review features new discussion and Tips & Tricks posts every month.

Miss anything? Here are some posts you may want to check out:

Introduction post with list of participating blogs
My Busting the Newbie Blues questionnaire responses (2012)
My Busting the Newbie Blues questionnaire responses (from when I was a newbie)

Tips & Tricks Challenge
Your questions answered
How to Get ARCs: A Step-by-Step Guide
List of all Tips & Tricks posts

Discussion: When Blogging Makes Me Cry (and How I Smile Again)
Discussion: The Dark Side of Blogging

Ruby's Busting the Big Blogger Blues:

General Chat
Scheduling
How do you deal with blogger burnout? (part 1)
How do you deal with blogger burnout? (part 2)

2012's Busting the Newbie Blues has come to an end, but I hope to see all of you again next year!

In an effort to make next year's Busting the Newbie Blues even better, I would love it if you shared your feedback on the event! If you would like to help, please fill out THIS FORM. Thank you!

If you would like to receive an email when Busting the Newbie Blues returns in 2013, please fill out THIS FORM. I will send only one email and your email address will not be used for any other reason, nor will it be shared with anyone.

February will be a little quieter here at Small Review, with only reviews and a Review Comparison. But don't worry, all of the regular features will return in March! Tweet

Bx4 Guest Posting

We've been talking all month about being a blogging newbie, but what about when you're a big blogger?

Is it pretty much paradise on earth...with ARCs?

Why yes, my vision of paradise on earth DOES include unicorns!

Well, no. Not exactly.

Don't get me wrong, blogging is awesome, but just like newbies have all sorts of newbie things to stress about? Yeah, oldies have oldie things to stress about, too. 

But don't worry! Ruby from Ruby's Reads has got you covered! Check out her sister event to Busting the Newbie Blues in these great discussion posts:

Chat about oldie blues (The comments are filled with awesome)
Learn all about scheduling! (I get really excited about scheduling. You can color code things!)
Learn how to bust your big blogger blues from experts!
And from more experts! (and me!)

Yes, you read that right. If you're still dying to get more bits of Small wisdom, check out what I do when I start to feel the blogging blues. Here's a teaser:

Blogger burnout happens to me when I’m feeling stressed and overwhelmed. So what do I do? I procrastinate. I let things pile up even more…and then I feel even more burnt out and stressed! 

Wonderful, right? But that’s not the advice part, this is:

Ooooh cliffhanger! Hahaha. I know, I hate them too. But unlike a book, I'm not going to make you wait to find out more. Just click over to Ruby's Reads! See you there!

Why is he here? Um, because he was here the last time I guest posted at Ruby's blog. Isn't that reason enough?

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Discussion: The Dark Side of Blogging

Last discussion post we talked about envy, an emotion that most newbies (and even established bloggers) will feel at some point. Since I don't like being a downer, we also talked about solutions.

Today I'd like to talk about three things most bloggers will encounter eventually. In the spirit of staying up beat, I'd also like to discuss how to stay positive in the face of these situations. Of course there are MANY different ways to respond to these situations and there is no one right answer. I'm sharing how *I* would respond, and I hope you will share in the comments how YOU would respond!

By laying out some of the pitfalls now, I hope to help newbies (and established bloggers who have been lucky enough to avoid these dips!) prepare themselves for these situations so they won't be caught off guard.

Because the thing is, there ARE downsides to blogging, but they're manageable. I promise.

Someone plagiarized my blog!

Yes, it happens. It has happened to me (it is likely STILL happening to me) and it may happen to you.

Here are a few excellent posts written by other bloggers about plagiarism, what constitutes plagiarism (yes paraphrasing IS plagiarism!), how it feels to be plagiarized, and what to do if you've been plagiarized:

• Steph Su Reads
• Presenting Lenore
• The Compulsive Reader
• Persnickety Snark
• The Story Siren

They've done a fantastic job covering the ins and outs of what IS plagiarism, so I'm going to focus on the emotional side of things.

Having your work plagiarized is upsetting. It hurts and it kills the motivation to continue blogging like nothing else. For weeks after I found out my work was being plagiarized, I couldn't bring myself to write a single word (here's another example of why scheduling your posts in advance is wonderful.)

I couldn't shake the depressing thoughts of "Why bother? Someone is just going to take it, replace a few of my words with some synonyms, and pass it off as theirs."

It's hard to get past that, and honestly, I STILL struggle with this. The reality is that your work is always at risk of being plagiarized. To get back into writing, I needed to remind myself why I blog.

I feel great whenever I get comments and positive feedback. I have gained friends who brighten my life. I feel good when I introduce someone to a book they then read and enjoy. I love talking about books with fellow bookworms. I gain internal satisfaction from the pride of knowing I have produced written content, stuck with and nurtured a hobby, and continued to persevere even when I have encountered bumps in the road.

No amount of plagiarism can take any of that away. If your work has been stolen and you're having trouble finding the motivation to blog again, try to remind yourself of the positive side of blogging. 

Authors Behaving Badly

Unless you post nothing but absolutely glowing reviews, it is likely that, at some point, your review will upset an author and they will publicly discuss it. Maybe the author is straight up immature. Maybe the author read your review when they were already having a really bad day. There are a million reasons, but the result is the same: Public confrontation.

How you handle it is a personal decision, but this is what I say to myself:

When this happens, recognize that you are probably dealing with someone whose feelings have been hurt and they are lashing out with all of that emotion and pain. Those emotions are natural and understandable and it is important to remember that. It is equally important to remember that this is no excuse for bringing those feelings to a public forum.

Likewise, YOU will be emotional and hurt if an author criticizes you. Recognize your emotions, but do not allow them to dictate your actions. This is what the author should have done, but they didn't and the result wasn't pretty, was it? Don't make the situation worse by adding your own emotional response to the mix.

Maintain your professionalism.You cannot control the author's actions, but you can control your own response.

On your blog, you do have the option to delete offending posts. It is a good idea to make a note of what types of posts you will delete either on a policy page or in a customized comment form message. This can be a good approach to help avoid conflict on your blog and prevent anyone from (further) losing face.

If you choose to respond, be polite and do not argue with or engage in the specifics of their comment. Settle on agreeing to disagree and then wish them and their book the best. Leave it at that and move on.

If the criticized post is the result of a book you received for review, then you can direct the author to your review policy. Make sure your policy clearly states how you handle reviews for books you do not like and books you do not finish (and make sure your reviews adhere to this policy!). By providing a book for review, the author/publisher is agreeing to work with your policy.

Is this the pushover approach? Maybe. But, for me, it's also the approach that saves me from a boat load of drama, headaches, disappointments, and hurt feelings. I can't stop an author from getting upset and lashing out, but I have far too many books to chat about to waste my time on negative drama. I want Small Review to be a happy, welcoming place and I will always strive to keep it that way.

Oh, oh no

Have you ever misspelled an author's name? How about the title of their book? Or, oh gosh, have you ever sent the wrong review/email/request to the wrong author/publisher?

*cringe* I have. The thing is, we all make mistakes, and if you blog long enough, odds are you will make a mistake like this at some point. There's no getting around the fact that this is mortifying, but it also isn't the end of the world.

Again, authors are people, and since you are a person too, try thinking about how you would feel if this happened to you. What would you want the person to do to fix the mistake? Would you want an apology? Would you want the mistake corrected? Would you want to be assured that they do in fact care enough about you to make sure they get your name right?

Do what YOU would want done. Do what would make YOU feel better.

Plus, it's not like you would blacklist someone forever and ever if they made a mistake about your name, especially if they made an effort to fix that mistake, right?

What do you think are the dark sides of blogging? 
How do you address them?
Have any of these situations happened to you?
Do you have any advice on how to handle them?

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Tips & Tricks: Q & A Edition 3

What You Will Learn

A few weeks before Busting the Newbie Blues and Busting the Big Blogger Blues went live, Ruby and I posted up a question form. Readers were encouraged to write whatever newbie or oldie questions they had about blogging.

We've addressed many of these questions throughout our events, but there were a few questions that we either couldn't fit in anywhere else or didn't need an entire post devoted to them. So that's where this post comes in.

If you feel your question still hasn't been answered, please ask again in the comments!

If you have a question you would like answered in a future Tips & Tricks post, I would love it if you filled out THIS FORM. Tips & Tricks posts go up once a month, so it may take a little while for me to get to your question, but I promise you I WILL answer.

Let's Do This!

How do you add originality to your blog? How do you take ideas from other blogs without seeming unoriginal or copying?

The best piece of advice I can think of is to say look at yourself, not everyone else. YOUR voice is what will bring originality to your blog. Let your personality shine through and your blog will be uniquely yours.

But what about features? Memes? Honestly, I wouldn't worry about them. When answering the Busting the Newbie Blues questionnaires, you know what a lot of people DIDN'T like about blogs? When they're filled with memes. You know what people DO want? Quality reviews.

Still stuck? Try this approach:

Other people can be hugely inspiring, but when you look to others for inspiration you walk a tightrope with originality on one side and plagiarism on the other. Of course you do NOT want to end up on the plagiarism side of things (and keep in mind, paraphrasing or taking an idea IS plagiarism!).

Ok, so you're not looking at anyone else now, right? Now I want you to forget about your readers for a minute. *GASP*

Yes, your readers are hugely important, but when you think about them in this context, you're probably thinking of how you can please them. Do you know what that means? PRESSURE! It's incredibly hard to be creative when you're feeling that kind of pressure.

So now you're not looking at anyone else for inspiration and you're not thinking about your readers. What do you do next?

Look in a mirror. Ask yourself, what do YOU want to see? Focus on what YOU want. When you read a review, what do YOU want to know about the book?

How about frustrations? Is there anything that you as a reader and a blogger experience that frustrates you? A problem you've faced? How can you fix that problem? For me, my latest feature was born out of a need for book recommendations.

Once you've brainstormed some ideas, search around a little and see if anyone else is doing something similar. If no one is, then wonderful!

If they are, then no worries. Sure, maybe you'll scrap that idea, but you have discovered that someone is doing something you wanted. Even if it's a loss for the "original idea" category, discovering their feature is still a win for you.

Now get back to that mirror and think of another idea. Or don't. I said this earlier in my discussion post but it bears repeating:

• When the muse is out on extended vacation, embrace the basics. There is nothing wrong with a review blog with nothing but reviews. You do not have to be the NEXT BIG THING to offer something of value. 

How do you get your heading banner thing to become centered on your blog? Mine isn't.

This probably has to do with your code. I'm not sure what's going on, but try looking in your code for words like "Header," "Align," and "Padding." Maybe your padding is set unevenly? Or your align isn't set for center? I'm sorry I can't be more helpful!

How, in comments, do you link your site so people commenting can check it out?

That is called anchor text, and it is fantastically useful! Check out my Tips & Tricks post called How to Make Anchor Text to learn how. Let me know if you have any trouble with it.

I've been trying to link up my Word97 to make it easier to post but it's just not working. I just love how other bloggers have these neat nice rating images and boxes in their post. I'm so not good with design.

Hm, I'm not sure what you mean about linking up Word97. I will say though, that when it comes to blogging DO NOT use Microsoft Word if at all possible (it took me a while to figure this out). Microsoft Word adds all kinds of extra code that could mess up your formatting and potentially cause errors. See:

Click to see in all it's awesomely bad glory

This is a blog post after I copied it from Microsoft Word. See the arrows? See all that green text? It goes on for almost THREE HUNDRED LINES OF CODE. It is entirely useless and is only there because Microsoft Word wants to be the bane of a blogger's existence.

Every time someone tries to view your post, their browser needs to read every line of code you have written. Look at all that useless code! Sloppy, sloppy.

Click to make larger

Ah, THAT is what I wanted! See how neat and clean it is? See how I couldn't even fit the whole blog post in one screen cap when it was copied from Microsoft Word, but in reality MY work only takes up five tidy little lines? MUCH better.

I highly recommend Notepad or Notepad++.(which is the program I've used to show my code in both of those pictures). Personally, I write all of my blog posts in Notepad++ because it does code highlighting (this is what makes the text different colors, and I am a color coding fanatic).

As for the rating images, I love them too! You can try sites like All Silhouettes or All Vectors to get an image you like for your ratings. You can crop the images using a program like Paint or something more advanced like Photoshop or Gimp (free).

By boxes, if you mean colored boxes, I have a tutorial called How to Make Colored Boxes that explains how you make them. I hope that helps!

And don't worry if you're not good at design. You'll learn! A lot of design is much easier than it seems at first. It's easy to be overwhelmed by design, but if you try to learn things in bite sized baby steps, it's a lot less intimidating. Also remember, a neat and easy to navigate blog is far more important than pretty graphics. 

Click here to make a request for a future Tips & Tricks post.

The form is anonymous, so please don't feel shy at all!

I'm certainly not an expert, but I'll try my hardest to explain what I do know and research what I don't know.

Click here to read previous Tips & Tricks Posts 

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Small Busts the Newbie Blues 2012

Busting the Newbie Blues is an annual event designed to help new YA book bloggers network with one another and share blogging experiences with other newbie and established bloggers. This event is running throughout the entire month of January. Want to join in? Click here to learn more!

1. When did you start your blog?

I started putting things together in October 2010, but it went "live" in November 2010.

2. Do you ever still feel like a newbie?

All the time, and not so much. I'm a shy person and I live under a really big rock, so I feel like I'm always struggling with blogger etiquette and keeping up with social trends.

I pretty much don't even try to "break news" like cover reveals or new book announcements because I'm just not hip enough to compete in that arena. And that's ok. I feel like I've found my own groove when it comes to blogging, and in that regard I don't feel like a newbie anymore.


I do feel like a complete newbie when I talk with authors, publishers, or big bloggers. I pretty much have a running commentary of "They're talking to ME? ME?? Yay! Oh my word, they're talking to me. WHAT DO I SAY??? Oh great, I sound like an idiot." 

3. What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far? Did you make any mistakes new bloggers can learn from?

Probably time management. I'm a "more is more" kind of person, and I've let that mentality slip into my blogging life, for better and for worse. For most of my first year I was posting every day with two reviews per week. That worked for a while, but lately life has gotten busier and I don't think I'll be able to keep up with such a rigorous schedule.

The biggest mistake I made with this was thinking I couldn't deviate from my schedule. I super stressed trying to get everything done, and then I stressed even more over the idea of reducing my schedule. Part of me fears that everyone will abandon me and I'll be letting everyone down by posting less.

But the reality is, many of my favorite blogs do not post every day. And, honestly, if they have a schedule, I haven't kept track. I read them because I enjoy them, and it really doesn't factor in at all whether or not they stick to a schedule or post every day.

In fact, I'm almost relieved when people DON'T post every day because I find it hard to keep up with all of the feeds in my reader. I ended up skipping past posts I wanted to read because I just didn't have time to read them. I need to remember that sometimes less is more.

4. What did you find most discouraging about being a new blogger? How did you deal with this?

Statistics. I am a statistics junky, so I pretty much obsessed over my stats for the first, well, for a lot longer than I should have. I compared myself to other bloggers and set monthly goals for all sorts of things.

I dealt with this in two ways. One, I started Busting the Newbie Blues. I was way too shy to start commenting on the big blogs, so I sought out other newbies like myself. I ended up meeting a lot of bloggers who have become good friends and it really helped to know that other people were feeling the same things I was feeling. Plus, I'm not going to lie, the followers boost felt pretty awesome and gave me encouragement at a time when I really needed it.

The second way I dealt with it was to CHILL OUT. This was very hard, and I still struggle with it, but I needed to ignore my stats and take a chill pill. Life goes on, even when my pageviews dip (like over the summer when kids stop Googling "What is the ending of The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle??").

Plus, do you know how much time I spent worrying over and checking my stats? Do you know how many quality posts I could have written during that time? How many books I could have been reading? Spending my time on those pursuits would have been a lot more helpful toward my goal of increasing my stats than spending that time obsessing over my stats.

5. What do you find most encouraging?

SO many things. When you're feeling down about your blog, think of all the things YOU have done that have nothing to do with your stats. It can be pretty surprising.

I've done so many things I never thought I could or would do. I've hosted and co-hosted three events, contacted authors and publishers, received books for review, written a LOT of reviews, thought more critically about my reading, written almost daily, created and STUCK WITH a blog for over a year.

These are all things that I DID, even if I was nervous and even if I was busy and even if I was tired. I DID them, and I'm pretty proud of that. Even if you're a tiny newbie blogger, I guarantee you can point to at least a handful of blogging accomplishments you can be proud about. Try it!

The other biggest encouragement has been all of the amazing people I've met. The people who read and comment have been like my own personal cheerleader squad. You encourage me, direct me, give me insight and feedback. Your comments pick me up when I'm feeling down. Do you realize how much you mean to me? So, so much.

6. If you could go back in time and speak with your newbie self, what five bits of wisdom would you tell yourself?

1. Do what you CAN do and don't stress about the rest.
2. STOP WORRYING ABOUT YOUR STATS.
3. You CAN take a break. No one will abandon you. (People will even tell you they miss you!)
4. Deviate from your schedule if you want! No one cares as much about your schedule as you do.
5. Don't let blogging take over your life!

(Are you sensing the "more is more" problem I have?)

7. What do you like best about the blogs you read? Have you tried to replicate this in your blog?

I love blogs where I feel like I know the blogger--their personality shines through in everything they do. I gravitate toward nicer, happier people. The kind of people who reach out instead of shut out. I don't feel comfortable around mean or cliquish people.

It is very important to me that people feel comfortable on my blog. Whether we agree or disagree on a book, I don't mind at all. I hope everyone feels at ease and that they won't be judged. Everyone is welcome here (unless, well, if someone is making an effort to be mean. Or spam. Those I don't welcome so much).

I also really love it when the blogger replies to comments. I feel like their blog is ten times more welcoming and I'm a lot more likely to comment. I also like asking questions, so it's nice to know they'll be answered.

As for reviews, I love it when a reviewer lays it all out there for me. I don't want spoilers (oh please no spoilers!) or a summary of the whole plot (please no!) but I do want to know things like pacing, if a long book feels long, what the characters are like, what other books is this book like, if it has a slow start but then makes up for it later, does it have insta-love, is there a love triangle, and on and on. I also like knowing WHY they liked or disliked the book. All of this information helps me determine whether or not the book is for me.

I also like rating systems. No, scratch that, I ADORE rating systems. I'm totally lost without them. I don't like descriptive rating systems as much because my memory is horrible so it's hard for me to keep track of what they mean (is "covet" better or worse than "adore"??). But oh for the love of numbers! Show me frogs or diamonds or stars or owls--whatever. If I can count it, then I'm happy.

I try to do all of this and I hope I've succeeded (but please tell me if I haven't!).

8. What do you dislike about blogs you’ve seen? Do you try to avoid this?

Negativity. Reviews that tell me nothing about the book. Reviews that are summaries. Clutter. Difficult to read fonts. Slow loads. Broken scripts. Disorganization. No review index.

Basically, I want to be able to find your posts, physically read them without hurting my eyes, and come away happy and with more information about the book than I had before.

I hope I avoid these things, but if I don't, please tell me! Really!

9. How did you bring your blog to the attention of so many people?

Busting the Newbie Blues! Seriously. Outside of that, I commented a lot, registered my blog with search engines, worked on making my post titles SEO friendly, and threw myself into blogging.

10. When and how did you get your first ARC (or first few ARCs)?

ARCs for me have been a strange and inconsistent experience.

Before I started blogging, I posted reviews on Amazon and, based on that, I was able to get some e-ARCs through NetGalley. I was denied by HarperTeen (they STILL love denying my requests), but Houghton Mifflin Harcourt approved me!

Then I jumped into blogging, and after only about a month I got my first ARC from Goodreads First Reads program (and if you know much about my favorite authors, you know what a love affair THAT started for me!). I received one more ARC from them early on...and nothing since.

It's been hit or miss since then, but what I've taken away from my ARC experiences so far is this:

1. I am still very confused as to what criteria publishers use for determining who gets ARCs, when, and why
2. Getting ARCs is like feast of famine. I'll get a bunch of them, and then nothing for a while, and then another surge
3. I get ARCs when I least expect them
4. A denial does not necessarily mean there is something wrong with me
5. The longer I blog consistently and well, the more likely I am to be approved
6. Getting ARCs is like getting presents and work all rolled into one package
7. It's nice getting ARCs, but it's not something to stress or obsess over

What about you? 

How do your experiences compare?

Have you joined in Busting the Newbie Blues yet?

How about your Big Blogger Blues?

There's still time! These events run until the end of January!

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Discussion: When blogging makes me cry (and how I smile again)

Blogging is a TON of fun, right? You know this, that's why you blog! But most things in life aren't ALL good or ALL bad, and blogging is no exception.

Today I want to discuss some of the pitfalls of blogging, or, if you're hyper-emotional like I am, the things you may encounter that will make you want to cry.

So today, let's talk about envy. As a newbie, this is an especially common feeling (but you know what? oldies feel it too!).

Your EVERYTHING is better than mine!

This is that feeling you get when you look at another blogger's design, followers, ARC-filled mailbox, comments, post ideas, whatever, and feel totally and utterly inadequate in comparison.

I admit, I've succumbed to this on more than one occasion. And I still do. It's hard not to when you see something you want but don't have. Or don't think you have. I may have even wailed (once or twice) that NO ONE LOVES ME AND EVERY PUBLISHER HATES ME AND I AM A FAILURE AT BLOGGING AND LIFE AND THE WORLD!

Yes, I can occasionally be a little dramatic (it's the Gothic fiction fan in me). It's easy to give into those kinds of feelings, but it's also important to look at things with a little perspective.

Everyone has more followers than I do!

The feeling: Why don't people want to read my blog? What am I doing wrong? Am I unlikable? Publishers will never take me seriously.

The reality: Some of my absolute favorite blogs have lower follower counts. I read their posts and wonder why in the world they don't have thousands and thousands of followers. They're amazing! I would follow them twice if I could. Follower numbers aren't always a reflection of the quality of the blog. Remember this especially when you're feeling down!

The solution:

• Try the tips I mentioned in my Tips & Tricks series How to Attract Readers to Your Blog
• Participate in memes like Feature Follow Friday and The Book Blogger Hop
• Give it time. Seriously, it takes time to gain followers
• Utilize social networking resources like Twitter, Facebook, message forums, etc
• Follow blogs in your niche (i.e. other YA book blogs)
• Recognize the value of the followers you DO have
• Don't compare yourself to others
• Forget about your stats and just blog

The wider you cast your net, the more likely you are to gain TRUE followers. And you will! I promise. But like most things with blogging, remember, quality over quantity. One loyal, devoted, quality follower can make this whole blogging endeavor worthwhile.

My blog design is ugly and everyone thinks I am an eyesore!

The feeling: My blog doesn't look as good in comparison to other blogs. No one will read my blog because it is not visually attractive.

The reality: Yes, honestly, I do make snap judgements on the appearance of a blog. I am more likely to stop and read a visually appealing blog. But, a blog doesn't need to be flashy to be visually attractive. Some of my favorite blogs have extremely simple designs. A neat (this is key! Don't let your sidebar pictures hang over their edges!), easy to navigate blog is more important to me than a blog with professionally designed graphics.

The solution: This is probably the easiest lamentation to address. Don't like your blog design? Get a new one! There is an endless number of free and pay-for sources for you to choose from.

I haven't used any of these services and so I can't vouch for them, but here is a list to start you off:

Designs to buy (some have free or low-cost options, too):

• Dreamy Blog Designs
• Blogging Bella Designs
• KD Designs
• Parajunkee Design
• The Cutest Blog on the Block: Custom Designs
• Designer Blogs
• Smitten Blog Designs

Free backgrounds:

• The Cutest Blog on the Block
• Hot Bliggity Blog
• Shabby Blogs
• Free Blogger Backgrounds

Free templates (codes):

• Blogger Templates

Everyone else is a million times more creative than I am!

The feeling: Everyone else is coming up with all of these really inventive features, and I can't! Everyone's reviews are so creatively written and mine feel like a snooze-fest book report. My blog doesn't stand out in any way and no one will want to read it. I'm plain vanilla boring!

The reality: Creativity is a fickle thing. It comes. It goes. You can't control it, so don't stress out trying to. It will come when it comes and stressing will only muck up your creative juices.

Also, some people are naturally more creative than others, or naturally more creative in certain ways. Take me, for example: I'm a creative problem solver but I can't for the life of me write fiction. Really, I'm awful. Such is life. Focus on your natural strengths and don't stress about the rest.

The solution: Stop looking at other people and start looking in the mirror. What kind of post do YOU wish were there? What would YOU like to read? When reading a review, what do YOU want to know about the book? Chances are, if you want something, then someone else wants the same thing. Make it happen.

And don't forget, creativity is great, but there is something to be said for the expected. The traditional. As much as I love "creative chocolate" like truffles or fancy chocolate bars with nuts and pretzels and toffee pieces and whatever, I will never turn down a good old-fashioned plain chocolate bar. Never.

So when the muse is out on extended vacation, embrace the basics. There is nothing wrong with a review blog with nothing but reviews. You don't need to be THE NEXT BIG THING to offer something of value.

There are so many cliques and no one wants to be MY friend!

The feeling: I want to sit at the cool kids' table, but they don't pay any attention to me. Do they not like me? I feel awkward and like I stand out...and not in a good way.

The reality: Want another "hard truth"? Yes, cliques exist. Not everyone will like you, and YOU aren't going to like everyone. That doesn't mean there is anything wrong with you (or them). It's just that different people have different tastes and click in different ways. This is natural.

The solution: Don't try to force a friendship. If you like someone's blog, then follow it. Comment on it if you enjoy commenting. Do it because you enjoy it, not because you want them to pay attention to you. If you're a good match, then a friendship will grow naturally.

Good friendships build over time. Lots of time. Don't stress if you're not immediate BFFs with someone. You WILL find friends in the blogging world.

Also remember that blogging is time consuming and most bloggers have careers, family, and school that command even more of their time. If you leave a comment or follow someone, don't get discouraged if they don't reply immediately. It may take a month or more for a blogger to be able to get back to you, but that doesn't necessarily mean they aren't interested. They may be very interested, but also very busy (I know this is 100% the case for me!).

What about blogging gets you down? What makes you feel better again? Do you have any advice to share?

When you see a smaller blog, what do you think about them? What about blog designs? Do you judge a blog by its "cover"?

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Tips & Tricks Challenge

Welcome to the first Tips & Tricks post of this year's Busting the Newbie Blues!

Click to learn more about Busting the Newbie Blues!

Part of being a newbie is having a TON of questions (and, honestly, oldies have a lot of the same questions). I've answered a bunch of these questions last year through my Tips & Tricks series and I've compiled most of them here for you to browse through.

And, because January is all about signing up for challenges, I'm turning this into a mini challenge!

Don't worry, there aren't any big rules or requirements (I'm all about fudging challenge rules anyway). There aren't any levels or prizes. It's all very low key.

All you have to do is:

1. Pick one thing (or more!) from the list below and DO IT
2. Come back to this post and leave a comment telling us what you did
3. Leave a link to your post/blog so we can all check out your results and give you lots and lots of praise!

Not sure how to leave a clickable link? Check out my Tips & Tricks post about anchor text.

What do you do?

Any of the following Tips & Tricks qualify, plus any future Tips & Tricks posted throughout this event. YOU CAN DO IT!

The List:

Blog Design

Basics

How to Make a Full-Screen Blog Header
How to Make a Sidebar Header
How to Fix Overhanging Sidebar Images

Icons and Buttons

How to Make a Button
How to Make a Scrolling Widget for Blog Buttons
How to Make Social Networking Icons (Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, etc)
How to Make an "Email Me" Link and Icon

Personalize

How to Add a Signature to Posts
How to Customize a Comment Form Message

More HTML (made super simple)

How to Make Colored Boxes
How to Make Borders
How to Make a Progress Bar (for challenges)
How to Customize a Progress Bar

Attract Followers

Blog Promotion

How to Increase SEO with Post Titles
How to Increase Blog Readership with Search Engines
4 Ways to Gain Readers Using Comments

Suck Readers in for Hours!

How to Make Anchor Text
How to Make Named Attribution Jumps
How to Maximize Links, part 1
How to Maximize Links, part 2
How to Use Labels (Tags) to Increase Blog Traffic

Now go ahead and pick one! Make sure to come back here and share your success with us!

(And if you're having trouble, don't worry. Come back and ask questions so I can help you out.)

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Busting the Newbie Blues is back!

Welcome to the second 
Busting the Newbie Blues event!

Starting out as a new YA book blogger is a ton of fun. You meet a bunch of new people who all share in your passion for YA books, you become a part of a friendly community, and you're continually exposed to wonderful new books.

But sometimes things can be a little discouraging when you're just starting out. You look at your blog and then look at some of the awesome established bloggers out there and wonder if you'll ever make the grade.

So here's to Busting the Newbie Blues! Don't be discouraged. Instead, take action! Participate in my Busting the Newbie Blues event, which will run through the entire month of January!

Last year's Busting the Newbie Blues was a big success! Almost all of my "daily read" blogs are run by people I met through this event. I thoroughly busted my newbie blues last year, and now I can't wait to pay it forward to a new year of newbies. 


This event is designed to:

• Put new YA book bloggers on the map
• Increase blogger interaction
• Start a discussion by sharing our experiences as new bloggers
• Learn about what it was like for established bloggers when they were newbies

So how does this work? Simple:

• Be a YA book blogger (oldie or newbie)
• Select the questionnaire that best applies to you (there's no "wrong" choice, so just pick whichever one you feel most comfortable answering)
• Create a post on your blog with the questions and your answers
• Grab the button below to include in your post or sidebar
• Link back to my post here so more people can join in
• Sign the linky list below so we can all come and visit your blog!
• Spread the word!

Try to visit as many blogs as you can. Take a look at their answers, but also check out a bunch of their other posts (try for 5?) and leave comments. If you like their blog, follow them! If someone follows you, then take a look at their blog and follow back if you like what you see.

I will also have Busting the Newbie Blues posts scattered throughout the month that will include things like blogging tips and tricks, discussions, and responses to your blogging questions (including the most frequently asked question--how do you get ARCs?!).

This event will run through the entire month of January, so bookmark this post and check back to ensure you'll be included in all the fun as new bloggers add their posts to the list. I can't wait to see all your responses and blogs! I hope everyone has fun. :)


Questionnaires:

New Bloggers:

Pick this questionnaire if you if you feel you're still getting your "blogging legs" and could use some advice and awareness brought to your blog, whether you're a brand new blogger or even if you've been blogging for over a year.

1. When did you start your blog?
2. Why did you start your blog?
3. What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far?
4. What do you find most discouraging about being a new blogger?
5. What do you find most encouraging?
6. What do you like best about the blogs you read? Have you tried to replicate this in your blog?
7. What do you dislike about blogs you’ve read? Do you try to avoid this?
8. Any advice for other new bloggers?
9. Any questions you'd like to ask newbie or established bloggers?
10. Is there anything you’d like to tell us about your blog? Feel free to link a few of your favorite posts or posts you wish had more comments.

Established Bloggers:

Pick this questionnaire if you've been blogging for a while, have a decent sized group of followers and people commenting on your posts, and get a decent amount of traffic. Basically, you have some experience blogging and you've seen positive results for your efforts. You can define "decent" however you'd like.

1. When did you start your blog? 
2. Do you ever still feel like a newbie?
3. What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far? Did you make any mistakes new bloggers can learn from?
4. What did you find most discouraging about being a new blogger? How did you deal with this?
5. What do you find most encouraging?
6. If you could go back in time and speak with your newbie self, what five bits of wisdom would you tell yourself?
7. What do you like best about the blogs you read? Have you tried to replicate this in your blog?
8. What do you dislike about blogs you’ve seen? Do you try to avoid this?
9. How did you bring your blog to the attention of so many people? 
10. When and how did you get your first ARC (or first few ARCs)? 

<br><a border="0" href="http://smallreview.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i53.tinypic.com/25updae.jpg" /></a><br>

I hope you have fun! I look forward to reading all your responses, seeing how last year's newbies have grown, and meeting new blogging friends!

But wait, there's more!

After this past November's Historical Fantasy Jubilee, I think it's pretty safe to say that Ruby from Ruby's Reads and I work well together. But how did this princess connection come to be?

Busting the Newbie Blues, that's how.

Yup, Ruby and I met through last year's Busting the Newbie Blues event. Is that not a fantastic endorsement to the potential awesome you can get through Busting the Newbie Blues? 

Ruby and I loved working together so much that we decided to join forces once again! While I'll be hosting Busting the Newbie Blues, Ruby will be hosting a version for oldie bloggers called Busting the Big Blogger Blues! What is this sister event? I'll let Ruby explain:

Basically, Bx4 is designed to help more established bloggers with the struggles that come a bit later in the game. I don't know about you, but I have plenty of trouble with scheduling, managing my review pile, and making sure I comment on other blogs, and I'd welcome any advice I can get.

Even though this event is tailored for oldie bloggers, I think newbies should be able to gain a lot from it as well. I know I'll be checking it out for myself (because my review pile? Um, yeah, I let that get WAY out of control! Oops!).

Interested? Grab Ruby's button and check out Ruby's Reads tomorrow to bust your big blogger blues!

<a href="http://www.rubysreads.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Ruby's Reads Busting the Big Blogger Blues" src="http://i43.tinypic.com/fnfe6t.jpg" width="100%" />

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Recap: Busting the Newbie Blues

 

All good things must come to an end.

I'd like to give a HUGE thank you to everyone who participated in this event! We had 68 bloggers (plus myself) participating, which is far more than I ever imagined! You guys really took this event and ran with it, giving such kind and thoughtful comments to one another and really getting into the spirit of this event. You've all made me so happy, so thank you, thank you, thank you!

I hope you all enjoyed it. I know I thoroughly busted my newbie blues, met some great bloggers, gained followers/comments, and read a bunch of really helpful advice. 

The linky list is now closed, but you can still click on the links to browse through all of the blogs who participated. If you haven't gotten a chance to do so yet, I definitely recommend it. They are all really wonderful blogs. 

Click here to browse through participating blogs. 
And one more blogger who participated here at Small Review.
Click here to read my responses.

I had so much fun that I think I'll be running this event next year as well. I hope you join in again, especially since all our newbies now will be seasoned bloggers by then. It will be fun to see how much we've grown in a year, plus, then you'll all get to help new bloggers bust their newbie blues!

Given the craziness of the holiday season, I think next year I will host the event throughout the month of January 2012, so mark your calendars!

To prepare for next year, I'd love to read your feedback on the event:

• Did you enjoy it? 
• What would you change? 
• What would you keep? 
• Would you participate next year? 
• Any other thoughts or suggestions? 

 You can leave your comments here or email me if you feel more comfortable (imagesandwords at optonline dot net) Please feel free to speak your minds. Anything you say will only help make this event better next year!

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Spotlight List: Small Review Busts the Newbie Blues

On Thursdays I usually make a Spotlight post (click for previous Spotlight posts) where I pick a theme and highlight a bunch of books that fall within that theme. This week I’ve decided to shift focus a little and turn the spotlight onto me by participating in my event Busting the Newbie Blues. Everyone is invited to participate in this event! You can find out about this event and how you too can participate by clicking the link or the picture. I hope my answers are as helpful as all of yours have been!

When did you start your blog? 

I officially started late October 2010, but I only really got up and running in November. 

Why did you start your blog?

I stumbled across a few YA book blogs (The Story Siren and Need_Tea's blog in particular) and started reading them regularly. They helped me out so much with finding new books that I decided I wanted to give back a little to the community by sort of paying it forward. Without going into a big long ramble (which I tend to do), you can read more about why I started this blog in my About section.  

What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far?

The technical aspects, getting my name out there, and time management. I'm not very computer literate when it comes to these sorts of things, so this was all a very learn as you go experience. Creating my banner and background were my first real attempts at using Photoshop, but I think they turned out ok. They're far from perfect, but once I shove the overly self-critical part of my brain away I'm pretty proud. Google was my best friend throughout this process, as I was constantly typing in "How to..." every time I ran up against a wall (which was often). 

Getting my name out there has been a mixed bag. It's been really time consuming, but I think my efforts have been rewarded. I've met some really awesome people in the process, so that's made it a lot of fun. 

Time management is the biggest hurdle now that most of the technical things are out of the way. I'm still struggling with this one. I spend hours trying to respond to all of the comments on my own blog, visit and comment on a ton of blogs (I think I have over 100 bookmarked), plus then there's also finding time to write the content for my blog and actually read books. Running this event is also very time consuming because I try to explore every blog that signs up and leave meaningful comments. I'm working on putting together a schedule for myself and then sticking to it. 

What do you find most discouraging about being a new blogger?

At first I was kind of discouraged when I didn't have a lot of followers or comments. I had just started out, and I knew it takes time, but I wondered if it would ever happen. 

Then I looked at some of the blogs I admire and did a little math. (I'm a bit of a nerd with math). My math told me that those bloggers who have super impressive follower numbers averaged anywhere from 30-80 followers a month. I figure the more established they became, the more followers they had each day, and when they were starting out they probably weren't even getting that many a month. 

That put things in perspective a lot and I realized I wasn't doing badly at all. That was the "hard proof" I needed to believe what I knew all along: It takes time. I haven't worried about it since. 

What do you find most encouraging?

The people. In particular, getting to know everyone through comments and their blogs. If nothing changed from how they are now, at this point I would be completely satisfied. I've met some really kind and wonderful people here, I feel like I'm a part of an up-beat and welcoming community, I can chat to my heart's content about YA books with people who are as passionate about them as I am, and I've actually managed to meet my goal by helping some people. This community has brought me so much joy. 

What do you like best about the blogs you read? Have you tried to replicate this in your blog?

I like the blogs that have helped me by putting new books on my radar or providing thoughtful reviews for books I've read or want to read. I'm usually a step or two behind most news (my middle name is "Lives Under Rock"), so I'm not sure how good I've been at bringing new books to people's attention. I do try to highlight older books I think may be less popular but deserve recognition, so I might have accomplished my goal in this way. 

As far as thoughtful reviews are concerned, well, I hope I have. I am still trying to find my voice and I'm not quite sure yet what works best. I started out writing reviews on Amazon where I went for a drier approach. Blogging is completely different and you're actually encouraged to let your voice and personality shine through your review. I'm a really shy person, so I often think I sound pretty silly when I write in a manner closer to how I would speak. I've been sort of posting, hiding behind my hands, and then peeking out between my fingers thinking, "Oh gosh, I hope that doesn't sound too stupid."   

I really like blogs where the blogger interacts with people who leave thoughtful comments. I feel a lot more connected to the blog that way and that the blogger really cares about their blog. I understand not being able to reply to every comment, especially when a blogger gets 50 different comments saying "Nice mailbox!" but when a person takes the time to write a thoughtful comment I like it when the blogger takes the time to respond. I try to do this on my blog and those interactions have become one of the most rewarding parts of blogging.

I also like blogs that are really well designed. Danny from Bewitched Bookworms has designed some of my favorite sites. She's really amazing. In that regard I've decided to just accept my limitations for now.

What do you dislike about blogs you’ve read? Do you try to avoid this?

My vision is pretty poor, so I have trouble reading blogs that have tiny font, white font on a dark background, or colored font on a colored background. I didn't do this on my site both for anyone reading my blog and so I could actually read my own blog. 

The captcha codes you have to type in before commenting can also be irritating. Most of the established bloggers don't have them and it doesn't look like they have to deal with spam. I imagine if anyone is going to be targeted, it would be them. 

The only other thing is negativity. Meanness really turns me off and I don't want to read it or write it. I like being happy, so I want to spend my time around people who are happy and who make me happy. I'm relieved to say that the vast majority of the YA book blogging world seems to be filled with the nicest, most up-beat people around. I love it! 

Any advice for other new bloggers?

Not much considering I'm very new myself. I'm still finding my footing here, but what seems to work the best is just putting yourself out there. I was so nervous about commenting on people's blogs at first. I was so impressed with their blogs and wondered who am I to post on their blog? Like I was the new girl butting into a conversation at the popular table. But then I just realized I have to just jump in. When I did, I realized how nice and welcoming everyone is and how unfounded my fears were. 

What I did find helpful for a shy person like myself was to start talking to other newer bloggers. They seemed a lot more approachable and less intimidating. We also had common ground beyond our shared interest for YA books. It was through those conversations that the idea for this event began to percolate in my head. 

A final piece of advice, but take it with a grain of salt because it's just my opinion: Don't follow someone just so they will follow you. I feel uncomfortable when I get out of the blue follow requests from people, especially since I try to check out the blog of every person who comments on my posts anyway. I try to follow blogs I actually read, and I only have so much time to read blogs. I feel a little false when I follow a blog that I don't actually read. This is why I don't participate in the Follow Friday meme (not bashing it at all, Parajunkee is an awesome blogger. That meme is just not for me). 

Anything else you’d like to share about your experience?

If you have a question, don't be afraid to ask! Everyone I have asked has been super helpful and nice. I can't speak for anyone but myself, but I know when I've been asked questions it has totally made my day. 

Is there anything you’d like to tell us about your blog?

I'm alwys looking for feedback. A large part of why I started this blog was to help other people, so I would love feedback on how I can do that better. What do you want to see? What do you like that I'm already doing? What do you dislike? I can't guarantee I'll make every change suggested because I have to make the blog work for me as well, but I will consider everything said.  

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Guest Post: Looksie Lovitz Busting the Newbie Blues

Continuing the event Busting the Newbie Blues is a guest post from Looksie Lovitz from the fantastic blog Looksie Lovitz: Books and Wits. She'll be guest posting her responses here, but be sure to go and check out her blog as well! Lucky Looksie, she even has a review up already for Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins (the second book in the Hex Hall series, and I'm just dying to read it!)

Guest Post: Looksie Lovitz: Books and Wits

  

1. When did you start your blog? 
In a time of great triumphs and epic notions. I started my masterpiece on July 15th, 2010.

2. Why did you start your blog?  
Because NONE of my friends read books to the capacity and with the same amount of passion I do. When I discovered the world of book blogging I was all, "I want on this beast!" I love finding out about new books and obsessing about my favorites and I just can't do that anywhere else

3. What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far?  
The ins and outs of Blogger. I am very technology inept and most of the time I want to throw my computer/ cellphone against the wall. It took me like two months before I realized I could schedule posts. And I STILL don't know how to design my blog. My banner and background change a lot. hopefully it doesn't bug anyone that I do that. If so, my bad. I might be a little ADHD and can't just stick with one idea because I get bored of it. I don't know what my problem is there. Haha. 
 
4. What do you find most discouraging about being a new blogger?  
Well, I'm not on a first name basis with hardly any publishers so the only time I ever get Advance Reader Copies are when I join book tours and the occasional author sent book. Sometimes I would worry about my reviews not being full of those wonderful ARCs cause I love to read ARC reviews and I guess I assume thats what my readers want too. At this point I have a mix of both ARCs and released books but I guess I'm a little self conscious of not posting what people want to read.

5. What do you find most encouraging? 
I'm sure EVERYONE has said this but the book blogging community has been awesome. It's funny because I'm 23 and here I am getting giddy about fictional 17 year old boys and I'm relating to 15 year olds and 30 year olds. Books have definitely bridged the generation gaps and I think it's phenom. 

6. What do you like best about the blogs you read? Have you tried to replicate this in your blog?  
Hmm.. I love reading certain peoples blogs that have a strong voice that's fun to read and has original content. I try to be clever and original but I don't know if I have chops to stand up to the greats. I give it my best but most of the time I probably think I'm funnier than I really am. As far as original content, music is something that I have decided to incorporate via book playlists because I see myself as a music guru. I consider it my duty to educate every one on non-generic good music. *shrugs* I try, but phenom music is an acquired taste. But I do feel like the music thing sets me apart from other book bloggers. One thing I wish I had more of was character and author interviews but I feel like I wouldn't know what to ask! I'm not a journalist by any means, just an avid reader.

7. What do you dislike about blogs you’ve read? Do you try to avoid this?  
Memes. The only meme I have is one that is relevant to the music on my blog and it's called Thumpin Thursday, where I post a song that doesn't fit in my book review playlists. I don't mind reading others In My Mailbox posts but I post on irregular days so looking at what books I got each week would be tough to keep up with. Some bloggers have too many memes though and it gets distracting. I like simple. 

8. Any advice for other new bloggers? 
"If you build it, they will come." I'm sure Most of you have heard that quote from the movie Field of Dreams. If not, that's ok. Just pretend. But that quote is totally false. Just because you have a blog, it does not mean you are going to get a ton of followers. You have to have interesting and well thought out content and you have to get involved in the blogging community. Read reviews, author posts, interviews and COMMENT to let them know what you thought. And don't just comment with one vague sentence. When I receive a interesting comments from bloggers on my posts, I go and check out their blog. 

9. Anything else you’d like to share about your experience?  
I started out on GoodReads before I got myself a blog and I still use it. It's a good way to keep track of books I have read, want to read, etc.. So I recommend getting a GoodReads account if you don't already have one. A lot of bloggers have multiple social networks like Facebook and Twitter too and while you don't have to, it is nice to have multiple ways for followers to stay connected. Also, it's a good idea to post your reviews in more than one place. Amazon, GoodReads, Barnes & Noble and where ever else. It builds exposure. I'm terrible at that. I tend to only post my reviews on GoodReads and my blog and maybe a book tour site if that's where I got my book from but I really should post in more places. Blogging is time consuming though and I don't know how some people have the time. Where is Hermione's Time Turner when you need it?  

10. Is there anything you’d like to tell us about your blog? 
Sure. It is phenom. I review mostly YA books, I share my ah-mazing music taste with you and yes, it's entirely possible that if you visit my blog, my awesomeness might rub off on you. :)

Looksie Lovitz

http://looksielovitz.blogspot.com/  Book Reviews and More!!

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