First of all, yay for BBAW! This has been a highlight of the book blogging year for the last 3 years for me, and I’m looking forward to this week, the fourth BBAW. On to the first topic:
While the awards are a fun part of BBAW, they can never accurately represent the depth and breadth of diversity in the book blogging community. Today you are encouraged to highlight a couple of bloggers that have made book blogging a unique experience for you. They can be your mentors, a blogger that encouraged you to try a different kind of book, opened your eyes to a new issue, made you laugh when you needed it, or left the first comment you ever got on your blog. Stay positive and give back to the people who make the community work for you!
I hesitate to highlight individual bloggers, because I know I’ll leave out so many of the people who have made my time blogging special – there just aren’t one or two, there are dozens, both old and new bloggers. If anything, the one site that led to my enthusiastic book blogging and discovery of other blogs was LibraryThing, where I used to be much more active on the forums in “Talk”. I always loved the idea of cataloguing my books – turns out I love even more the idea of chatting with other people who love books!
As soon as I discovered the book blogging community and started commenting myself, I felt immediately welcome. It’s so easy to connect, and though we do tend to have recurring dramas (that I try to avoid these days), it’s also easy to make friends.
At the same time, since I’ve been blogging for over four years now, I find that I miss many people who have stopped blogging as much as I rejoice in those who still are. These years have drastically changed the community; friends have left and friends have joined. What I’ve enjoyed the most is the constant sense of connection, the vibrance of blogging friendships, especially when I can devote enough time to Twitter, and the fact that we do our best to remain as welcoming as ever. I feel like I’m always finding new bloggers, whether on Twitter or through the blogs I already read, and when I have time I try to pop over and leave comments. Spare time happens less often now, but I’m always so glad to see so many people who love books. Before blogging, I knew others must enjoy reading, but I’ve never have my reading life so enhanced by such a group of people.
So thanks to the many wonderful members of the book blogging community. I owe you four years of fantastic reading, and I hope to owe you many more.
It is hard to pick out individual bloggers some times! The book blogosphere just seems to get bigger and bigger all the time, but, yes there are some that we have lost along the way that I miss too!
Enjoy your BBAW!
Marg´s last post …BBAW: Community
I would find it really difficult to pick just a couple of blogs to spotlight. So many people have been helpful and inspiring at different times over the years.
Beth F´s last post …Review: The Maze Runner by James Dashner
I agree about the statement of the growing community. In a few short years, the blogosphere has grown by leaps and bounds. There are so many blogs that I cannot keep up, and I finally decided I shouldn’t even try to.
This year, I selected the two blogs that I find myself returning to whenever they post.
Find out who here.
I’m glad you’re still a part of the book blogging community!
bermudaonion (Kathy)´s last post …Mailbox Monday
I’m always sad to find an old favorite has stopped blogging.
Chrisbookarama´s last post …BBAW: A Shout Out to My Homies
My early days were on LibraryThing too, but I stopped participating in the forums after book blogging became such a time-consuming activity for me.
I mean that in the best way. I had a hard time narrowing, but I found that using arbitrary, random categories helped: My list of influential bloggers, if you are interested!
Trisha´s last post …BBAW: Community
You said it all here. For me. For all of us!
Wonderful list you got here!
I had a hard time choosing. But I opted for totally unheard of blogs. Isn’t that the intention of community? To spread far and wide!!
Here is my post:
BBAW 2011: Community
gautami tripathy´s last post …BBAW 2011: Community
I miss a lot of the bloggers that have come and gone, too. It’s sad that they are not around anymore.
Kailana´s last post …BBAW – Day 1: Community
As I was going through my Google Reader yesterday I was a bit saddened at some of the defunct blogs where some of the old-time bloggers have moved on to different things. I guess that’s how life goes. But I’m so grateful for this evergrowing community and bloggers like yourself!
Trish´s last post …BBAW – Community (part the first)
I am always so glad to stop here everyday because I know your reviews are going to challenge, delight, and edify me, and you are always going to be reading something that I will just have to get my hands on! Thanks for creating a space that’s so welcoming and wonderful.
zibilee´s last post …Love at Absolute Zero by Christopher Meeks
I agree completely. There’s always room for more book blogs in my reader.
will happily add to my reader any that appeal – does it have a limit? :@)
Parrish´s last post …Snakes and Ladders (BBAW)
I didn’t pick specific bloggers, either…I knew I’d miss someone. I, too, started out on the LibraryThing forums. I still love cataloging my books, but now I spend a lot more time reading blogs than taking care of my collection! I hope you’re having an excellent BBAW so far
Such a sweet post! I picked a few but the list doesn’t really do my real reading justice.
Pam (@iwriteinbooks)´s last post …BBAW: On Community
It’s amazing how much the book blogging world has grown! to think when I started it was so hard to find other bloggers out there. now we’re everywhere!
Marie´s last post …Press Release – A Boston-Area Writing Competition from WBUR and The Drum Literary Magazine